I love books. I always have. I had lots of books growing up, but there were quite a few children's books I never read until I was much older. This year we've been reading through the Little House series and the Chronicles of Narnia series as well as quite a few classic literature selections. The older kids have all found book series that they enjoy. Joy is reading Nancy Drew mysteries and the American Girl books. Josh is reading the Hobbit series and the Hardy Boys mysteries. Hudson has a hard time sitting still long enough to enjoy reading very much, but reads with so much expression that I like to have him read out loud as much as possible. Bethany and Brittany read everything they can get their hands on.
There is so much to be learned from great reading. Great literature doesn't always have to have a review paper, a vocabulary list, or a book report attached. Great reading is its own reward.
Of course, there are some really great books out there that teach basic concepts during their simple stories. Eric Carle is one of the authors that I enjoy using with kindergarten and first grade students. His books are great literature all by themselves and they teach some great concepts. The Very Busy Spider shows the progression of a spider's web step by step. It also teaches character traits like hard work and perseverance. There is a series of animals and their sounds that stop by to visit the spider so you can review animals and the sounds they make along with the reading.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of my favorites. It is a great way to show the life cycle of a butterfly. The story also sequences the days of the week. I like to read this book when we are learning the days of the week and their spellings. It's fun to match the food with each day. (yeah, I love food) It also teaches simple counting with the caterpillar eating progressively more each day. The kids still enjoy this fun book.
What books are you reading right now?
What books do you use to teach concepts through literature?
What is your favorite book from childhood?
I'd love to hear what you're reading. . . .
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