Reading Books from reading assignments of Children and Grandchildren..do you do this

My twin grandchildren are taking a freshman laguage course, but different teachers and I have been reading there books...the Odyssey (I checked out children's books from the library to help), Of Mice and Men, and The House on Mango Street. It took me from my binge on election books.

This is interesting my grandson who is in the 8th grade is assigned to read The Devils Arithmetic
Jane Yolen. Which I thought would be interesting. If I can find it.

cindysprocket...The Devil's Rithmetic is a wonderful book. I highly recommend it and think it would be a wonderful story for you to talk about with your grandson.

The school that my children attend has a wonderful reading list each year. I have not previously read books with them, but am going to this year. My 6th grader will be reading Julius Caesar, The Trojan War, and The Prince and the Pauper. I know that I read Julius Caesar many years ago, but have not read the others. I'm really looking forward to reading along with him.

I enjoy rereading books that my third-grade is now reading (Superfudge, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Plus, he's bringing home books from "newer" authors that look interesting.

My friend reads her son's books before he does - that way she can quiz him on the plot, characters, etc. I might try to do that.

My son is only 5, but I still read all the books assigned to him and work with him on the books. But I also do this with my 9 year old goddaughter. I have every intention of continuing to do this as he gets older. But then, I'm a librarian and a bookworm, so there's little surprise in that.

I have always tried to read the books my children have studied in high school. I haven't always read them all - but quite a few. There are books that I would never have picked up myself, but I have found them very enjoyable. My third child needs a lot more help at school than the first two ever did, so I have found that reading and discussing the texts he is studying has made a difference.

Three times this year I've been stuck out of town without reading material and been forced to delve into my son's high school reading list: Brave New World, Heart of Darkness and The Sun Also Rises. Didn't care much for the first two, but the last has caused me to order more Hemingway.

My parents (usually my dad) did this for me up until about 7th or 8th grade, and I always really appreciated having someone to talk with about the books but outside of a lit class setting.

Sometimes I get more excited about my children's set texts than they do. This year I read Dracula, Huckleberry Finn and Catcher in the Rye. They are much more interesting books than I remember studying at high school thirty years ago.

I'm now reading everything my kids are reading for school...helps to know what's going on when proof-reading the book reports, etc. Recently finished The Middle Moffat and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle for this and am about to start The House of the Scorpion when I finish my own book.

I used to work in my son's high school as a resource room teacher and have read most of the books that they have read. It's really helpful to be able to talk about the book outside of class. My youngest is going to start The Great Gatsby, which I loved, but he is starting to whine about. But since he just finished The Jungle and liked it, I figure he will do well with his next book.

TadAD:

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is on my reading list since my niece reviewed it for my blog.

How did you and your crew like it?

I have a review in my library but, essentially, just OK. A story that tries to be realistic but is actually totally unbelievable...even for my fairly credulous 11 year old. Otherwise, a quick and easy read, plenty of adventure, age appropriate.

LOL-- my neice, whose 12, wrote that she liked the book because the author didn't burden her down with alot of details :)

I loved True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle when i was a weejun - I guess I've always been a sucker for things nautical. :)

My daughter would probably agree with the "glad there weren't too many details." She just couldn't see the whole Jaggery thing happening with the boss' daughter, nor Charlotte being allowed to rejoin the ship by the new captain at the end. As she said, "He'd get fired right away."

We homeschool, so...yep. lol I read most of the literature selections of our older kids (we're reading The Hobbit, To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies and 4-5 others this year), read aloud to the younger ones and pre-read some teen/ya lit to recommend to my own kids or the kids in our youth group.

I think children and teens *do* appreciate when parents or grandparents take the time to read a few selections that they've been assigned so that the kids can discuss them with someone whose opinions and worldview they respect. I really think it's such a loving thing to do and applaud those who try to fit that extra reading and talking into their schedules because I know it's very difficult sometimes!

Four years later this same grandson has now finished high school....and most recently he discovered the Alice in Wonderland lying around the house and loves it.

>7
I can remember doing that the other way around: running out of books on a family holiday and having to read whatever set books my parents were going to teach the following term: that's how I first came to read Jude the obscure, Sons and lovers, Der Richter und sein Henker, ...