reading tips

March 23, 2015

Mrs. G

Finding Time to Read

Over the weekend someone asked me, “How do you find time to read when you have two small kids?” My answer was simple: I make reading a priority. I’m a true believer that people make or find time to do things that matter or are important to them. Therefore, I make daily reading one of my priorities.

I love reading. I love pushing myself to read, and I love making it a priority. I find it motivating to set big reading goals. But my highest priority ISN’T the total number of books I finish, but rather about being transformed by what I read. It’s about growing as a person. It’s about developing as a believer and of course being entertained in the process.

I know you’re thinking that sounds great, but how can I manage to read with everything else I need to do? Well, if you want to get into the habit of reading more here are a few tips:

1. MAKE IT A PRIORITY.

One of my weird pet peeves is when people complain about not ‘having’ enough time to do things. Their excuse always starts off with, “I don’t have time to do this or I don’t have time to do that.” Everyone has the same number of hours in a day, and if you truly WANT to read more you may have to CHOOSE reading over other things you also enjoy. For example: watching television, surfing the Internet, etc.

2. MAKE READING PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE.

I tend to read first thing in the morning when I wake up, during lunch time and right before bed. By making reading a habit you’ll be surprised how many books you can get through without consciously working at it.

I find if reading isn’t part of my regular routine, it’s easy to let days and weeks or even months go by without reading something. Once something is part of my daily routine I don’t have to think about whether or not I’ve done it today; of course I have, right when I always do.

3. READ IN SNIPPETS

What does this mean? It means while the water is heating for a cup of tea, I can read a page. It means when the kids are playing quietly for a few minutes, I can read another page. Anytime I have a moment, I can read a paragraph or maybe more. The key is to always have something to read with me. Yes, I usually have a book stashed away in my purse or in the car.

4. READ WHAT YOU LIKE.

This one should go without saying, but many people tend to gravitate toward books that come highly recommended by others. I’ve fallen into this trap before too. Just because it’s a best seller, recommended by your best friend, co-worker, or recommended by a favorite resource, doesn’t mean that the book will be right for you. That’s ok – read what you like.

5. “READ” AUDIO BOOKS

When I had a daily commute into the office I made great use of that driving time by listening to audio books. Now since I work from home I use audio books less often than I used to. However, I still do use them on occasion when driving around town in the car by myself or with the kids.

My library had a great selection, but if yours doesn’t, I’ve heard great things about the Audible program as a way to get audio books. My library offers books as CDs you can borrow, or as MP3 downloads you can get from home. Super simple, once you get it set up initially.

No commute? I’ve listened to audio books while cleaning the house, exercising, or working on jigsaw puzzles.

And keep in mind, narrators can make or break an audio book, so if you try one and don’t like it, don’t write off the entire realm of audio books. Try a different book (maybe even a different sort of book), and a different narrator to see if you enjoy it that way.

6. READ TO YOUR KIDS

Not only does this help develop a passion for reading in your children, it fosters a close relationship and lets you read more. Win, win, and win!

You may have to be selective in the choice of reading material when you’re reading it aloud to your children, but there are plenty of great books for all ages. I fully agree with C.S. Lewis’ thoughts that a book that isn’t worth reading when you’re an adult isn’t worth reading when you’re a child.

So there you have it! See how easy it is to find more time to read if you truly want to do it?

These tips are are pretty basic, but when put together they all add up. Ten minutes here, forty minutes there, and pretty soon, you’ve got a book read! I hope this inspires you to make reading a priority in your life if you’ve decided that it is important to you.

What are your thoughts? How do you find time to read? Is there anything you’re spending time doing that you could cut back to allow more reading time?

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Books for Adults

March 13, 2015

Mrs. G

Sneak Peek: My April Book Selection

Are your kids picky eaters? My kids are both very good eaters for the most part. However, as they’re getting older I’m noticing they are becoming picky sometimes. There have even been times when they gripe about the foods I put on their plates. Sometimes their likes change… mid-bite. Don’t you hate it when they spit out their food?

