100 books challenge ~ May and an update on reading my library challenge

We made it! We read 104 books this month! Celeste is contributing this month again, reading books to me. She is slowly progressing with her reading and it is so exciting to see and hear.
Andre, who hasn't been into reading novels over the last few months, has been devouring the Harry Potter series lately. He has seen all the movies, but he is enjoying reading the books a lot, seeing the similarities and finding out more details too. He's on the 3rd book right now, and is also reading some other Harry Potter guides. When Andre likes something, he completely immerses himself in it!

The reading my library is going well too. This past month we read many wonderful nature-themed books by Jean Craighead George and Celeste also enjoyed listening to a few books by Marie Louise Gay. I started bringing home a few picture books from the H, I, J, and K section . We'll be moving on to the L section this month.

ADRIENNE

Choco Mimi #2 by Konami Sonoda
Dungeon: Zenith Vol. 3: Back in Style by J. Sfar
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Home Sweat Home (For Better or For Worse) by Lynn Johnston
Get Some Fancy Book Learnin’ (Simpson Comics) by Matt Groening
Tornadoes! By Gail Gibbons
Pinky & Stinky by James Kochalka
Media Meltdown: A Graphic Guide Adventure by Liam O’Donnell
Kingdom Hearts #1 by Shiro Amano (graphic novel)
The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl) by Eoin Colfer
Deep-Space Disco by Erik Craddock (graphic novel)
Kingdom Hearts #2 by Shiro Amano (graphic novel)
Kingdom Hearts #3 by Shiro Amano (graphic novel)
Kingdom Hearts #4 by Shiro Amano (graphic novel)
Ruby Gloom’s Guide to Friendship by Matt Riser
The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl) by Eoin Colfer


ANDRE

The Storm breaker (Alex Rider) by Anthony Horowitz (graphic novel)
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (graphic novel)
Choco Mimi #1 by Konami Sonoda
The Book of King Arthur by Howard Pyle
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Choco Mimi #2 by Konami Sonoda
Cardcaptor Sakura #1 by Clamp (graphic novel)
Kingdom Hearts #1 by Shiro Amano (graphic novel)
Kingdom Hearts # 2 by Shiro Amano (graphic novel)
Kingdom Hearts #3 by Shiro Amano (graphic novel)
Kingdom Hearts #4 by Shiro Amano (graphic novel)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

CELESTE

Curious George Takes a Job by H.A. Rey (audio book)
1 2 3 by Tom Slaughter (she read)
Duck & Goose by Tad Hills (she read)
Barbie Phonics Reader #1 Pat the Cat (she read 2x)
Barbie Phonics Reader #2 Red Jet (she read)
Barbie Phonics Reader #3 Kick the Ball (she read)
Barbie Phonics Reader # 4 Hot Dogs (she read)


READ ALOUD

PICTURE BOOKS:

How To Live Forever by Colin Thompson
Cliff Hanger by Jean Craighead George
Froggy Went A-Courting by Gillian Tyler
Pigaroons by Arthur Geisert
Silly Billy by Anthony Browne
The Wolves are Back by Jean Craighead George
Rodeo Time by Stuart J. Murphy
Good Night Sam by Marie Louise Gay
Yuck, a Love Story by Don Gillmor
Say No and Go: Stranger Safety by Jill Urban Donahue
Penguin Post by Debi Gliori
Jorinda and Jorindel retold by Bernadette Watts (Grimm brothers original)
Roberto The Insect Architect by Nina Laden
Blueberries for the Queen by John and Katherine Paterson
Frightful’s Daughter by Jean Craighead George
Nutik, the Wolf Pup by Jean Craighead George
Frightful’s Daughter Meets The Baron Weasel by Jean Craighead George
The Wolves are Back by Jean Craighead George
Good Enough to Eat: A Kid’s Guide to Food and Nutrition by Lizzy Rockwell
The Tooth Book: A Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums by Edward Miller
How Do Dinosaurs Learn Their Colours? by Jane Yolen
How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? By Jane Yolen
How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms? By Jane Yolen
How Do Dinosaurs Love Their Cats? By Jane Yolen
Annie and Snowball and the Prettiest House by Cynthia Rylant
Annie and Snowball and the Pink Surprise by Cynthia Rylant
Henry and Mudge and the Careful Cousin by Cynthia Rylant
Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch by Cynthia Rylant
One Red Apple by Harriet Ziefert
Our Apple Tree by Gorel Kristina Naslund
Watch me grow Kitten by Lisa Magloff (DK)
Fancy Nancy: Bonjour, Butterfly by Jane O’Connor
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Old MacDonald had a Woodshop by Lisa Shulman
Little Smudge by Lionel Le Neouanic
Pretty Pru: A Tilly and Friends Book by Polly Dunbar
Stella Fairy of the Forest by Marie-Louise Gay
Leaf by Stephen Michael King
Bushbaby by Adrienne Kennaway
Why Do You Cry? By Kate Klise
Love You When You Whine by Emily Jenkins
Slim and Miss Prim by Robert Kinerk
Bowl Patrol by Marilyn Janovitz
H. Prince by Dick King-Smith
The Surprise Visitor by Juli Kangas
Going to Sleep on the Farm by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
The Daddy Longlegs Blues by Mike Ornstein
Dear Katie, The Volcano is a Girl by Jean Craighead George
Mama Says: A Book of Love for Mothers and Sons by Rob D. Walker

NOVELS:

The Cats of Roxville Station by Jean Craighead George

MOM:

Hold on To your Kids (half) by Gordon Neufeld
Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
Dumbing Us Down by John Gatto
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris
Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris
Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
Guardians of Being by Eckhart Tolle with art by Patrick McDonnell

100 books-a-month challenge ~ april & reading my library challenge

We didn't read 100 books in April. I think it might be because we were outside a lot more! I also found that I didn't want us to read just for the sake of adding another book to our list, something that I could feel this challenge was turning into this particular month. We read two excellent novels for History, Robin Hood and Adam of the Road this month, along with the excellent A Child's Introduction to Poetry to learn more about poetry.

