Thursday, March 22, 2012

Reading Notes: What we're reading

The last month has seen us all busy with books both new (to us) and familiar.

I've been working my way through Connie Willis's time travel novels. I'm read Doomsday Book, Blackout and All Clear, and am impatiently awaiting my copy of To Say Nothing of the Dog, on order from Booktopia.

For the first time, I've read the two sequels to Arthur C Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey (2010 and 2061). I felt a little ambiguous about doing so, for reasons I'll go into more fully in a post still germinating (about moral repugnance for individuals, and how it affects - or doesn't - one's reaction to their artistic works).

I've also revisited old beloved titles - Isabel Allende's Paula, Laurie King's Mary Russell / Sherlock Holmes novels, and some Isaac Asimov for good measure.

A, my 8 year old, has been busy too. She's returned to Anne of Green Gables, which she dipped her toe into last year but didn't take to then, only to fall in love this time around. She's reading a lot of nonfiction with an emphasis on space / astronomy, returning to one of her major loves as she reads more advanced texts this time.

After I found a handful of them at an op shop, A has also embraced the Babysitter Club books with open arms. She's read 4 so far and is on a mission to find more.

She's also discovered a 3-novel volume at her school library - a collection of mystery stories "for girls". While I'm not such a fan of the "for girls" designation, there's no doubt that she's enjoying the books - Ellen Miles' 7 Sister Mysteries: Trouble in Paradise, Laura E Williams' Mystic Lighthouse mysteries: The Mystery of the Missing Tiger, and Christine Harris' Undercover Girl: Secrets. She's asked me to look out for other titles in all three series for her, which I'll happily do.

E, my almost 7 year old, has been on a reading jag this month (when not?) She's currently reading Pippi Longstocking, as recommended by several people a while back, and greatly enjoying it. She's just started The Rescuers, recommended for her, and reports it to be "GREAT"! Heidi is waiting for her next.

She's also been on an orgy of horsey book reading, chomping through almost every Pony Pal book in the series, and re-reading her Saddle Club books. (This is part of her overall horse obsession at the moment). Linda Chapman's various magic / horse series have also had another run.

As for C, the current fascination for her is with Pamela Allen's books, especially the Mr McGee books, which I find mildly offputting but C adores. She's also right into the Snugglepot and Cuddlepie stories after being given a treasury of them for her birthday, and is loving Rod Clements' Olga the Brolga, Lauren Childs' Charlie & Lola books, A A Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories, and her many Wiggles and Night Garden learning books.

Reading is like breathing, here - we do it every day because we sort of can't not. I don't know if it's my readers' soul that's directed my children to become such devoted readers, but if it has, this is one area that I'm completely happy to have influenced them.

5 comments:

  1. Reading is so excellent at any age. When you read you open a whole new story world. I loved the Swallows and Amazons series. Re-read them about a dozen times I think. Loved anything horsey myself. The Famous Five was a huge favourite. I never really liked Nancy Drew, found them boring. Loved all the Narnia books. Sure sounds like you've got readers! My younger one is a bit of a stick in the mud - her taste runs to the Wimpy Kid style of books. Or the wild/nature book that we have about plants/animals/nature. My older one is into the vampire books, but she's gotten over those and is into the Hunger Games books now. She's a teen fiction reader now, from the library.

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  2. I loved Swallows and Amazons too! I have them set aside for my kids, actually I should get them out, I reckon the elder one would be ready to enjoy them now.

    Both mine have read the Wimpy Kid books - A (the 8 year old) liked them, E (the almost 7) wasn't a huge fan. We have yet to hit vampire stage, mercifully.

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  3. so love reading blogs from other book worms out there. It doesn't matter how late it is when I crawl into bed, I can't go to sleep without reading first. I've almost finished The Da Vinci Code which I've loved. My elder son loved the Specky Magee books and the Wimpy Kid series. My 7 year old is slowly gaining confidence with his school readers which I love to see and my little 2 year old tornado is already obsessed with books, especially if they have a car or bike in them.

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    Replies
    1. Apologies purely4kids - Blogger is playing funny buggers with my comments and has published your comment as being from me! All please note - the above comment is from purely4kids, not me :-)

      I am like you - I can't fall asleep without reading first. In fact I often fall asleep still clutching my book :-P

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  4. so love reading blogs from other book worms out there. It doesn't matter how late it is when I crawl into bed, I can't go to sleep without reading first. I've almost finished The Da Vinci Code which I've loved. My elder son loved the Specky Magee books and the Wimpy Kid series. My 7 year old is slowly gaining confidence with his school readers which I love to see and my little 2 year old tornado is already obsessed with books, especially if they have a car or bike in them.

    ReplyDelete