books found on the couch

At some point during Shabbos, when I had to move yet another pile of books off the couch to find a place to sit, I thought: what an interesting assortment we have here!

First of all, there was Time magazine, draped over the back.

 10 yo was doing parsha question research

Both boys have read the series, but this one is from the library

My anxiety-evoking reading on how to deal with anxiety in kids.
1 yo's book, handed down from the boys.
Pajama Library book that 1 yo picked out, but 4 yo actually wanted me to read.

Boys' new obsession with Percy Jackson. I didn't think I will miss "Oh My Gods!", but I do.
1 yo's current favorite book. 4 yo picked it out in the library, 1 yo loves the pictures and the absolutely crazy vocabulary. We all learned a thing or two. Defenestration, anyone?

A friend just brought this over, and I submerged myself over Shabbos. I miss my Houston book club any time I read a great book.
This was also part of 10 yo's research, specifically, a proof of how cases are settled.

Our random book selection lead to interesting questions. 10 yo wanted to know how Greek understanding of gods  is different from malachim (angels). 8 yo asked a good question on the parsha: if a Levi is a judge, can you bring him a gift as a Levi?

My house might be messy, we have books strewn everywhere, and we do not nearly have enough book space to contain everything we own (not to mention everything I want to have accessible). I have a dedicated book shelf just for library books, in vain hope that they will not be mixed in with the rest. My kids know that I like to read, and I will make time to read to them. In fact, every time I plop on the couch, I usually have to nudge one of the boys to move his reading over so that there is space to sit. As soon as I sit down, either 4 yo or 1 yo will bring a book over. Both younger kids will spend quite a bit of time looking at the pictures, "reading" to themselves. I have so many cute moments of 1 yo clambering on the couch and sitting with the big boys, imitating reading, because that's what big boys do!

I do not know what my kids will be when they grow up, but they will be readers, and they will be people who love books.