What we are reading today...

I haven't posted a book list for a while, so here is a glimpse at the books that are on the bedside table (well, to be honest they are in a pile on the floor beside the bed) right now....

Joanna:
Galore By: Michael Crummey - I am really enjoying this novel, set in Newfoundland and filled with a cast of characters both lovable and loathable. It tells a story where, as the cover says, the line between the real and the otherworldly is impossible to distinguish. As an added bonus, it is Canadian, which is always a good thing.

Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community By: Robert Putnam - I am only a few pages into this, but I am really looking forward to delving deeper. Much of the work that I do outside the home (and inside it, too!) relates to helping people become more a part of their communities. I will try to post a review when I finish it.

William:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows By: J.K.Rowling (read aloud)- This is, of course, the last in the Harry Potter series that we have been working our way through for most of the past year. I know that some people object to the subject matter, but in my thinking, any story that not only gets a 7 year old boy excited about reading 700 pages, but also puts a smile on Mamas face, is just fine by me.

Animal Antics By Literacy Ladder - William still struggles with any leveled readers. Somehow if he sees any sort of notation that it is at a set level, or says beginning reader or any such thing on it, it is not a 'real book' in his eyes. We have had good luck with some of the kids fiction written in the 1950 - 1970s, but this newer book made it through his screening because of the animal content.

Charlie:
The King At The Door By: Brock Cole - this is a favorite that gets pulled off the shelf every few months and takes the place of honour in bedtime reading for a few days in a row. It is a take on The Boy Who Cried Wolf, but turned around. The boy in this tale tells the truth and is not believed, with hilarious and heartwarming results. (Gee, I could write the cover notes, couldn't I?)

Stanley's Wild Ride By: Linda Bailey - the Stanley books are another favorite of the whole family. They follow the life of Stanley,a family dog, who tends to get into trouble when his people are away. The kids also like Stanley's Party, and Stanley's Beauty Contest.