there was a time i thought that, when dylan got older, meaning… now… i would be able to start reading again. reading more than facebook statuses and blog posts about sleeplessness and getting her to eat good. but my “must read” list keeps getting longer and my ability to pay attention to or even focus on anything more than a curious george episode has really waned, and continues to do so.
chalk it up to exhaustion or maybe even just that i haven’t read in such a long time – reading is fun, but maybe the ability to read is like lifting heavy things or running. you don’t forget but you gotta work that muscle to keep it strong. how can i get lost in a book when i can’t even watch a television show or movie without picking up my phone to scroll through fb or play some inane game. two things at once. just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
the good news, though, is that dylan enjoys reading. she asks us to read to her all the time, and in the past few months she’s started reading “to herself” or her dolls and stuffed animals, which i find adorable and hilarious. i love kids stories, and some of these books have amazing illustrations, which, i’ll tell you, can strongly influence whether i’m going to buy it.
that said, i definitely think we could read more than we do, especially as a family. both the other half and i are always so busy and have yet to coordinate our schedules so we can manage at least part of the bedtime routine together. that’s why, in honour of reading month, we’re going to take bookroo up on their #bookroo30for30 reading challenge – 30 minutes of reading for 30 days, and track our progress with their super cool reading app. each entry into the app also gains you an entry into their giveaway for some pretty cool prizes. who doesn’t love being rewarded for reading?
so, what’s on your bookshelf? here are a few of her books we’re really loving lately:
olivia saves the circus (ian falconer) – olivia is a little bratty, but i see a lot of the same creative and curious characteristic in dylan, which is probably why i adore olivia. also, the illustrations are totally on point. the original is my all time favourite, but we just picked up this one, a tall tale in and of itself. it makes me lol
are you a cow? (sandra boynton) – sandra boynton’s board books are the perfect size for little hands, and also a lot harder to tear apart. she’s also got a fun sense of humour. i love are you a cow? because of how dylan enthusiastically reacts to the questions. so funny…
corduroy (don freeman) – definitely a classic, i didn’t grow up with this story but remember hearing about it, and i’ve loved sharing it with dylan. a great story on friendship and learning to love yourself for who you are.
good night yoga (miriam gates) – as soon as i saw this at chapters (my home away from home) i had to buy it. i feel like we need more yoga in a our life, and this book is a great way to get all three of us involved in a calming nighttime ritual.
for full contest rules and conditions, visit bookroo on their website, and don’t forget to follow them on facebook and instagram for regular updates!
happy reading, friends!