While searching online about ways to deal with picky kids I came across this gem that I’ll be reading in April: French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billion. I’ve heard people sing its praises, and it’s been one of those books on my “to-read” list since last summer. Let me tell you a bit about it.

As the cover of the book states, Karen Le Billon and her husband moved their family from North America to France where they “cured” picky eating, quit giving their kids snacks, and started living by 10 simple rules that eventually taught her kids to be happy eaters who eat healthy food.

Over the course of the book French Kids Eat Everything, Karen shares her experience as well as the 10 rules she has adopted for her family that made her kids go from picky to happy, healthy eaters. Some of these rules are French food rules and some are French parenting styles. No matter, I’m sure there’s plenty of wisdom for us American parents in this book. I personally can’t wait to read it!

And just for the record, this book isn’t all advice and information. There are recipes scattered throughout. Another thing I’m looking forward to trying… French recipes! I love France and hope to visit there…someday.

So do you have picky kids? Are you tired of struggling? Do you want to cut snacks out of your kids’ diet? If so, this book may offer you some help, and I’m inviting you to join me in reading it too so we can find some nuggets of wisdom together!

Happy Reading!

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children's literacy

March 9, 2015

Mrs. G

My Best Tips for Reading Aloud to Young Kids

Reading to my kids regularly is a fabulous, frugal, habit that I enjoy immensely. It costs little to nothing if you get your books from the library, and it’s a great way to spend quality time together.

I’ve heard from other moms that reading to your kids isn’t automatically an easy thing to do, especially if you have kids of multiple ages or have a very active kid who doesn’t like to slow down to listen.

So, in honor of National Read Aloud month, I thought I’d share some of my read aloud tips:

1. Make it a habit.

Read aloud every day. Pick a reading time and put it on your schedule. After breakfast? At bedtime? After lunch? If you work it into your day, you’ll be more likely to do it and your kids will come to count on it. We do our read alouds either in at bedtime or in the morning before daycare drop off.

2. Stop before they get tired.

Some kids can listen to books for hours. Some will only sit for 5 minutes – try to stop before your kids get antsy. This also applies to you – stop before you get tired too.

3. Turn the story into a craft.

If you’re crafty like me, you can find easy projects to go along with most children’s books on Pinterest or other websites. I’ll be sharing some of our book crafts on this blog as time goes on.

4. Use audiobooks!

These are great for quiet time, car trips or when you don’t have time to read books.

5. Keep a list of books you’ve read together.

Kids will enjoy looking back over the list and remembering their favorites. You might even get them to write a short review once they get older. I hope my children will appreciate all of the books I have listed here on this blog that I’ve read to them over the years.

6. Build up their attention spans.

If your kids aren’t used to long read alouds, start small. You can start with short picture books or even read a short chapter in a chapter book.

7. Read at least three stories a day.

It may be the same story three times. Research shows that children need to hear a thousand stories before they can begin to learn to read on their own.

Other General Tips:

Have fun!
Let your child see you reading. (Gotta practice what you preach, right?)
Talk about the pictures.
Show your child the cover page. Explain what the story is about.
Run your finger along the words as you read them.
Make silly sounds; especially animal sounds, are fun to make.
Choose books about events in your child’s life such as starting preschool, going to the dentist, getting a new pet, or moving to a new home.
Make the story come alive. Create voices for the story characters.
Ask questions about the story. What do you think will happen next? What is this? What color is this car?
Let your child ask questions about the story. Talk about familiar activities and objects.
Let your child retell the story (when they are old enough).
Visit your local library often.

Reading with Your Baby

Hold your baby on your lap while you read.

I find that babies like…

board books (in case they try to chew on them or put them in their mouth)
pictures of other babies
rhymes and songs from the same book(s) over and over
when you point at pictures – this is how babies learn

Reading with Your 1-Year-Old

Let your toddler move around while you are reading if they want to.
Name the pictures – this is how toddlers learn new words.
Read labels and signs wherever you go.

