From Picture Books to Chapter Books

I was feeling a little better today so I thought I would tackle Isabella's room. She had laundry piled high that needed to be put away and a bookcase that was in dire need of attention.  Books were falling out of every shelf and stacked to the high heavens on the top shelf.  As I began to go through her books I realized that it had been a long time since any of those picture books had been read.  She hasn't shown any interest in Dora or Little Quack for some time.  She hasn't asked about Harry the Dirty Dog or why those Five Monkeys keep jumping on the bed.  No, she no longer chooses a picture book from her shelf at night for a bedtime story.  She spends most of her time reading chapter books.  Books about that rambunctious Junie B. Jones or that pesty Ramona Quimby.  She loves reading about Ralph Mouse and his awesome motorcyle and we've collected books about the fairies of Pixie Hollow. When we do have time for a bedtime story we now take turms reading pages from said chapter books.  The same books I read as a child. The same books I cherished and loved and could read over and over.  Now I get to read them again and share them with my sweet girl.  She loves being read to and I truly believe it's because I was still teaching kindergarten when she was growing in my belly and I read to my students every day. As I read to them she was also able to hear the words and enjoy those stories.  She loved books as a toddler and would sit in my lap and let me read to her over and over the same stories.  She would also make me read to her when she was in the bathtub.  She also likes to enjoy a good read while she takes care of her business on the toilet (don't tell her I shared that with you, she would kill me).  Books are always gifts around here for birthdays, Christmas and Easter.  She gets excited for each new book and it quickly becomes her favorite.  I'm thrilled she loves books as much as I do. I can't wait until she comes home today and sees all of her books lined up and ready for her to choose as her next read.  Here are some pics of some of our favorite books.