Library day in our house is one of the most exciting days of the week! The girls giggle and squeal when they realize what day it is. The simple pleasures of dropping their borrowed books down the book chute and scanning their new books themselves allows them a feeling of exciting independence. Here are some of our favorites at the moment (linked, in case you are interested in checking any of them out):
Hope: Wildwood, Confessions of a So-Called Middle Child, The Nancy Drew series, The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Secret Series, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Indian In The Cupboard, Howl's Moving Castle
Poesy: Alice The Fairy, Madeline, Eloise At The Plaza, The Goldilicious series, Papa Please Get The Moon For Me, Charlie and Lola, Thumbelina
I'd like to make more time for reading again in my own life. Sometimes being a grown-up means you fill up every little bit of time with things and things and things, but I miss this special part of life. I'll be clearing out some time this year for much needed book love.
I also love the idea of a book club! Emma is hosting a monthly book club on her blog and I think that is just wonderful! Will any of you be joining in? I'm thinking about it...
If you feel like leaving any of your current favorite books in the comments here, I'm interested in checking some of them out! Here's to lots of reading in 2014!
My girls both joined the library at 6 days old and they love reading. If Hope loves Howls Moving Castle, can I recommend Fire and Hemlock by the same author - it's my favourite all-time book, and I read a lot of books! X
ReplyDeleteI suggest you to read "Life before us" written by Romain Gary/Amile Ajar. I don't know if it will be as amazing in English as it is in French, but it's definitely worth it! I like "The stranger" by Albert Camus, "I spit on your graves" by Boris Vian, and "Moon Palace" by Paul Auster. I try to read at least 15 minutes a day, but i wish i could read more.. what's your favorite book so far?
ReplyDeleteLove your blog post, as usual. Currently, I'm reading Tell the Wolves I'm Home. It was just a random pick from Barnes and Noble and I'm not too far in but so far, so good.
ReplyDeleteI love A Series of Unfortunate Events!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a fabulous thing to encourage in little ones :) I am thinking of joining the ABM book club too!
ReplyDeleteI love A Series of Unfortunate Events!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite books when I was a child were from Roald Dahl!
ReplyDeleteI recently finished 'the book thief', and it was absolutely beautiful, I can't recommend it highly enough. I remember reading (and being obsessed with) the series of unfortunate events stories... hope has great taste in books x
ReplyDeleteI love getting children involved and absorbed in reading, it's lovely part of being a primary teacher.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading "Never let me go" by Kazuo Ishiguro, it's really absorbing, I think I'll have it finished this evening
http://ahandfulofhope.blogspot.co.uk/
Lolita, Anna Karenina, In cold blood, and Gone with the wind are some of my favs.
ReplyDeleteI loved The Indian In the Cupboard - a childhood favorite for sure! My mom worked at the local library and I used to spend every Saturday there with her. I remember curling up in the Story Bowl (a probably germ-ridden padded concave cylinder) with Choose Your Own Adventure books.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing I read in 2013 was The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg.
I love books too and I can't wait to have my own kids who share that passion. I grew up with a single mom and two siblings. We didn't have much, but my mom would always take us to the library and help us find cool books. The library is still one of my favorite places to spend hours and hours looking for something new to read and dive into.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Taylor
www.welcomehometaylor.com
Kids + books are the best combination, we had a sort of "library class" when I was in primary school and it was my favourite time at school! I'm loving Just Kids by Patti Smith at the moment. not a boring "memoir" at all! Every page makes me urge to produce some kind of art. Very Inspiring!
ReplyDeleteAw! I absolutely love that your girls are so into reading! I got really interested in reading around the 6th grade when I moved to a new town! This year I read a few books I really enjoyed, two of my favorites were An Abundance of Katherines by John Greene and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn!
ReplyDeleteAs a mama and a former English teacher, nothing makes me happier than spying on my wee ones while they're engrossed in a book. I recently posted my top 5 favorite book collections for kiddos. Check out some authors/illustrators that are sure to pull your darlin' right into the pages here-http://www.frommyhearthtoyours.com/2013/07/choosing-favorites-my-top-5-book.html
ReplyDeleteHappy reading! Give that cutie a high-five!
I've been a big fan of Harry Potter forever! I've recently read the Unenchanted trilogy by Chanda Hahn. That one is fantastic. I'm going to reread it soon.
ReplyDeleteAnother favourite is anything by Christopher Gutierrez. He's a friend, and writes some really interesting stuff.
-Nicole
Mercantile519
Yes! LIbrary day is the best.
