Our Top Ten Read Alouds for Christmas

I know, I'm early with this but sometimes its nice to look over a list and try to get some of the books before the hustle and bustle of the holidays start.

10.  Christmas at the Top of the World by Tim Coffey

9.  The Legend of the Christmas Rose by William H. Hooks

8.  The Stable were Jesus was Born by Rhonda Gowler Greene

7.  The Beautiful Christmas Tree by Charlotte Zolotow

6.  Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell

5.  A Pioneer Christmas by Barbara Greenwood

4.  The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado

3.  The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston

2.   The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg

1.  An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco
     ****Spoiler Alert-this one is a tear jerker.  Perhaps read it ahead of time to see if your child can handle the story. 



Enjoy the holiday season!!!

My family's Top Five read alouds for children

For younger elementary children, our favorite books are:

                 1.  Betsy-Tacy books by Maude Hart Lovelace
            2. Betsy books by Carolyn Hayward
            3. Andrew Lost books by J. C. Greenburg
            4. The Littles series by John Peterson
            5. The Carole Marsh mysteries by Carole Marsh


For older elementary children, our favorite books are:

           1.  The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan
           2.  Caddie Woodlawn
           3.  The Little House on the Prairie series
           4.  The Door Within Trilogy by Wayne Thomas Batson
           5.  Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books


For 12 and up, our favorite books are:

         1.  Swiss Family Robinson-often overlooked by a classic.  My entire family loves this book!
         2.  Little Women
         3.  Secret Garden
         4.  Adventures of Tom Sawyer
         5.  The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy


Stay tuned for our list of favorite classics to read

Reading challenge

I love to read.  Don't most homeschoolers?  My favorite is historical fiction, I guess that's why history is my major.  I'm especially fascinated with colonial and pioneer historical fiction, although I do read others.

I've been doing a lot of reading on the Thomas Jefferson theory of reading classics.  I've made an effort over the last few years to read more classics.  TL reads some classics and award winners-time honored and tested literature that has survived generations.

I have decided that along with school this year, I need to start reading more classics and having TL read more of them.  So, I designed a new list to read.  I have also included the list of historical fiction that I need to read that's stacking up:

1776
Mayflower
The Intrique at Highbury (okay it doesn't classify as either, but I have to get my Elizabeth and Darcy fix)
The last of the Mohicans
The Lonesome Gods
Northanger Abbey
A Tale of Two Cities
The Whiskey Rebels
Rebel (by Bernard Cornwell)

That's all I have listed for this year.  I just can't do anymore with homeschooling and college.  Plus, I need to read all the books on TL's list because believe it or not, I have not read any of these books!

From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler
The Phantom Tollbooth
The Cricket in Times Square
A Wrinkle in Time
The Silver Chair
The Horse and his boy
The Magician's Nephew
The Last Battle

We will be reading aloud together The Hobbit, The Wind and the Willows and finishing up Pilgrim's Progress.

I will be reading aloud to the girls their classics.  I'll be reading fairy tales at bedtime and during the day, we'll be reading the Betsy books and Little House on the Prairie series. 

Lots and lots of reading, but I'm looking forward to it!  Take care everyone!!

Have a wonderful adn safe New Year!

Our next literature year

Right now, I'm currently setting up the books we'll be reading aloud and TL will be reading next year. I think I've decided on the following:

Girls Read Alouds

• Betsy books
• Betsy-Tacy Books
• Little House in the Prairie books
• Boxcar Children series

Trey's Read Alouds

• Continue with the Frank Peretti series
• Redwall
• The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series

We will all read together Christmas Carol

Trey will read and do literature studies on the following:

• Wrinkle in Time
• Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiller
• Phantom Tollbooth
• How to Eat Fried Worms
• 21 Balloons
• Wind in the Willows
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimph

We will also be doing a lot of reading for history this year. We've always done alot of school reading, but I've really been getting away from reading good literature with the kids. I guess, because a baby and toddler in the mix make it very difficult.

You're probably also wondering about the differences in read alouds. TL is the only boy and could use a little one on one time. Plus, I don't want him being bored with books I read to the girls and the girls not enjoy what I'm reading to TL. And, as I stated, he's the only boy and is interested in totally different things.

How's your year planning out?