Yarn Along....

From the founder of Yarn Along~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? As you can see, it is seed, plants, and tree week here at the homeschool. These books are what are taking up most of my time this week---reading the books, with many hands-on activities to following our reading sessions. I have begun Amon's Adventure: A Family Story for Easter as a read aloud. During Advent we read Bartholomew's Passage. Amon's Adventure takes place thirty years after Bartholomew's Passage during the days leading up to the first Easter.

I have 12 rows of garter stitch left on the basketweave baby blanket. This is a good thing because the baby shower is on Saturday. I love how it turned out!! Once this blanket is off the needles I will be starting something new to show you next week.

Read to Me Challenge--What My Children are Reading

2011Read to Me picture book challenge count is: 21 books

This week we enjoyed a lot of old favorites and a few new books.

The Brown Bear, Brown Bear series of books have provided us will a whole week of kindergarten fun.
Dr Seuss is always a favorite, and often picked off the shelf by the littles for bedtime reading. We are also working hard on the alphabet and beginning to read in kindergarten, so Dr Seuss is a great suppliment to our regular curriculum.

Brave Irene is the story of a very heroic little girl who saves the day and helps her sick mother deliver a ball gown to the mansion in a snowstorm. It was quite long for Luke, 5, and Kim,4, but it kept their attention from start to finish. After reading through it once, it was Kim's book of choice to take to bed with her---and that is a very big honor around here.

I love the Dr Seuss science books. This week we have started learning about the solar system and the book I used to introduce the solar system was There's No Place Like Space.
It is a fun, rhyming read, perfect for kindergarten, and Gracie, 9, loves re-reading it to the kids.

It is packed with info, providing a basic overview of space. (Next week we will enjoy more books about space).

Cowboy and Octopus

was a pretty weird book...the kids didn't seem to understand the relationship between the cowboy and the octopus, the illustrations where comicstrip-ish. It just didn't grab the kids and keep their attention.
The rest of our books this week were all-time favorites from our shelves---much loved and many times read.

What My Children are Reading and the Read to Me Challenge

I joined the "Read to Me-Picture Book Reading Challenge"....challenging myself to read at least 200 picture books to the kids this year. I don't think I will have a problem reaching that goal.

I think it will be fun to have a record of the books we are reading throughout the year.

This also seems like the perfect time to link up with the What My Children are Reading blog carnival.

I think the easiest way for me to do this is to photograph the books throughout the week and post once a week.

We have been learning about the artic enviroment this week in homeschool. These are some of the books the littlest learners have enjoyed this week.

Also included in this photo is the dvd, Growing up Artic. The kids really enjoyed this and it accompanied the unit wonderfully.

Six more books we enjoyed. Luke, 5, especially enjoyed The Brave Cowboy.
Because of this one cowboy book, we will be starting a cowboy unit next week!
So, as of Saturday, January 16th, our picture book count is 10!
These are the books this momma read to the kids, not the many picture books the older brothers and sisters read to the smaller kids.

Our Picture Books

Erin, over from the 4RealLearning Forum put forth a sort of challenge a week or so ago.

"Read 3 picture books a day at minimum, and because it seems to make us more accountable, write titles down. I thought to share our picture book journey here along with any other mums struggling to read picture books daily, I'm certain I'm not alone.
Share your titles daily, alternate days, weekly, whatever rhythm supports you the most."

I thought that this was such a great idea, especially since I have already discovered many "new to me" picture books. I thought it would be great to post them here, for others to see.

Maybe you will find some "new to you" books that you and your children will enjoy.

I always love to discover great picture books, so I hope many of you will join in the fun and make a blog post and put a link in the comments section of this post, or simply put some of your favorite picture book titles in the comments of this post.

We have been learning about the Civil War in history and I discovered these two great books.

Young Abe Lincoln: The Frontier Days 1809-1837 and

Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington both by Cheryl Harness

Both of these books have marvelous illustrations and includes detailed maps which my 10 year old son especially enjoyed.
Three Pebbles and a Song by Eileen Spinelli, pictures by S D Schindler
"In Spinelli's new picture book, a take-off on the fable of the ant and the grasshopper, a young field mouse named Moses is instructed by his mother, father, and sister to collect food and warm belongings for the family nest. Moses tries to comply, but he's constantly distracted by twirling and skittering leaves, the "whistle-y" song of the wind, and pebbles from the creek. When the snow arrives, the family has food and warm possessions--thanks to Mama, Papa and Missy--and when they becomes bored, they have a song, a dance, and a juggling show thanks to Moses." Amazon
The Thanksgiving Door by Debby Atwell
"An elderly couple, Ann and Ed, go to the New World Cafe on Thanksgiving Day because Ann has burned dinner. The door is open, and the tables are decorated--not only with Pilgrims and Indians but also with tiny, bearded, probably Russian dancing figurines. The cafe owners, apparently immigrants, wonder why their door was open and who has crashed their party, but Grandmother is welcoming, and dinner is fun for all." Amazon
Tops and Bottoms by Lesley Conger, illustrated by Imero Gobbato.
A lazy goblin and a hard working farmer match wits in the fun adaptation of this folk tale. The farmer outwits the goblin 3 times,offering half the crop, "tops or bottoms" until the goblin finally disappears forever. Of course, when the goblin chose "bottoms" the farmer grew corn, leaving just stubble and roots for the goblin. When the goblin choose tops, the farmer grew carrots in the field, leaving useless carrot tops for the goblin.
My five year old, Luke, has chosen this book as his favorite this week. Giving it a definite 2 thumbs up!!

Won't join in and share a few of your favorite picture books in the comments.
I love finding new books to share with the kids (and enjoy myself!!)