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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask what you’re currently reading aloud to DC?

73 replies

Sunshinebuttercupsrainbows · 09/08/2023 20:26

DS(6) and I are about to finish Pippi Longstockings, I never read it as a child but loved the film…oh my goodness the book is incredible! We are both loving it so much.

I have a huge stack of books that I want to read aloud to him but the list is ever growing. We may finish it by the time he’s an adult 😂

What are you currently reading aloud? Are you enjoying it? And what has been your favourite?

OP posts:
Vintagecreamandcottagepie · 09/08/2023 21:40

Pm

Whowhatwherewhenwhy1 · 09/08/2023 21:42

The Girl and The Dog. Beautiful book. By Deborah Maguire.

LindorDoubleChoc · 09/08/2023 21:43

YABU

Crumbelina · 09/08/2023 21:45

Amelia Fang to DDs 7 and 5, because we've lost the Harry Potter book. I'm not enjoying it. Harry Potter was a joy to read to them - I need to buy it again.

Minibea · 09/08/2023 21:45

Currently reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to my 6yo DD but loving the inspiration from this thread, have just put The Borrowers on DD’s Xmas list.

Worst Witch, Faraway Tree and The Magic Chair have also been hits here

Peabody25 · 09/08/2023 21:50

Currently reading George and the Big Bang I think it's called to DS9. It's the 4th (I think) one in the George's secret key to the universe series by Stephen and Lucy Hawking, and we're both loving them.

Previously we've read the first three Harry Potter's, beast quest series (good but get a bit samey), and over various Christmases we've read The Christmas Pig, and Tom Fletcher's Christmasaurus series. DH has been reading Tom Gates and Diary of a wimpy kid with him.

SandcastleQueen · 09/08/2023 21:51

Also just finished Pippi Longstocking and gone onto an old copy of Pippi in the South Seas, which has some very, um, of it's time bits 😯 the kids (4 and 6) love Pippi.
DD6 also loves Bunny Vs Monkey, it's the first thing she's read independently. Sometimes she reads it aloud to me and does the voices, it's ace!

NightNightJohnBoy · 09/08/2023 21:54

Great thread, thank you OP, I've collected lots of ideas.
I was reading 'The Person Controller' by David Baddiel to DS (9), but he liked it so much that he just finished it off himself one day. So now we're reading 'Millions' by Frank Cottrell Boyce, excellent so far, but quite dependent on an understanding of Catholicism I think. Would recommend others by that author to try first - Cosmic, for example.
I'll definitely be looking up the Terry Pritchett ones in the library.

Girasoli · 09/08/2023 21:55

DS7 a series of ninja turtles books that used to belong to mum's neighbour child who is now 18/20ish.

DS3 got read Stick Man and 'Crunch Munch Dinosaur Lunch' and looked at the pictures of the ninja turtles book.

MyUsernameIsBetterThanYours · 09/08/2023 21:56

At the moment my 18 month old is obsessed with the picture book I Am A Cat. He loves roaring at the lion and pointing to all the other big cats to get me to say what they are.

I’m loving this thread and I really really hope my son has my love of reading. One of the things I most looked forward to about having a child was buying and reading books with them. Sod’s law he’ll be a sports mad non-reader who can’t sit still like his dad. He’s already constantly on the go and obsessed with kicking balls!

I just need someone to tell me they’ve an energetic book lover to give me hope!

Fuckingfuming1 · 09/08/2023 22:11

The best tip, I was never given by Head teacher. you don’t read out loud to them, they read out loud to you.

Fuckingfuming1 · 09/08/2023 22:12

*ever

DontJumpInTheFountain · 09/08/2023 22:13

We're working our way through the Adventures on Trains series at the moment which we're all enjoying. I can also recommend the How to Train Your Dragon series - they're different to the films, and the later books run through a big story arc. We loved them.
DS has just read Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and loved it - I regretted not saving that for bedtimes so I'm reading it now.

