How old were your dc when you started being able to read a book over a few nights?

[Clegg]

just that really, would like to read wind in the willows to them, but they're too small, just wondering how long I need to wait!

[TurkeyLurkey]

My daughter is 5 and we've just started doing this (Enid Blyton stuff at the mo - Wishing Chair and Faraway tree). DS started on these at about 5 too and has already read Wind in the Willows and loved it.
You could try when you think they'll be ready..you'll soon know when they're losing interest in the story (by the humming and butting in..at least thats what mine do!).

[McDreamylove]

When she was just over 4.

[Bink]

ds was 4 & dd 2.5 when I did their first serialised-reading (Fantastic Mr Fox, it was - short chapters, good fast-paced story) - read it to them together, & it certainly wasn't beyond dd even at that age to carry the story over from night to night.

Wind in the Willows might be a bit demanding as a starter chapter book? - it has slow wordy bits, as I recall.

[Alambil]

DS has recently started listening to Paddington Bear and The Owl who was afraid of the dark (and the others in the series). He was just 5 when I started but could have "coped" earlier - I just didn't think of it!

[bozza]

I think DS was 4 and something when we started this. But we first started (please don't groan...) with a volume of Thomas books so that he got used to the bookmark and continuing where you left off type thing. Then I think we did Beatrix Potter. Then Flat Stanley or something like that.

[NAB3wishesfor2008]

Hubby reads the Famous five to DS1 and I think he was 5 or 6 when they started.

[melpomene]

DD1 is 4.9 and got 'Pippi Longstocking' for Christmas - her first chapter book. She loves it and is on the 2nd reading now.

[redpyjamas]

I read the W in the W to mine when they were 4 and 5/6. The older one enjoyed a lot more than the younger, although they both did listen and then younger dd did bring up scenes in conversation during the day, so she must have been taking some in too.
About the very wordy parts, I found that they kept stopping me at first to ask for the meaning of woeds they didn't understand. So, I told them to think of it as a 'word painting'. Just let the words glide over them and enjoy without expecting to understand every bit.
Nowadays we tend to have two chapter books on the go at any time, as I prefer to go slowly through them and soak up the enjoyment. And it still leaves plenty of time for lots of shorter stories, or for them to select specific chapters of previously read books to repeat.
We love reading together. Spend a good two hours at bedtime on most nights. Even though they can both read now, I still hope we will enjoy books as a family for years to come.
Sorry - that post came out longer than expected!

[carmenelectra]

Id say about age 4 or 5.

I was desperate to read the Narnia books to ds!

Hes 8 now and we always read long books over several nights/wks. I love it(so does he!)

[cory]

About 4 or 5 but I would also start with something like The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark (lovely book) or Pippi Longstocking.

Wind in the Willows and (funnily enough) Winnie the Pooh are quite a bit more demanding; in many ways, I'd say Pooh is more difficult than the Narnia books.