I find that 1-year-olds like …

the same book(s) read over and over
to choose and hold the book
books about food, trucks, animals, and children
books with a few words

Reading with Your 2-Year-Old, 3-Year-Old or 4-Year-Old

Let your toddler move around while you are reading if they want to.
Read labels and signs wherever you go.
Keep different books around the house and let your child choose.

I find that toddlers like …

to help turn the pages
to fill in the words in a story they know
to point and name pictures
to hear the same book(s) over and over
books that are silly
animal books and animal noises

I hope these tips help inspire you to start a read aloud habit with your kids if you’re not already doing so. Read to your child daily because you love being with your child, not because it’s the right thing to do.

What are your best tips for reading aloud to your kids?

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read aloud

March 4, 2015

Mrs. G

What the Kids are Reading (in March 2015)

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

Just as the title implies, this book has no pictures, but the kids love it! Definitely a hit in our house. It’s requested to be read over and over at bedtime.

Shark in the Park by Phil Roxbee Cox

A cute story about a pup who warns all the other animals there is a shark in the park. This book is easy to pick up on and would be great to revisit again when the kids are able to read on their own.Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park

This is another one of the kids’ favorites. They love the rhyming text and the illustrations. There is even a recipe of how to make Bee-Bim Bop (a Korean dish) at the back of the book.Goodnight Already! by Jory John & Benji Davies

A very funny story about a bear who just wants to sleep and a duck who wants to hang out all night.

This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

This book is written by the same author who wrote I Want My Hat Back which I’ve also read to my kids. The ending can be seen as a bit dark (in both books), but I don’t have a problem with it as I think it teaches a lesson. Read it for yourself and draw your own conclusion. My kids seem to like this book.The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman

This is soooo fun to read aloud and my kids just love it! I can’t imagine having seven children, much less seven picky eaters…a delight!Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco

Although my children haven’t shown any signs of being afraid of thunderstorms yet, I thought I’d pick up this book to read to them anyway. I love the way the grandmother consoles her granddaughter by telling her thunderstorms are nothing more than ingredients used to make Thunder Cake…genius!

The Alphabet Tree by Leo Lionni

When a fierce wind threatens to blow all the little letters out of the alphabet tree, they must band together in words—and then sentences—to create a message that’s even stronger than the wind: peace on earth.

Sam Sheep Can’t Sleep by Phil Roxbee Cox

Another easy reader phonics book about a sheep who can’t sleep.

My Mouth is a Volcano! by Julia Cook

This is a great book to read if you have children who are constantly interrupting when grown-ups are talking. We’ll be revisiting this book again when the kids are a bit older. Great story and illustrations!Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae

We adore this rhyming safari book! The kids love pointing to the colorful pictures of all the different animals in the jungle. So cute!

Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth

In Ten Little Ladybugs, one by one, ten tactile bugs disappear. Where did they all go? Young ones will love finding this out as they feel their way through the sturdy, colorful pages of this innovative book. The cute critters provide a hands-on learning experience and the rhyming text reinforces the counting concept. Interactive, educational, adorable – this magical countdown book adds up to a whole lot of fun…a winner!

Take Away the A by Michael Escoffier

One of the best alphabet books I’ve ever read and the kids love this one too! It’s a good way to show children how different words are formed.

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children's literacy

March 3, 2015

Mrs. G

A Simple Way to Improve Your Storytelling Skills

When I first discovered eeBoo after reading about them online last December, I was instantly impressed. Their games, puzzles, flash cards, and wall art are exactly the kind of toys we like to have in our home. They are colorful, educational, and made of high-quality recycled materials.

One of the many products eeBoo produces is an award-winning early literacy product called Tell Me a Story Creative Story Cards. These cards are my “secret weapon” I use when I want an alternative to reading books and they are perfect for honing my storytelling skills. Recommended for ages 3 and up (although I use them with my 1 & 2 year olds), the deck of 36 beautifully illustrated cards assist children in creating their own stories.