ReplyDeleteWe are about to be snowed in, so we hit the library and grocery today. With fresh food and fresh books (not to mention yarn and fabric) I am looking forward to a lovely hibernation.
H A P P Y N E W Y E A R to you and yours!
Good timing! I just started "I Thought It Was Just Me" by Brene Brown. It's a heavier read, about shame and it's effect on women. But I've found it really enlightening so far! There's some commentary on my thoughts so far at my blog if anyone is interested! (:
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of Poesy, the school library was my sanctuary growing up!
Eleanor and Park is next on my list- I think I have been too much influenced by the blog-osphere!
ReplyDeletewas howl's moving castle from me? i can't remember if i sent that to her. i think i might have. i LOVE that book! :)
ReplyDeleteyay, reading!
I am always grateful for book recommendations. Thank you! If you'd like one in return, my husband and I love "The Phantom Tollbooth".
ReplyDeleteI love these recommendations. -Hanna Lei
ReplyDeletePoesy might like to check out Sidney, Stella and the Moon by Emma Yarlett. My girls (4 and 2) adore it! Nothing sweeter than kids loving reading.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was hopes age I was obsessed with the Dear America series. My family thought I was crazy because I always asked for books for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI recently read a delightful book called Where'd you go Bernadette. It was and entertaining - a win-win in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI'm joining Emma's book club as well.
~FringeGirl
I just ordered the book for Emma's book club. I'm so glad she started something like that because I definitely need help in the finding things to read department. Last year I read a total of two books and it's one of my goals to read one a month this year.
ReplyDeleteLove this post! As a kid my mom used to "ground" me from reading until my chores were done. Otherwise she couldn't get me to do anything other than hole up in my big closet & read!
ReplyDeletewww.peacelovelauren.wordpress.com
Aah! The Mysterious Benedict Society and Howl's Moving Castle are two of my favorites! (Hope has good taste ;) Some really good books I've read lately are Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber (super honest and heartwarming) and The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (beautiful, delicate, & fairytale-esque). Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteI love this post, it's super cute. I think I am going to join Emma's book club, I read about it yesterday and I think it's a great idea! x
ReplyDeleteMy daughter loves Junie B. Jones! We started with them last year in Kindergarten and read the entire series. Junie gets into trouble and has lots of insecurities which I think that kids relate to.
ReplyDeleteI love this... Yes I need to read a lot more and it's on my to do list for this year! My favourite book is the Solitaire Mystery.. I love Jostein Gaarder's books, His mixture of fairytale and philosophy amazes me. I should also recommend my brothers debut novel.. Music for the end of the world by Michael Linford! Lovers of music and romance will love it.. Very deep and beautifully written! x
ReplyDeletemy love for reading started when i was there age! it's so great that you encourage it :)
ReplyDeletexxoo,
nikki
www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
Poe is extremely cute, and I'm glad that homeschooling is going so well for you. When I was home schooled with my mother it was very difficult because the program didn't suit my learning style.
ReplyDeletehttp://welcometoadventure.wordpress.com/
I like All-Of-A-Kind-Family it was an old children's book and it's worth my time reading those they made my childhood so great and that helps me speak English, too. The book Between is also good and magical as well as the series of Harry Potter XD I can still remember buying series of The babysitters club novel of Ann M. Martin that was the most unforgettable part of my childhood.
ReplyDeleteAn English major and avid book lover too, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of my favorite series! It's a young adult series that places Greek mythology in present times. It's hilarious! Hope looks old enough to enjoy it and if you borrow it, I hope she loves it as much as I do!
ReplyDeletemy all time favorite is Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. so good.
ReplyDeleteyesterday i decided to read the whole Chronicles of Narnia series. I've owned all the books since i was child and have never read them...shame on me. it's lovely so far and a super quick read.
Such a cute moment! I love reading with daughter as well. Although its tricky when she wants to sit on my lap but won't stop wiggling. Anyways, I love reading and do book reviews on my blog too. And I already started the first book for the ABM book club!
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading The History of Love by Nicole Krauss, maybe you'd like it too! :)
ReplyDeleteShesus by Hilary Shepard is a great read! (:
ReplyDeletehttp://shesusthebook.com
I described the library as a "magical" place on my blog today :-) And it's true.
ReplyDeleteI read a LOT this year and I have two recommendations: first is The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell. It's like The Great Gatsby meets The Talented Mr. Ripley---absolutely fantastic. For someone like you, Katie, who is probably very busy, a collection of short stories might work well, too. My favorite from 2013 is "Vampires in the Lemon Grove" by Karen Russell (one of my favorites, she is the author of "Swamplandia!") , the perfect mix of surreal and intrigue.
