I will be the first one to tell you that I am not an avid reader. For those of you that know me, you know I join book clubs mainly for the social aspect of them. My daughter, who is living temporarily in New Zealand thought it would be fun to read books together and discuss them. Of course I said yes because I love doing things with my adult children; however, for the six books my daughter reads, I get through one! It's not that I don't enjoy reading, I just am in constant motion so it's hard to read a book when you don't sit for too long.
However, when it comes to reading with my grandchildren, that's a whole other ball game. There is nothing better than cuddling up with them on the couch or in bed with a book they enjoy. Many times reading the same story over and over again. I cherish this special time we have together and love hearing their questions, "Gigi, why does he look mad?" , "Gigi where is he going?" or just pausing and looking at how intently they are focusing on my every word. It just warms my heart! I will stop everything to read to them!
My two granddaughters are 3 (they are a month apart in age) and they are at the age that they can really follow along the stories. It used to be that when I was reading them stories before their nap or bedtime, I would sometimes go back and read a couple of pages back again to try to get them to go to sleep. I attempted that maneuver last week and my granddaughter said, "Gigi, you just read that"! I love, love, love that they are following along and paying attention to the story. Their inquisitive minds just marvels me and the questions they ask.
My one granddaughter, when she visits, loves me to read her any of the Dr. Seuss books. This book, The Big Purple Books of Beginner Books has so many different stories in it and it's not surprising that she convinces me to read some of them over and over again and before I know it, I've gone through the whole book, which is 284 pages long. My other granddaughter loves anything to do with bunnies. She has loved bunnies since she was little so It's Not Easy Being A Bunny is a great book to read with her. However, she will listen intently to any book that is read to her.
Reading the Dr. Seuss books brings back memories of when my children were little. Some of my favorite to read to them are:
In reading Dr. Seuss books, you are introducing your grandchildren to rhyming words and opposite words in many of the stories. It is amazing to me how smart they are and how much they retain! I know that's a typical Gigi statement; however, don't you feel the same way? Being a big part of all 3 of their lives is such a huge blessing to me - wouldn't change it for the world.
On another note, my friend's daughter, S.S. Johnstone just wrote and illustrated this book, Ada From the Blue Isle, and I can't wait to read this story to them. Ada is a small, blue giraffe from a magical island full of blue animals. She is happy, but longs for new adventures so she sets off to find them. Sounds like a fun book to read, right? The illustrations are just beautiful as well.
So I will continue to read, read, read with them every chance I get and every time they ask me. As a Gigi, I will watch their vocabularies blossom and their imaginations take flight. Who needs to be part of a book club, when you can discuss the books with your greatest audience: your grandchildren.
"The more you read, the more things you know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go".
Dr. Seuss
xoxoxo
Gigi Susie