I love reading to my boys. We have bedtime stories every night and either MadDad or myself listens to them read their school reader each evening after dinner. One of the joyous parts of parenting for me has been the ability to introduce the children to books that I enjoyed as a child and one of the series that I loved was Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.
I first read this to my boys when I was recovering from my mastectomy and I remember laying on my bed with a boy each side of me as we followed the tales of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Jemima Puddleduck and Tom Kitten amongst others. There is something so comforting in reading a story you know well to the people who mean the most in the world to you. I have always wanted to instill my love of literature and books in to my children.
We have started to read the series again, on the request of Mini, but this time Maxi wants to know more about Beatrix Potter, who is she? Where did she live and when did she die? So we decided to look in to her life. Helen Beatrix Potter was born on 28 July 1866 and died on 22 December 1943 (which Maxi wants you to know was the year his Grandma was born). She holidayed in Scotland and the Lake District. With the proceeds from her book she bought a small holding in the Lake District. Beatrix left almost all the original illustrations for her books to the National Trust and you can see them at the Beatrix Potter Attraction in Brownness. There are some lake district cottages nearby to stay in or alternatively you could search for Kendal accommodation online.
I asked a couple of my friends what books they read from their childhood with their children or what books they are looking forward to reading with them.
Chris who blogs at Thinly Spread, Fab Food and Climbing Rainbows has just read Just read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory followed by The Great Glass Elevator to Bonus Boy. She Loved reading Winnie the Pooh to all of them and Pippi Longstocking to C also The Borrowers and The secret Garden…oh and Mrs Pepperpot. Tried the Famous Five but they dozed off.
Emily who blogs at Mummy Limited is going to definitely read Charlie & the Chocolate Factory & Wind in the Willows when her boys are bigger. She would love to get a copy of The Velveteen Rabbit nad is currentlly reading MiniMck the Mr Men books. Mr Worry was her favorite.
Today is World Book Day so tell me, what book or books are you looking forward to passing on from your childhood to your child?
3 Responses
I’m reading the Roald Dahl books to my 7yo old son at the moment! He loves The BFG. The Harry Potter books will follow I’m sure!!
I don’t (yet?!) have children but one of the things I am looking to the very most is reading to them, hearing them read and watching them enjoy the books that Idid when I was young. I won’t push them onto them but I really hope they will enjoy them as much as I did.
Beatrix Potter, Roald Dahl, Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh and of course the great Enid Blyton amongst others. Then I can’t wait for them to be able to read Harry Potter and the Stormbreaker series, both of which I have enjoyed as an adult.
GOsh this has made me broody!
There were so many I loved from childhood. Mainly some kiddy vampire ones, yes even then. I loved Vlad the drac and Gruesome and bloodsocks both vegetarian vampires, one ate soap the other cola. I am mainly looking forward to reading Harry Potter to my boys.