3rd Grade

13-Story Treehouse, Andy Griffiths

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Like a lot of kids, my oldest loves graphic novels, and this one was no exception. He used this book in third grade for his nightly independent reading, and then enthusiastically continued on with the others in the series into fourth grade. The main characters are two friends – Andy and Terry (the same names as the series author and illustrator) who live in an out-of-this-world treehouse and write books together.  They also have an animal-loving friend, Jill, who joins in periodically. The hilarious adventures take place in and around the treehouse, which features a bowling alley, swinging vines, a secret underground laboratory and more! Recommended for independent reading.  

1st Grade

The World According to Humphrey, Betty G. Birney

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My first grader loves it when we read picture books at bedtime, but now we are also venturing into some longer chapter books. We recently read The World According to Humphrey, and we found it hard to put down. Despite no illustrations, this story about a spunky, observant hamster that bunks up with students over the weekends really held his attention and often left him asking me to read more when it was time to turn off the light. It has short chapters, relatable school-age characters, and inspiring acts of friendship. At his request, we are already enjoying book number two, Friendship According to Humphrey.

4th Grade · 5th Grade

Number the Stars, Lois Lowry

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My 5th grader and I just finished reading Number the Stars by Lois Lowry – for the second time. Set in 1943 amidst Nazi occupation of Denmark, it is an amazing story of friendship, courage and kindness. The main characters are Annemarie Johansen and Ellen Rosen, two 10-year-old girls who have grown up a lot like sisters – living in the same building, walking to and from school together each day, and sharing the kind of friendship young girls treasure for life. As the Nazis begin to transport Jews away from Denmark, Annemarie’s family takes in Ellen, who must pose as Annemarie’s sister. Desperate to protect Ellen and her family, Annemarie discovers a new sense of courage within herself as she is taunted by harsh Nazi soldiers, tracked by trained dogs looking for hideaways, and given a critical mission.

I highly recommend this book as one you can share together, or use for independent nightly reading.

General

Hello, and welcome!

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“Mom, which book are we going to read next?” A big part of our family’s nightly routine is reading out loud together, and it’s a question I’m constantly contemplating. And I don’t always have an easy answer. The number of amazing books out there is endless. It can be completely overwhelming to know which books will keep my kids’ attention and which may flop, which are age-appropriate and which might be great a year or two down the line. 

My husband and I live in the Chicago suburbs with our two very energetic boys – currently fifth grade and first grade. When my big was in second grade, his teacher gave us an amazing list of “read aloud” chapter books, which provided a solid launching pad for reading longer books together before bedtime. We’ve worked our way through most of those titles, and many others, over the years, and we’ll revisit it again soon since our little is now taking an interest in chapter books (though he still loves picture books). 

In addition to referencing “the list,” I’m extremely fortunate to have a younger sister who has her master’s degree and is an adored children’s librarian in Colorado. Beautiful on the inside and out, she creates and delivers the most delightful story times for young children. Naturally, she has always been a fantastic resource for us – from the time we were obsessed with Mo Willems’ “Elephant and Piggie” and “Knuffle Bunny” books to our shift to various genres of junior novels. 

All of that said, it can still be hard for me to answer “which book is next.” Knowing a lot of my friends have a similar struggle, and realizing how time consuming book research can be, I recently posted a couple of short recommendations on Facebook. My reviews were short and sweet, but generated some good conversation and – to my delight- additional book recommendations, which I’ve added to our family’s growing list. 

I’ve been itching to dip my toes back into more public writing after a break from my PR career. Starting a blog about the books we are currently reading (and past favorites) seemed like the perfect outlet for my writing, simultaneously helping other parents answer the question, “which book is next?”  

And – I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that part of my inspiration came from binge-watching “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” when my husband was recently on a work trip to New Zealand. Not only was it spit-your-red-wine-out hilarious and completely deserving of industry recognition, but it really made me feel like I was ready to tackle something new – to break out of my daily mom routine and put myself out there a bit – minus the smoky spotlight, amazing 50s wardrobe, and relentless sidekick.

So, here goes. If I help even just a few parents check the “which book is next” question off of their endless to-do list, I’ll consider this adventure a success.