We have become a family of bookworms.
I have always loved books, but only really find the time to read, when I travel, which has actually been a fair bit recently. Last year and the year before I attempted the Read52 project… to read 52 books in one year. I failed miserably. I managed 12 each year instead. But I love reading and I am in the middle of writing three different books myself! Yes, I realise this is not sensible, and I should complete one first, but I write best when I’m inspired, so if I’m inspired more to write one book, than the other, then I do that.
Jonny generally reads the same four books, over and over and over, but it keeps him happy.
The twins have recently stopped ripping books to shreds and using them as objects to hit each other over the head with. They now actually look at the pictures and very occasionally, will let me read them a story. Most evenings when I read them a bedtime story, they listen for a word they recognise and then start repeating, or even shouting that word back to me. Bedtime stories are not yet relaxing, but I do think it helps them with their vocabulary, which has come on in leaps and bounds in the past few weeks.
Bunny, is the real book addict. I wrote last year about her completing the Summer reading challenge at the local library. She reads a book every night and I don’t mean a small book either. She seems quite advanced in her reading choices and when she reads aloud, she reads fluently. In her old school, we laughed when they told us she needed additional support with her reading. We asked if they’d even heard our daughter read? We spoke to a parent helper, who was really shocked and said that Bunny was one of the more advanced readers in the class. In her new school, one of the only conversations we’ve had with her teacher, is about how good she is at reading and how much she loves it. I’m so glad she moved schools.
Our favourite bookstore is The Works, because they seem to offer such good prices in comparison with all the other bookstores we visit. We are lucky to live near an outlet store too, which is exceptional value for money. We also love that The Works sell toys, stationary, craft supplies and gifts too and it’s always the first place I visit now for children’s birthday presents. I have to admit though, during the loom band craze, we ended up having to avoid The Works, because Bunny wanted to go in and buy more loom bands every time we walked past!
Disclaimer 2
This is a really timely piece. My 10 year old has not really been interested in reading, much to the concern of his teachers but a couple of weeks ago it suddenly clicked!
Now the biggest problem is getting him to put a book down when he should be going to sleep.
Agree with you about the value offered by The Works and not just for kids.