A Good Book Is A Great Excuse For A Party

     I completely sympathize with the brilliant author, L.M. Montgomery, when she said,

     "I am simply a book drunkard". 

     There are few things I love more than a good book!  I can't get enough, and I blame it all on L.M. Montgomery!

     I wasn't much of a reader when I was a kid.  Who had time to sit down and read a book when there were trees to be climbed,  forts to be made, and endless games of HORSE to be won?  Occasionally, on a rainy day with nothing to do, I might pick up a book to read.  It wasn't until I married a book lover however,  that I began to see the appeal of reading.  My husband was always in the middle of a good book.  I was intrigued by his fascination with books, and now, being a little less enamored with fort building, and a lot enamored with my husband, I decided that maybe I wanted to be a reader too.  Once I dipped my foot in the pool of beautiful literature, I was sunk. There was no getting out of the pool, and I was ok with that. 

     There was a specific book for me, that more that any other I had read up to that point, touched my heart, and changed me just a little.  "Anne of Green Gables".  I was swept up, from page one, with this authors gift for weaving words, and with the charm and imagination of Anne Shirley.  I will forever be in love with this book for teaching me the power of a good book.  And thus, I blame it all on L.M. Montgomery, (and a little on my husband, too.)  

     One book.  It only takes one book, that we really connect with, to turn us into readers.  Knowing this, and knowing the joy that can come from a love of reading, I am determined to find that "one book", for my kids.   

     It's not always easy to convince our kids to sit down and read.  Believe me, I know, the pull of fort building and tree climbing is strong, (or maybe, sadly more accurate, the pull of TV, and video games, is strong).  With all the competition for our children's time, sometimes we have to be a little creative. 

     In my quest to find "the one", book for my kids, I've found a method that works well for us.  We call it, a Book Party. 

     The whole idea behind a book party, is to make reading a book an event, something to look forward to, to get them excited about spending time together, reading. 

     It all starts with choosing the right book; one that you think might resonate with your kids.  Next comes a little negotiating.  Tell your kids that if you can read this book together, when you finish, you will have a fantastic, book themed, party to celebrate.  Don't worry, this negotiation is usually only necessary to convince my kids to sit still and listen to me read, for the first chapter.  After that, they're usually hooked on the book, and actually look forward to our time reading together.  We usually stick to one chapter a day, unless we are at a particularly good part, then two chapters becomes necessary.  There is something about reading a book aloud with your kids that engages them on a different level than when they read individually.  I love to watch the faces, and see the reactions of my kids, some of whom were initially reluctant to sit and listen, as I read.  By the end of the chapter, usually everyone is caught up in the story. 

     When you have finally managed no small feat, of finishing the entire book, it's time for the party.  Here are some examples of how we party, book style:

To celebrate finishing the book Matilda, by Roald Dahl, we dressed up like our favorite characters, watched the adorable movie from 1996, with Mara Wilson, and ate a chocolate cake, in honor of Bruce Bogtrotter, who finishes off a giant chocolate cake to defy the evil Ms. Trunchbull.  (One of my kid's favorite parts of the book).

After finishing one of my, and my kids, favorite books ever, The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall, my kids again dressed up like a character from the book, we ate gingerbread and brownies, both significant in the story, (read it to find out why!), and in general, celebrated this wonderful book that had changed us just a little. 

I think my favorite book party yet, would have to be the party for Anne of Green Gables.  (Are you surprised?)  This party happened a little differently than the others.  Since reading the book myself, I could hardly wait for my girls to grow up, so I could read it to them...so, I didn't wait.  I tried once when my oldest two were about three and five years old.  I didn't make it much past the wordy and descriptive first page before their little minds wandered off and they were bored.  I patiently waited several more years, and begged my girls to let me try again.  My oldest agreed, but Grace wasn't interested.  Emma loved the book, and the day, a few years later, that Gracie finally agreed, and read the book on her own, we just had to celebrate!  For the Anne of Green Gables party, we braided the girls hair, in a very Anne-like style, donned aprons like she might have worn, made up a batch of Raspberry Cordial, and watched the perfect movie from the 80's, with Megan Follows.

 

       
      

        
  
     More than just a good party with brownies and cake, with each book party, we can achieve memories to last a lifetime, and with a little luck, we might just stumble across that "one book", that will forever change our kids and bring them into the happy group called readers.
    
Today's a new day; let's make it purposeful!
Kara