My Book Choices

OK, since I'm soliciting and complaining that people aren't contributing (or not reading, I suppose—Heather and Jodi aside!) I thought it best that I contribute my own.  At first I couldn't think of any that I've enjoyed besides those already mentioned, but suddenly my mind opened.  We've done TONS of driving this summer, so audiobooks have become our fast friends, and I've listened to my share both on the road and while I exercise.  I love audiobooks for exercise, and all of these are available on iTunes.  Here's what I've enjoyed and/or plan to enjoy this summer:

For the Older Folk:

• The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis.  Better known as The Magician's Nephew, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair and The Last Battle.  It's really hard to beat these for deep, solid literature masquerading as children's fare.  I'm in book 5, and plowing forth toward The Last Battle.  There are 7 in all.  You think there might be something significant about that number?  hmm?
• Home: A Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews.  This is so much different than you would ever expect, and I'm only half way through, but it's magical.  If you can, listen to it rather than read it, because she reads it herself, and you know everything sounds sophisticated, magical, and downright regal when Julie Andrews says it, even "pisspot" (apparently that's just what the British call a chamber pot, no nastiness intended.)  I'm not even half way through, but it's amazing, simply riveting.
• Night by Elie Wiesel.  This is a much-revered holocaust survivor novel, and is one of several of his.  I've not started this one yet, but I'm really looking forward to it and I'm confident recommending it, although I'm not sure how harsh it is.  I suppose I'll just have to exercise more so I can get through the others and on to this one.  If my recommendation changes, I'll let you know.

For Children:

• The Magic Tree House books.  Our children are in love.  They read them, they listen to them, they enjoy the educational guides that are published with them (deeper scholar information that relates to certain ones) and they are downright interesting and fun.  They cover everything from Dinosaurs to the Civil War and more.  It's an amazingly simple way to teach history and lots of it in fair detail.
• The Secrets of Droon series.  Michael enjoys these as well, but I think they were a little more challenging than he wanted for casual reading.  They're a little less educationally oriented, and I think our kids preferred the flat out knowledge soaking in the other series.
• THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS.  No books are more loved in our house than these.  Liz bought like 30 in a set on eBay and we've not regretted a dime.  They are so crammed full of knowledge, information, fact and magic that one just can't deny a child one (or 30) of these.  Yesterday there was one sitting in the bathroom while I was doing my bathroom thing, and I picked it up and learned all about the wastewater treatment process.  Appropriate, I thought.  Who knew you could teach kids about that and make them beg for more?  Joshua recommended the short volume on Bats.  I'll have to look at it tomorrow.

So there you go.  Books from James to you.  The lists are on the left over there, and you'll see if you click on a title, you'll be taken to a website that will let you explore (most are just on Amazon.com.)  May your reading be gratifying and fruitful.  Who's next?