It’s National Children’s Book Week, through May 16 so grab your kids and a good book!  I never was much of a reader growing up, despite always being in Honors English classes (I’m the grammar dork - not the literary dork!).  My mom always enrolled me in the Summer Reading Program at the Library and I enjoyed that very much, but during the school year, I was always so busy with extracurricular activities like band, gymnastics & dancing, that when I did have some free time, I rarely spent it reading - at least not “for fun” reading.  I also think the fact that I’m so nearsighted contributed to this.  To this day, I find reading to be hard on my eyes.  With my contacts, I have to hold the book out and without them it is touching my nose (please don’t say bifocals - I’m TOO young!).  My husband was an avid reader as a child (and still is) and that is something I admire about him.  He can sit down with a book and read it cover to cover no matter what is going on around him.  Not me.  I’m more of an ADD reader - you know, stop, give my eyes a rest, get the kids a juice, what page was I on, oh let me read that chapter again because I can’t remember what happened from the last time I read.  So you now understand why I prefer to read things like magazines where I can finish one article and come back and start something fresh the next time I’m ready to read. 

I want to encourage my boys to read.  Even though they are still too young to do it on their own (though CheezWaster is making strides), they delight in listening to the stories and seeing the pictures - especially when I do my special voices as part of the stories.  We, again this year, will sign up for our local library’s summer reading program.  We will also again partake in TD Bank’s reading incentive program which will give kids $10 into their savings account for reading 10 books (1 time offer only).  Borders is offering a free book to kids who read 10 books over the summer (also a 1 time offer).  Most of their book offerings seem more geared toward the tween/teen set, but we’re going to try our hand at Flat Stanley.  If you are looking for some book ideas to read to your kids, here is a list of the NEA’s Teacher’s Top 100 Books for Children. Or check out Parenting Magazine’s Best Books to Read with your Kids list.  And finally, here are the 2010 Children’s Choice Book Awards.  HAPPY READING!