This month I am able to add Celeste to this list. She has started reading a few easy readers on her own.  It is so exciting to see and listen to her read!

Towards the end of the month, we picked up a bit on the Reading my Library Challenge, and chose authors from the G section. We discovered wonderful picture books from Jean Craighead George, who is famous for the novels Julie of the Wolves and My Side of the Mountain. We love her focus on nature. We are continuing this month with reading more of her titles.

ADRIENNE:
Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee
The Traveler by Connie Martin
Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll
The Snack Smasher by Andrea Perry
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer (The Graphic Novel)
Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch
The Wonderful Pigs of Jillian Jiggs by Robert Munsch
Pigs by Robert Munsch
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl series) by Eoin Colfer
The Wonderful World of Jillian Jiggs by Phoebe Gilman
Yuck, a Love Story by Don Gillmor
Good Night Sam by Marie Louise Gay
A Sam and Friends Mystery: Lake Monster Mix-Up by Mary Labatt (graphic novel)
Benny and Penny in The Big No-No! by Geoffrey Hayes
Vanishing Girl by Shane Peacok (The Boy Sherlock Holmes #3)

ANDRE
Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl
Power and Responsibility (Ultimate Spider-Man #1) by M. Bendis
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer (graphic novel)
The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl
Esio Trot by Roald Dahl
Art Fraud Detective by Anna Nilsen
A Sam and Friends Mystery: Lake Monster Mix-Up by Mary Labatt (graphic novel)
Choco Mimi #3 by Konami Sonoda (graphic novel)
Beastly Birds and Bats by Lynn Huggins-Cooper
Yuck, a Love Story by Don Gillmor
Scary Fright, Are you All Right? By Scott Gibala-Broxholm
A Pack of Riddles compiled by William R. Gerler
CELESTE
Peanut and Pearl’s Picnic Adventure by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Best Friends by Anna Michaels
Chicken Said, “Cluck” by Judyann Ackerman Grant
Read Me a Book by Barbara Reid

READ ALOUD
Fancy Nancy’s Favourite Fancy Words by Jane O’Connor
Fancy Nancy’s Explorer Extraordinaire by Jane O’Connor
Maybelle the Cable Car by Virginia Lee Burton
Wake Up House! Rooms full of Poems by Dee Lillegard
Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee
Swing Otto Swing! By David Milgrim
See Otto by David Milgrim
Snow Day! A Winter Tale by Joan Holub
Monster Museum by Marilyn Singer
The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green
Once I Ate a Pie by P. Maclachlan
Food Hates You, Too and Other Poems by Robert Weinstock
Beware, Take Care by Lilian Moore
Raining Cats & Dogs by Will Moses
Rhyolite: The True Story of a Ghost Town by Diane Siebert
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Dirk Bones and the Mystery of the Haunted House by Doug Cushman
Seaweed Soup by Stuart J. Murphy
Midnight Mimi by Marie-Louise Gay
Little Toot and the Loch Ness Monster by Hardie Gramatky
Pirate Pearl by Phoebe Gilman
Jillian Jiggs and the Secret Surprise by Phoebe Gilman
Morning, Noon, and Night by Jean Craighead George
Look to the North: A Wolf Pup Diary by Jean Craighead George
Frightful’s Daughter Meets the Baron Weasel by Jean Craighead George
Air is All Around You by Franklin M. Branley
A Zebra’s World by Caroline Arnold
Henny Penny by Paul Galdone
Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni
Caramba by Marie-Louise Gay
Scary Fright, Are You All Right? By Scott Gibala-Broxholm
Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray
A Child's Introduction to Poetry by Michael Driscoll

MOM
Trouble in High Heels by Leanne Banks
May Bird and the Ever After by Jodi Lynn Anderson
A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris
Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris

100 books-a-month challenge ~ march

We did it! We read over 100 books in March. You can visit home-grow love for more participants of the 100 books-a-month challenge.

ANDRE:
Ghosthunters and the Gruesome Invincible Lightning Ghost by Cornelia Funke (audio)
Artemis Fowle by Eoin Colfer (audio)
Petunia’s Christmas by R. Duvoisin
On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole
Beowulf by Stefan Petrucha (Graphic Novel)
Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osborne (MTH series)
The Extinct Files: My Science Project by Wallace Edwards
Dragon of the Red Dawn by M. P. Osborne (MTH series)
Monday with a Mad Genius by M.P. Osborne (MTH series)
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Leprechaun in Late Winter by M.P. Osborne (MTH series) (audio)
Marvin K. Mooney will you please go Now! Dr. Seuss
The Trouble with Dragons by Debi Gliori
Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll
Alphabeasts by Wallace Edwards

ADRIENNE:
Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock

Stargazer (The Land of Elyon Book 4) by Patrick Carman
Clever Tom and the Leprauchan by Linda Shute
Tim O’Toole and the Wee Folk by G. McDermott
On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole
Fritz’s Fish by G. Elschner
Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by J. Krosoczka
Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Institute by J. Krosoczka
Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta by J. Krosoczka
Mortimer’s First Garden by Karma Wilson
The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon by Mini Grey
Princess Pigsty by Cornelia Funke
Space Station Mars by Daniel San Souci
Pirate Girl by Cornelia Funke
Beowulf by Stefan Petrucha (Graphic Novel)
Choco Mimi by K. Sonoda (Graphic Novel)
Sienna’s Scrapbook: Our African American Heritage Trip by Tony T. Parker
Thea Stilton and the Dragon’s Code by Geronimo Stilton
Ranch by Roxie Munro
Fancy Nancy Every Day is Earth Day by J. O’Connor (to Celeste)
Fancy Nancy’s Favourite Fancy Words by J. O’Connor (to Celeste)
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
Death in the Air by Shane Peacock
Protecting the Planet : Environment Activism by Pamela Dell

