The Quest for Primary Readers

Remember my book collection? Well, I didn't truly start that collection until after my first born was reading. I never looked for primer readers, or bought them. Now that my daughter is reading, I've been going through my books and other than Dr. Seuss, which I believe should be read aloud and not too often, I don't have much she can pick up and read.

One day while I was playing around in Google Books, I found this wonderful reader by Maud Summers, published in 1908. What a gem! It didn't hurt that it was also available as a free download.

Up till now we've used an old set of McGuffey Readers that my Mama bought many years ago. I love them and we'll keep using them and daughter's skills increase. On a lark I checked Google and what do you know! They are available as a free download too! Who-hoo! Here's the link for the primer.

I've kept looking though. One book is never enough! :) One of the great benefits of free downloadable books is the fact that you only have to print off what you want. I was able to print out the first few chapters, hole punch them and put them in a folder. She doesn't discriminate against a "printer" book, though I confess, It's been a slow growing love appreciation for me.

I visited with my good friend EEEEMommy yesterday, and she showed me her Emma Serl Language books. Lo and behold! The Intermediate book is available (but not the primary!). But it got me looking around and I discovered the Elson (of the Fun With Dick and Jane series) Primer Reader (free) too.

I don't want to fail to mention our Early Reader's Bible. Daughter is just starting to read it herself. Son read it and though I don't like children's Bible's for Bibles' sake, I can't think of anything better to read content wise.

I have a great aversion to twaddle. Some readers will be twaddly because of they're very nature. This too shall pass. As I experienced with my son, the beginner reader is just for a season and there's no looking back! So, I prefer the older publications. They are very appealing to me in my Charlotte Mason-y, living book, way of thinking! All the wonderful picture books and such are waiting for the next step!

I've created my own Google Library which you can find here. I've posted a link to it in my sidebar in case you want to check back and see what other goodies I've found! You'll probably be hearing more about my "finds". Can't seem to keep my mouth shut!



Sidenote for conspiracy theorists: The whole CPSIA thing where they just banned all children's books printed before 1985, is really Google in cahoots with the Democrats to control the provision of books. You wait! Soon they'll be charging for them and they'll be the only ones you can get them from. Just kidding! Maybe! :)

Do You Read?

Since I'm on the topic of books... I read this over at Scraps and Snippets a while back...

Harvey Mackay posts interesting statistics in the article:

51 percent of the American population never reads a book more than 400 pages after they complete their formal education.

73 percent of all books in libraries are never checked out.

The average American watches 32 hours of TV every week.

The average American reads only eight hours (books, newspapers, magazines, Yellow Pages, etc.) every week.

More interesting statistics from Mackay:

If you read just one book per month for 12 straight months, you will be in the top 25 percentile of all intellectuals in the world.

If you read just 15 minutes a day -- every day, for one year -- you can complete 20 books.

15 minutes a day...20 books in a year. Food for thought as the time is fast approaching to make goals for the new year.

This Charlotte Mason thing has me on fire! I'm re-tuning our school room for better "book access" which means cleaning, purging, reorganizing. That should be a good thing, but right now I'd rather eat chocolate and crochet by the fire. Maybe I'll look to that as my reward!

Book Lists 2008

Here is the list (not absolute by any means!) of books we read this year. Titles highlighted in red were exceptional standouts and I can't recommend them enough!

Family Read Alouds:
* Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann Wyss
* Uncle Tom's Cabin (Young Folks Edition), by Harriet Beecher Stowe
* Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
* Robert E. Lee (Sowers)
* The Story of Ulysses S. Grant (Signature)
* Two Little Confederates, by Thomas Nelson Page
* Iron Scouts of the Confederacy, by Lee McGiffin
* Noah Webster: Master of Words, by David Collins(Sowers)
* Amos Fortune: Free Man, by Elizabeth Yates
* We Were There at the Opening of the Erie Canal
* Santa Fe Trail (Landmark), by Samuel H. Adams
* Burgess Bird Book, by Thornton Burgess
* Birds Build Nest, by Yvonne Winer
* Heroes of the Western Outpost, by Edith McCall
* The Kingdom's Edge, by Chuck Black
* The Story of John J. Audubon, by Joan Howard
* The Story of Davy Crockett, by Enid LaMonte Meadowcroft
* Johnny Appleseed: John Chapman, God's Faithful Planter, by David R. Collins
* The Lamplighter, by Maria Cummins
* Away Goes Sally, by Elizabeth Coatsworth
* The Golden Thread by Norman MacLeod
* The Journey That Saved Curious George, by Louise Borden
* Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories, by Joyce Lankester Brisley
* Jessica's Mother, by Hesba Stretton
* Little Jonathan, by Miriam Mason
* Jessica's First Prayer, by Hesba Stretton


