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Along with her background as a researcher, writer, and teacher, Joanne Meier is a mom. Join Joanne every week as she shares her experiences raising her own young readers, and guides parents and teachers on the best practices in reading.

Do as I say, not as I do

February 5, 2008

I heard that expression for the first time when my mom was teaching me to drive. She has a bit of a lead foot, and had gotten a spate of speeding tickets when I was a teenager. As I stepped on the gas, she turned to me and said, "Do as I say, not as I do, especially when it comes to driving!"

I find myself using that same expression these days as I talk to parents about reading to their kids: Do as I say, not as I do. Yes, it's true...I haven't been reading to my girls.

But don't take that to mean there isnt any reading going on at our house — there's plenty of that! Our trip to the library last week ended with both girls challenging the media specialist's rule: You can check out as many as you can carry. They both walked out with an armful of books they couldn't wait to read.

The problem (?) at our house is that now that both girls are reading comfortably on their own that's all they want to do — read on their own. They're really not interested in listening to me read to them.

I've faced this problem before — really not knowing a good book to use for our family read aloud. Our last dry spell catapulted me into the library to discover read alouds that we could read as a family. We've ready many, and it's tons of fun to have a family book going. We just finished James and the Giant Peach, which they loved, (maybe not as much as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) but now we're between books. And I'm not reading to them.

I know the value of reading aloud to them. I long to be the one to introduce them to some of the classic books they're not able to read on their own yet. I want to share new authors and genres, longer books with interesting vocabulary...but we're in a dry spell.

What have you read aloud? What chapter books have left your kids begging for the next chapter? Any recommendations would be MOST appreciated!

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Maybe: Pippi Longstocking with illustrations by Lauren Child? Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

Posted by: | February 07, 2008 08:23 PM

My favorite books that my mother read to me were "Little Women" and "The Secret Garden"

Any suggestions for a first read aloud book (beyond picture books) for a four year old girl?

Posted by: kb | February 08, 2008 10:25 AM

When Molly was 4, she loved to listen to The Littles. Something about their small furniture and makeshift items really entranced her. The chapters are short, with just enough pencil drawings to keep them going.

Posted by: Joanne | February 08, 2008 11:05 AM

My 4 year old daughter loves the Rainbow Magic Series, Disney Fairies, Boo's Dinosaur, Magic Tree House and more...you can see more at her book blog Kairisbookshelf.blogspot.com

Posted by: B | February 08, 2008 12:20 PM

Oh, me! Me! Call on me!

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill with illustrations by Ronni Solbert.

Maybe they should get a little older first, though.

Posted by: John Lloyd | February 08, 2008 01:21 PM

Hi! I teach 3rd grade and my children love picture books that include pretty good size reading passages. I know that I enjoy reading them too, so why don't you give those a try? Perhaps your kids will become more involved in the illustrations and try their own hand at writing/illustrating a book. :)

Posted by: Deb O'Neal | February 11, 2008 02:59 PM

I've posted a response over at my own place, http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com/2008/02/reluctant-readers-again.html

But a few quick suggestions are be Ballet Shoes or any Noel Streatfield, or any Elizabeth Enright.

Posted by: Charlotte | February 13, 2008 10:22 AM

My daughter and her friends love "The
Fairy Tale Detectives" series by Michael Buckley

Posted by: Kate | March 13, 2008 07:48 PM

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