Fostering a Love of Reading: Our Little Library...

I'm in love with books.  We have hundreds - no, possibly thousands.  I love them so much I've worked at Bookstores and sell books and promote literacy with Usborne.

I desperately want to foster a love of reading in our children.  Already, all three adore books of all kinds - and would sit for hours listening to tales, were it possible.  But I've heard so many stories from parents of children who have a great start and then somewhere along the line (usually about age 7-8, especially for boys) their kids just stopped having an interest in reading of any kind.  I think a lot of this has to do with Media exposure (which is a WHOLE other post), but much can also have to do with the wrong reading materials being presented, a lack of books in the home, a lack of example shown by parents and role models, struggles reading, or bad experiences in school or elsewhere, among others.

So, I'm doing everything I can to nurture their love of reading.  Lately, I've been very out of "love" with our upstairs hallway (even after renovating it).  So, after reading a post by a good friend, highlighting a gorgeous home library on a stairwell landing, I was inspired!

Now, mind you, our humble "library" boasts far fewer books and we're kind of missing the leather chairs and rolling ladder 'feel' - but, our kids ADORE it, and I'm loving the great use of space in our tiny country home.  This is nowhere near all our titles, but it is a nice selection of both fiction and non-fiction that I thought suited 'bed time' reading and didn't fall into our Curriculum categories for this coming year (they've been shelved separately downstairs).  Sometimes, it's great to offer choice, but not completely overwhelm, which is what I think they were before, looking at almost 800 books on one big book case.



PICS:

BEFORE -

AFTER -  

(Sorry the pictures seem blurry, not sure why, 

I took them late tonight and couldn't get them perfect, but, you get the idea!)

Now, right at the top of our landing (where the kids' rooms are are to the left, our room and the upstairs bathroom sit on the right) there's this lovely use of space that intrigues our children to browse books and pick out a favourite every time they pass by.  Also, it shows them the value we place on reading and books in our home and that it's fun and encouraged to "heart" books!  They are ecstatic to have their own "Library" and I feel fuzzy inside that they love this so much.

 Do any of you have your own home "Library"?  I'd love to see pictures and hear your stories!


Blessings and Love,

Cassandra