Encouraging Reading

I am an avid reader.  It might be my favorite past time.  My Grandma started me on the journey when I was a little girl.  We would go to the store and there wasn't much money (I didn't realize this then) and I always asked for a book.  Every single trip.  And every single time my Grandma would buy me whatever book I asked for.  When I was older I found out my cousins would often ask for toys on their trips with Grandma and she would rarely buy one.  I asked her about this and she said reading was so important and she wanted to nurture and develop it whenever she could even if it meant pinching pennies elsewhere.  I want to have that same mentality.  My hubby doesn't read much, but is a big supporter of helping them read.  He's trying to set an example by reading in front of them so they can see he does it to versus learning he doesn't care much for it and think they don't need to read either.

We still have a plastic tote full of books in our garage that we brought from the states.  We dole them out when they ask for a new book.  We give them as gifts.  R just started reading the first few BOB books in set 1 and M at 4 1/2 is through the 4th set of BOB books and starting the 5th set.  We try not to force reading, but get very excited about it.  Asking them how cool it is to find out what is going on in the story.  And how fun is reading?  Often they read a BOB book to the rest of us at bed time.

I can't wait to go home and buy more books for them this summer.  I don't want them to get too old too fast, but I can't wait to start reading the books of my childhood with them.  I can just here Charlotte's Web, The Wrinkle of Time, James and the Giant Peach, The Borrowers, calling our names.  I will be that parent.  You ask for a book and I will do my best to get it for you no matter what.