The American Library of Paris 04/30/2010
 I was never one of those kids holed up in their room reading a good book all day. I preferred playing outside over reading. I am finding as I am getting older that a good book is like a present waiting to be opened. I love being transported to another time and place. I quickly realized that I was spending a small fortune at the W.H. Smith, a lovely English bookstore in the heart of Paris. Another favorite is Galignani which has both French and English books and we can't forget FNAC (which are large electronic/video/book stores all over the city as well as Western Europe), they have a lovely selection of books in French and a small selection written in English. I was excited to discover "The American Library of Paris". It's larger than our library back home, more dated and dark, but full of gifts for young and old. It is located near the Eiffel Tower and our routine is to go to the library every two to three weeks, grab some books for the entire family and a few DVD's and then hit the park with our picnic lunch. We look forward to it and I am trying to imprint the association of books and fun on the children's hearts. There is a fee to join the library but it is worth it. A yearly membership for an entire family is 155 euro's and you may check out as many books as you'd like as well as videos. There are less expensive fees for singles and couples and they also have 6 month memberships. For all of you readers out there, I will list some of my favorite reads over the last couple of months. (I will try to type them in my "reading" section of the blog with a brief description too). ~"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett (One of my all time favorite books) ~"Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt ~"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen ~"Roses" by Leila Meacham ~"Everyday in Tuscany" by Frances Mayes ~"Building a House with my Husband" by Rachel Simon Children's books to read in the evening before bed..... ~"The Swiss Family Robinson" by Johann D. Wyes (they loved this adventure) ~"Black Beauty" by Ann Sewell (I enjoyed reading this as much as the kids enjoyed listening to it) ~"Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder (I loved these books as a little girl and now the kids are hooked; even Dan is hooked.) I would love to hear about your favorite adult and children's books. CommentsElizabeth Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:00:45 Oh yes, what fun one can have with reading! I have so many favorite books that I wouldn't know where to start. Of course Pride and Predjudice is at the top, along with most of Jane Austen's books, and To Kill A Mockingbird. Throw in some James Herriott, Elizabeth Von Arnim, Jerome K. Jerome . . . I could go on forever. Elizabeth Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:08:24 Make that James Herriot (with one T). And don't bother with anything besides Three Men in a Boat by Jerome Jerome - he wrote nothing else worth reading! Debra P. Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:01:43 Gina, more than anything . . . my kids have loved reading Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer! Volume I starts with the ancients and the earliest history and continues through Vol. IV: Modern Times. It is simply a history story written for children. We started by reading a chapter a day/wk/whenever, and if you want to add to your study or if there is interest in a certain time period . . .buy the activity book with interesting geography and corresponding literature books. The corresponding literature brings the history alive . . .I love it myself! Both my boys and my daughter would beg me to read more and read out loud (mom loves to dramatize). The literature that is suggested will blow your mind plus the kids will be waiting for more. Each chapter recommends books on their reading level, as well as, more suggestions should you want to read more out loud. I gauarantee Dan would like this, I think you said he likes history. Because of these books my children are experts at history and geography. But, you could use it as just a story book. Sophia and Max would love Volume I: The Ancients. Aprile Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:39:42 Once again, inspiring. I love the cracked paint. Reminds me of New York yet again. But also of Iowa where my family is older houses lots of coats of paint. just a peacefulness that we are indeed all cracked. Cracked up that is! Fri, 30 Apr 2010 10:33:59 This is so lovely. embarrassing confession, I have never read the Little House on the Prairie series...I must. I was the kid that picked reading over outside (our outside at the time was not very inviting...apartment and mobil home living). But my faves as an adult: Jane Eyre by CHarlotte Bronte, all Jane Austen, "These is my Words" by Nancy Turner, and The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. As a kid I quite enjoyed Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and I was captivated by Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery so much that for our honeymoon, my David took us to Prince Edward Island (it was dreamy/lovely). Thanks for your recommendations. Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:32:38 Funny, I was going to ask you for your address, so that I could send you the help. I know when we were in Switzerland I couldn't get my hands on enough reading. I loved it too! I also just finished reading Everday Italy. One of my favorite books this year was The Book Thief. Sun, 02 May 2010 05:23:39 What a great find. Wasn't Swiss Family Robinson the ultimate homeschooling book. 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