Books to Read Out Loud as a Family #LifeisaSpecialOccasion

I spend a lot of time thinking about how I can do better as a family. My boys are getting older and time is getting shorter. C’Man is almost twelve and I’m waiting for the day for him to turn into that teenager who doesn’t like anything to do with his family. He isn’t there yet, but I’m sure it’s coming.

You saw my December Projects post. I was not only itching to be creative over the holidays, but I wanted the kids to be involved as much as possible. Fun activites for all of us!

Now that the New Year is here, I wanted to think of an activity that we can do almost everyday together…something that we would all enjoy with no one complaining. Is that possible?

Read a book as a Family. Yes! Now we’ve started this before. Most of the time we do it with bible stories, but our routine never lasts. I’m determined to make it stick this year. Since P’Diddy gets to pick out two picture stories of his own before nap and bed, I wanted our nightly family book to be geared towards the big boys.

I chose our first book and it is called Dead Man’s Hand. It is part of the Caden Chronicles (more on this in future post!) and written by author Eddie Jones who does write Christian books, but this one isn’t geared towards religion. It is a paranormal-detective series written for pre-teens. I thought it would be a great start to peek their interest and we are loving it so far. Each night we read a chapter and it always ends in a good cliff hanger so they are excited for tomorrow!

It got me thinking. What are great out loud books to read with the kids? Oldies and Modern? With your help on Facebook I came up with a great list!

One of my favorite stores Hallmark is on the right track. They just aren’t about cards and holidays, but about Life and turning everyday moments into Special Occasions. Check out of their fun projects and inspirations that you can create with your family.

Do you have any books you can add to the list you enjoy reading out loud with your kids?

Happy New Year from Hallmark! Share how you’ll create memories with your family in the new year. Visit Hallmark.com/explore for their full product line and special offers. Life is a special occasion so celebrate!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hallmark. The opinions and text are all mine.