UPDATE: The winners of this giveaway are Mrs. R., Colleen B and Erin K.
I have two kids in junior high now, three in school.
And I feel like I owe all parents of kids age 10+up, a big fat apology.
Because. Y’all. We have spent years trying to parent intentionally, slowing down our lives, limiting extracurricular stuff. Then this season started and I’m looking at the calendar in shock. With just one after-school activity each and church stuff, it looks like it’s going to explode.
And I’m so thankful the ignorant, naive Kristen from years past, started one very important habit.
If there has been one thing that has strengthened our family and kept us together, around the table, around a chair, around each other, it’s reading together.
Not only have our kids fallen in love with reading (yes, they are the ones with flashlights under the sheets because they just need to finish the chapter, Mom), they have fallen in love with reading together.
We’ve gone on wild adventures and learned about different cultures together. Books have led us into deeper community with each other. They have urged us to ask hard questions, press into our struggles. They have been a catalyst to richer family life.
We read around the table after dinner regularly. We also read individually with each of our kids. We pat the space next to us and say, “Let’s read, together.”
And as my kids have grown, the books have grown with us. But no matter how old they are, they want to read.
I have to tell you about the latest one that has captured my family, all of us.
My husband reads to our first grader every. night. She loves it and looks disappointed when I step in to substitute. I love that they love this time together. She is reading on her own (you know the sweet first grade KIND OF READING THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO STICK A FORK IN YOUR EYEBALL), but there’s just something about reading a chapter book together that is special.
Plus, it’s a lot quicker.
Begin, the first book in the Growly Series by Phil and Erin Ulrich started out as their book. It’s an epic adventure about a little bear named Growly and my daughter begs for another chapter every time they finish one. Last night they finished chapter 17. What’s funny is I can tell you every single thing that’s happened in the adventure so far and so can my son. We just couldn’t not listen! It’s wholesome family reading at it’s best and it’s also illustrated beautifully.
The vivid descriptions make it easy to imagine exactly what’s happening in the story. It’s a great book to read to your 4-7 year old and children 8-11 would enjoy reading it on their own. We can’t wait to read what happens next to Growly! It’s sure to be adventurous.
I’m not sure who loves Growly more! You can get your own copy here for $8.99
The author Erin, who is also my blog designer and a sweet friend, sent us a copy to read together and today she’s giving away three copies. Hop over and check out the book and the amazing pictures and leave a comment here to be entered.
And please, make time in your crazy busy lives to read together. You won’t ever regret the adventures it takes you on!
Would love to read this book to my kids! They are at just the right age! Thnk you!
Oh! My husband and I both LOVE to read, and we’re already working on stocking up quite the library so we’re ready when our first baby comes in March 🙂
Thank you!! This looks perfect for our read aloud times. : )
I think my daughter would love to read this book!
My kids love our reading time at the end of our homeschool day. This would be great to add in to the rotation.
I happen to have a sweet (boy) first grader as well who loves all things books (when they are read to him anyway!) and a turning 4 year old on Saturday 🙂 who would love these books too! Thanks for the recommendation I am always looking for new series to pick up for my kids! If I don’t win it… it just might have to be a Christmas present!
Thanks!
So glad you have led us to this book. We love to sit under the clouds &make up adventure stories together. This book will fit right in. I think my daughter (10) & son (7) will love reading this & hopefully some shared reading time. Thanks
My 2 nieces love being read to…I will have to add this book to their Christmas gift! Thank you for the recommendation!
I would love a copy to read with the little ones in my life!
I am going to have to look into this book! Thank you so much for sharing – it looks like an awesome read!
These books look perfect to introduce our four year old to chapter books! Great illustrations, and the story preview looks great.
My daughter & her dad would love to read this together!
love reading with my daughters, thanks for the reminder to do more of it!
Very neat idea. Would love to give it to my sister to read to my nephew!
Just started reading your blog and love it:) My kids would love this book!
This would be the perfect gift for my niece who LOVE, LOVE, LOVES to read and just started reading chapter books. When she’s done with it, it would come back to my own children who are very young and are also readers. Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
This would be SSSssssooooooooooo fun to read with my youngest two! We’d love to win 🙂
I was one of those read-under-the-cover-with-flashlight kids. Love reading with my son.
We’ve got a houseful of readers here too. The kids love having Dad read to them!
Awwwww….this looks DARLIN’! And so do your photos!!
Thanks for entering us.
not sure if this giveaway is over, but would love to read these books! Our boys LOVE reading and being read to and my 7yo reads to his younger brothers as an excuse to re-read books!!! 😉
5 year old is connecting the dots with letters making words- it is an exciting time in the house. I would love to add it to the library. (Little brother age 4 isn’t far behind he wants to read too1)
I have 3 girls, this looks perfect for us!
Yes! We tried to keep things less than crazy around our house too, but once sports enter the picture… watch out!
Very sweet post about reading with your children. 🙂
I’m always looking for great, new books, sounds wonderful!
I also have a 1st grader (it’s fun to hear you talk about your daughter!!) and a 5 and 2 year old. It’s always great when you can find a really good book!!!
I also have a 1st grader whose reading makes me want to poke my eyes out, and I’d love to interest him more with such a cute bear book!
My son just turned 10. He loves adventure stories!
I was looking for a book with fun adventures in it to read with my five year old son. This book looks perfect!
I read regularly with my 3 kids (ages 7, 5 & 3) & this sounds like something they’d love!
Always love a good book recommendation. I’m off to check out the website. Thanks!
Would love the book for my granddaughters!
Oh my gosh, first grade reading is painful! I thought I was the only one who had a fork waiting… Thanks for the book review!
Would love to win this book! It sounds amazing! 🙂
Can’t wait to read this to my 4 and 5 year old!
The Growly series would be a wonderful gift for my nephews and nieces! I thoroughly enjoyed what I read on the authors’ website.
What a fun book. My husband currently reads the Bible to our tiny ones at night, but I’d love to check out this book for daytime reading.
Would love to read this book to our little guy!
My girls have always loved being read to!
Always looking for suggestions – would love to read this with my kids!
We love reading together as a family. We’ve been pretty busy getting ready for the new baby, so that is something that we’ve neglected lately. Currently parks and cooking have been a bounding time for us.
I would love to add this book to our reading ritual. I am ready to move on from Dr. Suess 🙂
I love to read to my grandchildren
I dread the day when my kids won’t ask me to crawl in bed with them and read out loud to them. Maybe I’ll just lay beside them and we’ll each read silently, side by side. Right now they are 6 &3. Sweet times but it’s a physically exhausting stage!
Is it too late to enter? These books look amazing and I was looking for something to start reading my son at night (besides his Bible Story and go to bed book).
This sounds so interesting. Our 5 year old granddaughter, Lola, who is in kindergarten would love to read this together. Thanks!!!
Would love to read Growly!!!
This looks like a great addition to our family reading times.
This looks like a great book!!