We're so excited that the Family Reads official launch day has finally arrived! We've been working on this project throughout much of 2007 and it's truly a joy to be able to share it with you.
Why we started Family Reads
Life moves pretty quick most of the time. It's a challenge to fit in everything we need to do, much less everything we want to do. And finding great books to feed our children's growing minds is one of those things that can fall to the lower end of our to-do lists all too easily.
After pouring many hours into researching and choosing books for our son, Ben, we began sharing some of our favorite finds with friends and family members. And, as with most good things in life, we found that the more we shared, the more fun it became. So when the idea for this site sprouted up in a family conversation one afternoon, we knew we had to do it!
What you can expect on Family Reads
Dependably delightful books for kids. We'll be posting reviews of high-quality books you can take to the bank, er library or bookstore. In addition, we'll share ideas and inspiration to help instill a life-long love of reading in your family. And for Sunday Rest, we'll take a family tradition online as we share a yummy snippet from something we're reading.
We're here to maximize your time. We'll supply you with reliable reads so that when you find yourself confronted with a sea of bookshelves in the library or bookstore, you don't have to resort to a random grab of closeby titles or the latest, but not-so-greatest, releases. So check back several times a week and we'll serve up a hearty helping of reading encouragement just for you and your family! In fact, we've already included a couple tidbits below to get you started.
Who is the Family in Family Reads?
Lori's third grade teacher once accused her of suspicious library pass usage after receiving almost-daily requests to go check out yet another book. As an adult, Lori has shared her love of juvenile fiction with everyone she can, including (of course!) son Ben. She has recently rediscovered the joy of reading these books all by herself and is devouring one after another. In her non-reading hours, Lori works full time in marketing communications and enjoys cooking, scrapbooking and lots of walks.
Brian is the author of a book on blogging and spends his days at a local web start-up. If he had known about the endless number of wonderful books for kids when he was young, he might not have read Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown seven times. His favorite authors to read with Ben are Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and Walter Moers.
Ben is a twelve-year-old boy who loves books. He has been reading for over seven years now. His two proudest reading feats are reading the final Harry Potter book is less than a day and reaching the end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He also has other hobbies including writing and video games.
Why is Family Reads a family passion?
Reading isn't just a hobby, it's a way of life. Readers develop a healthy sense of curiosity and love of learning. We want to know more. We thrill in the unmatched smell of books and find it hard to do anything else when there's a fresh new stack of library books waiting for us. We find refuge in stories so engrossing that our everyday cares fade away. When we wander the aisles of a bookstore, we gain an immense appreciation for just how big our world is. We begin to understand people who are different from us. Readers are expectantly hopeful about what each new page will hold.
My stack of bedside reading had a habit of not-so-gracefully overflowing from my table to the floor. But when I stowed it all in a large, linen-lined basket, the formerly slippery pile instantly transformed into a "this-girl-not-only-reads-but-sorta-has-her-act-together" collection.
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