READ ALOUD:
Summer Party (The CobbleStreet Cousins series) by Cynthia Rylant
Tim O’Toole and the Wee Folk by Gerald McDermott
Clever Tom and the Leprechaun by Linda Shute
Whose Chick are You? By Nancy Tafuri
Tyrannosaurus Drip by Julia Donaldson
Max Counts his Chilckens by Rosemary Wells
D.W.’s Guide to Preschool by Marc Brown
In Aunt Lucy’s Kitchen (The CobbleStreet Cousins series) by Cynthia Rylant
To See the Moon by Ethel Bacon
A Little Shopping (The CobbleStreet Cousins series) by Cynthia Rylant
Special Gifts (The CobbleStreet Cousins) by Cynthia Rylant
Fancy Nancy - The Show Must Go On by Jane O’Connor
Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman
The Story of the Incredible Orchestra by Bruce Koscielniak
Big Enough Anna: The Little Sled Dog Who Braved the Arctic by P. Flowers
Mole Music by David McPhail
Some Good News (CobbleStreet Cousins) by Cynthia Rylant
Giddy Up, Cowgirl by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
Jethro Byrd Fairy Child by Bob Graham
Zen Ties by John J. Muth
Sweet Tooth by Margie Palatini
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Woolbur by Leslie Helakoski
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
Mortimer’s First Garden by Karma Wilson
The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon by Mini Grey
Mike Mullingan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey
Panda Foo and the New Friend by Mary Murphy
Animal Colours: A Rainbow of Colours from Animals Around the World by B. Fielding
A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon
The Three Pigs by Paul Galdone
Our Earth by Anne Rockwell
Birdsongs by Betsy Franco
Wedding Flowers by Cynthia Rylant
Animal Music by Harriet Zieffert
The Story of the Orchestra by Robert Levine
My Dog, Buddy by David Milgrim
What’s That, Mittens? By Lola M. Schaefer
Weather by Melissa Getzoff
She Did It by J. A. Ericsson
Dancing Class by H.M. Ehrlich
Duke the Dairy Delight Dog by Lisa C. Ernst
Gueris vite, petit dinosaure by Jane Yolen
Abracadabra by D. Jolin
Caillou Joue avec moi by C. L’Heureux
Petit Lapin by K. Hall
The Little Fire Engine by Lois Lenski
Binou-la-bulle by D. Jolin

READ ALOUD NOVELS (Chapter Books)
The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green (up to pg 135)
The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan (up to pg 74)
The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis (39 Clues) (up to pg122)
The Sword Thief (The 39 Clues, book 3) by Peter Lerangis

MOM
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Dragon of the Red Dawn (Magic Tree House) by M. P. Osborne
Monday with a Mad Genius (Magic Tree House) by M. P. Osborne
Dark Day in the Deep Sea (Magic Tree House) by M.P. Osborne
Trouble in High Heels by Leanne Banks
Eve of the Emperor Penguin (Magic Tree House) by M.P. Osborne

100 books-a-month challenge ~ february and Reading My Library Challenge

Here is our list for this month. We didn't read the whole 100 books this time, but we still enjoyed many books.
We read picture books from the C and D section as part of the Reading My Library challenge. We discovered two new-to-us authors  Roger Duvoisin and Julia Donaldson.
Andre has been enjoying audiobooks again. He really liked the Ghosthunters one by Cornelia Funke. He is now listening to a second title from the series and also trying out the Artemis Fowle series.
Adrienne has been devouring a new series "The Land of Elyon". While she is waiting for the fourth book to come from the library,  I picked up another book for her and she loves this one too! It is another series called "The Boy Sherlock  Holmes" written by Shane Peacock (a Canadian!).


