Monthly Book Log {January-March 2019, age 4 and 6}

Our monthly book log became a “quarterly” book log this time around! In some seasons this log reflects read alouds for my Kinder Bookworm (newly age 6), and other months they include Preschool Bookworm as well (brand new 4 year old). With attention spans and the general flow of life, how and when we read shifts. Lately, we have been spending a lot of time snuggled on the couch reading for longer bursts. Preschool Bookworm has had a fun developmental leap and seems to be thirsty for more! But, that hasn’t translated to the much longer chapter books with little (or no) pictures that Kinder Bookworm is used to. So… you’ll see a lot of books on this list that are shorter and include lots of pictures. Kinder Bookworm hasn’t minded in the least! We’ve also been running through series books, which has been nice on a few levels– an easy way to know what’s next on the TBR list, and also the consistency of characters and plot elements that help my readers gain stamina and comprehension.

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Books

A Winter Wonderland (Mouse and Mole series). I love this series as a “first” or early chapter book read aloud. My 4yo has gone through several spurts of obsession with Mouse and Mole, including this adorable tale. Similar to Frog and Toad, these two animal best friends are opposites but perfect for each other. Illustrations on each page.

Science Fair Scare (Princess in Black series).  I remember my first Bookworm listening to this series on audio endlessly at the age Younger Bro Bookworm is now. Of course my kids are different in countless ways, but it seems that some books are just winners! Exciting, fast moving plot with full color illustrations, this is another great first chapter series.

Timbleberry Stories by Cynthia Rylant. If you’ve read other Rylant books, you know she is a master at creating vivid characters and settings that make you feel right at home. Thimbleberry Stories (original copyright 2000) is no exception. Following the quiet, everyday lives of the residents of Thimbleberry Lane (a chipmunk named Nigel being the primary one), each chapter is a vignette. The stories are sweet, old fashioned, and center around animals- a salamander, mudpuppy, snake, butterfly, owl, hummingbird, and chipmunk. The characters demonstrate empathy, generosity, acceptance of differences, and gratitude.

The Pod and the Bog (Zoey and Sassafras series) This installment of the series is springtime perfection! Zoey discovers a magical, glowing seed pod and uses the scientific method to determine what growing conditions are best for the plant.

Journey to the Crystal Cave (Sophie Mouse series) Just enough suspense in this one that kept my Bookworms clamoring for “one more chapter”!  Sophie stumbles upon a cave during a hide and seek game, and rushes out before she can discover the source of a mysterious glowing around the corner. Upon returning, she discovers a few secrets!

Audiobooks

Cam Jansen. My boys love mysteries, and this prolific series was a nice option for an audiobook to enjoy while running errands.

The Princess in Black. Predictably, after we read the chapter book (see above), we picked up the audio compilation from the library and listened to that for a week straight or so 😉

The Green Ember by S.D. Smith. We finished this by the skin of our teeth! Although it was exciting and wonderfully crafted, it was a touch “scary” for my very sensitive 5yo. We will revisit the rest of this series in the coming years. They are very highly reviewed and beloved by many, many readers!

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. I think this is my fourth time reading this book, but I cried once again nonetheless. This time while driving down the highway with my two boys in the backseat. Such a beautiful story about the power and meaning of love. My boys didn’t understand the deeper themes but they loved the exciting journey of the china doll rabbit Edward. You’ve gotta love a story that has multiple layers. I haven’t known a Kate DiCamillo book to disappoint in that department. I checked out the paper book copy after we listened to the audio and they just loved flipping through the (few, and gorgeous) illustrations and retelling the story.

The Magic Treehouse has had another run of popularity, too! I’m so glad we bought collections on Audible! For that one-time purchase, we have had endless rounds of the 15 hour collections! You can read about how I get the most bang for my audible buck here!

The House at Pooh Corner. A re-read (for the 10th? time). We love Pooh and pop this into the CD player when we have a lull.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. Newbery Honor winner in 1960, I read/listened to this for the first time alongside my boys. Not exactly my cup of tea, but it was totally up their alley! A wilderness survival story with a curious amount of nature detail that kept my guys begging for more.

Phew! I think I’ll shoot for monthly logs again. 😉 See any favorites on this this? Connect with me in the comments below, or on my Instagram account or Facebook page.

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