Dinsdag en tyd vir boeke - n lekker jeugboek vandag

If one good thing came out of my inactivity after my little accident, it is the reading. I have  read more books in the last 3 weeks than what I usually read in about 2 months. So I have lots to talk about on Tuesdays, but today I start with a wonderful Afrikaans youth book - so if you are looking for a great series of books to improve your daughters' Afrikaans from about 12 (even for second langauge ) - read on.

Meeste van ons boekwurms se kinder herinneringe sluit boeke in. Ai die lekkerte van Saartjie! Saartjie en Trompie was vroeë leesgenot - kortop gevolg deur die Uile en die Lennet reeks. Maasdorp was nooit my gunsteling reeks nie - seker omdat Kobie net eenvoudig nie my tipe meisie was nie - maar was Saartjie dan? Ek weet nie regtig nie - my gunstelinge was steeds die onnutsige maar goedhartige Uile van Kranskop - al was ek 'n meisie. Wat ek wel weet is dat ek elke liewe Maasdorp boek gelees het ten spyte daarvan dat ek nie regtig van Kobie gehou het nie Die aantrekkingskrag was natuurlik die koshuislewe so lekker uitgebeeld daarin. Almal wou koshuis toe - hoekom dan nie? Dit klink asof alles lekkerder en meer avontuurlik is in Maasdorp koshuis as by ons eie huise in voorstedelike Pretoria/Kaapstad of Johannesburg.

Ons wil almal ons lees passie en lekkerte met ons kinders deel en daarom het ek gretig vir A die eerste Saartjie omnibus gekoop - net om deur my boekwurm ingelig te word dat dit regtig nie lekker lees nie. So ook Trompie vir die seuns - dit lyk asof alhoewel vermoderniseer, die stories nie ons kinders aanstaan nie. Toe ek dus later hoor dat die Maasdorp boeke, hoewel nuut uitgegee, nie regtig geniet word nie (ons het een by die bib uitgeneem en ja, is nie eers halfpad gelees nie) het ek so half in my mou gehuil oor die lekkerte van koshuisboeke wat my kinders nou gaan mis. Tot my groot plesier ontdek ek toe die Gravitas reeks van Christien Neser. Ek het voorheen oor haar briljante "Amper Einstein" geskryf en Christien is beslis iemand wat 'n jeugverhaal kan skryf wat volwassenes net so geniet.

Heel gepas met 'n Cream Soda float in die hand gelees.

Die opgewondenheid van my 12 jarige meisiekind by die sien van "Pienk Bikini" moes voorspel het dat sy en ek die boek gaan geniet. Ons het amper loodjies getrek so groot was die afwagting maar ek het ingegee dat sy eers lees aangesien ek 'n stapeltjie het wat wag op my bedkassie.

Prinses A skryf oor die boek: Pienk Bikini is die storie van Elle na sy verkies word as die hoofmeisie van Gravitas skool. Elle is baie opgewonde maar ter selfde tyd baie onseker oor haar nuwe rol. Sy betwyfel heel tyd of sy dit verdien en goed genoeg kan doen. Dan is daar nog Shia en haar inmengerige ouers wat net wag dat Elle 'n fout maak sodat Shia kan oorneem as hoofmeisie.  Elle se werk met die kinderhuis se kleuters sorg vir 'n baie prettige maar op die ou end problematiese modderstoeigeveg. Ek het regtig lekker aan die boek gelees en was bly om al my gunsteling Gravitas karakters weer raak te loop in die boek - ek het reeds Koshuiskofiie en Blou Sjokolade gelees. Ek hou veral baie van Refilwe wat so 'n prettige vriendin is. Sy is altyd vrolik en sal jou nooit in die rug steek nie. Sy het ook vir my my nuwe gunsteling woord gegee - "gomverdorie" Hierdie was 'n heerlike boek!