Tiny Tyrant by Lewis Trondheim - Andre - Adrienne

Beowulf: A New Telling by Robert Nye - Read Aloud for history
Mr. Popper’s Penguin by Richard and Florence Atwater - Audiobook
Yukon: Larger than Life - Read Aloud for Canadian Geography
Adverb by Michael Dahl - Read Aloud Non Fiction
The Rabbit Pirates: A Tale of the Spinach Main by Judy Cox - Read Aloud
The Friends of Emily Culpepper by Ann Coleridge - Read Aloud
The Dark Hills Divide (The Land of Elyon Book I) by Patrick Carman - Adrienne
Leave it to PET! #3 by K. Sonishi - Adrienne - Andre
Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin - Read Aloud
“Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth by Eric Carle - Read Aloud
What Do You Know? By Lorinda Bryan Cauley - Read Aloud
Maisy Goes to the Museum by Lucy Cousins - Read Aloud
Zero is the Leaves on The Tree by Betsy Franco - Read Aloud
The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett - Read Aloud
If You Were an Adverb by Michael Dahl - Read Aloud
Days of Trial and Tears: The Child Labour Diary of Flora Rutherford (Dear Canada Series) by Sarah Ellis - Adrienne
Dark Day in the Deep Sea (Magic Tree House #39) by Mary Pope Osborne - Audio book - Andre
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris - Mom
All You Need for a Snowman by Alice Schertle - Read Aloud
Maisy Goes to the Library by Lucy Cousins - Read Aloud
Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent by Lauren Child - Read Aloud
The Princess and the Pea by Lauren Child - Read Aloud
MacBeth retold by Charles Lamb - Read Aloud
Black Holes by Dana Meachen Rau - Andre
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young - Read Aloud
Eve of the Emperor Penguin by M. P. Osborne - Audio book - Andre
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt - Mom
A Desperate Road to Freedom (Dear Canada series) by K. Bradford - Adrienne
Redwoods by Jason Chin - Read Aloud
The Magic Rabbit by Annette Le Blanc Cate - Read Aloud
The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson - Read Aloud
Petunia by Roger Duvoisin - Read Aloud
The Secret Keeper by Kate Coombs - Read Aloud
Raven and River by Nancy White Carlstrom - Read Aloud
Where’s My Mom? By Julia Donaldson - Read Aloud
Little Rat Makes Music by Monika Bang-Campbell - Read Aloud
Maisy Goes to the Hospital by Lucy Cousins - Andre to Celeste
Maisy, Charley, and the Wobbly Tooth by Lucy Cousins - Andre to Celeste
Where Does Pepper Come From? By B. Raab - Read Aloud
Viking Town by Jacqueline Morley - Read Aloud for History
Viking (DK Eye Wonder) - Read Aloud for History
Silly Sally by Audrey Wood - Adrienne
Tyrannosaurus Drip by Julia Donaldson - Adrienne
Henry and Mudge and the Wind by Cynthia Rylant - Andre to Celeste
Henry and Mudge in the Green Time by C. Rylant - Andre to Celeste
Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat by C. Rylant - Andre to Celeste
I Love You, Blue Kangaroo! By Emma C. Clark - Andre to Celeste
Silly Sally by Audrey Wood - Andre to Celeste
Beyond the Valley of Thorns (The Land of Elyon Book 2) by P. Carman - Adrienne
NurtureShock by Po Bronson - Mom
Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost by C. Funke - Andre (Audiobook)
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson series) by Rick Riordan - Read Aloud
Veronica and the Birthday Present by Roger Duvoisin - Read Aloud
No One Saw: Ordinary Things Through the Eyes of an Artist by B. Raczka - Read Aloud
It Begins with an A by S. Calmenson - Read Aloud
The Race of the Birkebeiners by Lise Lunge-Larsen - Read Aloud (History)
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown - Read Aloud
Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book by Julia Donaldson - Read Aloud
The Gruffalo’s Child by Julia Donaldson - Read Aloud
The Fish Who Cried Wolf by Julia Donaldson - Read Aloud
Once I knew a Spider by Jennifer Owlings Dewey - Read Aloud
No Matter What by Emma Dodd - Read Aloud
The Best Book of The Moon by Ian Graham - Read Aloud
The Old House by Pamela Duncan Edwards - Read Aloud
Splitting The Herd by Trudy Harris - Read Aloud
Punctuation Celebration by Elsa Knight Bruno - Read Aloud
Math-earpieces by Greg Tang - Read Aloud
The Tenth City (The Land of Elyon series) by P. Carmon - Adrienne
Under Pressure: Rescuing Childhood from the Culture of Hyper-Parenting by Carl Honore - Mom
Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires - Andre - Adrienne

100 books-a-month challenge ~ january

Last day of January and another month of the 100 Books-A-Month Challenge completed!

Andre

Polly and the Pirates by Ted Naifeh - Graphic Novel
Macbeth by William Shakespeare - retold by S. Haynes - Graphic Novel
Swords: An Artist’s Devotion by Ben Boos
Alice Becomes A Queen from Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (aloud to me)
The Wise Jackal: A Tale from India (aloud to me)
The Foolish Jackal: A Tale from India (aloud to me)
Agreed to Disagree by Sydney Dayre (aloud to me)
The Wharf by Benjamin Franklin
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes Book Two by Bill Watterson
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke - first 6 chapters

Adrienne

The Princess and the Painter by Jane Johnson - Picture Book
Charlotte in New York by Joan MacPhail Knight
Charlotte in Giverny by Joan MacPhail Knight
Queen Clarion’s Secret by Kimberly Morris
Into the Volcano by Don Wood - Graphic Novel
Vampire Island by Adele Griffin
The Knaveheart’s Curse by Adele Griffin
Creature Carnival by Marilyn Singer
Charlotte in Paris by Joan MacPhail Knight
The Birds and I by Liberty H. Bailey (aloud to me)
The Brown Thrush by Lucy Larcom (aloud to me)
Sing On, Blithe Bird (aloud to me)
Baby Penguins: At Home On The Ice by Jennifer Boudart
Penguins by Daniel Gilpin (sections)
The Dark Hills Divide (The Land of Elyon Book I) by P. Carman - first 125 pages

Read Aloud Picture Books

Happy Birthday, Moon by Frank Asch
Moondance by Frank Asch
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
Quiet in the Garden by Aliki
An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston
To The Beach! By Linda Ashman
The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
Roar of a Snore by Marsha Diane Arnold
The Serpent Came to Gloucester by M.T. Anderson
Me, All Alone, at the End of the World by M.T. Anderson
The Tale of the Turnip by Brian Alderson
The Tale of the Tricky Fox retold by Jim Aylesworth
Bashful Bob and Doleful Dorinda by Margaret Atwood
Five Ugly Monsters by Tedd Arnold
Mr. Maxwell’s Mouse by Frank Asch
Mrs. Marlowe’s Mice by Frank Asch
The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle by Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter
Babies in the Bayou by Jim Arnosky
Armadillo’s Orange by Jim Arnosky
Beachcombing by Jim Arnosky
The Snail House by Allan Ahlberg
Grandfather Buffalo by Jim Arnosky
Dolphins on the Sand by Jim Arnosky
Rattlesnake Dance by Jim Arnosky
Nothing by Jon Agee
Persephone by Sally Pomme Clayton
Creature Carnival by Marilyn Singer
A Midsummer Night’s Dream retold by Bruce Coville
Monsieur Saguette and his Baguette by Frank Asch
Hercules by Robert Burleigh
The Hero and the Minotaur by Robert Byrd
Little Bear’s Valentine by Else Holmelund Minarik
The Best Valentine in the World by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen
I Know the Moon by Stephen Axel Anderson
Unwitting Wisdom - An Anthology of Aesop’s Fables retold by H. Ward
Knock on Wood: Poems about Superstitions by J. Paschkis
Valentine’s Day by Gail Gibbons
When They Are Up…by M. Spicer
Groundhog Gets a Say by Pamela Curtis Swallow
The Lion’s Share: A Tale of Halving Cake and Eating it, Too by M. McElligot
Franklin and the Tooth Fairy by Paulette Bourgeois
The Peanut-Free Café by Gloria Koster
The Reluctant Flower Girl by Lynne Barasch
Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
For Sure! For Sure! By Hans Christian Andersen
The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland
Martha Doesn’t Say Sorry! By Samantha Berger
The Tortoise and the Hare Race Again by Dan Bernstein
The Umbrella by Jan Brett
The Mitten by Jan Brett
Arthur’s Birthday by Marc Brown
Arthur’s Family Vacation by Marc Brown
Arthur’s Baby by Marc Brown
The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane & Herm Auch
Too Many Monsters by Eve Bunting
One Rainy Day by M. Christina Butler
Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond
Mythology: Greek Gods, Heroes, & Monsters by Lady Hestia Evans
Franklin’s Bad Day by Paulette Bourgeois
Bradley McGogg: The Very Fine Frog by Tim Beiser
Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colour by Joyce Sidman

