Am I the last person to read The Wizard of Oz? I think I must be, which is one of the reasons that I picked it as our wrap-up-the-school-year read-aloud. I don’t know that there is much that I can say about the book that probably hasn’t been said somewhere else (and better), but it was an interested read from the perspective of someone that grew up only watching the movie. You know, way back when it was on TV only one night of the year and not to be missed! This is one of my favorite movies of all time though surprisingly not one that I have shown my kids many times. The big girls have maybe seen it once … I’m not sure if B has ever seen it.
Anyway, since this is a little post about the book and not the movie, I digress. The book tells the story of young Dorothy who is swept off to the magical land of Oz during a prairie tornado. While there, she teams up with a scarecrow, and tin man, and a cowardly lion as they travel to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard of Oz for help with their respective problems. In many respects, this book was very similar to the movie, obviously. However, the book includes new characters such as the Winkies, the people of the China country, and some tiny mice that either try to thwart or aid Dorothy and Co. The famed flying monkeys also have a much larger role in the book than in the movie, and aren’t quite as scary as they appear on film.
While we enjoyed reading this story, I wasn’t as excited about it as some of the other books we have read-aloud. I knew what was coming and there were no exciting surprises or twists of character to look forward to. It surprised me how much that took from my enjoyment of the story. It reinforces to my why I almost always tell my kids we need to read the book first before watching the movie!
My thoughts, such as they are, on this American classic. : ) Linking up with Amy for Read Aloud Thursday!
Affiliate Amazon links included in this post, FYI.
I mentioned that we officially started our summer break last Monday and it has been non-stop action around here since then. Though, not necessarily the kind of excitement I was looking for. : )
Monday through Wednesday were spent at the annual summer Classical Conversation practicum.
However, we got a little souvenir from the conference that we weren’t expecting – a nasty virus that has kept us homebound since last Wednesday! High fevers that lasted for days have been the culprit (with an additional case of strep for N1 as a bonus) and we’ve done lots of laying on couches, intermittent napping, reading / reading aloud, and watching of movies. I’ve hated seeing my munchkins so sick, and having to cancel quite a few fun things off the calendar the last few days, but I think we are in the homestretch.
While we’ve been homebound, I did manage to get a few loose ends from school wrapped up. Last year’s school work has been cleaned off our shelves and filed away in the closet. A new binder with a fun orange cover to hold all my planning pages for next year’s curriculum. I’ve nailed down almost all my thoughts on what our curriculum will be next year with the exception of B’s reading (and maybe something spelling oriented for N1). Jury is still out in those two areas.
Today’s project was to spruce up our reading wall in the school room. It’s SO nothing fancy. : ) This spring, I starting putting up little caterpillar body segments for each book my independent readers finished. Green = N1, purple = N2, orange are our read-alouds … and I’m picky on what counts as a book. (i.e. a reread of Calvin and Hobbes for the fifth time does not count). : )
We now have a blank slate for summer – we are going to fill our ice cream cones with as many scoops as we can to show what books we have completed. The middle cone will be for read-alouds and what B and I read. This will probably include her picture books and easy readers though again, the 20th run through of a Fancy Nancy book won’t count either. : ) Just a fun visual so the girls can see what they are accomplishing when I give them a little reading time each day and how a little every day does add up!
Happy Monday. Hoping to be able to send the healthy kidlets off to VBS this evening … we are ready for the some the fun, out-of-the-house activities to commence!
… softball season has ended. Third place in their division. Such a good experience for N1 this spring.
… got out my Project Life supplies. Playing lots of catchup.
… restocking the shelves and cupboards with the whole family.
… sitting on the front step watching a boy chase a ball and reading an old favorite.
… making homemade cookies with a girl
… having my brain stretched and pulled in a zillion different directions at this year’s Classical Conversations practicum.
… looking at this pile of stuff that needs cleaned out and put away from my comings and goings of the week.
… picking up antibiotics for one with strep, a dinosaur from the dollar bin for a boy with a virus, and a few binders for the mama who thinks she is inspired to work on next year’s school work which she has two sick kids (and diet coke to fuel it).
… but instead winding up the week being still as I nurse a couple sick kiddos through a rough night and an easy Friday instead of having some friends over to play and have Bible study.
It’s been a full / good / tiring / busy week here to start off our first week of summer break. Hope yours has been wonderful as well.
One of my goals this year has been to diversify my reading. As I've spent the last 17 years homeschooling anywhere from 1-4 kids, I woul...
