Chapter Books

I have been wanting to read a chapter book to the monkeys for some time now, but have hesitated because I don’t want to introduce ideas that are way beyond their age-experience.  I also worried that Jack wouldn’t be able to sit for a very long period of time without the pictures to go along with the book.

Today we stopped at half-price books on the way home from dropping off Eric at the airport for his business trip this week :(

I got Henry Huggins, the Mouse and the Motorcycle and Stuart Little. 

The monkeys wanted to start reading right away and so I obliged and read the first chapter right in the parking lot while they got into their car seats.   I guess I shouldn’t have worried about them paying attention since they were so excited and interested in the book, they forgot to actually get their seatbelts on! 

All day they have asked for the book.  We read together on the couch right when we got home, then during lunch, and again at bedtime.  Jack surprised me by being totally enthralled with the book – motionless during the readings.  As soon as I finish a chapter, he immediately asks me to read another.  And just to prove me completely and utterly wrong about him, the only thing that distracts Jack from the reading is when he sees one of the small pictures that are scattered throughout the book. (then he wants to get a closer look and to talk about the picture.)

We read 3/4 of the book today and will no-doubt finish tomorrow.

Owen is already concerned about the cat that is interested in eating Stuart (a mouse).  Owen wants to know if that was “real life.”  He is having a little bit of a hard time understanding that cats do want to eat mice, but that this book isn’t real, so this mouse won’t be eaten…  hopefully Owen’s tender heart won’t be too traumatized by these chapter books…