Where'd You Go Bernadette was another great one that I see has already been recommended :-)
I've never been in book club but I'm curious about what it would be like. I read very quickly but then again I wonder if the pressure of getting a book done "on time" would be too much for me? Still maybe worth a shot!
We used to have "reading nights" growing up--reading books in bed after dinner instead of tv--we loved it! So glad to see your girls have taken up your love of reading.
Best and Happy New Year!
Sara
saramcevoy.com
Currently I don't have children, so my nieces are certainly spoiled girls! :) I'm hoping to turn them into bookworms.
ReplyDeleteI was always an avid reader (still am!) and am so lucky to have found a job where my passion for books can be on display. Young Adult/Middle Grade is such a guilty pleasure of mine and I'm LOVING Hope's picks! If she's into Howl's Moving Castle she should definitely check out any and all Diana Wynne Jones. I will sing her praises forever. Roald Dahl and Brian Jacques were also staples of my childhood and even now the books hold up. They're still magical through the eyes of an adult.
She might also be into The League of Princes series by Christopher Healy. There are two out with the third (and final) coming later this year. This series is SO much fun - everyone has heard of Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. But what about Prince Charming? Turns out there are actually FOUR: Princes Liam, Gustav, Frederic, and Duncan. And now they want their story told. These books are fantastic and I'm very excited for the third.
The Kat, Incorrigible series by Stephanie Burgis is another great one. This series is set in Victorian London and follows Katherine - Kat - Stephenson. Magic, charm, humor, and the gutsiest 12-year-old I've come across. There's also a strong bond between Kat and her sisters that I loved.
My last recommendation for Hope is Jennifer A. Nielsen's The Ascendance Trilogy. This is a series where anything I say wouldn't do it justice, I loved these books THAT much. The character grow and mature and things aren't always black and white. Also - the humor is fantastic and certainly lines had me in stitches.
I'm so grateful to have had a Mom who took us to the library weekly- and eventually worked there, giving us unlimited access to so many incredible books and stories. It's not very original, but the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, particularly The Return of the King, absolutely lit up my imagination as a young teenager and still does to this day. I'm curious to hear what a few of your favorites are :)
ReplyDeleteI really liked Firebird by Susanna Kearsley. As a child Swallows and Amazons was my favourite - loved the adventure and the girls (mostly) are tom boys so I identified with them a lot!
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge bookworm, too. I've lived in my current town for over 2 years and just got a public library card this weekend. Here are the books on my to-read list: How to Be a Woman; Into the Wild; Thunderstruck; The Interestings (shout out to Emma); and The Book Thief. Z (about Zelda Fitzgerald) is one of my favorite reads as of lately.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteThat is just the most darling picture. I remember I used to love Nancy Drew as a kid too. I always felt like I was right there helping her solve all the mysteries.
One of my favourite books is Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Beautifully written and heart wrenching. Also, my first favourite book was The Thief of Always by Clive Barker. It was good when I was 10 and still good now. I think I might go re-read it right now actually :) If you want to check out some more of my favourites, I actually wrote a blog post about some of my favourite books right before Christmas!
Books have always been really special to me, so I hope to instill a love for reading in my kids.
ReplyDeleteI did a little round up of my favorite books from 2013 on my blog.
http://mandiholmes.com/2013/12/30/my-most-favorite-books-of-2013-and-a-giveaway/
Howl's Moving Castle has two sequels. Castle in the Sky (Air?) and House of Many Ways. I really enjoyed House of Many Ways, and heard from friends that the Castle one was okay.
ReplyDeleteOne of the last books I read was such a special one: "The signature of all things", Elizabeth Gilbert.
ReplyDeleteI remember trips to the local library when I was a child, the smell of polished wooden floors, the click clack stamp of dates in books and the excitement of having all those 'new' books to read. Thanks for rekindling this memory.
ReplyDeleteI had books by Tracy Chevalier - The Last Runaway, Mark Haddon - The Red House and Jeanette Winterson - The Daylight Gate for Christmas. I haven't read these books yet but I do like these authors and would recommend their work.
Madeline x
www.meeni.co.uk
My favourite author is Alice Hoffmann - she writes about people and relationships which are always bittersweet and beautiful, often with a little magic thrown in. For a lovely, funny, easy read, I love Nick Earls - he's an Aussie writer who makes me laugh and cry. I think 'zigzag street' is my favourite of his. So many good books in the world...I agree that 'the book thief' was amazing, and I also loved 'the snow child'. 'Night circus', which Emma mentioned once on ABM, was also excellent. Happy reading :)
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