Friday, January 27, 2012

Number the Stars

My FAVORITE resource this week is read-alouds.

I read to my girls often when they were babies and toddlers,
but once they learned to read,
I am sad to say,
that I expected them to read to themselves.
We all snuggled up together in my bed and read to ourselves.

Last year, I was encouraged by the homeschool community to start reading to my girls again,
even though they were 9 and 11.
I chose Little Women, which was a flop because I kept needing to explain things (even though my girls would say, "We get it, Mommy.") and that ruined our momentum.
Then I chose The Lightning Thief and my girls couldn't break from the book while I made dinner, they had to find out what happened.
I gave up on read-alouds.

But I was encouraged once again,
by the homeschool community.
And I am so glad that you all kept on me!

We picked shorter books.
Like From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
We enjoyed it immensely.

We have been watching The Waltons, a 1970s television show set in the 1930s in rural Virginia.
We look forward to cuddling on the couch each night for a show.

One night, the show was about German immigrants who had settled on Walton's Mountain,
but could not trust anyone.

I decided it was time to introduce World War II.
A read and loved Number the Stars in public school in fourth grade
and I decided to read it with P.
But A loves this book so much that she snuggled in with us every night.


I can see why A loves this book.

It is compelling.

It is the kind of book where you can't read just one chapter.

Following a cardinal rule of good literature, each chapter ends on such a cliffhanger...that you have to read one more.

I call them potato chip chapters...you can never have just one!

Number the Stars is the story of a 10 year old girl growing up in Copenhagen in the 1930s.
Her family is part of the Resistance and she becomes aware of their actions when they attempt to save her Jewish friend.
It is an amazing story of courage and valor.

If you have never read this book, whether you are a child or an adult, I STRONGLY recommend picking it up!


Linking up with Susan

Favorite Resource This Week

and