Read Aloud Non-Fiction Books

Crystals (p20-21) and Metal Marvels (p28-29) in Mysteries and Marvels of Science (for our science studies)
Metals (p30-31) in Usborne Science Encyclopedia (for our science)
Groups of Metals (p32-33) in Usborne Science Encyclopedia (for our science)
Prince Edward Island - Canada’s Land & People (for Canadian Geography)
Fizz, Bubble & Flash: Element Explorations & Atom Adventures (pages 4-20) (for Science)
Sea Clocks: The Story of Longitude by Louise Borden (in preparation for Journey North)
Northwest Territories - Spectacular - (for Canadian Geography)
The Man Who Made Time Travel by Kathryn Lasky (in preparation for Journey North)

Read Aloud Novels (Chapter Books)

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson & The Olympians series-Book 1)
The Trumpeter of Krakow (for Adrienne’s history)

Mom

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
Ecoholic by Adria Vasil
The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise (relevant parts)
The Well Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer (not complete)


You can join this reading challenge by visiting home-grown love. This challenge has been great in our family so far. We love reading together!

100 books-a-month challenge ~ a start on january

I have made some changes on how I record the books we read. I sort them by the reader, and you can see the headers for each below. I also added the reading that we do for our regular homeschool lessons, something I wasn't logging before, along with the chapters/pages read so far in the current novel that I read aloud to the kids.

We are continuing with our chart on our fridge to keep track of our progress visually. We also started reading a few picture books by "A" authors, following the Reading My Library challenge, but I will talk about that a bit more in a future post.

Here is our list so far:

100 books a month challenge ~ January 2010

Andre:
Polly and the Pirates by Ted Naifeh - Graphic Novel
Macbeth by William Shakespeare - retold by S. Haynes - Graphic Novel

Adrienne:
The Princess and the Painter by Jane Johnson - Picture Book
Charlotte in New York by Joan MacPhail Knight
Charlotte in Giverny by Joan MacPhail Knight

Read Aloud Picture Books:
Happy Birthday, Moon by Frank Asch
Moondance by Frank Asch
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
Quiet in the Garden by Aliki
An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston
To The Beach! By Linda Ashman
The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
Roar of a Snore by Marsha Diane Arnold
The Serpent Came to Gloucester by M.T. Anderson
Me, All Alone, at the End of the World by M.T. Anderson

Read Aloud Non-Fiction Books:
Read Crystals (p20-21) and Metal Marvels (p28-29) in Mysteries and Marvels of Science (for our science studies)

Read Aloud Novels (Chapter Books):

First 10 chapters of The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson & The Olympians series)
Chapter V to IX of The Trumpeter of Krakow (part of Adrienne’s history)

Mom:
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

I am not quite sure how I should count now these books...16 actual books read, and then the chapters read in the novels and science books..
You can visit other participants in this fun challenge at home-grown love.

Combining two reading challenges...

I have decided to combine these two challenges. We have been doing the 100 books-a-month challenge since November and we love it. To keep us a bit more organized, I am adding the "Reading my Library" challenge hosted by Carrie. Most of the books we read come from the library. Our local branch is pretty small, and I have noticed these past two months that we tend to check certain sections and sometimes not trying others. I think this will help us discover more authors, especially in the picture books area.

Carrie's plan is to read through all the Children Picture books at her library. How is she doing that? Basically by starting at A and making her way through to Z. The library has picture books organized by authors, and she started off by grabing the first 35 books under the letter A. She is giving herself as long as needed, but did mention to try and do it in 1 year.  You can visit her blog at Reading My Library.

We will continue to choose books that attract us for whatever reason, and my older two children will continue on picking their own novels, non-fiction books, and graphic novels.

If Celeste chooses other books, they will get added to our library basket too, but this will provide us with focus when we seem to lack some!

Tomorrow's library trip will find us in the letter A section of the picture books!

And one more thing...Carrie is also hosting a L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge at her other site: Reading to Know..if you are interested.

100 books-a-month challenge ~ december

This month we didn't quite make it to 100 books read, 81 at the final count, but I am still very happy with all the books that Andre and Adrienne read themselves. I read quite a few holiday books and we finished a great little novel by Cornelia Funke "When Santa Fell to Earth".

This past week we started our new chapter book read aloud, but I didn't add it to this list yet since we are not finished. We are only a few chapters in in "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan. We have had the first three books sitting on our shelves for months now, but since Andre and I saw the movie preview, we decided it was time to start reading the books, before the movie comes out!


