Library Trips

[LauraBeth475]

Do you provide your children with a structure for checking out library books like is suggested in TWTM? (One literature, one biography, so on.). Do you limit twaddle-y books?

 

I'm revising my rules. And learning to take a second grownup for the toddler so I can help the bigs, but that's a whole nother conversation!

[athomeontheprairie]

No. I don't. There are times I encourage them to take out books from various sections, but I don't require it.

Maybe that encouragement takes the form of "wow, look at these books on spies and codes and ciphers. You were asking yesterday about how to write in code". I'll find a section they would have interest in and show it to them.

 

We've never had an insane amount of twaddle-BUT if we do, I would also choose books for them. Often I can get them to read what I check out in addition to the titles they've checked out (or they realize their books are carp and mine are better choices. Not to say this happens a lot but it does sometimes.)

[MrsWeasley]

With my almost six year old, I let him read all the twaddle, if he reads it himself. Right now, I mostly want him to build fluency. Content doesn't really matter yet for him. With my oldest, we have tried doing a structured list like in the WTM, but I have a toddler: keeping him from destroying all the books kills any appeal a treasure hunt like that might have. I put books on hold for her to make sure she has a diverse selection of what to read. She does read a lot of twaddle, though. She constantly reads Warrior Cats. I just make sure I keep reading quality material and have it available to her. 

[MrsRobinson]

We each go with our own library bag. They can put whatever they want in their bag but I will not carry it if it gets too heavy for them. I go armed with a list of good picture books I want to read with ds, books that relate to our history and science topics and I fill my bag with those.

 

I also have a list of chapter books I want dd to read for her 30 min DIRT time and she can choose which book from the list she wants. She usually also has a chapter book of her own choosing that she will read in her free time. I might try the WTM recommendations when dd enters 5th grade. But for now this works for us.

 

If we go to the library a 2nd or 3rd time in the same week for storytime or classes, they will inevitably ask to check out more books. Lately, I have been letting them choose 7 books for dd and 4 for ds to match their ages.

[Rachel]

I created a list similar to the one recommended in TWTM and laminated it for my 8 and 6 year old. My 6 year old isn't reading well yet so hers is very simple.

 

My 8 year old reads a lot, so this is a way to make sure he reads something of substance and have a variety of things to read besides Garfield Comics.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Rach

[rutheart]

When I get books for history and science, I'll grab other interesting non-fiction I happen to spy on the shelves. I also routinely browse the new books' section for kids' non-fiction. Once the book is home, there is about a 50% chance of the kid actually reading it. They also sometimes request non-fiction on certain topics they want to research (usually animals, but I try to fill their requests whenever possible).

 

I do let them have free reign in fiction for free reading. It's probably overreaction on my part, due to my parents' limiting my own reading to only books they felt didn't contradict their religion.

Ruth

[J-rap]

Up til a certain age, we pretty much let them pick out anything.  As they started reading more challenging chapter books, we got involved more, picking out ones we were pretty sure they'd enjoy but were just a little meatier...  For example, maybe it took place during WWII so you got to learn just a little bit about real life in those days.

 

Once they got to be in around 5th grade, then yes, we did tell them they had to read one "meat and potato" book for every "candy" book.

[Hunter]

I have done that for a few weeks at a time and then take library breaks. I tend not to be able to stay library compliant for extended periods of time.

 

I realised I can I manage for months with just public domain classics, my 3R textbooks, and Overdrive ebook downloads, before needing to spend another few weeks spicing things up and covering some modern topics not available or too awkward through Overdrive.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Hunter

[LauraBeth475]

We each go with our own library bag. They can put whatever they want in their bag but I will not carry it if it gets too heavy for them. I go armed with a list of good picture books I want to read with ds, books that relate to our history and science topics and I fill my bag with those.

 

I also have a list of chapter books I want dd to read for her 30 min DIRT time and she can choose which book from the list she wants. She usually also has a chapter book of her own choosing that she will read in her free time. I might try the WTM recommendations when dd enters 5th grade. But for now this works for us.

 

If we go to the library a 2nd or 3rd time in the same week for storytime or classes, they will inevitably ask to check out more books. Lately, I have been letting them choose 7 books for dd and 4 for ds to match their ages.

I'm assuming DIRT time is guided reading time?

 

Thank you to everyone for sharing.

[Ms.Ivy]

I allow my children to choose only one book each from the library, if any. I let them choose whatever they wish. One kid always picks science books and another kid always gets girly twaddle. I don't mind. That's their personality coming through. I don't let them check out more than one though, because it's too much craziness for us.

