Read to your child

My boys are 12 and 6. Although they are both getting so big and growing up way too fast, there is still something I do with them every night. Since birth I have read to my boys as a part of their bedtime routine. Every night after the bath we snuggle up in bed and I read them a story. For my oldest son and then my youngest, I would read the book "Time for Bed". Each night beginning with the first night home from the hospital I would sit with baby in arms and a book. This routine has continued and has grown from cute picture books to classics like Tom Sawyer and chapter books. This week we finished a fantastic book called The Tale of Despereaux written by Kate DiCamillo. What an incredible writer! What a wonderful story! The book is about a mouse who was born too small and had ears that were "too big" in mouse standards. He was an outcast but was as smart as a whip and had a heart of gold. He didn't care what other mice thought and he followed his little heart. He was in love with music, stories and also a human princess by the name of Pea. His uniqueness got him into the world of trouble and was sent to the dungeon to be dealt with by the rats. This begins the adventure of the amazing mouse Desperaux. His courage and determination lead him to depths any other mouse would not ever dare to be. The author's descriptions paint the perfect picture in your mind. You feel like you are right there and she grabs your attention and you just want to read more and more! This is the perfect book to pick up for your child and the perfect way to start reading with him/her every night. I recommend this book highly, however not for children under 5. There are some parts in the dungeon that may frighten a child under 5. As I said, the author really paints a picture in your mind where you can practically visualize every detail!

Read to your kids! It is great for their imagination and it teaches them the joys of reading, especially for boys. Reading is wonderful and miles beyond the t.v. You just have to show them how great a book can be! It just may encourage them to write their own stories someday. So shut off the t.v. get comfy in your pajamas and cuddle up and dive in to a great book like The Tale of Desperaux.

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