December 2009
Cardcaptor Sakura #3 by Clamp - Andre
Cardcaptor Sakura #4 by Clamp - Andre
Haunted Mansion Graphic Novel - Adrienne
One Snowy Night by M. Christina Butler
It’s Christmas by Tina Burke
Groundhog stays up late by Margery Cuyler
Cat in the Manger by Michael Foreman
Cardcaptor Sakura #5 - Andre
Angelic Layer by Clamp #1 - Andre
Angelic Layer by Clamp #2 - Andre
Angelic Layer by Clamp #3 - Andre
The World of Quest #1 by Jason Kruse - Andre
Cardcaptor Sakura #6 by Clamp - Andre
The Shortest Day Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer
Christmas City by M. Garland
Santa Claus around the World by Lisl Weil
Witches by Rachel Lynette (Mysterious Encounters) - Andre
Bunnicula and Friends The Fright Before Christmas by J. Howe
Cardcaptor Sakura #6 by Clamp - Adrienne
Buddha in the Garden by David Bouchard
The Prince Who Ran Away The Story of Gautama Buddha by Anne Rockwell
Nancy Drew #4 The Girl Who Wasn’t There (Graphic Novel) - Adrienne
The Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo
Fancy Nancy Poison Ivy Expert by Jane O’Connor
Ghostly Warnings by Daniel Cohen
Dino Riddles by Katy Hall
The Mystery of UFO by Judith Herbst
The Hardy Boys #1 The Ocean of Osyria Graphic Novel - Andre
Sugar Princess Skating to Win by Nakajo (Graphic Novel) - Adrienne
A Practical Guide to Dragons by Sindri Suncatcher - Andre
Sugar Princess Skating to Win by Nakajo Vol. 2 - Adrienne
The Twelve Days of Christmas by Justin Todd
The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen
We Were There A Nativity Story by Eve Bunting
Silent Night A Christmas Carol is Born by Maureen Brett Hooper
Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas by Elise Primavera
The World of Quest by Jason Kruse - Andre
Magic Trixie and the Dragon by Jill Thompson - Adrienne
The Twelve Days of Christmas illustrated by Jan Brett
My Penguin Osbert by E. Cody Kimmel
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen retold by C. San Jose
Christmas in July by Arthur Yorinks
Mattland by Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert
How Santa Really Works by Alan Snow
Nancy Drew #3 The Haunted Dollhouse Graphic Novel - Adrienne
Angelic Layer #5 by Clamp - Andre
Angelic Layer #5 by Clamp - Adrienne
Amazing Science Discoveries - Chemistry - The Story of Atoms and Elements by Dr. Bryson Gore
A Visit from St Nicholas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Kim Fernandes
The Family Christmas Tree Book by Tomie De Paola
The Vinegar Bottle Woman retold by Philip Hawthorn
The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer - Adrienne
A Holiday for Murder by Agatha Christie (Mom)
When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke
Kit’s Surprise A Christmas Story by Valerie Tripp
Christmas in the Country by Cynthia Rylant
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Papa’s Christmas Gift: Around the World on the Night Before Christmas by Cheryl Harness
The Curious World of Christmas by Niall Edworthy (Mom)
I Once was a Monkey: Stories Buddha told by Jeanne M. Lee (Mom)
The Search for Sunken Treasure Geronimo Stilton - Andre
The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline An Enola Holmes Mystery by N. Springer - Adrienne
Santa and the Three Bears by D. Catalano
The Christmas Blizzard by Helen Ketteman
The Mythic Bestiary : The Illustrated Guide to the World’s Most Fantastical Creatures by T. Allan
The Worst Person’s Christmas by James Stevenson
Fawn and the Mysterious Trickster by Laura Driscoll - Adrienne
The Lump of Coal by Lemony Snicket
Mermaids Most Amazing by Narelle Oliver
Polly and the Pirates by Ted Naifeh - Adrienne
Rosetta’s Daring Day by Lisa Papademetriou - Adrienne
The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman (Mom)
Bone - Rose by Jeff Smith - Andre
Strawberry Shortcake’s World of Friends by Megan E. Bryant
Meet Blueberry Muffin by Sonia Sander
Hansel and Gretel (Barefoot book of Brother and Sister Tales)
Trampling the Demons (Barefoot book of Brother and Sister Tales)
Down to the Sea in Ships by Philemon Sturges
Let’s Do Nothing by Tony Fucile
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl - Andre (on CD)
Who Were They Really ? The True Stories Behind Famous Characters by S. B. Pfeffer - Andre

100 books-a-month challenge ~ december

We are at 60 books so far for this month! There are so many Christmas theme books in our library basket, it has been a lot of fun to read all these stories, and we still have more to discover!



Here is our list so far for this month:

