Our 2011 Nighttime Reading Books

At the end of last year (2010), I was reading something (helpful, eh?) about President Gordon B. Hinckley.  In this something that I was reading, he talked about sitting with his family, reading books to each other.

It was something that I wanted to start; we read lots of picture books each day, but I wanted to start the tradition of reading a chapter (or more) each night to my kiddos, of a longer book... a classic book.

We began in January.

This past year, we read:

Little House in the Big Woods (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
Little House on the Prairie (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
On the Banks of Plum Creek (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
By the Shores of Silver Lake (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
My Father's Dragon (Ruth Stiles)
Charlotte's Web (E.B. White)
Stuart Little (E.B. White)
The Littles (John Peterson)
The Chalk Box Kid (Clyde Robert Bulla)

We generally read a few picture books, while they finish getting ready for bed (a little incentive to get them get ready quicker), then do a song, scripture reading, prayer.  And then, we read a chapter from our book.

It's not always easy.

Especially when I'm exhausted/want to strangle one of my children.

But, it's become one of my favorite parts of the day.

Because, even if they were a total punk all day, something magical happens when I begin reading.  They all cuddle in close, I get to breathe in their freshly washed hair, and we go into a different world together, as I read.

I fall in love with them again in that moment, while we are all cuddled together.

It's magical.

I know that sounds cheesy, but it's true.

This next year, we are going to read the books by Roahl Dahl, starting with Matilda.

Then C.S. Lewis.

And, I hope that when it's all said and done, that maybe they will look back with fondness like President Hinckley did, at our nights together, cuddled, and reading.

(And maybe, just maybe, they will forgive for me for the times I said, "I'm going to strangle you.")

;)