Covidwoes · 09/08/2023 22:14

@Fuckingfuming1 that is dreadful advice! Reading aloud to children, even when they can read, is important! My 5 year old can read very well for her age, but I still read aloud to her! Currently reading Matilda to her at bedtime. She's loving it. It's a bit different when they get older and want to read a boom themselves, but reading to children is so important.

Miriam101 · 09/08/2023 22:16

Nothing! I’m v envious of all these replies. Ever since DD 6 started reading chapter books to herself she has gone right off me reading to her. I’m hoping this is just a phase! I really miss it.

Flippingflamingo · 09/08/2023 22:17

I’m working through the Roald Dahl books with my 6 year old.

bookworm14 · 09/08/2023 22:41

I can’t believe a headteacher would advise you not to read aloud to children. It’s one of the most important things you can do to build a love of reading! Yes, of course you listen to them read aloud when they’re still learning, but that’s in no way a replacement for being read to.

ASundayWellSpent · 09/08/2023 22:43

My DD 9 is reading the 5th Harry Potter to herself, but still enjoys being read to aloud so she joins DD2 (6) and I for Sophie’s Snail book set :)

CoodleMoodle · 09/08/2023 22:43

We read to DD9 every night for half an hour, then she goes upstairs and reads her own book for about the same time. She taught herself to read at 3 and has been doing it ever since then! Easier books at first obviously, and we've lengthened the time as she's got older. DS5 has his stories before bed and then when he wakes up in the morning he sits in bed for a bit and reads to himself.

Kids reading by themselves is very important but reading to them is just as, if not more, important, imo.

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 09/08/2023 22:58

chipshopElvis · 09/08/2023 20:52

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase to my dyslexic 12 year old. She has to read 4 pages, I read the rest of the chapter. We're both enjoying it lots.

Just finished this with my 12 year old (not dyslexic, just likes me to read to her when she's packing for the next day/tidying up her room)

I'm reading the Find-Outers to dd2, 8.
We also have Ballet Shoes on the go.

SkankingWombat · 09/08/2023 23:36

Fuckingfuming1 · 09/08/2023 22:11

The best tip, I was never given by Head teacher. you don’t read out loud to them, they read out loud to you.

Agree with PPs that this is terrible advice. Reading to them allows DCs to access more immersive stories and vocabulary above their reading level, and allows them to experience how a story should be read in terms of pace and expression (as well as being a lovely, relaxing, and pleasant shared experience). They should be reading to you too of course, but not instead of you reading to them.

9yo DD and I, like a couple of others on the thread, are reading Terry Pratchett's Bromeliad series. We finished Diggers this evening, so will start Wings tomorrow. DD is finding it incredibly funny and lets out a howl of frustration every evening when we have to stop to get her to bed! Before this series, we read Watership Down, which she also loved.

I finished The Witches with 7yo DD earlier this week, so tonight we started The Christmas Pig. I haven't read this previously, so it is new to us both.

OnToTheNextOneOntoTheNextOne · 09/08/2023 23:48

My 4 year old loves the Rabbit and Bear series. It's a difficult age to find appropriate books to read - a few pictures are still required but she wants longer reads and the chapter books all have themes aimed at older children.

deeplybaffled · 09/08/2023 23:52

I’m a dyed in the wool bookworm, and sadly, my nearly 8 year old has little to no interest in anything that lasts longer than about 5 minutes. I’ve tried all sorts, but little success.

Yellowlegobrick · 09/08/2023 23:56

DS (rising 7) has recently started getting impatient with me reading aloud because he's a really fast reader in his head, he just wants me to bugger off and leave him to it. I remember feeling the same at not much older.

Favourites - roald dahl & dick king smith, treehouse books, faraway tree

Yellowlegobrick · 09/08/2023 23:58

Ontothenextone
Things like owl who was afraid of the dark are lovely first chapter books.