My opinie: As volwasse leser het ek heerlik aan Pienk bikini gelees - dit is werklik een van daardie jeug boeke waarin die taal, storie en skryfstyl nie vir een oomblik sy jeugdige lesers en hulle ouers onderskat nie. Vir my was elke karakter en die hele Gravitas omgewing nuut en vars en n absolute lekkerte. Ek hou daarvan dat Elle effe onseker voorkom - dit is iets wat ek dink meeste meisies van die ouderdom mee sukkel - al mag hulle dit dalk self nie noem nie. Ek weet my dogter is soms onseker en ek dink dat Elle so suksesvol is ten spyte van dit is 'n heerlike aansporing vir die meisies. Dit is nie maklik om 'n tiener te wees nie en Elle en haar maats spreek daardie onsekerhede en angstigheid goed aan met 'n prettige ondertoon. Elle is beslis my tipe meisie en ek hou sommer baie van haar en haar vriende. Ek gaan beslis die ander Gravitas boeke in ons huis lees - en seker maak my Prinses A kry die res ook onder oë. Ek moet natuurlik ook soos sy Refilwe uitsonder as die aller lekkerste karakter. Sy is daardie een vriendin wat elke meisie of vrou nodig het - lojaal, prettig, positief en so effe astrant.

Die Gravitas of dan Elle reeks is ons keuse van geskenke vir die graad 6 meisies in ons "jaar van boeke as geskenke" Die boeke het als wat mens kan verwag van 'n goed gebalanseerde jeugreeks en elke meisie was tot dusver erg in haar noppies met haar geskenk.

Pienk Bikini kry van albei van ons af 'n vrolike pienk 9/10! Gomverdorie maar dit is 'n heerlike boek!

The thing with gifts

Gosh it's been a tad quiet here? It's not that I don't have anything to say - I have lists and lists of blogpost ideas and some half written ones. But it's been busy - start of the year busy. I am sure you know what I mean. The year is a month old and A is going to her fourth birthday party already. No really! So today I thought I want to talk about presents.

I have always liked to gift money as a gift - and I do believe kids like to get it. Throw it all together and buy something proper. But on the other hand I have seen how much my kids enjoy getting a nice present among the money. A this year got a huge soft and very pretty swimming towel as a gift from one of her friends that also swims. She absolutely adores that towel that is hers only. It was a great gift that she will remember way after she has spent the money she got.

Our kids all have way too many toys to start with. As you all know (if you have ever read anything here) I am a tad passionate about books and reading. I honestly believe the word will be lost if there are no books and no stories. But books have become expensive and almost a luxury. So together with the kids we have decided that this year is our 'Year of the Book". We are giving books only as gifts this year - unless it would be totally unsuitable for some reason.

I send the mom a message to say "We are giving books as gifts this year - is there something specific your child would like to read?" Every mom (there were 5 already this year) replied so positively - with comments like "what a wonderful idea" and "wow - can I copy that idea? Because honestly I believe every mom either wants her kid to read more or has a kid that is reading everything they can find - and both types need new books. The first mom immediately replied with the newest released of a series - which was great . I bought exactly that. The rest did not have a specific idea - so what I do is to make a proposal and ask if they kid has the specific book. With the grade 6 girls we are building a series among them - I have bought 3 of them books of the same series (and A has another) so that they can swap out and read them all. I hope that somehow with this I can spur on the culture of reading.

So tell me - would you have an issue if I do this for your kid? Or will you be doing the happy dance? I have another gift post coming - about family gifts for Christmas in stead of individual ones.

Free time

Give my kids some free time and the huge differences between them will instantly show up. By this I mean electronic free free time - we limit screen time a lot because I guess today that is almost everyone's first choice. Or well, maybe.

You will find L playing anything involving a ball out in the garden. He has even devised a rugby game by himself and bats balls against the wall for cricket. I have to mention that they have mean home cricket games with one bowler, one batsman and one wicket keeper/field worker. But give L a few minutes on his own and he will be outside.

A will disappear quietly and you will find her on her bed in her room with her nose in a book. There is nothing more tempting to her than a good book. I truly understand this as it is quite possibly my natural first choice too. Both of us have fiction as our favorite poison.

In the corner of the living room is a little desk that is littered with paper and pencils. This is mainly C's kingdom where you will find him sketching away. I do think he has a wonderful talent - he turned that black out cardboard into this wonderful sketch the other day. Remember that all mistakes will show on this.

