good books

I used the help of Grammarly to proofread this post because nothing ruins a story or article more than bad grammar (Twilight, anyone?). And since I'm trying to be a better writer, I figure I need to get a little help myself. :)

[I miss the chubbiness and doesn't-talk-back-yet-ness of little Baby Elijah. So sweet.] 

One of the things Adam and I full-heartedly agree on with parenting is that we want our children to develop a strong love for books & reading. We both grew up being avid readers and still love to read whenever we get the chance. 

Growing up I was lucky enough to have parents who kept a great young-readers library. I was able to read a lot of books that were passed down to me from my siblings and even from my parents themselves. Some of my favorites were The Babysitter Club series, the Little House on the Prairie series, Nancy Drew, Harry Potter (of course!), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Work and the Glory, and a lot more. 

As I got older, my love for reading grew. Once I was asked what was my favorite book and it literally was an impossible question for me to answer. I have way too many! 

Pride & Prejudice and Tale of Two Cities are favorite British classics.

To Kill a Mockingbird is an absolute favorite American classic. 

The Fault in Our Stars is a favorite current publication. 

Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends is a favorite childhood book. 

(Along with The Lorax and The Witches.) 

And Harry Potter is my favorite series. 

And believe me, that was hard enough to narrow it down to those categories. 

Adam is an even bigger reader than me and has read at least 5 books during his break from school this year. We both are trying to make our way through some classic books so we can feel more cultured. :) Usually for our date nights we like to find old bookstores or go to Barnes & Noble just to walk around surrounded by books. It's our happy place. 

With the abundance of technology in this day an age, (smart phones, tablets, computers, video games, even cable) when talking to younger kids, it's kind of sad to me that reading isn't a top priority anymore. Even with Elijah he would much rather play on our phones than sit and look through one of his many books. 

This new year, one of my parenting goals is to get Elijah more involved in reading and actually enjoying sitting down and listening to stories, not just before bedtime. I know that not only will he then be able to develop his own love for books, but it will help him greatly academically too. And it's fun! 

Jane Austen said, 

"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!"

(Pride and Prejudice)

I hope that I can instill the magic and beauty of reading in all my children and not allow myself to get caught up in other unimportant things. Because I know reading is when I'm the most happiest. 

Now tell me, how do you get your children to read? What are some ways they have learned to love books? And what are some of your favorites or theirs to read?