Today we are so pleased to have Valarie Budayr of Jump Into a Book join us for a sponsorship giveaway. Valarie has contributed to every edition of Rhythm of The Home, and her work in the magazine, as well as on her three websites has been invaluable to families around the globe. We hope that you enjoy getting to know Jump Into a Book in a bit more detail, and leave a comment below to enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Amazon. The winner will be chosen randomly on Monday morning.
Welcome Valarie.
Tell us a bit about Jump into a Book.
Jump Into a book is a website dedicated to bringing the stories we love to life in a family or community setting. When at Jump Into A Book, you can experience great books together via our “Something to Do Book Reviews”, meet great authors where they write” In the Garrett”, take a sneak peak at some of our favorite books which have been made into movies, and browse our “booklists” for something great to read. Feel like delving a little further into a book? Why not take a Jump into a Book adventure? In our very own humblest opinion, a good story should never stay on the page.
What inspired you to begin your work, and what keeps you motivated today?
Jump into a Book has been an incredible journey that I’ve had with my children and our love of reading. 10 years ago I started a mother/daughter book club called “Book Adventures”. Zaina, my eldest, was in third grade and the school was making her be very independent and much of her school work was no longer done in a group but by herself. They also had a very rigorous reading program which didn’t allow for much reading time at home. I felt that I was losing our reading connection as a family. I created this book club so mothers and daughters could read books aloud to each other. After a few weeks, we would come together to make those books come alive through feasts, crafts, games, songs etc. We would refer to this as “going to adventure”.
A few years later we added a boy to our family and the book adventures as well as what we are reading has changed greatly. We are a family with a very strong reading culture. It isn’t difficult to be motivated. There are so many great books and so many new books being published all the time and the hardest decision is choosing the books we are going to jump into. There are so many books and not enough time. The blogging format has made it possible to share our love of book jumping with a larger community. There are many of us out there. It is such a rewarding experience and that in itself is what keeps us going.
How do you balance being an artist, business owner, and parent?
Luckily this is a job which is easy to balance. I will say that I have an awareness of being connected to the computer. I have a specific time when I am online writing blog posts, reading blog posts, and doing the business end of the company. From 3:30 on when everyone is home from school, I’m one hundred percent theirs. I might check my email in the evening before bed but usually everything is tied up before the children come home.
When the children were younger I would have a babysitter come into the house and I would go upstairs and work for a few hours. I also swapped out time with friends. I would watch their children so they could get something done and then they would watch mine. I’ve found being a creative entrepreneur has to have specific hours, especially working from an at home office. Creating a sense of balance has been so important to my family. I feel that I’m not pulled in a million directions and that everything receives the positive outcome it’s looking for.
You can learn more about Jump Into a Book by visiting their website
Valarie and Jump into a Book are offering a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner, and this time of year always seem so perfect to curl up with a good read. Simply leave a comment below to be entered, and tell us your favorite book from childhood. Thank you to Valarie, and good luck!
Congratulations to Mamabird Liz for winning the Amazon gift certificate. Another giveaway is just around the corner!
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What a great giveaway! My favorite book from childhood was either “Trumpet of the Swan” or “A Wrinkle in Time” – those are the two that I remember with most fondness! I’m so excited to visit this website to learn about ways to turn reading with my son into exciting adventures!
It would be too difficult to pick just one favorite book from childhood. The lasting favorites for me were the Little House books as well as Anne of Green Gables. I enjoy reading Where the Wild Things Are to my children as well as the many Elsa Beskow books and Ox Cart Man. I agree with Valerie that incorporating the book into play and everyday life greatly fosters a love of reading, as well as a deeper understanding of the book.
My favorite childhood books were Little House books and the Anne of Green Gable Series. I have so many children’s books saved on my Amazon wishlist. Thanks for the chance to win.
When I was a kid I loved to read Llyod Alexander and Susan Cooper’s books. They took me away to a place and time much different from every day life. I think that was when I realized that reading can be used as an escape.
I remember my mum read to us every night, childrens book and then chapter books. I remember realizing that I had clear visions of the characters and their surrounding even though there were no pictures (I was surprised and delighted by this!). I loved anything by Farley Mowat, Maurice Sendak and the book “The Tomten.” Thank you so much for a lovely giveaway!
As a child I loved The Giving Tree.
I have a cozy chair and a warm blanket ready to go – just need a good book!