An endless number of stories are possible by placing any number of the cards in any order. Short stories, long stories, kids create a new story every time they shuffle the deck. The whole family can make a game out of the cards, by taking turns picking cards and telling a story together. Parents, grandparents and teachers will find the cards useful as an aid in their own storytelling. Brilliant!

Create a Story Cards: Volcano Island

Here’s the basic breakdown of how the story cards work. You lay out all the cards. Then you choose, or have your child(ren) choose, the cards they find interesting. Choose as many or as few cards as you like, and lay them out in an order that tells your story.

Then you go through the cards, describing them in any way you or your child(ren) wishes to tell the story of your making. And that’s it! Super simple and a really fun way to work the imagination and gain better understanding of the process of storytelling.

eeBoo offers four different sets of story cards: Circus Animal Adventures, Fairy Tale Mix-Up, Mystery in the Forest, Volcano Island, Animal Village and Little Robots Mission. Sized small at about 4″ x 5″, the cards pack easily in a bag, perfect for travel and come in a sturdy sliding tray box. Because the set is priced reasonably at $9.95, we plan on buying a few of the other sets for more storytelling possibilities. I imagine you can even mix the sets together and make up some pretty wacky stories!

These open-ended card sets allow for endless variations on games and activities based upon storytelling. The simplest activity is for a young child to choose three cards from the deck and then tell a story (or a sentence) that incorporates the three items shown on the card. As a child begins to gain confidence in telling stories, the number of cards may be increased, or additional players may be added to take turns to create a cooperative story, a fun social group activity.

My 2 1/2 year-old daughter has a pretty awesome imagination already, and I’ve really enjoyed listening to her tell me some excellent stories. I’ve been particularly pleased because the set encourages her to speak her mind and become a little more vocal, skills that she needs to practice before she starts Pre-K3 this fall.

I hope you found this helpful.

Happy Storytelling!

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read aloud

February 28, 2015

Mrs. G

March is National Read Aloud Month

March is National Read Aloud Month, started by Read Aloud 15 Minutes. Reading aloud every day is the single most important thing you can do to prepare your child to learn. Pretty cool, right? Best of all, it’s completely free!

When every child is read aloud to for at least 15 minutes every day from birth, more children will be ready to learn when they enter kindergarten, more children will have the literacy skills needed to succeed in school, and more children will be prepared for a productive and meaningful life after school.

These facts are at the heart of the Read Aloud 15 Minutes campaign, to get have every child, from birth through age 5 read aloud to each day. Babies are born learning, making these years so crucial to development. Reading aloud for just 15 minutes a day for the first five years impact babies and children through:

Language development
Literacy skill building
Instilling a love of reading
Brain development
Knowledge gained and shared
Bonding

Only 48 percent of young children in the United States are read aloud to each day. March is a great time to increase those numbers. Join me and read aloud to a child during Read Aloud Month.

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Books for Adults

February 27, 2015

Mrs. G

What I’m Reading (in March 2015)

The Fringe Hours: Making Time For You

Status: Finished

Every woman has had this experience: you get to the end of the day and realize you did nothing for you. And if you go days, weeks, or even months in this cycle, you begin to feel like you have lost a bit of yourself. While life is busy with a litany of must-dos–work, parenting, keeping house, grocery shopping, laundry and on and on–women do not have to push their own needs aside. Yet this is often what happens. There’s just no time, right? Wrong.The Green Ember by S.D. SmithStatus: Finished

Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures. They discover that their own story is bound up in the tumult threatening to overwhelm the wider world.

An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old panhandler, a busy sales executive, and an unlikely meeting with destiny by Laura Schroff

Status: Finished

An Invisible Thread tells of the life-long friendship between a busy sales executive and a disadvantaged young boy, and how both of their lives were changed by what began as one small gesture of kindness.