Although all 3 activities has huge benefits and we encourage them all I wish my boys would read a bit more just because it is so very crucial to fast and good learning. From grade 4 on good reading is absolutely essential. Both boys are good, but reluctant readers. C does not in general appreciate fiction where L is a bit easier to entice. I have no problem with them reading non fiction, but then it must be sensible non fiction. I honestly thought that we did all to grow natural readers but in all honesty I do not think everybody is lover of reading and we should appreciate the differences.

With exams around the corner A is spending a lot of time studying and she likes to work in a late afternoon session (about 17:00 - 18:00) and then one after dinner. So in order to get the reading habit growing I have now imposed a "study" time for the boys too - or more acceptable - a read together time. We have tarted with about half an hour and will try and grow it. It involves me sitting with them reading our own books. I do hope this has a positive impact. Our two sessions up to date went down well and I do love that we sit close together and read - a nice and warm feeling.

By the way - did you know that the Nordic Noir writer Jo Nesbo also wrote children's books? I have very seldom seen C so enjoying a book like this one (Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder) - holding thumbs it is the magic book that brings the reading love to him. The book I am reading is a real gem - expect a review soon

Any advice?

Another Tuesday booksday

I am leaving today's Book review over to A - who wrote this review for school and gave me permission to publish it here. So here's something for the tween girls to read:

Meet Mia Thermpolis – an ordinary girl that feels very unpopular and struggles to pass her Algebra exam. One morning she wakes up as herself and goes to bed that same night as Amelia Migonette Grimaldi Thermpolis Renaldo – Crown Princess of Genovia.

Today, I am reviewing The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. Mia lives in Manhattan, New York with her artist Mom who is dating one of her teachers, Mr. Gianini. Her Dad, after falling ill with cancer, decides it’s time for Mia to grow into the Crown Princess she is destined to be.

The storey also features Mia’s best friend, Lilly who I do not like so much as she is very arrogant about being smart and having her own TV show. My favourite character however is Grandmêre who has the task of teaching Mia to be a proper Princess of Genovia. I realise a lot of readers may not like her but I think she is funny and wise and although she and Mia often do not agree they do love each other. Mia in particular is a warm and honest character that you grow to love.

The book reminds us that even if we used to something our wholes lives, it doesn’t mean that it is necessarily the truth. Mia makes many mistakes in the book but she always learns from her choices. The story also teaches us that what may seem very ordinary may disguise something very extraordinary.

I really recommend the book for girls. It’s a great story with wonderful characters you will grow to love. Maybe we all want to be Mia and be a real life Princess or maybe we would like to have a wonderful best friend like Mia.

It's Tuesday Booksday

Personally I am a huge fiction reader - its my poison of choice. So is A. She can get lost in a book - reminds me so much of myself at her age. Hunter would rather read an autobiography or biography or anything that is in the non -fiction genre (with some exceptions like Deon Meyer). C reads very well but he is not a lover of fiction. He reads the odd book but he loves non fiction too. Add to that his insatiable curiosity about anything historical and you have an idea of what to get him to read. After all he is our aspiring archeologist. That being said, all 3 the kids love a certain type of book - call it an illustrated fact book. Like this one (History year by year) we reviewed before.

Today let me show you this wonderful book (that I picked up at the Exclusive Books sale for R69,00 - best buy ever!) It has been one of those where they fight over who gets to read it today. It is called Archeology detectives, written by Simon Adams and published by Barron's.

The books starts with a child friendly index page that show you the different archeological discoveries the book features with their time frames.

This is followed by a page that is very informative on what archeology is a how some techniques work

The seperate archeological finds follow is a well structure format of:

A title page with a big photograph and a location pointer on the world map with description and a summation of what the discovery is.

 He next two pages gives background on the people and place that was discovered - background to the find.

The next two pages shows the actual find with sketches and photographs.

The last two pages is about the archeology itself - how it was found, restored or displayed and what the finding showed.

 It's a wonderful fascinating read that I have dipped into myself.

So I would love to know which books your kids love (and fight about) and would they be interested in a book like this?