We LOVE to read! We are always reading or listening to a book on CD! My children get in trouble for reading instead of doing chores. Sometimes they get carsick for reading… but they continue to do it anyway. It’s like the WORST punishment if I go to the library and someone doesn’t get to come!

Books are always left on all surfaces around the house… We usually have
Two or more CD cases in the car as back-ups for when we finish the current CD set! It would be TERRIBLE if we finished and didn’t have another book to pop in! If the kids and I are in the car, then 99% of the time there is a book on CD playing. It passes the time and I don’t mind the time in the car so much! It also tends to keep the arguing down a bit… sometimes… and sometimes a child just makes noise to annoy the rest of us. Or talks just to make themselves heard…

Here are the books we have finished so far this year. We will continue to work our way through the Little House series, the Chronicles of Narnia series and we plan on soon starting Anne of Green Gables as well!

I love that the kids enjoy listening to books! Whether it be from a CD or me sitting and reading to them. I love it as much as they do I think. I try to pick books that are worth reading, for sure. I want books that encourage faith and trust in God, love and commitment to family, patriotism, strong work ethic, respect and love for all people no matter what the race or belief system. I also want my kids to hear these things, and also discuss them, reason with each other and figure out what they believe.

I’d love to hear what you think of these books. Have you read these? Familiar with them? Like or love them? What was on your list this year? We are always looking for new recommendations! Pass them along, please!

1. The Castle Corona – Creech, Sharon.
2. The Gate in the Wall – Ellen Howard – we LOVED this one… all of us!!!
3. Amos Fortune Free Man – Elizabeth Yates – About a free African American during a time of slavery
4. Liftoff – R. Mike Mullane – fantastic!!! – Story of an astronaut and what it’s like to be in a space shuttle
5. Crispin and The Cross of Lead – Avi – Medieval adventure with villains, minstrels, castles, and knights
6. Crispin at the Edge of the World – Avi – book #2
7. Crispin The End of Time – Avi – Book #3 We enjoyed all of them.
8. The Penderwicks at Point Mouette – Jeanne Birdsall – all of the Penderwick books are favorites. Adventures of a family of mostly girls and a baby brother.
9. Where the Red Fern Grows – Goes without saying!
10. Johnny Tremain – Esther Forbes – SO good, so sad, but many good lessons about work, loyalty and family.
11. The Door in the Wall – Marguerite de Angeli – Another medieval adventure of a young boy trying to be reunited with his family.
12. The House of Sixty Father’s – Meindert Dejong – World war II adventure of a Chinese boy during Japanese occupation
13. Adam of the Road – Elizabeth Janet Gray – Can you tell that the middle ages was our history theme this year? Another story of an adventure of a minstrel
14. The Penderwicks in Spring – Jeanne Birdsall
15. The Magician’s Nephew – CS Lewis – No explanation needed I think.
16. Roland Bingham Into Africa’s Interior – Janet and Geoff Benge – Reminds me of David Livingstone, travels into Africa for the Gospel during a time that most didn’t return due to death by disease.
17. Little House in the Big Woods – Laura Ingalls Wilder – Another classic…
18. Farmer Boy – Laura Ingalls Wilder
19. George Washington Carver – Janet and Geoff Benge – And AMAZING african american scientist who made literally 1000s of discoveries during a tumultuous time in history after the Civil War. A truly strong, faith filled, hard working, resilient man, worthy of emulation!

The year isn’t through and there will be more added to the list as we go! Sometime next year I’ll update the list and add more books! I’d love to see your list too!