It is safe to assume that in the course of homeschooling five daughters, that we do a fair amount of reading aloud together. However, I like to have a book to read to all of them over lunch that is NOT on their academic lists. Many times children can understand a book above their reading level if it is read out loud to them. This is such a special time, and they often beg for me to read "just one more chapter". (I would like to recommend some of our favorites on here from time to time.)
Just recently we have fallen in love with three books written by
Richard Peck. "A Long Way From Chicago" is the first of the three books in which a brother and sister are sent from their home in Chicago to stay with their grandmother for a week every year. Grandma Dowdel lives in rural Illinois, keeps to herself, she makes her own preserves, and she is always packing heat. Amazing and hilarious stories for the whole family escalate as we get to know Grandma Dowdel for more than her tough exterior will show.
In addition to the laughter, we learned a great deal about American life during prohibition and the Great Depression. These books are an excellent discussion in "the end doesn't justify the means", and will allow for many real life conversations about tough world issues...such as teenage pregnancy, theft, and helping the poor in a way that doesn't humiliate them ( all these things are tastefully introduced, and we find it a good way to talk about tough subjects. But, I recommend checking it out for your own family's preference first) . I found that my 9+ crowd understood the fuller meaning of it although the 6 yro understood enough to catch the humor, if not the tougher issues, which do have a more subtle tone.
The second in the series is a Newbery Honor book entitled "A Year Down Yonder" . In this book the granddaughter comes to live with Grandma Dowdel for a whole year during the toughest of the Great Depression years. High school in such a small hick town for a Chicago girl certainly has some choice moments. Again, my kids kept begging me to read the next chapter.
The last in the series is "A Season of Gifts" in which we learn a thing or two from Grandma Dowdel about "neighboring" and true religious duty. With her grandchildren grown, Mrs. Dowdel has to settle for the new family next door to bestow her unusual talents upon. The father of the new family is to be the pastor of the Methodist church, or shell of a church building in town. He has enough on his plate just trying to figure out how to get those pews warmed, and he doesn't need his three children getting into all sorts of trouble as newcomers to the small town. You guessed it, Grandma Dowdel knows just how to set things straight...but her methods are more than unorthodox...they're down right genius.
So, I hope that these suggestions will give you a jump start on a new family tradition, or to give you new ammunition for an already established one. I have found that my love of reading is contagious when it comes to my kids, especially when I sit down and share it with them.
My daughters have always enjoyed the time we read a series of books out loud. They never did want me to stop. We usually read at lunch and after supper. Our problem, is we don't know how to discuss what we have read. We just read.
ReplyDeletegreat point by teresa. i would say the same...how do you transition from reading to discussion? there's a post topic for you. :)
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