A Playroom Bookworm
Last fall, I mentioned that as part of the psuedo-preschool I was doing with Ella, I had started reading aloud chapter books to her.
We started with Socks and then moved onto Charlotte’s Web (which is why Ella was asking for blood for lunch).
After we finished those two, I finally got to put up something I’ve been looking forward to for some two decades now.
In the Wisconsin house we lived in until I was almost seven, my mom made a big bookworm that circled the top of our playroom walls, listing all the books she’d read aloud to us.
I remember Stuart Little on there, along with Charlotte’s Web and the entire Laura Ingalls Wilder series(I still own that full set, which my mom bought from the library when they were replacing it).
Now, I finally got to hang my own in our playroom (I just traced circles with a salad plate, wrote the title and author in the center(ish) and cut them out).
We lost steam a bit after Charlotte’s Web, because Ramona the Pest just didn’t really hold her attention and we got sidetracked with the holidays.
Then, for Christmas, my mom sent Ella B is for Betsy and in mid-January, she requested we read it together. She loved it so much we read it in about a week (we’re currently waiting for the next in the series, Betsy and Billy, to come up at the library).
After that, we had the momentum to get finally through Ramona (Ella now marches around saying, “I’m the baddest witch in the world. Even badder than Ramona”), and currently we’re zipping through Mr. Potter’s Pet.
I’m loving reading longer books with her, and I have high hopes that by the time we leave this house in a year or so, I’ll have to remove dozens of circles from our bookworm. (I don’t want to talk about all the blue putty I’ll be painstakingly removing from the walls).
If you have suggestions for early chapter books, I’d love to hear them! This is a whole new world for me.
Be still my heart…I LOVE the Betsy books and can't wait to read them w my daughter (almost 3) and son (almost 6). I was thinking I'd read the Betsy books w her and just let my son enjoy it w us but then realized I could read the Eddie books w him! So fun! I picked up some of the old hardback ones at a friends of the library sale. I also picked up some of the ones that came out about 12 years ago w new covers but same story.
My husband suggests Pippi Longstocking. He and his sister grew up w those and they both love it to this day. They love the movies too.
I LOVED B is for Betsy when I was a kid, but our local library doesn't have a copy. ~sniff~ Have your read Betsy-Tacy? I didn't read it as a child, but I've read it to my daughter more than once and I love it every time!
We love the Magic Tree House books! They are great beginner chapter books. The chapters are short, there is a lot of action and adventure. My son LOVES them!
We have enjoyed "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" series, as well as Magic Tree House, The Boxcar Children, and anything by Roald Dahl. My favorite of all time is Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh. Great idea with the caterpillar!
I second Pippi Longstocking and Winnie the Pooh. My Father's Dragon is great for the littler listeners. We just read The Tales Julian Tells and I loved it. The Iron Giant.
I would say Junie B Jones and The Little Princess as well as The Little House books and almost anything by Beverly Cleary. My girls (16 and 13 now) loved Henry and Ribsy stories best.
I thought I had commented a couple of days ago, but I guess it didn't go through. I agree with Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and Mr. Popper's Penguins. Winnie the Pooh and Wind in the Willows are other great choices. For a little later, Half Magic and Once and Future King, and of course, Anne of Green Gables and The Secret Garden.
Janssen! What an awesome idea for a classroom, too! I'm going to have to do this– either now, or definitely for next year– I LOVE IT!
Also, an idea for putting them up/easy take down. I use painters tape in my classroom when I want to hang things on the walls. It's so easy to take down!
Love that you are reading chapter books already to your daughter. THE BEST.
Oh! And as for book suggestions–
Frog and Toad
Pippi Longstocking
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
My Father's Dragon
The Velveteen Rabbit…
to name a few! 🙂
I am totally going to make a bookworm of our own! I love it! We have really enjoyed Pippi Longstocking, Henry Huggins, Homer Price, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Mine are still little, but those have been their favorites! Thanks for sharing the bookworm!
I've been wanting to start reading chapter books out loud to Addie but I didn't know where to start so these suggestions are great! My only read aloud experience is with 2nd graders so I just couldn't figure out what would be good for an almost 4 year old. I heard My Father's Dragon suggested the other day as a great first read aloud.
I just asked the librarian at our library for suggestions and she recommended Junie B. We only got one and Benson loves it so far…I wish we'd gotten 5 since we're flying through it!
My Father's Dragon (and two sequels) are delightful. Will was quite obsessed. We read all 3 in a week or two
My daughter and I started reading right before she turned 4 with Charlotte's Web. She's now five and a half. Some of her favorites have been.
Mercy Watson,
Amelia Bedelia (the newer versions by H.Parish)
Nancy Clancy
Clementine series (our very favorite!) By S. Pennypacker
Rainbow Magic Fairy books by D. Meadows
Flat Stanley
The Never Girls series by K. Thorpe
My daughter and I started reading right before she turned 4 with Charlotte's Web. She's now five and a half. Some of her favorites have been.
Mercy Watson,
Amelia Bedelia (the newer versions by H.Parish)
Nancy Clancy
Clementine series (our very favorite!) By S. Pennypacker
Rainbow Magic Fairy books by D. Meadows
Flat Stanley
The Never Girls series by K. Thorpe
I don't know how I forgot these other two favorites…
Jenny and the cat club series
Catwings series
Yes, someone else suggested the Mercy Watson books, but I second that. And they do have some colorful pictures to go with. Really cute full of adventure stories!