 

However, I place any books I want them to read on hold, so that they're all ready for me to pick up at the library. I assign reading, and that's where the mix of genres comes in.

 

I use two library cards to keep the kids' selections and my selections separate. And I go to the library once a week to return books or pick up the holds, but don't take the kids inside very often. I wouldn't be able to do the library thing at all otherwise.

 

I generally choose books based on the recommendations in the activity guides for SOTW and on www.classicalreader.com.

[Rachel]

I created a list similar to the one recommended in TWTM and laminated it for my 8 and 6 year old. My 6 year old isn't reading well yet so hers is very simple.

 

My 8 year old reads a lot, so this is a way to make sure he reads something of substance and have a variety of things to read besides Garfield Comics.

I just wanted to clarify that my list for each of my kids doesn't have specific books, just categories are listed. For example: 1 science book, 1 biography, 1 art or poetry book, etc. I do have veto power if they pick something I don't think is appropriate for their age but that hasn't really been an issue. I can't say I'm a huge fan of some of the humor in Garfield but I've chosen not to battle about it. Edited February 3, 2016 by Rach

[MrsRobinson]

I'm assuming DIRT time is guided reading time?

Daily Individual Reading Time :)

 

I am thinking of introducing literature study next school year but I'm not sure what that will look like for us.

[arliemaria]

I bought LLBean Boat and Tote bags for my 6 and 3 year old.  I got these in their colors: red and pink and monogrammed.  I have their library cards hole punched and on a key ring attached to the strap with a hair band.  I have planned on making a laminated list like Rach with TWTM suggestions.  I have become more passionate about this since listening to Carole Joy Seid on Children and Reading.  We were always a one car family until recently when I finally got my "mom van."  Now I plan on going to the library a lot more frequently, especially since it is only about 1 mile away.  :)

[Alice]

Nope. We go weekly all together. They can pick as many books as they want, as long as we don't go over the limit imposed by the library (50 books a card). We are typically maxed out on at least one card.  I pick out lots of books for them as well. There are books that I get for "school" that we will all read together, books that I pick out that I will assign to the older ones to read that are for school, books that I might just hand them and say that I think they would like and then all the books they get on their own. I do not limit any kind of books, other than maybe telling them if something is not age appropriate. I'm pretty liberal about that as well but if I happen to know a book is scary or has things in it that might disturb them I'll tell them that. 

[Ellie]

Do you provide your children with a structure for checking out library books like is suggested in TWTM? (One literature, one biography, so on.). Do you limit twaddle-y books?

 

I'm revising my rules. And learning to take a second grownup for the toddler so I can help the bigs, but that's a whole nother conversation!

 

No. We went to the library every Wednesday. The dc could check out as many books as they wanted or none at all, but all books had to be returned the following week whether they had been read or not...the only way we were able to avoid overdue fines!. :blush: I checked out books to read aloud to them (one chapter a day, right after lunch, each day we were home); they checked out whatever else they wanted.

[Ellie]

Do you provide your children with a structure for checking out library books like is suggested in TWTM? (One literature, one biography, so on.). Do you limit twaddle-y books?

 

I'm revising my rules. And learning to take a second grownup for the toddler so I can help the bigs, but that's a whole nother conversation!

 

No. We went to the library every Wednesday. The dc could check out as many books as they wanted or none at all, but all books had to be returned the following week whether they had been read or not...the only way we were able to avoid overdue fines!. :blush: I checked out books to read aloud to them (one chapter a day, right after lunch, each day we were home); they checked out whatever they wanted.

[ScoutTN]

No, but they do a fairly good job of choosing a broad selection. I choose some too and as a pp said, if it is here it will likely be read. They do sometimes go with one favorite thing for a while, right now Pokemon and Redwall, but the next interest is never too far away.

[Coco_Clark]

Only in the summer, lol.

 

During the regular school year I just have them check out "fun" reading while I get non-fiction that related to our studies, classics, ect.

[Kristie in Florida]

I like her to read variety, so yeah we do the WTM thing. She is also allowed a candy book (what we call twaddle books) occasionally, within reason.

 

Lately, because of my toddler and my pregnancy, we've just been putting books on hold and going once a week or so to pick up our books. Also about once or twice a week or so I go just with my toddler while she is at dance, so he can play without me stressing. Also, every week or every other week her and I will have Mommy daughter dates at the library while my toddler has special Daddy time. I'm due for my Mommy alone time there really soon.

 

We love the library, can ya tell? And if it seems from the paragraph above that we are there almost every day of the week, that would be a yes. It's on the way home from dance and she has either class or rehersal 4 times a week.

