Intro - A Summer in the South by James Marshall

I spent a lot of time reading to my children when they were young.  My children learned at home.  The books my husband and I read to them and that they read on their own formed a large part of their curriculum.  I'll be posting some of our favourites here.  Some books that I mention will be out of print, but libraries often have some of the old standards and/or they can be found used in second hand brick and mortar or online bookstores such as Amazon. 

  A Summer in the South by James Marshall

A mystery story in 27 chapters.  Detective Eleanor Owl  and her partner Mr. Paws are disturbed by the strange events going on in the small hotel at the beach where they are staying during their vacation.    Various things are being done and no one knows who among the guests is responsible - a chicken who does yoga, a cootie family, a pig  or ?  Fun to read and to listen to, it's sure to tickle everyone’s funny bone.  Like The Sea View Hotel, I read this book to my children many times.   In fact, I still like to read it, although now I just read it to myself - it makes me laugh!


The Sea View Hotel by James Stevenson

I read this book to my children many times.  There was something so intriguing about the black and white illustrations by the author – details of the very Victorian hotel that Hubert and his parents visit for the summer.  Hubert is all excited, looking forward to having a wonderful time with all of the other children.  Unfortunately, this hotel caters to old people and not another child is to be seen, but then he meets Alf, the hotel groundskeeper.  Hubert begins to discover all the things waiting to be done with encouragement from Alf.  A delightful story that in the words on one of my adult sons “Is about the wonderful mystery of summer, of possibilities, of holidays.”