Cardcaptor Sakura #3 by Clamp - Andre
Cardcaptor Sakura #4 by Clamp - Andre
Haunted Mansion Graphic Novel - Adrienne
One Snowy Night by M. Christina Butler
It’s Christmas by Tina Burke
Groundhog stays up late by Margery Cuyler
Cat in the Manger by Michael Foreman
Cardcaptor Sakura #5 - Andre
Angelic Layer by Clamp #1 - Andre
Angelic Layer by Clamp #2 - Andre
Angelic Layer by Clamp #3 - Andre
The World of Quest #1 by Jason Kruse - Andre
Cardcaptor Sakura #6 by Clamp - Andre
The Shortest Day Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer
Christmas City by M. Garland
Santa Claus around the World by Lisl Weil
Witches by Rachel Lynette (Mysterious Encounters) - Andre
Bunnicula and Friends The Fright Before Christmas by J. Howe
Cardcaptor Sakura #6 by Clamp - Adrienne
Buddha in the Garden by David Bouchard
The Prince Who Ran Away The Story of Gautama Buddha by Anne Rockwell
Nancy Drew #4 The Girl Who Wasn’t There (Graphic Novel) - Adrienne
The Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo
Fancy Nancy Poison Ivy Expert by Jane O’Connor
Ghostly Warnings by Daniel Cohen
Dino Riddles by Katy Hall
The Mystery of UFO by Judith Herbst
The Hardy Boys #1 The Ocean of Osyria Graphic Novel - Andre
Sugar Princess Skating to Win by Nakajo (Graphic Novel) - Adrienne
A Practical Guide to Dragons by Sindri Suncatcher - Andre
Sugar Princess Skating to Win by Nakajo Vol. 2 - Adrienne
The Twelve Days of Christmas by Justin Todd
The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen
We Were There A Nativity Story by Eve Bunting
Silent Night A Christmas Carol is Born by Maureen Brett Hooper
Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas by Elise Primavera
The World of Quest by Jason Kruse - Andre
Magic Trixie and the Dragon by Jill Thompson - Adrienne
The Twelve Days of Christmas illustrated by Jan Brett
My Penguin Osbert by E. Cody Kimmel
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen retold by C. San Jose
Christmas in July by Arthur Yorinks
Mattland by Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert
How Santa Really Works by Alan Snow
Nancy Drew #3 The Haunted Dollhouse Graphic Novel - Adrienne
Angelic Layer #5 by Clamp - Andre
Angelic Layer #5 by Clamp - Adrienne
Amazing Science Discoveries - Chemistry - The Story of Atoms and Elements by Dr. Bryson Gore
A Visit from St Nicholas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Kim Fernandes
The Family Christmas Tree Book by Tomie De Paola
The Vinegar Bottle Woman retold by Philip Hawthorn
The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer - Adrienne
A Holiday for Murder by Agatha Christie (Mom)
When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke
Kit’s Surprise A Christmas Story by Valerie Tripp
Christmas in the Country by Cynthia Rylant
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Papa’s Christmas Gift: Around the World on the Night Before Christmas by Cheryl Harness
The Curious World of Christmas by Niall Edworthy (Mom)
I Once was a Monkey: Stories Buddha told by Jeanne M. Lee (Mom)

Next month I will be sorting the books by categories, but at least this month I remembered to write who read what. If there are no names next to it, it means "read aloud", by me.

100 books-a-month challenge ~ december so far and a good deed

We are doing great this month with the 100-books-a-month challenge, with a total of 46 books read so far! If you are taking part of the challenge, leave a comment, I would love to come and visit other blogs that are participating! (I was reminded by Leslie who hosts the challenge that she has a list of participants on her blog home-grown love..oops, I forgot!)

I had signed up for the Scholastic book clubs at the beginning of this school year, and saw their ClassroomsCare campaign. I contacted Scholastic and asked them if we could participate as homeschoolers too. They answered YES and reminded me that we had to read 100 books by January 22, 2010, and that once we accomplished that goal, we were to notify them and 100 books would be donated on our behalf to children that need them. We were also sent a chart to keep track of the books we read, by colouring in stars. The kids and I reached our goal at the end of November and they sent us this certificate! My kids are very happy to have been able to participate and help others.

Book Sharing Monday and 100 books-a-month challenge update

For Book Sharing Monday today, I am being assisted by Celeste! This was her pick, and she wanted to hold the book while I took the photos.
She chose "The First Dog" by Jan Brett. Celeste has enjoyed every Jan Brett we have read, but this one she loved...I am guessing because we have our own puppy. I know that we all enjoyed reading about the adventure of Kip, the young prehistoric boy that befriends a wolf, which becomes the first domesticated dog. The story is full of prehistoric animals and the illustrations are amazing, along with all the art in the borders of each page, inspired by cave paintings and artifacts from that time period.

Look at that Saber-Tooth cat!

"Finally, Kip made a speech. He said: "Wolfy, if you will use your keen nose and your fine ears and your sharp eyes to keep me from being eaten up, I promise to share with you all the Wooly Rhino ribs and even Mammoth meat that I cook over my fire."

Celeste and her dog, Orion

Today marks the last day of November, and the last day for the 100 Books-A-Month Challenge! We made it, we read more than 100 books this month. We enjoyed reading a mix of non-fiction, fiction novels, lots of picture books, graphic novels and even a couple baby board books (Celeste likes to get these from the library still!).

I printed at the beginning of the month a hundred chart (the ones we use for math) for the kids to be able to see our progress through the month. I put it in a page protector sleeve and used dollar store stickers to keep track of the books. Whenever I added a book to my log on the computer, I asked the kids to add the stickers to this chart.

If you would like to participate in this challenge, please visit home-grown kids for all the details.
Here is our list of all 100 books read this month...that's going to make this post very long!

