Summer Reading with the Children

We started going back to story time at our local library last week.

I say back because Jack and I went almost every week for several years, but stopped after Mattie was born. She had never been until last week. Such as it goes with the second child.

I'm happy to report she loves it, especially the songs!

Almost all libraries around the country have summer reading programs where patrons sign up to read a set number of books for the summer. Ours is no different. Though we participated the last two years in the read-along-with-a-parent category, I decided not to sign Jack up this summer.

I'm one of those people that rushes things. I knew if Jack had a list, even a small one, I'd likely take the joy out of reading by trying to make him move too quickly to the next book.

Instead, we're checking out books at our leisure. I'm letting Mattie get the first one she pulls off the shelf each time. Jack is back into the shark and president books we have checked out soooooo many times before. I'm adding some silly poetry books into the mix.

I also checked out two classics to read aloud. The first one, "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle," may not be considered a classical in the literal sense, but it is to me. I loved reading these stories when I was a child about how Mrs. Piggle Wiggle helped parents teach their children how to behave properly. Now that I'm a parent myself, the complaints of the children throughout the book sound all too familiar.

We began "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" today. I especially like how the writer introducing the book refers to it as "a book for boys." There's already been a fight in the first chapter. If that doesn't ring true to the nature of a lot of boys, I'm not sure what does.