Since we moved here in April, we have been enjoying the Lawton Public Library. It offers a wide array of books and programs for children. Because we have been so busy settling in (buying a house, learning the town, getting driver’s licenses, having dentist appointments, finding a piano teacher and more), we didn’t have much time for summer reading. I hate that. I always try to get the kids involved in the summer activities at the library. But, I’m only one woman. I did what I could do. When Lauren was two years old, I read her 110 books over the summer. One hundred ten! That number makes the twenty that I read to Matthew this summer look like nothing! I am ashamed. The other kids did better, especially Lauren, whose books were measured by pages. She read over 3,000 pages.

All of the kids read books – some more, some fewer – and I read four (about to be five) long books aloud to them. They are the following: On the Banks of Plum Creek, Betsy-Tacy, The Tanglewoods’ Secret, By the Shores of Silver Lake and Thimble Summer (currently reading). We are liking the Little House books very much. It helps that we have been to the Ozark Folk Center in Arkansas and know first hand about many of the olden-time activities that Laura performed. We’ve also been to two of Laura’s home sites, and that, more than anything, has made it all come alive! Betsy-Tacy was a cute book that my little girls enjoyed. The Tanglewoods’ Secret is my new Patricia St. John favorite, and we have all of her books. You must read it even if you’re an adult. Read it to your elementary children or college-age children – just read it! It will move you. It helps teach a child about death for a believer and it is an excellent witness to everyone. We have just finished By the Shores of Silver Lake. After reading five Laura Ingalls Wilder books aloud, we are taking a break from them. I plan to pick up the next one, The Long Winter, in the winter. I’m just smart like that. 🙂 Thimble Summer is a Newbery Medal winner that I just had to read in the summer! (See?) So far, we’re enjoying it. Elizabeth Enright gives excellent descriptions that you can practically touch!

I’ve been doing my own reading whenever I can. It took me three months to finish the thousand page biography, Truman, by David McCullough, but I loved each moment. I truly felt as though I were living in the forties. When I finished, I hated to come back into the 21st century. I didn’t agree with all of Truman’s politics, but he was a man of character and grit. I liked him. I also enjoyed reading a bio of Laura Ingalls Wilder that I purchased at her home in Mansfield, Missouri, last May, a book for Lauren’s science called The Mystery of the Periodic Table  (a bit confusing unless you’re familiar with some chemistry already) and The Story of Oklahoma, which is a concise history of the Sooner state written for upper elementary/Jr. High kids (which I enjoyed, because that’s right at my level!). You can see more of my favorite books by visiting my Goodreads page. And see more choices on Our Favorite Books page.

Lauren had a fabulous time working as a volunteer at our library. She is definitely a people person and received high praise from her leader. “I wish all of our volunteers worked as hard as Lauren!”, one of her supervisors told me. I was so pleased to hear this. She is now expressing an interest in pursuing library science in college, but since she’s only starting 9th grade, that could very well change. 😉

Summer reading has ended.
And now autumn reading will begin!