Chapter Books

A few months ago my friend Rachel posted a list of must-read chapter books for kids.  Before that it hadn’t occurred to me to read them to Bug. 

I started with the first book that Rachel recommended, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Bug has been hooked ever since.  We have two books going at all times: at nap/rest time she and I read one together, and at bedtime she and Daddy read one together.  She LOVES it!  We’ve already made it through a good dozen books.  She and Daddy are fond of the Boxcar children, and are on their third or fourth one already.  

She also likes to read them on her own.  I thought I’d better get a video of her reading one because I think most people don’t believe me when I tell them she’s reading chapter books at the age of 5.  I figure when she gets older she’ll think I am exaggerating too so I wanted to document some proof. :)  I was just looking through old posts of Boo’s babyhood and came across the video where she was sounding out sight words at the age of 2 1/2.  Reading is just one area she’s always excelled at. 

This first video is her reading to Peanut. :)

But Peanut didn’t much care for it so we tried again with me holding her instead.

There is a downside to her ability to read.  When I am reading I have to take extra care and pay attention, because it’s pretty annoying to have a five year old correcting your reading skills. :P Sometimes when I read too fast I will read something like “they have only” as “they only have” and EVERY time I make a mistake like that she pipes up, “No Mommy! That’s not what it says, it goes like this…” and then she re-reads the whole sentence for me. 

There is also no skimming, which I like to do when we are late getting to bed but I promised them one book.  I am only able to skim if it’s only Boo that I’m reading to. 

The other bad thing is I can no longer change words out to make them more kid-friendly.  There are several “bad” words that we don’t say in our house: stupid, dumb, hate, and boring (that one just irritates me personally).  So normally I just interchange these words. Tigger is especially bad about saying he “hates” stuff and I used to just say things like, “Tiggers don’t like messy rooms!”  But now I get a head whipping around to face me, “He said hate!!!” and then Boo chimes in, “We don’t say HATE! We don’t say HATE!” and we end up with a 3 minute interruption on the subject of how it’s not a very nice word, etc. etc.

BUT the fact that I can ask Bug to read Boo a book to keep them quiet when I need a few minutes is very very nice, and I really am glad that she’s reading…it makes my homeschooling job a lot easier!  We are going to be focusing more on reading comprehension this year since she’s already doing so well. 

On that subject, we haven’t started school yet because I have my classroom all planned out in the breezeway but we’ve been waiting for two weeks now to get carpet ordered.  The carpet in there is old, ripped, and smells like animals.  I finally got a measurement scheduled and she’s coming tomorrow so hopefully we’ll get it soon.  Bug and I are both eager to get going!

P.S. Peanut had her best night of sleep yet last night!  She went five hours between one feeding, four hours between the next, and then slept another two hours, not starting her day until 9:00am!  Sooo nice!  I’m hoping she keeps it up!