Both of my children are devoted readers. They asked for gift certificates to our local bookstore for Christmas and pretty much any gift giving occasion. My oldest son is 11 and just started a bookclub at this local bookstore. Reading is in our family. I love Jump Into A Book. Great reviews of books and reminders of the classics. Thank you. My favorite book as a child, Miss Suzy.
I loved “The Hundred Dresses” and the “The Boxcar Children”. And now I think I’ll need to go to the library for some books to share with my son! I think he’s finally old enough for a good chapter book.
What a wonderful giveaway! My favorite book as a child was Little Woman. My grandmother read it to me as a bedtime story. She also gave me the Little Woman dolls that were my mothers – one every Christmas. Oh the memories. Thank you.
I loved anything by Canadian author Kit Pearson and I loved the Velveteen Rabbit!
My favorite book from childhood is “The Giving Tree”.
One of my favorite things to do is to ‘jump into a book’ with my children.
Thanks for the reminder of a wonderful website (now subscribing so I don’t lose it again…) and for a lovely giveaway!
i had two series that i loved as a child – little house & nancy drew!
I have such fond memories of reading ‘The Black Cauldron’ out loud with my parents. Not sure if it’s my favorite childhood book, but it has the fondest times associated with it.
My boys still love reading fairy tales and anything to do knights, dragons or pirates!
I had so many favorites. I think Black Beauty, Little Women, A Little Princess, and anything by Beverly Cleary were my faves.
I loved the Velveteen Rabbit most of all.
Even now as an adult, I can think back and imediately think of my favorite book with such joy… “No Flying in the House” is still a favorite, as was “Beauty” and I can’t wait to read them with my girls! Our list of great books is never ending on Amazon and we’d love to win!
Oh fairy tales, any and all kinds of fairy tales. I loved them as a child. Thanks for pointing out this site for me, I can’t wait to explore!
Books books wonderful books, how I do love them so! And if I should win, then I shall grin, and order some books for my girl!
i loved “Miss Rumphius” the lupine lady. It is such a beautiful book.
Oh, I had so many favorites!! But one that always comes to mind is “My Father’s Dragon”–the first chapter book my mom read to us, the first one I read myself, and the first one I read to my first preschool class.
Right now I’m reading one of my favorite books from my childhood to my daughters – “Little House in the Big Woods”. I adored the Ingalls family growing up and it’s such a joy to share that with my children.
I just love reading and can’t get enough read off of my Amazon wish-list recently. This would be the perfect excuse to buy a new book! My fingers are crossed for this one.
Mine would have to be Padington Bear.
My favorite book as a ten year old was The Hobbit. I still love it and love fantasy stories.
Thanks so much for the wonderful giveaway. My favorite childhood book was Goldilocks and the Three Bears, as well as many many others. I still love childrens books and it shows in my son’s book collection. My husband and I still have several of our childhood books that we’ve passed on to our son. Most are very worn and well loved, but it’s an amazing feeling to see your child enjoy the very same book you did at his age! Thanks again!
Great giveaway! I have a few faves from childhood. One is “Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm” by Alice and Martin Provensen, “The Dead Tree” by Alvin Tressalt (which in no longer in print but has been redone with another title – “The Gift of the Tree”, I think) and of course, The Little House series.
Great Giveaway! I loved anything by Shel Silverstein as a child!
My favorite books were the Velveteen Rabbit and the Nancy Drew series. Thanks for the giveaway.
Books were my mode of transportation as a kid. I could go anywhere in the stories. I really enjoyed the Nancy Drew Series as I got older. And as a younger child non-fictional horse books made me feel like I had my own!
What a lovely concept!
I loved the Anne of Green Gables series, and Where the Red Fern Grows. I remember standing behind my mother at the kitchen table, with my chin on her shoulder, listening to her read.
My favorite book as a child was A little Princess. I couldn’t get enough of that book. It’s fun to read everyone’s favorites.
We recently read Trumpet of the Swan and it was SUPER!!!
I remember really liking Isle of the Blue Dolphin and The Great Gilly Hopkins.
love.to.read.
I love it! I only just discovered ROTH with this last edition, and wish I had been on board from the beginning. Valerie’s blog was one of the first I connected to as someone who just devours books and always seeks deeper connection with others regarding the literary experiences I enjoy!
I first visited Rhythm of the Home before Christmas. While perusing I found the Jump into a Book sight and was so impressed. What a generous resource! And what a generous gift offering. My 3 children love books, my oldest is a voracious reader. We’ll surely be looking to Jump into a Book for great book ideas. Thank you!!
