Lance has been reading Gentle Ben by Walt Morley to the kids.  I find myself hanging out in the kitchen puttering around just so I can hear the gentle cadence of his voice weaving the story of Mark Andersen and his friend (a brown bear) Ben.  It is a tale that has broad appeal.  Our six, nine and twelve year old are all wrapped up in the story and love this special time with their dad.  

I find that in the library,  High School students tend to quit what they are doing and listen in when I am reading to the middle school classes.  Studies are showing that older kids love to be read to but it rarely happens.  Below you will find a list of some of our favorite read-alouds.  This is just a partial list (there will be more to come) - would love to hear some of your favorites!!

• Goodnight Moon - I think we read this every night to our kids "In the great green room, there was a telephone and a red balloon and a picture of. . ."  Oh, I LOVE this book!
• Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel :  Auntie Heidi bought this book for Ty when he was a baby - we read it lots.  Levi found it about 6 months ago and it is his current favorite.  He never tires of the story of Mike and Mary Anne.
• Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle -  Just finished reading this with Tommi and Levi.  Ty and I had read it several years ago.  We had a hard time picking our favorite cure - think mine was the answer-backers cure. . . (Lance and I are tempted to try it - who would have thought, parenting advice from Mrs. Piggle-wiggle!).
• The Phantom Tollbooth - My dad read this when he taught sixth grade, my father-in-law read it to his sixth graders, I read it to mine when I taught and my sister also read it to her sixth grade class. . . it's a family thing! :)  Actually, it is a great book!!  Ty and I read it about two years ago.  I have recommended it lots in the library - has great vocabulary and a quirky story.  I still remember my dad reading this to my sister and me.
• At the Back of the North Wind - This is a timeless classic by George McDonald.  My parents read this to us and Lance and I bought the CD from Focus on the Family for our kids.  They have listened to it over and over.  A beautiful story. . .
• Diary of a wimpy kid -  by Jeff Kinney I had to add this - don't know if it is really a great read-aloud or not but Ed read it to Em, and I know I giggled through the whole book. If you have middle schooler, know a middle schooler or just think they are weird - you need to read this book.
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane : this book by Kate DiCamillo might rank as my favorite read-aloud of all time.  I have read this to my kids, and read it to third grade every year in the library.  It is a wonderful, wonderful book!
• Great Joy - also by Kate DiCamillo.  I read this one to all grades in the library at Christmas.  Just pulled off the shelves today so I would have it ready to read next month.  This is a picture book - beautiful story and illustrations.  I can't wait to read it to my nieces and nephews.

You have no idea how hard it is for me to quit. . . but I will force myself.  The ideas are pouring. I warned you, I read A LOT - I will be back at a later date with more lists, more recommendations and more books!!!