I try to read to my kids for an hour every night — sometimes two hours, if we time everything right.
Whenever I need about 20 minutes to do a load of laundry or make a
phone call, I tell the kids “It’s time for the book game,” which
involves each child picking a book for Peter to read to Carolyn.
(Berenstein Bears and Magic School Bus titles are still favorites for both kids, though Peter will
cheerfully read a My Little Pony or Strawberry Shortcake book if that’s
what Carolyn chooses.)
We try to keep a chapter book going that both my son (age 11) and daughter (recently turned 7) are interested in, I read a series of shorter books for my daughter (I do a damn fine reading of Bartholomew and the Oobleck, if I do say so myself) and after she goes to bed, I read a different chapter book with my son.
Tonight I just finished finished reading the final chapter of The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow, which starts out as a kind of sequel to Icelandic legends, featuring prophecies, storms and shipwrecks, generational feuds, banishments and vengeance, Vikings, some wonderful secret-passage cloak-and-dagger intrigue that reminds me of the classic Mission: Impossible (not the recent Tom Cruise movies), and ends up with a climactic bromance showdown that brought tears to my eyes.
My 11-year-old son needed a hug at the end of it, it was so emotional for both of us.




Sounds like an exciting story, Dennis. Have you ever read any of the stories in D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths? Here’s the link on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/DAulaires-Norse-Myths-Ingri-DAulaire/dp/159017125X. When I was a kid, I enjoyed that book so much and your son might too if you haven’t gotten it already. It also has great illustrations.
I haven’t heard of that one… thanks for the recommendation. I know the author of the Rolf story also wrote a few other novels.
i love the book