What a great giveaway! One of my favorite childhood books was “Misty of Chincoteague.” I remember reading and rereading that book, and others by the same author, during my horse-obsessed stage! I also remember loving the “Little House” series, and would daydream about living as a pioneer.
Valarie, what a generous give-away! Thank you!
Nicola
Without a doubt, the Little House books were my favorite. I still have some of them now, and actually reference them as inspiration for our homesteading lifestyle! Pre-kids, my husband and I read aloud all of the Harry Potter books. We read constantly to our 3 year old and I love making our house the kind of place where there is always at least a dozen books “unfinished”.
Thanks!
Great give-away!
My favorite book was Hatchet. I keep meaning to get a copy for my son to read. I’m sure he’d love it.
Jump Into a Book is a great blog, very enriching. As a child, I my favorite books were The Maggie B and the Star Mother’s Youngest Child.
I love reading with my kids. This year we have been reading Fanatastic Mr. Fox and Charlottes’ Web multiple times.
I love reading your blog-great books and ideas ! My favorite book since childhood would have to be the Rose Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. I read the whole series over and over again after discovering them when I was 9.I loved fairy tales and read them exclusively for several years.I’m enjoying these books again with my girls.
I really enjoy I, Coriander by Sally Gardener.It is a really great novel.
My favorite book then (and now) is Little Women. I told my husband before we had kids that if we had girls I would raise them with Little Women. I was raised with all boys and I was so nervous about being a mom of girls. It turns out that my girl is as sweet as can be, but I’m still going to raise her with Little Women. Marmee is so wise and good.
I always loved The Chronicles of Narnia. A neighbor read them to me when I was seven.
Finding this post has answered my pryares
I really loved any horse book as a child. I think I read every horse book in the library!
hmmm. If I *had* to pick just one, it would probably be The Secret Garden, but picking just one seems horrible!
Sounds like my kind of website! My favorite book as a child was The Loner by Ester Wier.
Thanks for the giveaway! My favorite early childhood book is “Make Way For Duckings” and my favorite from latter childhood is “Island of the Blue Dolphins.”
My five year old loves reading the Little House on the Prairie books with me. She often acts out scenes in outdoor play. I love to encourage this type of play! As a Montessori teacher of 3-6 year olds, I can tell how much tv children watch by how they play. Children play what they are exposed to. Far better to expose them to rich stories in books than violent cartoons.
Hej Valarie
What a very generous giveaway!
I do not recall having any connections with books at home or being read aloud to as a child, at home.
But at school at the age of 7/8 I really discovered a LOVE of books. I fell in love with Roald Dahl…James & The Giant Peach and of course Charlie & Chocolate Factory, which were read aloud in class each day by the teacher, the last 20 minutes before the Home Bell sounded. Sometimes I wish it wouldn’t ring as I would be absorbed in my own world imagining & listening…
Thank you
LOVE PEACE enJOY
Julie
x
Hello. I would love a chance for an amazon gift card. What a great give-away, and what a great thing to receive. I was not exposed to books growing up, but our 7 children were. Today, as adults, they are avid
readers. My husband and I feel that books are fantastic and love to read. Money is tight right now, so I
would love a chance for something new to read. Thanks for a chance.
Thanks for the giveaway! I am a big reader, and have many favorite childhood books. One of my favorites when I was maybe 10 or so was “The Changeling” by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. I still have my old copy.
My favorite book was — and continues to be — “Little House on the Prarie” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The books have always been magical to me, reminding me of what’s truly important.
I don’t know if I had a favorite childhood book, just loved to read. One of my favorite early memories is being able to write my name and get my own library card.
I could read about Valarie all day long. She is such an interesting soul.
My favorite book as a child was “Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?” by Dr. Seuss. Of course, I have done my fair share of reading it in the past few years and I’m now proud to say it’s one my my kids’ favs, too
I still have my original copy of The Pokey Little Puppy from when I was little! I loved it (and still do). As an older child, I loved the Little House books and Charlotte’s Web. They made me dream of my own farm, and now I have my own. I actually found the complete set of the Little House books the other day at my local library for $2! Thanks so much for chance at the giveaway.
oh so many to choose from! One that stands out the most is Caddie Woodlawn, which I just rediscovered last year, and I read to my third graders. The reason it stands out so much to me, is because I remember trying to read it at some point, and I just couldn’t enjoy it, and then a couple years later I tried again and fell in love with the Woodlawn family…
So many to choose from. I know I loved Where the Wild Things Are when I was quite young. Thanks for the chance to win. I LOVE buying new books
Great giveaway! When I was little, I loved the surreal storybook Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, although probably my all-time childhood favourite would have to be the Little House on the Prairie books.
