Emu with a Clue

It is interesting to see how many of these books were old fashioned even then. A lot of the books that I had were actually my parents' books when they were children. I still have a lot of them now and Mum still has my battered old copies of The Early bird and The Lorax at her place. Are You There God, It's Me Margaret was a revelation to me when I first got my hands on it (probably a year or two after it was first released). Very ground breaking for its time.

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What my children are reading

nobody@vox.com(Emu with a Clue) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:03:23 -0700

or, in my 5yo son's case, having read to him (as he can't yet read himself):

James and the Giant Peach

Roald Dahl

I felt a bit sorry for him on the weekend as he was trailing around with his book in hand desparate to find out what happened next but needed to wait for people (either me, his dad or his big sister) to have the time to read him some more chapters. Between the three of us we managed to get up to bit where the peach is growing before their eyes on the tree. It is actually quite entertaining reading for us too. I love the fact that Roald Dahl is so un-PC by today's standards, eg, the terrible deaths met by James's parents (killed by a rhino escaped from the London Zoo), the horrible things his aunts say to him etc etc. Someone will read another chapter or 2 for tonight's bedtime story.

My daughter, who is 9yo, is reading her first Judy Blume book:

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Judy Blume

I had been trying to get her interested in Judy Blume for a while but it was only when they started reading this book in class that she really got a taste for it. I have actually caught her reading secretly under the covers after she has gone to bed which is a great sign as she has never been a hugely enthusiastic reader. Hopefully she will be interested in reading more Judy Blume books after this one as we have quite a lot of them at home.

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My brother's face is nothing like the sun ...

nobody@vox.com(Emu with a Clue) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:40:11 -0700

My daughter is learning about similes at school and had to write a poem about someone to demonstrate her similes prowess. She wrote her poems about her brother. My favourite line was "My brother's face is round like a CD". Not quite Shakespeare but give her time!

CD face

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Where are all the crumply people?

nobody@vox.com(Emu with a Clue) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:07:13 -0700

Apparently, it is Seniors Week in Australia next week. In honour of this, my son's school are having a "bring your grandparent to school" day on Wednesday. Nice idea but what about the kids who don't have grandparents around to bring? My son came home with an invitation he had made in class addressed to his grandfather who passed away about this time last year and couldn't understand why he wouldn't be able to come (my son has only just turned five and doesn't seem to understand the permanence of death). We suggested taking his uncle along instead but my son said that it had to be someone "crumply". Neither of his grandmothers can make it as both live interstate. We have been wracking our brains for someone crumply that my son might like to take but noone springs to mind. Now even Uncle P may not be able to make it anyway. I don't think he will be the only one without a senior to bring along for grandparents day. We live in an area with a high proportion of people from overseas and I can immediately think of a few people we know with children at the school who don't have any other family in Australia. This is a yearly event so may have to think about establishing a relationship with someone suitably crumply in time for next year's Seniors Week.

Wrinkles

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An urban angel in our midst

nobody@vox.com(Emu with a Clue) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:48:59 -0800

Went kids clothes shopping at lunchtime and was surprised to find that V has graduated into the "urban angels" range at Pumpkin Patch. I thought that was just for teenagers! This is all happening way too fast!

The Twits

Roald Dahl

On a happier note, she actually asked me tonight if I could BUY her a book. She has just finished reading Roald Dahl's 'The Twits' and pronounced it "the funniest book I have ever read" and said she would really love to have a copy of her own. This is a real red letter day for us as the only books V has ever read voluntarily from cover to cover have been Go Girl books and she hasn't even been interested in those lately. We may just make a reader out of her yet!

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Alone no more ...

nobody@vox.com(Emu with a Clue) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 15:52:44 -0800

V in new hat and sunnies

Just about to head off to the airport to collect husband and daughter who have been away visiting family for nine whole days. Looking forward to seeing them but expecting V to be a bit tired and cranky after all the excitement and having to get up super early to catch the flight this morning. They have sent me a few photos while away and V looks like she has turned into a teenager while away (she calls these her 'Lindsay Lohan glasses')! Funny when you don't see your kids for a little while you suddenly notice how much they have grown or changed. Often get a surprise at how tall my son has grown in the night when I see him first thing in the morning.

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