Sunday, October 07, 2007

Magnum Opus


Anna read this chapter book today. All 107 pages!

OK, I did read it to her aloud a year ago after she got it for her birthday. And, her preschool teacher read them this series a lot. Anna read me the first chapter last night, then this morning - while I read the newspaper - she sat beside me and silently read 8 more chapters. She was so proud of herself she actually cried "happy tears." Tonight before bed she read the last chapter out loud.

I am so proud of her. She breezed through words like encyclopedia, exhibit, and brilliant. She did ask me for help with some, like scented and disguise. We are going to go to the beginning of this series to get her more material. Any other suggestions, Library Lady?

On the crafty front, Anna and Colin also both made a stuffed pillow today. Colin helped me "drive" the sewing machine and stuffed his pillow like a maniac. Anna made a pattern, pinned the fabric, stuffed the pillow, and drove the machine with minimal assistance. They both were very pleased with their pouffy results. "Feel mine, with your cheek!" they both told me.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh she's such a good reader. I am so proud of my little Anna.

Gotta get her Anna Sewell's Black Beauty. It was the first book I ever read in entirety. (I skipped over other kid's stories like Pandora's Box and missed the moral of the story.)
Also, you can introduce her to the James Herriot stuff.
G'Dad

Laura said...

I just bought the first 5 books of that series for my niece's birthday. I hope she enjoys the series!

peevish said...

Anna is brilliant, of course. Ruby & Lyra love those books, too, though Lyra needs them read to her. Ruby would not read a whole one in one go, though. We aren't there yet!

Does she like "The Magic Schoolbus" books? Ruby loves them, and Scholastic Press makes chapter book versions of them.

Also, Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, Little House, all the classics.

Anonymous said...

My first book was one bought by Aunty Olive (Shrewsbury) I was very young and it was 'Scandinavian Tales'!! some BIG words in it for a little one but I loved the stories..Keep reading, little Anna ..it's a great way to learn! Aunty Norma.x

Anonymous said...

Aww, everyone knows that cheeks are the best judges of homemade squishies!

My little girl is reading chapter books, too, and I can't help but feel overly proud - I was a voracious reader from the time I was old enough to read, I hope she gets that little slice of DNA from me.

Anonymous said...

So very proud of our little fantastic reader, ANNA!!! And definitely a chip off the ole block as you, Jennifer, were such a voracious reader from day 1. It touched me so to think of her tearing up after reading - just precious!

Love you all and can't wait to see you this weekend.
Love, M

ColeBugsmommy said...

She really impressed me with all the writing she was doing the other day. I have to do a "running record" on an early reader, maybe I can do Anna sometime, since she is so advanced. Keep the books coming.

The Library Lady said...

Here's my top piece of advice: just because she CAN read a book doesn't always mean she should. Obviously, she's an excellent reader and you want to encourage that. But you also don't want her reading books she's not educationally, culturally or (most important of all in my view) EMOTIONALLY ready for. Because you want her to really love what she reads!

Truthfully, I don't know why her pre-k teacher was reading this TO them, since it's a great book for 6 and 7 year olds, and even more for 8 and 9 year olds. Haven't these folks heard of PICTURE BOOKS?

Anna shouldn't give up picture books either. She is getting old enough to get the jokes in James Marshall's titles, appreciate the longer stories of authors like Patricia Polacco and the beauty of illustrated fairy tales. I still occasionally take a fuuny title home for SC (12) to read, and often find things for JR (8)

Though I hate to contradict a proud, proud Granddad :), I think Anna's too young for the real, unabridged "Black Beauty" right now,but it would make a good readaloud in a few years. It was one of my favorite books when I was 10 or 11. She'll like the Marguerite Henry books then too, I'll bet.

I know there may be a chorus of boos, but I bet she'd love the "Junie B" books and she'll be able to read them on her own easily. Also look for "Ivy and Bean" a new series whose author's name escapes me now, "Gooney Bird Greene" by Lois Lowry and "Elisa" and "Nora" books by Joanna Hurwitz.

For read alouds I've got to put in a plug for the two of you to read "Betsy-Tacy" by Maud Hart Lovelace together. Real girl book and she's just the right age to enjoy the characters. SC read the first 2 with me, and then went on on her own. You could try "Little House" as a read aloud, but again, I'd wait a year or two. SC to read them when she was about 8, and I got hooked on them around 2nd or 3rd grade myself.

For animal related books give "Trumpet of the Swan" a go--it's the least read of EB White's books, but I love it more than "Stuart Little" and as well as "Charlotte"! And one more people don't know as well and should for reading aloud "Mr Popper's Penguins" by Atwood.

See what happens when you ask me about books? :)