From My Bookshelf to Yours: What I Read in January

I didn’t create a reading list for this year like I have in the past. Instead, I challenged myself to read 40 books by the end of the year. This goal includes the chapter books I read-aloud with the children as well as what I read for myself.

I am keeping up with my progress on Goodreads, which is my new favorite way to keep a record of what I’m reading! By the way, if you’re on Goodreads, I’d love to be friends with you! I love hearing what others are reading and adding books to my “to read” shelf that have been recommended by others. Click here and add me as a friend!

Oh, and since I’m ALWAYS asked how I get so much reading done, you can check out this post that gives you 15 of my best tips for making time to read. Okay, now for what I read this month!

What I read in January:

The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child’s Heart for Eternity – I read this book for the first time when my oldest son was born, but I really needed some mothering encouragement these last few months. I picked this book back up and I am so glad I did. It is such a refreshing take on motherhood. A much needed read for me. I highly recommend this book to mothers! I’m sure I’ll be re-reading it again in a few years. It’s just THAT kind of book.

Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes – What a fun read this was! There were parts of it that were a bit slow for me, but overall it was an easy, inspiring read. I loved the stories and the recipes. I especially loved the recipes. If you have a heart for community around the table, then do yourself a favor and read this book.

Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever – I picked this book up at the library on a whim, and boy has it changed our read aloud adventures. I learned SO MUCH about reading aloud with my kids. Mem Fox is an engaging teacher and author. If you’re a parent, or care for children in any way, read this book!

What I Read-Aloud with the Children:

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – We started this book several months ago. We put it down for a while and then picked it back up when I started coming out of the pregnancy fog. I was surprised at how much we enjoyed this story. I thought the book might be a little too nonsensical for Sam (age four at the time) to follow, but lo and behold he was often begging me for one more chapter. We finally wrapped this book up at the beginning of January. A very fun read, and I confess – my first time to ever read the book too!

Surprise Island (The Boxcar Children Mysteries #2) – After we finished reading about Alice’s adventures, I pulled some read alouds off the shelf from my childhood and let Sam decide what we would read aloud next. He chose the second book in the Boxcar Children series. We read the first one last year some time, and I didn’t think he cared for it all that much.

Oh, but I was wrong … again! Both boys (one just turned five and two years old) LOVED this book. They both were begging for me. I was surprised how much my littlest was enjoying sitting down to this story since it’s a book without pictures, but they both really loved it.

I loved the various adventures, examples of creative activities that are child-led, and the wonderful introduction of a few new vocabulary words. There was a lot of begging for one more chapter! We really enjoyed this little treasure of a book leftover from my own childhood bookshelf.

What did you read in January? What about your favorite read-alouds with your children?

Other posts you might be interested in:

• 15 Ways to Make More Time to Read
• 5 Tips for Reading Aloud with Your Children
• 7 Books Every Christian Woman Should Read

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