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

[Sunshinebuttercupsrainbows]

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?

Daughter is finishing up school of good and evil book series and my son just finishing the last Harry Potter. 9 and 6 years.

Currently reading bad dad by David walliams to my younger 3 aged 12, 10 and 9. They loved the world's worst series by him but I'm not so keen. We all loved the midnight gang by DW and also the Daisy and the trouble with books by Kes Gray.

How the fuck can you all be bothered to read Harry Potter to your kids. The books are so long! I enjoyed reading them myself years ago, but having to read them out loud (and thereby slowly) is majorly tedious.

We love Pippi! And the Sandi Toksvig audiobook narration is also fantastic (we have a Tonie box, it is also on Audible).

We are reading Secret Seven at the minute - DS is 6 and absolutely gripped. He also liked The Enormous Crocodile, and Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf (which I remember reading when I was a child).

Shel Silverstein? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Sidewalk-Ends-Shel-Silverstein/dp/1846143845/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QSAEQ0RNYE8C&keywords=shel+silverstein+books&qid=1691622936&sprefix=Shel+%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-1

Great poems that kids love.

DS isn’t a big fan of reading by himself (he can, he just has to be dragged to it). But he LOVES being read to every night.

DBro was the same, in fact I remember him making DM read his Spider-Man graphic novels to him at bedtime, when he was easily 10-12. He made her put the voices on and everything 🤣

When I did my teaching degree, we learned about peer tutoring and apprentice learning - different approaches to learning.

Not sure if it was a Vygotsky theory. Possibly a chap called Topping - peer tutoring.

Children listening closely to a story being read aloud models how to read - especially if they can see/follow the text.

As a teacher I could always pick out the children who enjoyed books at home from an early age. Their vocabulary and writing was generally a much higher level.

I can't believe a headteacher would discourage reading aloud with/to a child. Especially those in the early stages of learning to read - as they learn to anticipate reading down to the next line of text without a pause, how to anticipate turning a page without a pause - the physicality of reading.

I remember marvelling at my mum as she deftly turned the pages of a book, whilst reading aloud, without missing a beat. The story flowed without interruption.

One of my most favourite photographs from my childhood is of a semi circle of children sat, looking up at my mum intently, as she read aloud to our 'gang' of friends, in the garden.

Mine's six too, and I'm currently reading The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken. She's loving it - my only caveat is having to explain that it's an alternate history so there's the odd bit where I feel the need to say okay that's true in their world, but not ours. Our last one was Circle of Doom by Tim Kennemore, a bit revolting, but she likes revolting. I might not have read it if I'd remembered the alcohol bit.

My very energetic 8yo ds loves reading and being read to (he says it slows his brain down and gets him ready to sleep or relax).

Recently we have read The Boy Who Grew Dragons series, Cakes in Space, The Danger Gang, Space Band (we still sing the songs in the car), Sam Copeland’s Charlie series and the Roman Garstang series.
He recently asked me to stop reading Monster and Chips as it was “too disgusting to read before bed”🤣🤣🤣. This from a boy who finds poos and farts funny.

I'm currently reading The Last Battle (Narnia) to my 8 year old. I can sometimes read Tiddler, Zog or a book about sonic to my 6 year old but he's not interested in being read to. He does read a bit independently (Horrid Henry easy readers).

At that age we were ploughing through all the Famous Five and Secret Seven books. Also Atticus the Storyteller (Greek myths). Mr Gump was another favourite.
I’m currently reading The Sword in the Stone to 9yo DS. DH is reading him the Red Dwarf books.

We read a lot of the Roahl Dahl books with our son whose now 7 and we're currently reading Harry Potter which we're all really enjoying !

My 11 year old loves reading before bed, he often reads himself now and reads Beano amongst other things.
He was struggling a bit with reading 2-3 years ago so my DH decided to read The Hobbit which DS LOVED! And to help him he read at least 1 paragraph a night and actually reading something that was more his level intellectually, he really took a turn with his reading (was bored with school books bless him!)

I don’t for a second believe any head teacher would discourage reading to children. It’s not an either or with the child reading it’s on top of. It can help them to have the modelling of how to read aloud (intonation and voices etc). It also means children can access texts which are above their current reading ability.

DS2 (7) loves a series. We read all the Narnia books recently (I remembered why I’d only ever once read The Last Battle). Now it’s The Secret…series by Enid Blyton. We’ve enjoyed The Borrowers, Little House in the Big Woods, and more modern things like Toto, The Dragon in the Library and The Boys who Lived with Dragons. To my great joy he adored my childhood favourite The Armourer’s House by Rosemary Sutcliffe.

DS1 (10) likes funny books. DH is currently reading him Terry Pratchett. Artemis Fowl was a huge hit a few years ago as we’re the Bagthorpes books by Helen Cresswell.

@MyUsernameIsBetterThanYours My son has severe ADHD and is also a gamer, but still LOVES his books! He’s full of beans all the time and always on the go but put a book in front of him and he instantly chills. There is hope!

Between the Harry Potters (finished now) we read the Roahl Dahl books.

I have to say (deep breath, tin hat on, and contrary to the rest of the world) i don't like them!
I can't put my finger on why, but i don't. Especially The Twits. It's just a whole book of nastiness.

Kids love 'em though, so that's what matters.

Because of this thread i've just bought the Artemis Fowl set on Amazon. All 8 books for £16. Good value.

We'll move on to these as soon as we've finished bloomin' Fing.

We are going to finish Pippi tonight and I might start on Treasure Island tomorrow…

@Laiste i am with you on Roald Dahl, I find most of the books pretty horrible.

Oh i'm not alone! Thank you! 😅

I know kids like horribleness, but i find he goes just that little bit too far and it tips out of fun and into 'wtf?' for me. The chokey in Matilda. The bird torture and general cruelty through the whole book in the Twits.

You’re not alone in disliking Road Dahl. Matilda and the BFG are the only ones I can stomach. He writes well but he has a genuine sadistic streak, which kids tend to love but a lot of adults find unpalatable.

I’m reading Magicborn by Peter Bunzl to my 9 year old. It’s brilliant and so beautifully written.

In contrast I’m reading the last of the Amelia Fang series to my 6 year old. She has really enjoyed it but it’s not really my cup of tea!