My Thoughts: Good book. Overall, I enjoyed it and found it interesting how the two main characters were so different, yet so alike in other ways. I do believe there is an invisible thread that connects us to people we encounter in our lives.

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children's literacy

February 18, 2015

Mrs. G

Finding the Good Stuff: How I Choose Books For My Kids

Since I’m an avid reader, it’s important for me to intentionally approach my children’s literacy. My ultimate goal for them is simple: to create lifelong readers and learners.

Like many parents, I have high goals for my kids’ learning–a lengthening attention span, a love of language and the intricacies of words, and a developing vocabulary. Reading them good quality books helps us head in the direction of these goals.

When it comes to choosing high quality books I usually steer clear of any dumbed-down literature for my children. In the literary world, those types of books are referred to as “twaddle”, a coin termed by Charlotte Mason during the 19th century.

Examples of “dumbed-down” books include most books based on kids’ television shows (Thomas the Train, Doc McStuffins, etc.), abridged versions of classic books that simplify the language and meaning, and books that don’t leave scope for a child’s imagination.

As a parent, it’s my job to nourish my kids’ minds as well as their bodies. Therefore, I pay attention to the quality of reading material they digest.

When choosing books I do any of the following:

Look for children’s books with text, illustrations, and topics that appeal to me. Yes, it’s important for me to like the book too since I’ll be the one reading it aloud. If I don’t enjoy it, the kids will be able to tell and they won’t enjoy it either.
I follow the kids’ interests. For example: whenever the kids show signs of a new interest, I jot it down. Then I go to the library and do some research on different books.
Browse different book lists. No need to reinvent the wheel, right? There are so many wonderful book lists have been written to help you discover the best books for kids. I refer to these often.

I truly believe by giving kids the best literature from the beginning, they’ll grow up to choose it for themselves.

I hope this helps you in your search of great children’s books for your little ones. Now, head to your local library, bookstore or online store and fill your world with the good stuff!

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Books for Adults

February 13, 2015

Mrs. G

What I’m Reading (in February 2015)

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Status: Finished

I found this book to be very inspiring. It was interesting to read about all the things she endured and the people she met along the way in her very emotional and compelling journey. The quality of writing in this book is fantastic. Cheryl is a wonderful storyteller who vividly captures her experience of hiking the PCT. Now I want to see the movie starring Reese Witherspoon!

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
by Marie Kondo

Status: Finished

WOW, this book is AMAZING! I read the entire book cover to cover in five days. I probably could have finished this in one full day, but between work, taking care of the house and the kids I had to squeeze it in when I could. Anyway, this book was definitely a page turner for me from beginning to end.

The topic of decluttering and tidying has always intriguied me, but Marie Kondo has definitely got me beat. She spent more than half of her life researching tidying since the age of 5…that’s impressive! Some people may find this book a bit over the top, but I loved every.single.word. Who knew I would find a book about decluttering and tidying so intriguing?

Now that I’ve completed the book, I’m going to start the process of tidying up our home using the KonMari Method. I can truly see how this book can be life-changing and magical. It just makes so much sense to me by putting your house in order you can put your entire life in order. Kudos to Marie Kondo for writing such a well-written and inspiring book!

The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective by Andy Andrews

Status: Finished

I started reading this book on a Thursday and was finished by Saturday of that same week. This book is a quick read – only 156 pages in length, but it’s filled with so many great nuggets of wisdom that can truly be applied to your everyday life.

I absolutely loved the chapters about the four dialects that people use to convey love. It definitely gives you a whole new perspective and makes excellent comparisons between the four dialects and corresponding animals – brillant!

I look forward to sharing the life lessons I learned from “Jones” in this book. Everyone needs a “Jones” in their life – I know I do. I can definitely see why this book has gotten such rave reviews on Amazon and other websites. I’ll be purchasing this book for sure to add to my collection. An excellent read!

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read aloud

February 12, 2015

Mrs. G

What the Kids are Reading (in February 2015)

Below is a list of the books I’m currently reading to the kids for this month. Almost all of these books were borrowed from the library.