Books boy read on his own:
* Story of the Great Chicago Fire
* Story of Annie Oakley (Signature)
* Story of the Homestead Act (Cornerstones of Freedom)
* Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
* Story of Gen. George Armstrong Custer (Signature)
* We Were There With the California 49er's
* By the Great Horn Spoon
* Gold Rush Adventures, by Edith McCall
* Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears, by Cornelia Cornelissen
* We Were There With the Pony Express
* We Were There at the Alamo
* We Were There at the Opening of the Erie Canal
* Big Birthday Surprise: Jr. Discovers Giving, by Dave Ramsey
* Careless at the Carnival: Jr. Discovers Spending, by Dave Ramsey
* Prince Caspian, by C.S. Lewis
* Hunters Blaze the Trails, by Edith McCall
* Jeb Smith
* Hardy Boys and the Case of the Twisted Claw, by Franklin Dixon
* Kit Carson, Pathfinder of the West, by Nardi Reeder Campion (A Discovery Bio)
* Jim Beckwourth, Adv. of a Mountain Man, by Louis Sabin (Troll)
* Davy Crockett: Young Rifleman (COFA), by Aileen Wells Park
* Johnny Appleseed, by Reeve Lindbergh
* The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure, by Hans Magnus Enzenberger
* Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi, by Cindy Neushwander
* Ahyoka and the Talking Leaves, by Peter & Connie Roop
* The Lone Hunt, by Wm. O. Steele
* Pioneer Girl: The Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder
* The Ox-Cart Man, by Donald Hall
* Adventures on the Waterways, by Edith McCall
* Pioneers, by the Gorslines
* Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Dead Eagles, by Donald Sobol
* If I Grew Up With Abraham Lincoln, by Ann McGovern


Books I read:
* My Father's Daughter, by Gene Stratton-Porter
* The Beckoning Road, by Caroline Dale Snedeker
* Michael O'Halloran, by Gene Stratton-Porter
* Seventh Day, by Bodie & Brock Thoene
* The Harvester, by Gene Stratton-Porter
* Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, by Rachel Field
* Lorna Doone (This was horrible & I couldn't finish it), by R.D. Blackmore
* Keeper of the Bees, by Gene Stratton-Porter
* Created to Be His Help Meet, by Debi Pearl
* Laddie, by Gene Stratton-Porter
* Mark's Story, by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins
* The All New Square Foot Gardener, (a re-read) by Mel Bartholemew
* Edge of Darkness, by Tim LaHaye and Bob Phillips
* Song of Redemption, by Lynn Austin
* The Big Book of Breakfast, by Maryana Vollstedt
* King's Arrow, by Douglas Bond
* The Prophet, by Francine Rivers
* John's Story: The Last Eyewitness, by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins
* Gods and Kings, by Lynne Austin
* Duncan's War, by Douglas Bond
* Healthy Foods, by Leanne Ely
* Busy Mom's Guide to Bible Study, by Lisa Whelchel
* Eulalia! by Brian Jacques

She Reads

Once again "Spell to Write and Read" proves itself.

She reads!

My daughter, who is turning five next week, is reading! I'd forgotten over the past four years (since her older brother learned) the feeling of elation that comes with hearing those first words go from page to brain and pop out the mouth! She's enthralled with books and bounding with excitement.

And finally she's interested in "Between the Lions", the PBS phonics program that I religiously taped when son was in preschool. Great for 90+ degree days!

Unlike when son first read, daughter is reaping the benefits of homeschool experience and homeschool conventions. Instead of tripe to read, we're enjoying the likes of the McGuffey Readers, the Pictorial Primer, and the New England Primer. And this is only the beginning!

Scheduled Reading

I'm very excited about a plan I came up with to conquer our reading woes. Now, our reading woes are probably different than most. Ours are not related to whether or not we want to read, but the bloomin' fact that we want to read too much. Of course, the idea that there could ever really be TOO much to read seems ludicrous, however we love to read and have a LOT to choose from.

That said, and the very fact that most of our curriculum is literature based, we could easily drown in books. My solution involves using a blank calendar. I've chosen all the books that we will read for each subject based on availability and time. I've recorded one for read-aloud and one for son to read on his own, for each topic. I've assigned them days on the calendar based on the size of the book. Then I've split the number of pages by the number of days to read each title.

Now we know exactly what to read and when. There is no floundering in search of the perfect book. No forgetting I meant to get a certain book and having to settle for something else. And NO letting valuable reading time slip by! There are always two books being read. We've begun using this method over the last month and are very pleased. One thing I have realized though, is that I should keep Saturday and Sunday free for catch-up reading for there are days when reading doesn't happen. (I initially used those days for scheduling.) Of course, I want to bean myself in the head when that happens, but I'll try not to get to frustrated. I've been quite happy how willing he is to read on Saturday and Sunday, too. Reading is becoming more of a daily habit and less of a weekday school task/chore!

I made son his own copy of the calendar for his notebook so he knows exactly what to read and when. I did not break down the pages for every book, but will do so periodically as a gather them a month in advance. Overall, I'm hoping this will add to his ability to self-govern his time and responsibilities. We'll be doing that a lot this year as we add his sister to the fray.

I truly believe that this will keep us on track better time wise. We didn't finish our Truthquest volume last year because of not scheduling the subjects (why we are now reading history!), so I have great hopes.