summer reading list

you all know i love summer.  swimming.  catching lightening bugs.  working in the garden. running through sprinklers.  baseball.  swimming.  doing everything outside.  sweating.  i love it.

but my favorite part is just being together.  no school.  no real schedules to follow.  {other than trying to follow a cleaning/laundry schedule.}  just hanging out and having fun...

and reading.  yep, i've made a reading list for us.  some of these are books to read aloud together.  while others are for the boys to read alone, or aloud to me.  some are just to have on hand when the days are so hot outside we're just looking forward to an afternoon in the air conditioning.

SUMMER 2013 READING LIST, Part 1

1.  Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery:  of course.  my favorite book as a child {and adult}.  this is not just a girl book!  Bubba is even currently reading a book of her short stories...although those are mostly for girls.  

2.  Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilders:  we've already started this book.  we're on chapter 2.  or 3.  i can't remember.  the boys like it.  well, bubba likes it.  i think bruiser just likes it b/c he's usually snuggled up with me while we read it.

3.  Henry Huggins, Beverly Cleary:  i bought this on a whim one day at the bookstore.  i was never a huge Cleary fan...but i thought the boys might like this one.  bubba has already informed me he doesn't think he'll like it.  well, we shall see.

4.  Caddie Woodlawn, Carol Ryrie Brink:  another book i loved as a child.  i know mine will like it too.

5.  Black Beauty, Anna Sewell:  another classic.  i remember reading this as a child, but i don't remember everything.  i'm anxious to read it again, too!

6.  Encyclopedia Brown, Donald J. Sobol:  i think i read this as a kid, but i can't remember at all.  i've tried to get Bubba to read it...but he just hasn't been excited about it.  hoping reading it together might help.  or at least having it for a hot afternoon.  instead of minecraft.  {sigh}

7.  Charlotte's Web, E. B. White:  this one i just added to the list.  Bruiser watched it at school the other day.  he came home talking about it, so i've added it to our list.  it's just such a great classic.  and my kids really love farms, farm animals.

8.  Magic Tree House #49, Stallion by Starlight, Mary Pope Osborne:  Bubba loves this series and he's rubbing off on Bruiser.  this is the newest one in the series and we haven't read it yet.  i think bubba has read the other 48!

9.  My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George:  i remember really liking this one as a kid.  and i think it'll be one my boys really like.  i just can't remember how old i was when i read it.  it seems like i was Bubba's age, maybe a little older, so i'm not sure if Bruiser will be able to follow.

10.  The Swiss Family Robinson, Johann David Wyss:  i've never read this one.  but it's one of our favorite, favorite, FAVORITE movies.  even if you don't read this book, watch the movie!!!!!