[Critterfixer]

No rules. We just go once a week and they check out whatever they want or nothing at all. That's the local library.

Twice a month I go to the big library two hours away. They let me check out a bunch on my card and you get four weeks with books. There I pick out what I'd like them to read as well as pick up book requests. 

[barnwife]

Our kids are only 5.5, 3 and 2. We go to the library weekly. They are allowed to check out 3 books each. I only veto it if it's a book I really, truly can't abide and won't read aloud. And even then, I usually tell them I will check it out but they have to "read" it themselves.

We generally check out between 20 and 30 books each week.

[happypamama]

I don't dictate what they take home in any way. Partly that is because our favorite and most convenient branch is tiny, and partly that is because we have lots of books at home. Some days, they have loads of books, and some days, not much catches their eye. Sometimes they bring home eleventy billion Curious George books, and sometimes it's a variety. If they bring home something particularly twaddle-y, mysteriously, that book will just "have" to go back soon, like the next week, when most of the time, we keep books for a long time. (We are allowed to renew a bunch of times, so periodically, I clean out the library books and bring back a truckload. I don't pay many fines for what I get out of the library.)

[Holly]

I pretty much give them free reign. They have an assigned history book and a literature book (in addition to all our family readings), so I figure their free reading time is their own.  I try to check out an assortment of books for reading during school time, but we don't usually get to everything.  Here I usually just fit things with our school topics...maybe an artist/composer book, a few science books, and a couple history books.  I usually check out the new books section and end up with a good variety of topics from there.  I do help my younger two DC choose books.  My 6yo is drawn to any sort of pink books, so I try to steer her away from year-round Valentine's books.   :lol:

Edited February 4, 2016 by Holly

[Maela]

My kids each have their own card and check out whatever they want. I check out on my own card the books that I want us to read for "school." Sometimes I'll use their card if my hold limit has been reached.

[Mergath]

Nope, dd picks out whatever she wants. If I want to use a specific book for school, I check it out.

[Aurelia]

I limit the twaddle-y books, but don't require specific categories. We have a pretty good home library, anyway, and our public library is tiny, so selection is limited to begin with.

[LauraBeth475]

I just wanted to clarify that my list for each of my kids doesn't have specific books, just categories are listed. For example: 1 science book, 1 biography, 1 art or poetry book, etc. I do have veto power if they pick something I don't think is appropriate for their age but that hasn't really been an issue. I can't say I'm a huge fan of some of the humor in Garfield but I've chosen not to battle about it.

I think I'm going to try something similar to this. Their taste in books is actually fairly decent, just not overly varied. So I'll save the structure for the area that needs the help.

[mamakelly]

I've always let my kids pick whatever books they wanted, as long as it was age appropriate. My 8 year old is obsessed with Skippy Jon Jones right now, I hate reading them to him, but he loves them, so why not?! As long as he's reading. I check out anything we need for school.

[arliemaria]

If we can get 30 books per card and we all have cards, except baby, I don't find it a problem to select a few science/history/fairy tale books or a poetry book while Robby is talking to the librarian about robot books, yet again.  Robby usually does not pick out close to 30 on his own.  If he would, I would simply add some to my card or his dad's.  I can and do veto some books.  I don't find all books equal, but he is welcome to look at them while we are at the library.  

[kalusignan]

However, I place any books I want them to read on hold, so that they're all ready for me to pick up at the library. I assign reading, and that's where the mix of genres comes in.

 

And I go to the library once a week to return books or pick up the holds, but don't take the kids inside very often. I wouldn't be able to do the library thing at all otherwise.

 

 

I also do a version of this.

 

I put all the books on hold that I need for school for the week (history, science, art, etc). I add in any books my older dd has requested (next boxcar children, etc.). I add in any other books I think might interest them and read alouds. So that creates a 'library' of books at home they can pick from.

 

I go to the library once a week, return books, pick up my holds, and check out in one fell swoop. I usually go alone. Occasionally I bring my kids with and will let them pick a book or two of their choosing from the shelves.

 

I would like to do a library 'class' with my older dd to teach her about the different sections of the library, dewey decimal system, etc. Then I could give her a list and have her find them on the shelves. :)

[lllll]

nm

Edited February 13, 2016 by - 8 95

[Baile]

My older kids will usually read everything in the house, so I check out a few good children's books each trip, in addition to the books I want to use "for school" and my own. I limit my 7yo to two Goosebumps books per trip (so he'll have time to read other things), but otherwise allow my kids to pick whatever they want.