Read all about it!

I'm into books these days. Oh, not for myself - who has time to read? (she says sheepishly...), but for Miss Ellen.

I love the hunt of tracking down an obscure / great / new-to-us book and feel giddy when she loves it just like I thought she would. There are a lot of duds in this search, to be sure, (I'm looking at you "A Chocolate Moose for Dinner" - so dated), but definitely some diamonds in the rough from our typical library plunder.

With Easter baskets on the horizon, I find myself searching Amazon for something great to add that isn't candy. Oh, there will be candy - the girl is a fiend for jelly beans - but I like to add other treats, too. (The Betty Bunny books are fun, if a little naughty). And, truly, I'm always trying to find that little something extra to get my basket over $25 for free shipping - aren't you?

So, this year I'm approaching chapter books. Whoa. We're probably a little early for this, but I never would have even considered it without coming across this post on Pinterest. Aaah, Pinterest - how you've changed my life. From Sarah Jane Studios - Chapter Books for the Younger Kids. Some of these books are definitely for elementary age, but read the comments, too, and you'll see some suggestions for younger kids.

We have a copy of Matilda by Roald Dahl - one of my all time favorites - and Ellen loves paging through it and there are just enough illustrations to keep her interested. I sent my niece a Roald Dahl boxed set two years ago for Christmas and she loved every bit of it, just like I did. My heart almost burst with pride!

So ... we ended up with Junie B. Jones for a newer option and Pippi Longstocking for an older option. Maybe we'll try Matilda and Stuart Little, too. We'll see how that goes ...

Also, a few other sources for good kid books that I might have shared before:
Dinner A Love Story: Fave Five (updated periodically)
Design Mom: Picture Books
Daily Candy - All Time Favorite Kids' Books

There are other lists on Pinterest - search for kids books. And, this is fun too:
We Give Books - a free online site for reading books online (flip through the pages on your computer and read out loud).

And, I know I've mentioned this one, but Barnes and Noble adds a new book to their storytime site every month and Ellen loves "watching" them. Good if you need a break, not that you ever do ...