Read Aloud Challenge July 14, 2011

     I completely missed last weeks Read Aloud Challenge hosted by Debra at Footprints in the Butter. In the busyness of moving some things got overlooked. So before my internet is shut down, I thought I would join in again this week.

     We are still reading Mr. Popper’s Penguins. This is such a funny book. Ben and Rebekah are who I am mainly reading to, but it is amazing how Matthew makes sure he is close by to listen if he is home. I was outside reading while the furniture was being packed and realized Matthew was laying on top of the Suburban laughing along with Ben and Rebekah at the descriptions of the penguins putting on their shows.

      Since starting this challenge, it has brought home to me just what an impact reading aloud can have. Matthew is 18. He reads extremely well and has since he learned to read around age 6. He also has loved toys like Lego’s, K’Nex. He used to go to the library and not only get books, but books on tape or CD as well. He would tell me that since he can’t read and play Lego’s, he could listen to a book and play. To this day he still likes audio books. If you check out his i-pod it has a lot of music, but also audiobooks, especially Hank the Cowdog, one of his favorites. Two years ago, when we moved to Idaho, he and I drove together and listened to At Home in Mitford. He enjoyed it so much that the next vacation we took he asked to listen to it again.

   Make sure and visit Debra over at Footprints in the Butter. You can read what she is reading aloud to her kids and then visit others to see what they are up to.