Wow! I am inspired by the your creativity in the development of your business. We love books.
Great idea!
Becky
How wonderful – the idea of a “book” giveaway in these dark and cold winter days and nights… perfect!!! Hope my number comes up… and if not, I hope whoever wins it enjoys every word they read, every memory they make…
My favourites were the Anne of Green Gables series and Mr. Potter’s Purple House. I’d love to find a copy of Mr. Potter’s to add to my children’s collection!
I always loved the Chronicles of Narnia.
I loved (and still enjoy) Pippi Longstocking. But I had so many favorites…
Great giveaway. My favorite childhood book is the Secret Garden. Still love it.
My favorite book when I was younger was You are Special. It was given to me by a very special person in my life and it came right at the time I needed it. And with that I gave it to my daughter this past year and now she loves me to read it to her.
I loved the Hardy Boys and Bobbsey Twins. My dad had saved the books from when he was younger and I would stay up late (meaning 10:00… an hour past my bedtime) many nights reading these.
Pipi Long Stocking! I cannot wait until my little one is big enough for Pipi!
)))
i loved one morning in maine by robert mccloskey, and all his books really. now i love to read them with my kids!
One of my early favorite books was HOP ON POP by Dr. Seuss. When I got a bit older, I read (and re-read!) LITTLE WOMEN and LITTLE MEN. Thank you for the chance to win a delightful giveaway!!!
Do I have to pick just one favorite book? My favorite childhood book was The Secret Garden. And I was a huge fan of the Ramona Quimby books. And anything by Judy Blume.
What a fantastic idea–jumping into the books! I’m going to have to spend some time with Jump into a Book. My four-year-old daughter and I spend a lot of time reading together and I’d love to incorporate our favorite and soon-to-be-discovered favorites into our lives a little more. Thanks for the chance at a great giveaway!
I love Jump Into a Book – we really got into Heidi via the website (Although I am yet to make the dirndl)! I keep recommending it to people. So many favourites from childhood; one that stands out for me is Bridge to Teribithia.
I don’t think a single book from childhoos would do my appitite any justice. The Secret Garden, Lord of the Rings, Wuthering Heights, A cricket in Times Square, the list goes on and on…
Oh so many! The Secret Garden, the Little House books, and the Swallows and Amazons series really have stood with me. I have loved to read as long as I can remember!
What a great idea for a blog-off to check it out right now! Some of my fav books from childhood were the Nancy Drew mysteries-still have some today!
very cool. so hard to choose! where the red fern grows, betsy, tacy and tib, anne of green gables. . .
All of these previous posts are reminding me of so many favorite books! As a child I read every Little House on the Prarie Book and I when I was a little older my aunt introduced me to her collection of Nancy Drew books, all of which I have had the opportunity to revisit with my own girls. Now I am having a blast reading picture books once again with my 3 yr old son. Thanks for sharing this!
My husband and I both fell in love with the book “La nuit des temps”( Barjavel) as teenagers. That was years before we met. Today our youngest boy shares the name of the hero of this book!
I loved the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries.
My fav was the Babysitters Club series! tracietrump@yahoo.com
I loved The Secret Garden , The Little Princess , Winnie the Pooh, and Beatrix Potter’s tales from my childhood.
Love Valarie and love her blogs!
happy day!
I enjoy Valarie’s posts. I remember reading “Island of the Blue Dolphins” as a young teenager and loved it.
That would be the Dick and Jane books…yep, I was in first grade when the first ones came out and they used them for readers.
the first books that i can remember really falling in love with were the nancy drew series. i always loved reading as a child though. i devoured books. i don’t make enough time to read (adult) books anymore.
do I have to pick just one? little women.
heidi.
all the trixie belden series
hmmm…this is a tough one. I had (and still have) a wonderful book of nusery rhymes and short stories (little red hen, 3 little pigs, jack and the beanstalk) that I would read from often. Received it from my Grandmother. Now, my daughter has it.
My favorite books as a child were Nancy Drew mysteries and anything to do with greek mythology. I remember being as young as ten and devouring everything about the gods, heroes and monsters of the ancient world.
a wrinkle in time!!!
I loved the Nancy Drew books, but my favorite book was The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. I guess I need to give it a read as a adult.