November 2009

The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster by A.W. Flaherty
The Gruffalo by Julia Donadlson
If you take a mouse to the movies by L. Numeroff
The Ravioli Kid by Michelle Freedman
Monsters by L. R. Penner
Atlantis the Lost City ? by A. Donkin
Two Days in May by h.P. Taylor
Bambi by Janet Schulman
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by M. Hoffman
Library Mouse a friend’s tale by D. Kirk
Shark and Lobster’s Amazing Undersea Adventure
Baby Penguin at Home
Every day’s a holiday
Usborne First words: people
Chipmunk’s ABC
Olivia helps with Christmas
I’ll be home for Christmas
The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers
Christmas Trolls by Jan Brett
Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
The Hungry Coat by Demi
Justice League Adventures The Magnificent Seven
Leaping Lizards by Stuart J. Murphy
Monster Musical Chairs by Stuart J. Murphy
Bug Dance by Stuart J. Murphy
Behind the Curtain: Hansel and Gretel by Christian Thee
It’s a Baby Zebra! By Kelly Doudna
Zebras by Jill Anderson
Deer at the Brook by Jim Arnosky
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Dave Barry
Max Disaster #1 - Alien Eraser to the Rescue
The Snowflake Sisters by J.P. Lewis
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Hieronymus Betts and his Unusual Pets by M.P. Robertson
Buzzboy by John Gallagher
Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Institute by J. J. Krosoczka
Rock-A-Bye Baby by Heather Collins
Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by J. Krosoczka
Trucks Go by Steve Light
Furry Friends Same and Different by Sami
Bob and 6 more Christmas Stories by Sandra Boynton
Les Camions by Usborne
Sarah’s Little Ghosts by Thierry Robberrecht
Home Lovely by Lynne Rae Perkins
Something Queer is Going on by Elisabeth Levy
Weird Parents by Audrey Wood
The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett
The Pea Blossom retold by Amy Lowry Poole
Once upon a tomb - gravely humorous verses by J.P. Lewis
Utterly Otterly Day by Mary Casanova
The Winter Trail Disney’s Bambi
Barbie The Holiday Gift
Auntie Claus
Artemis Fowl : The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfre
Imagine you’re a wizard by Meglin
Imagine a Dragon by Laurence Pringle
Walt Disney His Life in Pictures
Imagine you’re a mermaid by mer meg
Autumn An Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schnur
River of Dreams The Story of The Hudson River by Hudson Talbott
Six Swans A folktale retold by Christine San Jose
Whose Chick are you? By Nancy Tafuri
Little Swan by Jonathon London
Amazing Animals Swans by Valerie Bodden
Artemis Fowl : The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer
Swans by Nicole Helget
The Loch Ness Monster Jr. Graphic Mysteries by J. Demolay
Amelia’s Most Unforgettable Embarrassing Moments by Marissa Moss
Fantastic Creatures - Investigations into the unexplained by Ivor Baddiel
Amelia’s 6th Grade Notebook by Marissa Moss
The Book of Beasts by E. Nesbitt
Marvelous Mattie by Emily Arnold McCully
The Inside-Outside Book of Libraries by Roxie Munro and Julie Cummin
Cardcaptor Sakura #1 by Clamp
Max Disaster #2 Alien Eraser Unravels the Mystery of the Pyramids
Max Disaster #3 Alien Eraser Reveals the Secrets of Evolution
The Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo
Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss
Card captor #2 by Clamp
When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
A Forest of Stories: Magical Tree Tales from Around the World retold by Rina Singh
Max Finder Mystery Vol. 3 by Liam O’Donnell
Christmas is Coming by Anne Bowen
Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas by Elise Primavera
Honk, Honk, Goose! Canada Goose Start a Family by April Pulley Sayre
Honk! Honk! A Story of Migration by Mick Manning
Bird, Butterfly, Eel by James Prosek
Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
The First Dog by Jan Brett
The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett
Harvey’s Hare’s Christmas by Bernadette Watts
It never rains in Antarctica and other freaky facts about climate, land, and nature by B.Seuling
The Princess and the Pea (the Barefoot Book of Princesses)
The Sleeping Beauty (the Barefoot of Princesses)
The Emperor’s New Clothes (Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales)
Utterly Otterly Day by Mary Casanova
Lucy and the Sea Monster To The Rescue by Karen Dolby (Young Puzzle Adventure)
Clifford’s Christmas by N. Bridwell
The Trouble with Tink by K. Thorpe
How Santa Lost his Job by Stephen Krensky
Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

Update on 100 books a month challenge and on NaNoWriMo

A week and a bit has passed since we took on this challenge and we are up to 30 books so far. We are planning a trip to the library near our house this afternoon, and tomorrow we'll visit the city library too!

Here is our list so far:

The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster by A.W. Flaherty
The Gruffalo by Julia Donadlson
If you take a mouse to the movies by L. Numeroff
The Ravioli Kid by Michelle Freedman
Monsters by L. R. Penner
Atlantis the Lost City ? by A. Donkin
Two Days in May by h.P. Taylor
Bambi by Janet Schulman
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by M. Hoffman
Library Mouse a friend’s tale by D. Kirk
Shark and Lobster’s Amazing Undersea Adventure
Baby Penguin at Home
Every day’s a holiday
Usborne First words: people
Chipmunk’s ABC
Olivia helps with Christmas
I’ll be home for Christmas
The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers
Christmas Trolls by Jan Brett
Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
The Hungry Coat by Demi
Justice League Adventures The Magnificent Seven
Leaping Lizards by Stuart J. Murphy
Monster Musical Chairs by Stuart J. Murphy
Bug Dance by Stuart J. Murphy
Behind the Curtain: Hansel and Gretel by Christian Thee
It’s a Baby Zebra! By Kelly Doudna
Zebras by Jill Anderson
Deer at the Brook by Jim Arnosky
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Dave Barry.

If you are interested in the challenge, please visit home-grown kids to find out more.

About NaNoWriMo, we hit a roadblock.

I do have to say that I am so impressed and proud with how much my children have written so far. They have never written this much before. From day one, they were focused and wrote every single morning, meeting their daily quotas. Then we took four days off, and ever since we just haven't been able to get back to our routine. The kids have run out of ideas they say, and my stress level is clouding my creativity. They both have asked if they could keep their stories, but not participate in the challenge any more, that they want to finish their books, but when they get more ideas, which might not be right away. We talked about quitting, and really I don't like to quit and they don't either, but at the same time I am just so happy they tried in the first place, that I see "quitting" more as a pause than a stop. There is still two weeks in the challenge, so we might pick it up again, but for now, we are stopping.

Adrienne wrote 1714 words, Andre 1581, and I had 11,132 at last count. One benefit from this challenge that I already noticed was with Andre. We have done written narration with history and I normally get one sentence out of him for a chapter read, but this week, he wrote an entire page after reading his chapter! It seems like writing is not a scary thing for him anymore!