Exploring the World From Home

The summer break often provides greater temptation for more screen time. But summer is the perfect time to instead limit screens and start tackling that stack of books that you "never have time for." If you have school-age kids, and you are scrambling for ways to keep them occupied (& not fighting), learning, and making great memories, then I suggest you set aside time EVERY day for reading out loud. You are never too young or too old to be read to!

I am still reading out loud to my teens. I also read books out loud to my husband when we are travelling in the car. Those shared books create a common pool of knowledge within our family. My kids and I often refer back to characters or events in the books we have read. The longest book we've ever read (so far) was Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens (took several months!) and just the other day someone made reference to one of the villains in that book. Remembering how a character handled a situation can often give kids tools for how to handle things in their own life. And books with a moral lesson offer instruction that is often more easily digested than when mom and dad offer the same. We saw a reference to the book, The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins as an early example of the detective novel. We found a used copy and worked our way through that. There were parts that I wondered if the kids would want to skip (or perhaps abandon the book altogether) but all three of my teens really enjoyed it! When we were done, I felt like we'd run a literary marathon!



You may think a younger child will not be able to sit still to listen to a book. If you have littles with wiggles, then let them do something active like jog in place, or do sit-ups while you read. Or if they need to keep their hands moving, let them build with blocks, duplos, or magnets while they listen. If they enjoy coloring, grab some coloring books and let them color as the story is being read. (If your house is like ours, you probably have a dozen half-filled coloring books--now kids can finish some while being read to!).

Pick a story to read aloud that has been made into a movie. Being able to watch the movie when the book is done is a great motivator to finish the book. Most libraries offer digital services so you can borrow ebooks or audiobooks with your library card. Librivox is a great source for free audiobooks that are in the public domain (i.e. classics). You can find titles such as Jungle Book, Call of the Wild and Jane Eyre. One of my favorite authors is E. Nesbit and I just discovered one of her books called, The Wonderful Garden and it is just as charming as her other titles.

Audiobooks offer some great advantages:

• Children hear professional narrators reading with expression and clear diction
• Children can hear proper pronunciations of words they may misread on their own
• Helps train children's minds to focus
• Allows struggling readers to enjoy books
• Offers the ability to multi-task: listen to a book while putting together a puzzle, ironing, cooking, etc.
• Great tradition at bedtime to fall asleep to a great book

I've compiled a list of some of our favorite book and movie combinations we have enjoyed over the years. Many are older movies but such good stories! Enjoy making some great memories with your kids during summer break. See how many books you can complete before schools starts up again! Happy Reading!

{Note: Books include an affiliate link for Amazon which adds no cost to you, but provides a small donation back to me if you purchase}

Book	Movie
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl https://amzn.to/33CRPjG	We prefer the Gene Wilder version https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/
BFG by Roald Dahl https://amzn.to/3dtB9Qj	2016 version: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3691740/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery https://amzn.to/3adXMGh	Megan Follows is a fabulous Anne: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/ Another version with Martin Sheen as Matthew: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4820224/?ref_=tt_sims_tt
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit https://amzn.to/39f5rCI	Delightful family movie available on Amazon Prime or YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3zO0zm5FTU&t=3s
The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit https://amzn.to/3blovRs	https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117957/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Winnie the Pooh by A.A.Milne https://amzn.to/33HfiA0	We watched an older version but this looks good as well: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1449283/
Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge https://amzn.to/2Jarz6I	An older movie but very good story: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079269/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Book is a MUST read!!) https://amzn.to/33DG8ZU	More than one option, may be fun to watch more than one: https://www.imdb.com/find?q=Little+Women&ref_=nv_sr_sm
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry https://amzn.to/2wyn4jD	2015 version: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1754656/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 1974 version: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071762/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnette https://amzn.to/2JeVsTj	Lots of versions. We like the 1995 version: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113670/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_8
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnette https://amzn.to/2Udsxp3	1993 version is magical: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108071/?ref_=tt_sims_tt Looking forward to this 2020 release: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113670/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_8
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink https://amzn.to/3bl9sHe	1860’s tomboy adventures: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185211/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke (teens) https://amzn.to/3bqvetr	We own the movie but still need to watch it: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430674/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers https://amzn.to/2UzbYCY	1964 with Julie Andrews: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen Mary Poppins Returns: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5028340/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4
Call of the Wild by Jack London https://amzn.to/2JbyhJE	2020 New release: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7504726/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming (book is very different from movie!) https://amzn.to/2WAFMSs	I hadn’t realized that Roald Dahl did the screenplay for the 1968 movie with Dick Van Dyke: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062803/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild https://amzn.to/2UtJE4V	2007 Movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1083845/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria A. Trapp https://amzn.to/3afm8PP	1965 version Sound of Music with Julie Andrews https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll https://amzn.to/2Ut7wpy	Many versions, I personally like 1999 version: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164993/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3
Old Yeller by Fred Gipson https://amzn.to/33EHO5v	1957 Classic: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050798/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Summer of Monkeys by Wilson Rawls https://amzn.to/2UsJpak	1998 movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128648/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls https://amzn.to/33LFg5B	2003: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192788/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 1974: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072402/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater https://amzn.to/2y4jLkP	2011 (not very true to book): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1396218/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell https://amzn.to/2Uq1rtS	1994 movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109279/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie https://amzn.to/39fawLi	2003: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0316396/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Hook: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102057/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Heidi by Johanna Spyri https://amzn.to/2UcKPqz	2005: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439197/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 2015: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3700392/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John https://amzn.to/39cPU6r	Oldie but goodie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0129454/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. Stuart https://amzn.to/3dnRUw3	1973 Animated: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070016/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 2016: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413895/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling https://amzn.to/2JayBIE	2003 Animated: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283426/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4 2016: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3040964/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr https://amzn.to/2Uum3Bg	2008: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0410377/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Paddington Bear by Michael Bond https://amzn.to/399SY3f	Movie does not follow book entirely but still delightful: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1109624/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Pippi Longstocking (Astrid Lindgren) https://amzn.to/2UuvQaz	1997: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119899/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3 1969: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366905/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1