What a haven to be in, to be surrounded by physical books—
having come from a different dusty world, a small town in east Africa where bookstores are rare, good books rarer.
This is now luxury redefined.
“Mummy, can we come here every day?”
I know it boggles some to know- that where we live in east Africa, good books are hard to come by.
While international shipping, bookstores & grocery superstores are all at the tip of our fingertips and a quick ride away, acquiring books can be a step of faith where we serve- i can’t get over how we need to buy items 6 months in advance… and while I’m grateful for the chance to do so, it also breaks my heart open with grief at times.
I love the sight of my girls completely enraptured in a bookstore. We cld spend hours there lost in books.
If you live in a country where books are easily accessible, I hope you’ll realize what a luxury it is.
Here are some of my recommended picks for my girls and I hope the titles and the reasons behind them will help you curate your own reading list for yourself and yr kids.
Context- I do read chapter books along with my kids to help them expand their vocab, explain context, etc.
The Humble Pie
The Humble Pie is the latest to our edition of the series. Filled with puns and beautiful illustrations, it carries deep lessons for children and their character building through real struggles they face in school and life. My favorite thing to do is also to illustrate the characters with my girls and create our own puns!
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance
Growing up, I rarely read Asian literature. I want my girls growing up to know they, too, can become an international author and that their stories matter, too.
Charlotte’s Web
Classics!
Always good to mix them in, and I regret never having read many of them as a child as I was swept away by the world of very serious non fiction.
I Am Malala
This might look a bit too heavy for kids, but I sure want them to know how a single, female voice can change a world.
Roald Dahl
My littler one loves Roald Dahl. Who doesn’t? And while these books all cost a bomb, I think they’re worth the investment, don’t you?
And if you’re looking for a book list of yr own, here is my personal book list I’ve loved from years gone past.
Have a lovely year feasting on these titles. I envy those of you who live where books are easily accessible 💛!