Aneliese and I have started reading our first chapter book together. Well, first that is unless you want to count when I tried reading Charlotte’s Web with her and she obsessed for days why Fern’s father was going to kill Wilbur with the axe. Truly, she got so fixated that she still asks about if she see the book and that was almost a year ago! Anyways. I have been waiting to see when she seems ready to start a chapter book with a lot more words and a lot less pictures somewhat impatiently because I admit that I get tired of reading the same books over again even though we have some really great ones.
We have borrowed Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne as a complete tale in one hardcover copy. It is a lovely book and as Aneliese and I snuggled together before her Sunday nap both of us were excited to begin. I explained how the chapters worked and showed her how we know when a new chapter is starting; she also enjoyed the attached book mark to remind us where we left off. We also looked at how many chapters that there are and decided that we would read at nap or before bed (mostly because Cecily is too distracted yet to join).
I actually have never read the complete Winnie-the-Pooh so I am also looking forward to having something new to read. It is a good choice for us because while the movie is much less detailed than the book, Aneliese has watched most of it and parts of it more than once which makes it somewhat familiar to her. And before you know it, we will be reading The Five Little Peppers, Little House, and Anne of Green Gables! I can hardly wait!
*Edit* By the time I actually managed to post this, we had made it to chapter five. I feel like it is a little beyond her but maybe she is so silent while I read because she can hardly take in not being able to basically recite the entire book. She does ask questions after we are done the chapter so I think she is picking up some of it.
What books do you suggest as starting chapter books to read with younger children?
Oh, how fun! We have been reading the Winnie the Pooh books in individual form now and then… which I don’t think Rilla is quite ready for, but somebody gave them to her and she loves them and so I kind of abbreviate the story now and then… but anyway I think that she too is a bit boggled by not being able to comprehend the whole story at once. And the story itself doesn’t seem to appeal to her yet.
I think the Little House books is where we will start when we start chapter books. I can’t think of any other ones right now… I know that Alice in Wonderland was one of the first that I started with, but I don’t know if I will do the same with our kiddos.
I just suggested reading a chapter book to Jonas this week, but he said he wanted his ‘own’ books – the ones he chooses from the library. I guess we’ll be entertained with Franklin for a bit longer!I’d forgotten about the ‘trauma’ at the beginning of Charlotte’s Web. Thanks for mentioning that, as I could see it being one of my first go-to chapter books, too. It’s so easy to forget that conflict in stories is/can be such a big deal for kids. My mother-in-law thought that watching Lady and the Tramp would be such a big treat for him last year, but they had to turn it off 15 mins in when Chris realized he was so upset about Lady being turned out of the house. And really, of course that’s scary for a 4 year old! But we adults just don’t carry those same lenses. Since then, I’ve realized most mainstream films we’d think would be great for kids probably aren’t, at least, not yet. 🙂
I will actually be surprised if we make it through the entire book as I admit, I even find that it drags at times:).On the trauma thing, I don’t know that Charlotte’s Web would be disturbing for most kids…even minor mention of pain or death is something that Aneliese seems to get focused on (not entirely sure why) and we have to explain over and over again before she is able to move on.
I’ve just recently gone through the Narnia books with Joshua and he LOVES them. Though he a is 6 year old boy soon to be 7 who loves stories of adventure and courage … i’m not sure how appropriate they would be for a preschool girl. 🙂