My favorite book from my childhood is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It’s a great children’s book to share with our grandkids today as well. Even though it’s definitely from another era, that genre is still quite popular. Look at movies such as Pride and Prejudice , along with Sense and Sensibility . They are both recent remakes that many enjoyed watching. Books like Narnia , Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie also are perennial favorites seen at every bookstore.

Schools are starting to wind down. Next week one of my grandkids has the annual week of testing that all school kids have fun doing. (Well, I had fun with them. I’m not so sure he’s looking forward to it.) Beyond that, summer beckons. Fun times on the beach, lazing around the backyard, and reading a good book in a hammock on the hottest of days. Reading is not just pleasurable. It stimulates our brains, prods our senses, and encourages our imaginations. Reading also helps our grandkids keep learning and growing over the summer without ever realizing that what they enjoy is actually good for them.

This might be a great time to introduce them to the delights of Little Women , along with the other books for kids in that series – Little Men and Jo’s Boys . Or perhaps you have a different special favorite from your childhood? Not only do your grandkids get to enjoy reading, they can get to know a little more about you while you can enjoy spending some quality time with them discussing something special to you. That’s one of the best gifts you can ever give your grandkids.