My goodness, it's been a long couple of weeks. The kids and I were out of town (or in town, for those of you we got to be with -- goodbye the second time around is no fun either), and after so long away it has been heaven (and its opposite) to return. Heaven to be back to the husband and 12 year-old we left behind, back to a comfortable cleanable home with internet access, back to the mountains.But it has also been somewhat overwhelming to be back to the everyday tasks with so many little people looking to be entertained.
Which brings us here: halfway into summer and half a week home, finally trying to get into our groove.
Tomorrow we start our very patchy version of The Schedule. I'm hoping it helps keep us sane and relaxed, rather than just serve to ratchet up the intensity that has been ricocheting off the walls. I'm planning to include putting on clothes and eating food at various points in the day, along with a whopping fifteen minute job and daily outings to the lake or the canyon or the park. But there is one item on the agenda that is going to cause me some trouble: Reading Time.
While most of our kids are book-o-holics, but one of them is very much not. As in "I hate reading more than anything in the entire world" not. I've tried just about every book I liked as a kid but to no avail.
But maybe this is the magic summer.
So I'm sending out a request to any and all: Do you have any book suggestions for a 10 year-old girly girl? In particular one who adores babies, Taylor Swift, architecture, and the mall. All ideas would be greatly appreciated.
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The Babysitter's Club series? It's not great literature but it might catch her attention.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you that you are back home. At the same time I would LOVE to join you for your daily outings.
ReplyDeleteI have to think about the book request.
The Emily series by L.M. Montgomery.
ReplyDeleteHas she ever read "Anne of Green Gables"? I can see Catherine just loving it. It is also by L.M.Montgomery.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of these ideas. I actually just finished rereading Anne of Green Gables. I hadn't even thought of that and Emily for her, oddly enough.
ReplyDeleteI tried to find the Babysitter's Club at the library last fall, but they don't carry it. Honestly, I'm having trouble figuring out what they do carry; they never have what I'm looking for. But I may just have to order those at this point. Sometimes not-great-literature is just what's called for.
Fingers crossed.
I can't remember how old I was when I read them, but what about the Nancy Drew books?
ReplyDeleteI often find used books for $3 or less on Amazon... they might have some Babysitter's Club books!
I loved the "A Wrinkle in Time" books by Madeline L'Engle.
ReplyDeleteThere is a great website called the AR Bookfinder. (http://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx) You can search a huge catalog by interest level, ability, and topic. In my brief look, I didn't find anything about architecture or malls, but maybe there will be something there! I can't always find the books at my library, but I'm sure they would be online somewhere.
ReplyDeleteMy 10yo doesn't like the kind of books I liked at her age, either, but she does like lots of other books. I finally let her read the first Harry Potter book, and she has devoured about 3 times in the last week or two. (I won't let her move on to the next one until next year.)
Would it help to just leave them around for her to find? Would she take recommendations better from her dad or someone else? If it's just a power play on her part, maybe these would help.
GOOD LUCK!!!
I bet there are great deals on Amazon. I've usually gone there for newer books -- I forgot how cheap older books can be. Nancy Drew -- she might go for that. She loves "Monk."
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't go looking for books (which is our main decor in every room and on every level), but she does take things better from her dad in general. Good thinking. I think he's going to have to actually sit her down and read with her daily. The things I never thought we'd have to struggle with could fill a book. Like baths and throwing mudballs at the window. But that's another story entirely . . .
A Little Princess? Understood Betsy? Baby Island?
ReplyDeleteBaby Island keeps popping up, and I don't think I've ever read it. But it sounds like an absolute winner!
ReplyDeleteThanks again for all these great ideas. My Amazon cart is exploding.
I was just about to suggest Baby Island too! I loved that book: http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Island-Carol-Ryrie-Brink/dp/0689717512 I second A Wrinkle in Time as well. I remember at that age, my mom read a couple of books to me. It was nice to have the time together and I would lay down next to her on the bed while she read a chapter or so. One book she read that I liked was called Sensible Kate.
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