Reading to my kids is probably one of my very favorite things about being a mom. I started reading to my kids the day we brought Jack home from the hospital. GOODNIGHT MOON by Margaret Wise Brown. I have by no means read to my kids every day but I'd say it's been a pretty regular occurrence over the years.
I haven't read chapter books to my kids in a few years (we usually do picture books...which I love) but I listened to a podcast a few months ago that inspired me to pick it up again and for our first read-aloud in a while I chose Nanny Piggins by R. A. Spratt. I was laughing out loud by page two and didn't really stop laughing till we finished yesterday morning. Lucy, Grant, and Grace loved it and listened to the whole book. Marian and Jack even lingered in the family room a few times while we were reading. They of course pretended NOT to be listening but I'm no dummy. Even they thought it was pretty funny.
I pretty much fell in love with Nanny Piggins when, after the kids first met her and told her she should probably make them wash up or clean their rooms...she responded, "Well, you can do that if you like. But I'm going to go to the kitchen and go through the cupboards looking for things that contain sugar. Then eat as much as I can until I feel sick. You can join me if you like."
She's my kind of woman/pig! Basically the anti-Mary Poppins but twice as fun.
Our next pick is "Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Corville. I loved this as a kid and can't wait to see what my kids think of it!
