Summer Reading : : 1

Is anyone reading this blog over the summer? My family and I have been busy swimming at the pool, gardening, organizing and cleaning here and there, sewing, knitting, walking the dog, watching movies, and. . . . the suspense builds. . . . reading books both together and solo.

Our Finished Books:

• The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis (with fourth grader and solo)
  
• The Book Thief by Mark Zusak: loved it, loved it, loved it! (a solo read for me)
  
• The Time Warp Trio's 2095 by Jon Scieszka (with first grader)
  
• Stinky by Eleanor Davis (first grader-- solo)
  
• I'm Bad by Kate and Jim McMullan (first grader-- solo)
  
• Hungry Plants by Mary Batten (with children)
  
• From Pumpkin to Seed by Wendy Pfeffer (with children)
  

In progress:

• The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis (solo)
  
• A Walk in Wolf Wood by Mary Stewart-- from my childhood, a favorite fantasy book! (with fourth grader)
  
• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins (with fourth and first grader)
  
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (with first grader)
  
• The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller (solo)
  
• Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (fourth grader--solo)
  
• Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller (solo)
  

Looking over the list, we are reading a hefty dose of fantasy around here. I always end every day by reading solo in bed even if it is only for five minutes. Both my husband and I try to read to each child every night before bed. I read to the fourth grader (A Walk in Wolf Wood), and my husband is reading the Harry Potter series to the first grader (they are on book number 6). Summertime gives us more opportunities to read, however, and I like to read together with the children on the spur of the moment: "Come on, let's sit on the couch and read," in the morning after breakfast, in the middle of the day before going to the pool, or while dinner is mostly made but is still cooking.

We visit the public library at least once every week. I research and plan about what books to find next through blogs and reading lists on the Internet. I request books online and have them sent to my local branch. My Amazon.com shopping cart grows and grows. I read a few "professional books" every summer for inspiration and rejuvenation for the next year. Finally, we are reading both fiction and non-fiction books about gardening and plants because that is one of our main activities this summer.

What are you reading?