Terry's comments (member since Mar 19, 2008)

Terry's comments from the Read it LOUD group.

What five books would you put on your summer reading list for reading aloud that are sure-fire ways to "grab" kids ages 5 to 8? What would you suggest for 9 to 12?

I forgot all about Mercy Watson! We started reading it TO our daughter, now we share and read as partners. We have not yet tried the Magic Treehouse Series.

I really only remember read-aloud time in elementary school. My 3rd grade teacher (Miss Hirsch) got me hooked by her daily readings from Pippi Longstocking. I was off to the library borrowing every "Pippi" I could.

Five years later, when Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers entered my life, I was perplexed that the freckle-faced icon was "Wendy," and not Pippi. I was convinced they HAD to be related.

I can't wait to share Pippi with my daughter, but I don't know that it would be my first pick as a read-aloud now. There are so many wonderful books. I read the Scarlet Pimpernel in summer of my 5th grade year and it is a lifetime favorite.

There is something to be said about drawing kids in with contemporary lit. Firegirl (by Tony Abbott) will speak to kids. I just finished reading The Songweavers (The Notherland Journeys Trilogy) (Kathleen McDonnell) and think it would also make a great classroom read.

What was the all-time favorite book your teacher read aloud to you? Why?

If you had to recommend a read aloud today, would you recommend the same one? If not, then what?

As a book lover, I was always excited to pick up a book and read it with my (then) toddler daughter.

Now she's putting letters together every chance she gets, and I marvel at her enthusiasm and hope it lasts! She is forever stopping us as we read to see what a word "looks like."

So now I guess we begin the transition of finding books that are great to read out loud (chapter books we can share with her and build vocabulary) and books we can read as partners.

I've got Jim Trelease's books as a resource ... but I'd love to know about some personal favorites.