Such a fun book with a great overall message to be grateful. The kids really seem to get a kick out of this book. Another great rhyming book with fun illustrations.

Love this book…it’s a classic! This book has it all: great illustrations, rhyming text, it’s thought provoking and imaginative.

This is a counting book with awesome illustrations. The kids like looking for the dragon on each page, especially my daughter, Sparkles.

This is a really cute bedtime story for children. The kids loved this book so much the first time I checked it out from the library that we ended up purchasing it. This one is always requested to be read again during storytime. My daughter can recite this entire book from memory on her own.

You can never go wrong with a book by Karen Beaumont. I love the rhythm and cadence in this book as well as the illustrations…poor sheep! Another favorite for the kiddos.

I recently discovered Julia Donandson and I haven’t been disappointed with one of her books yet. A great story about a monkey looking for his mom.

I just picked up this book on a recent library haul and I’m so happy I got this for the kids. An adorable story about a duck who lost his new blue socks.

The kids and I adore this book about friendship. This is another one requested to be read again during storytime.

My 14 month-old son (Mr. Tickles) absolutely loves this book and so do I. Great story, wonderful cadence and illustrations. I’ll purhcase this book eventually to add to our collection. This is our third time checking it out from the library.

Mem Fox is another author who does not disappoint. Love this story! I even learned a new vocabulary word from reading this. Anyone know what an eiderdown is without Googling it? Don’t worry, I didn’t know either.

This is another one of Sparkles’ favorites. I had to renew this book twice already! We’ll be purchasing this one at some point too. Lucy is such an lovable character!

A lovely interactive book! This book instructs kids to do something to the tree on each page. As you turn the page the tree changes in some way. Such a delight to read!

I can see why this book has its’ title. It has a little bit of everythng in it from shapes, to colors, to nursery rhymes. The kids love all of the colorful illustrations – a winner! This book also has a total of 119 ladybugs scattered throughout. The kids and I like searching for the ladybugs on each page – so fun!

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reading tips

February 12, 2015

Mrs. G

Why Keep Track of the Books You Read?

You may be wondering why I want to keep track of all the books I read to my children.

I started recording the books I read to the kids in a basic Excel document in January 2015 – alphabetical by author and title of the book. I also I added the date we finished the book and my own personal rating since the kids aren’t old enough to give their ratings.

I know you may be thinking, that sounds great, but what’s the advantage? Well, I started keeping track because at the time I was reading lots of books and I found it hard to remember which ones the kids and I liked most. Since I stared tracking our reading I’ve found other, unexpected advantages:

It’s clear where my current reading has been lacking or thriving.
It’s makes it a whole lot easier to recommend books to others. By keeping track, I can just refer back to my handy-dandy list. Or better yet, refer them to my blog.
I am able to see how our reading has evolved over time.
It’s easier to set reading goals for the kids and for myself.
I can see what types of books the kids enjoyed the most based on the topics of each book and the rating assigned.
It gives me insight to the changes I’ve made in my life life based on my reading choices. I love being reminded of what’s made me think, made me cry, made me change.
I enjoy being able to see metrics on my own reading. What portion of fiction books do I read verses nonfiction? What was the longest book I read this year? Is any of this information life-saving? No, but it’s fun for me. 🙂

Now that I have this blog in place I’ll be able to record the books I read as well as the books I read to the kids.

Your turn: How do you keep track of books that you read or books you read to your children? Feel free to share in the comments.

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Finding Time to Read

Sneak Peek: My April Book Selection

My Best Tips for Reading Aloud to Young Kids

What the Kids are Reading (in March 2015)

A Simple Way to Improve Your Storytelling Skills

March is National Read Aloud Month

What I’m Reading (in March 2015)

Finding the Good Stuff: How I Choose Books For My Kids

What I’m Reading (in February 2015)

What the Kids are Reading (in February 2015)

Why Keep Track of the Books You Read?

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