Reading Aloud

 Dropped J off for her first day of grade one today.  I missed her today but she was ready.  I'm going through photos of the summer and I know it was a great few months -- one of the best ever.  We've had lots of fun and time outside. 

Somewhere back in May and June when the weather was cold and wet, we started reading Beverly Cleary chapter books.  J can read a few words and soon learned to sit still and imagine the scenes in her mind.  The reading out loud continued during car trips and Joel chuckled along with us at the antics of Ramona and Beezus and Ribsy and Henry Huggins.  I loved Henry when I was a child  but couldn't stand Ramona -- didn't get further than the beginning of the series.  Because Ramona was truly a brat at age 4.  but as the stories continue and evolve into Kindergarden through grade four, you can't help but fall in love with Ramona and sympathize at the predicaments she gets into (new red rubber boots she finally gets instead of hand-me-downs that get thoroughly stuck in the mud, etc).  We also found some books on CD through the library with Stockard Channing reading.  Didn't matter our age, we chuckled at Cleary's amazing story-telling and the incredible voices that Channing read with. 

      Beverly Cleary added up to our summer, stories to share together, to laugh with and amazingly wonder at how books I read as a child can still be timely.

 At Naramata -- July 14

      Ahh, it's been a good summer.  No wonder I have mourned it's ending.  But our reading continues.  Just picked up Ribsy!!