I have been thinking lately....if our family life is to be an encouraging open book, then our lives must be filled with open books.
“Books don't change people; paragraphs do, Sometimes even sentences." John Piper
When Moriah Noel was about five, we started reading "chapter books" as a family. Jordan and I both grew up listening to our parents read tales of emotion, adventure and suspense. Some of our fondest memories are of curling up on the couch by the fire and listening to a fantastic story. Our Givens Family book reading began in 2003 with the classic Little House series.
This year we are celebrating a decade of chapter book reading. We have kept a log of all the books we have read together and it totals over 120 stories. Crazy to think...we didn't plan it but that equals a book a month for the last decade! According to C.S. Lewis it is time to start over.
“Clearly one must read every good book at least once every ten years.”
Little House Books
Little Britches Books
Lion, Witch and Wardrobe
Father to Nobody's Children
Strawberry Girl
Cowboy Sam and Shorty
In Grandma's Attic
Heidi
Count of Monte Cristo
Around the World in 80 Days
Tom Sawyer
Skinners of Goldfield Books
Daniel Boone
Crazy Horse
Robin Hood
Swiss Family Robinson
Homer Price
Matchlock Gun
Ten P's in a Pod
Tower Treasure (Hardy Boys)
Nathan T. Riggins Books
Lassie Come Home
Indian in the Cupboard
My Side of the Mountain
Brother Andrew
Corrie Ten Boom
Coral Island....
“Be as careful of the books you read, as of the company you keep; for your habits and character will be as much influenced by the former as the latter.”
So as the kids grow and change, they have begun their own reading journeys...but we continue to read as a family - it's just a little harder to make the topic of general interest.
I did a little survey of the open books around the Givens Home at the moment.
On Amber's book stack for the summer....
On Moriah's night stand this summer...
On Jeff's night stand this summer...well OK, Jeff loves his books so much they are not on the night stand. They are under the seat in the car, on the kitchen counter, in the clean clothes bin and out on the porch. He also wanted to give you a small collection of his favorites not just his current read.
and every other title by Louis L'Amour
"awesome book"
"great series and detailed ambush maps"
"hard read - preview for young readers"
"excellent"
I didn't know a recipe book could be turned
into a chapter book but I see this one traveling the
house as much as the other adventure books.
And on Samarah's shelf...
Samarah loves this Anatomy and Physiology book
so much she asked if we could read more through
the summer.
And Corban's shelf includes....
We are on our third copy of the Picture Bible.
Each copy has been duct taped and then retired when it all falls apart.
Every family should have a well worn Picture Bible!
And of course our current family read...
This book is a well-loved, dog-eared part of
Jordan's collection from his childhood. The
kids are old enough now that the dry humor about
life, camping and outdoor adventures strikes a funny bone
that leaves the whole pile of kids slapping their knees and gut laughing.
We are so blessed to be literate. Don't take the ability to read for granted. It is a gift.
No comments:
Post a Comment