I didn't want to hijack the similar thread, but I have a related question. If you keep books from your kids to save them for their first reading/narration, where do you put them?
Some background info. I have:
- a Schoolroom with 4 large bookshelves, but I only keep reference books and the current year's books in here. These books are to be read as scheduled and the free reading ones for the year whenever. The remaining shelves are filled with supplies, nature study stuff, math manipulatives, etc.
- living room with 2 large bookshelves full of only picture and board books for free browsing/reading anytime over and over and another large bookshelf that holds our family scrapbooks, my Lamplighter Rare Book Collection, Bible Commentaries and Counsel books (parenting), medical references, other adult books from paperbacks to my husband's Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brien collections
- loft family room with 3 large bookshelves - 2 are full of chapter books of all kinds, many of which are for coming years of school and need to be "saved", but because of location appear to be for free reading whenever
- converted walk-in closet with 2 large bookshelves that store our SCM module books (1/2 shelf per module), math texts, reading/phonics/spelling stuff, fine arts books not currently scheduled, all Bible/devotional/missionary books, science shelf, etc.
- A large bookshelf in my bedroom with various board, picture, chapter, Bible story books for bedtime read alouds. We add to this as we finish others and then eventually move them out.
- A small bookshelf in each of 2 kid bedrooms with misc. books that the kids read over and over until we switch them out, which isn't often enough
So, as you can see, we have LOTS of bookshelves to hold our collection of 2000+ books that is ever growing thanks to my being a bibliophile.
I have two contrasting ideals that I have trouble reconciling in my brain.
- I would love to house everything except the picture and adult books in one location to be doled out each year for school as need be to ensure that that first reading would be narrated and to have a plan to use all of my collected resources. I could do this by rearranging some shelving, too, but . . .
- I want my kids to browse and enjoy books that they love at their leisure. You know books that become old favorites to be read over and over again just because you love them so.
Thoughts? Wisdom? Snarky comments?
I'm a compulsive organizer and have all of my books in a database (Bookpedia) and they all have color coded spine labels so that they can be shelved appropriately by anyone who picks it up to return it. I know, it's sickening, but I do love having a place for everything!
Blessings,
Christie