I still have all my childrens books – some of them too girly for my boys yet, but a lot which I hope they will love as I do. Many of them are mentioned above, a couple of favourites which are no are the Moomin books (Finn Family Moomintroll etc) by Tove Janssen and all of George MacDonalds childrens books especially “The Princess and the Goblin”. Also any and all fairy tales which I could find.
I was a HUGE Nancy Drew fan as a child.
My favourites were hands-down the Ramona books by Beverley Cleary. I still curl up with them when I’m tired or gloomy or have a cold and I love them just as much now as I did then!
LOVE Valerie and her site about books – I love finding out about good books as a mom, auntie, and teacher! My favorite is the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I have read it not only as a child, but each year as a teacher, and each December to my own children – I never cease to think about God differently when I do! elizabethlehman@hotmail.com
Oh, books, one of my favorite topics. Hard to pick one favorite book from childhood . . . I completely wore out a set of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia AND a set of Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series, but I think my favorite favorite was Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown, followed closely by her The Blue Sword. Both feature strong, sensitive, intelligent young women struggling to find their place in the world, and learning self acceptance . . . while having thrilling adventures involving magic swords, spectacular horses and of course a little bit of romance. Perfect.
The first one that popped up after Goodnight Moon was Gyo Fujukawa’s Come Follow Me to the Secret World of Elves and Fairies and Gnomes and Trolls and then Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends. I’m not very fond of poetry as an adult but apparently it spoke to me as a child.
In kindergarten it was a pop up version of The Ugly Duckling and then in grade school I really enjoyed Little House on the Prairie. Thanks for the giveaway!
winne the pooh, or alice in wonderland… I still read these books with wonder!
New books are always great! Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite book from my childhood was without a doubt ‘Momo’ by Michael Ende. I had to think long and hard about this because Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit occupy a large space in my heart as well. But ‘Momo’ conveyed a message that meant so much to me. I think I’d get that for my children with the gift card if I were lucky enough to win. Thanks for the give-away.
I’ve always loved books and have so many favorites, but as a child my favorite was Misty of Chincoteague!
Thanks so much for the wonderful give-away…I had so many favorite books growing up, I was something of a book nerd. One of my very favorites had to be The Little Prince by Antoine St. Exupery
I’m a huge reader and so are the boys. I love that they find so much pleasure in it, like I do.
I have so many bedtime memories with my mother reading my sister and I the complete Little House on the Prairie series. Good times.
I read everything I could get my hands on as a child. I remember loving Nancy Drew, Little House in the Big Woods, The Secret Garden, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and the All-Of-A-Kind Family books by Sydney Taylor.
My children love to read so much, at the moment they are enjoying all of Findus, Tomten and The King of Ireland’s son. What a lovely gift you have to offer. I also have a book giveaway at my blog.
Choosing just one favorite is hard, though I guess my all time favorite from childhood was Little Women.
Blessings!
My favorite book from childhood was a wrinkle in time…it just expanded my mind and left me wondering so much. I also loved Anne of Green Gables, the Chronicles of Prydain, and Swallows and Amazons. I have 4 children between the ages of 5 and 23 and have read to them at night until they left home. I am really excited to check out Jump Into a Book!
I loved books as a child, and yet I’m surprised at how hard it is to recall a single favorite. I think I ate them rather then read them
(I mean, in an intellectual way, not as a toddler page eater!) I think I loved the Emily book(s) by LM Montgomery – her other series?
Hmmm…I had so many favorite books from childhood…but my all-time favorite is the Swiss picture book called “Albertli” with beautiful pictures by the Swiss author & artist Albert Manser.
It is hard to choose – I think I have to name two:
Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery (I live in beautiful PEI, but – even if I didn’t – who can resist such a fulfilling read?)
and
The Secret Garden by F.H Burnett.
Thanks for the opportunity!
My favorite book was “Alas, Babylon” by Pat Frank…it was required reading in junior high and I actually devoured the book. When I was really little, “Where the Wild Things Are” was a book I almost always checked out when my grandmother took me to the library.
Caps for Sale! Still can’t get enough of it!!
Wow…. it’s so hard to pick a favorite, but…. I’ve got to go with Little House (Virginia Lee Burton). My son loves it too.
Thanks for the giveaway! I loved the ‘Frog and Toad’ series!
I love the Little House on the Prairie series.
I remember the Narnia books being my favourite for a long time. Right now, the Little House books feature pretty highly on my list
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