Reading with my Preschooler

I've been using Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann with my four-year-old (almost five year old). We took a break from it for a few months, but recently my son found it and requests doing the lessons multiple times a day. He is loving it and loving learning how to read.

I know that this book has mixed reviews. I have friends who couldn't stand it and others who liked it. I am one of the people who likes it. It is a simple format, easy lessons, and my son feels a sense of accomplishment.

Reading sentences in Lesson 28

We completed 50% of the book with my oldest son and 80% of the book with my middle son. My youngest seems very motivated, so we'll see if we can actually complete the book. But in any case, he is enjoying himself and enjoying reading, so that makes me a happy mom.

Jenny's 2011 Fun Read Wrap-Up

During 2011, my love for reading was rejuvenated. My family had been encouraging me to find a hobby, and so I did (although now they may regret the suggestion, LOL). With the help of some fellow book-lovers, I had a seemingly-endless supply of well-recommended books. Now mind you, these are just pure fun-reading, free-time books, nothing to do with parenting or homeschooling.

In 2011, I was like a kid in a candy store, just grabbing whatever caught my eye, predominantly in the young adult genre. Some books were better than others, and I'm beginning to discern which books draw me more than others, which books are more appropriate for my preference and discretion levels, and which books just aren't for me.

Below are the books I read in 2011, starting with the most recent and ending with what I started the year with. I've starred books that I found to be particular standouts, some of which have become favorites.


*98. Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park

97. Holes by Louis Sachar

*96. Legend by Marie Lu

*95. So Over My Head by Jenny B. Jones

*94. Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

*93. I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones

*92. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

91. All I Want For Christmas Is You by Lisa Mondello

*90. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

*89. East of Eden by John Steinbeck

88. Possess by Grethen McNeil

87. Enclave by Ann Aguirre

*86. Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

*85. Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

*84. Touch by Jus Accardo

83. A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell

82. Fateful by Claudia Gray

81. Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

80. Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs

79. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

78. Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

*77. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

*76. There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

75. Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

*74. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

73. Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

72. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

71. Oh.My.Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs

*70. So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones

69. Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

68. Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

67. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

*66. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

*65. Blood Red Road by Moira Young

64. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

63. Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

62. Shift by Jeri Ready-Smith

*61. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

60. Wildefire by Karsten Knight

59. Fins Are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs

58. Always a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

*57. Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

56. Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

*55. We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

*54. It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

53. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

52. The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

51. Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

50. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

*49. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

48. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

47. Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst

46. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

45. Forgotten by Cat Patrick

*44. Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

*43. Supernaturally by Kiersten White

*42. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

*41. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

*40. Die for Me by Amy Plum

39. Gone by Lisa McMann

38. Fade by Lisa McMann

37. Wake by Lisa McMann

36. Shade by Jeri Ready-Smith

35. Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

34. Everlasting by Angie Frazier

33. Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

*32. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

*31. Divergent by Veronica Roth

30. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

29. Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

*28. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

27. Illyria by Elizabeth Hand

*26. Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

25. A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

24. Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

*23. Heist Society by Ally Carter

22. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

21. Shiver by Maggie Steifvater

20. Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

*19. Hourglass by Myra McEntire

18. Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

*17. Gregor and the Code of Claw by Suzanne Collins

16. Gregor and the Marks of Secret by Suzanne Collins

15. Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods by Suzanne Collins

14. Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins

*13. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

*12. Into the Gauntlet by Margaret Peterson Haddix

11. Storm Warning by Linda Sue Park

10. The Emperor's Code by Gordon Korman

9. The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis

*8. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

7. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

*6. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

5. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

4. To the Nines by Janet Evanovich

*3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

*2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

*1. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


I'm looking forward to exploring more books in 2012 :)