Read Aloud Alert: The Moon and I by Betsy Byars

[Alicia64]

The Moon and I by Betsy Byars is a brilliant book.  It's a story about a snake that lived near her home. Nothing squeamish in the book at all except a reference or two to the snake eating frogs or lizards. There's one reference to a story about snakes liking mice. My boys love animals so don't really want to hear about that sort of thing, but this was the kind of book that they were begging me to continue reading.

 

In fact, I'm tired today because we stayed up so late last night.

 

This brilliant woman wove together a story about "her" snake, a memoir about her childhood and tidbits on writing.

 

Really worth your time. For all ages.

 

Will you share your latest read aloud -- if it's really, really good?

 

Alley

[Chrysalis Academy]

We recently read James Thurber's 13 Clocks.  It's a pretty fantastic literary fairy tale type story, but what made it particularly fun to read was that the author uses all kinds of literary techniques we've been studying this year - assonance and consonance, alliteration, metaphors and similes, symbols, and such and it was really fun to see them all in masterful use in a very engaging story.  My girls were sorry it was so short and sad when it ended.  It was a really great read.

 

How can you resist a book that starts like this?

 

“Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn't go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda. She was warm in every wind and weather, but he was always cold. His hands were as cold as his smile and almost as cold as his heart. He wore gloves when he was asleep, and he wore gloves when he was awake, which made if difficult for him to pick up pins or coins or the kernels of nuts, or to tear the wings from nightingales. He was six feet four, and forty-six, and even colder than he thought he was.” 

[Upward Journey]

We're reading Stories of Beowulf told to the Children by H.E. Marshall and Beowulf the Warrior retold by Ian Serraillier. We especially love the one by Serraillier, which is still in verse form.

My boys are reading the Artemis Fowl series at night with Dad.

[Jilly]

The Moon and I by Betsy Byars is a brilliant book.  It's a story about a snake that lived near her home. Nothing squeamish in the book at all except a reference or two to the snake eating frogs or lizards. There's one reference to a story about snakes liking mice. My boys love animals so don't really want to hear about that sort of thing, but this was the kind of book that they were begging me to continue reading.

 

In fact, I'm tired today because we stayed up so late last night.

 

This brilliant woman wove together a story about "her" snake, a memoir about her childhood and tidbits on writing.

 

Really worth your time. For all ages.

 

Will you share your latest read aloud -- if it's really, really good?

 

Alley

 

Thanks for posting this. My youngest son loves to read books from writers about their childhood. His favorite book this year has been Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio and I have been looking for another book he might enjoy just as much. I am going to order The Moon and I this weekend so he can begin it once he finishes the book he is on. Thanks again. 

[MrsH]

We are listening to the Cricket In Times Square and loving it!

[Kevin'sMom]

Ignore my previous post, if you copied the link. It links to James Thurber fables, but they are mostly for adults. Delightfully funny reads, though.

 

We are reading A Wrinkle in Time for our read aloud.

[Chrysalis Academy]

We just finished two Rebecca Stead novels - When You Reach Me and Liar and Spy.

Both good but the mystery in WYRM is better.

 

Oh, my older girl LOVES Rebecca Stead! These are two of her very favorite books.  If you like Rebecca Stead, you might really like Wendy Mass, too.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Ooh thanks!

[mama27]

Blood on the River James Town 1607. Awesome book.