bedtime stories

About a month ago, I decided that rather than just reading Lyd a bedtime storybook, I would begin a chapter story with her.  The first book I chose was Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace.  I had to adjust certain antiquated words and phrases a bit as I read, and I also had to take time out to explain certain concepts, such as the fact that they had a horse and carriage, not a car, but Lyd really enjoyed the book.  After reading a chapter, I would always preview the next night’s chapter with her, and she would consistently remember what was coming up.

After Betsy-Tacy I decided to read to her the original Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne.  This book worked okay, although I left out some sections as I read.  Some of the characters tend to prattle on for a while, and while I could follow it and chuckle at it, it went right over Lyd’s head.  She can re-read it when she’s older, and she’ll get those parts then.  I also left out Pooh’s rambling little songs.  As before, each night I read a chapter and previewed the next night’s chapter, and again she really enjoyed it.

Last night we finished Winnie-the-Pooh, so we started something new tonight.  Rather than doing a chapter book, I brought out a big hardcover “Book of Bedtime Stories” that I bought at a rummage sale when Lyd was a baby.  It’s got lots of classic stories in it, such as Little Red Riding Hood, The Ugly Ducking, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Three Little Pigs, as well as some other stories that I don’t know.  I’m excited to begin these kinds of stories with Lyd, as she has had some exposure to many of these stories via her favorite PBS Kids program, Super Why.  However, this show always alters each story a bit; that’s part of their shtick: “We’ve changed the story, we’ve solved the problem…”  So, I thought it would be worthwhile for Lyd to hear the stories in their (more or less) original form.  Tonight we read The Ugly Ducking AND Jack and the Beanstalk.  (Yes, she suckered me in for TWO stories! :) )  The giant in Jack and the Beanstalk said the original, scary words that I remembered as a child: “Fee Fie Fo Fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman.  Be him alive or be him dead I’ll break his bones to make my bread!”  My daughter is pretty sensitive, so I hesitated a bit before reading those words, but then I reasoned that I am pretty sensitive as well, and I turned out okay, so I plunged ahead and made as little deal about them as possible.  One can’t sanitize everything in a story!  She seemed to be okay with it, but at the end she said that she liked Ugly Duckling better than Jack and the Beanstalk.  She’s already excited to read another story tomorrow night.

I’m trying to think of other chapter books that would be appropriate for an almost-five year old, and I’m looking for suggestions.  If you have an idea, please email me or leave me a comment — I’d love to hear it!