I would like to welcome you to our daily reading challenge featuring 30 minutes of reading challenge: Day 3 Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia a book that defiantly reminds me of Charlie because a book can take you back to a moment you didn’t even know you were missing. That happened to me when I discovered Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia: A Fun Picture Book About Literal Interpretation for Kids (Ages 4-8) (I Can Read Level 2).
As a mom, I’ve watched my children reach so many milestones. Some happen slowly, and some seem to happen overnight. This year, Charlie started driving. And Bradley started driving too. My question for you is where did the time go? How can the boys be old enough to drive and have there own cars?
David and I are proud of the young men they’re becoming, but there is still a part of me that remembers when they were little boys sitting beside me while we read books together and played with Hot Wheel cars for hours on end when they dreamed about driving us to the store for a snack while David worked.
That is what makes finding a book like this so special. If I had known about Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia when Charlie and Bradley were learning to drive, you can bet your bottom dollar I would have bought a copy of the book for each of them. Not because this book would have taught them how to drive. But because it would have been a fun reminder of where they started.
I can just imagine us sitting down together, laughing about Amelia Bedelia, and remembering the books we shared when they were younger. Because sometimes the best gifts are not things we need. Sometimes the best gifts are memories waiting to happen. And this book also made me think about Suzanne. Not in a sad way, but in the way moms remember their children. I can picture Suzanne learning to drive.
She was a petite blonde with such a big personality. Think Dolly Parton and that was Suzzane. I know there would have been plenty of funny moments along the way. I can imagine her trying to see over the steering wheel, making the car go and stop, and turning a simple driving lesson into another family story we would laugh about for years.
She reminds me of the kind of humor we loved watching from Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy — those moments where everyday life became a little more entertaining because of the personality of the person experiencing it. And that is one of the reasons I love books. They give us places to connect. They bring back memories. They help us celebrate the moments we have today while remembering the moments that shaped us.
If you’re joining us for the first time, this is part of our 30 Minutes of Reading Challenge: Creating a Habit One Page at a Time. If you would like to learn more about the challenge and find our free printables, visit our main challenge post.
Now, let’s talk about Today’s Children’s Book Spotlight
Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia: A Fun Picture Book About Literal Interpretation for Kids a fun picture book and I Can Read! Level 2 reader for children beginning to read independently. For families who already know Amelia Bedelia, this book brings back everything readers love about her fun outgoing spirit.
Amelia Bedelia is known for her literal way of understanding words. She always means well, but sometimes what she thinks someone said is not exactly what they meant. And that is where the laughter begins.
In this story, Amelia Bedelia’s experiences with driving create funny moments while helping beginning readers practice their skills.
What makes this book fun is that children can laugh at Amelia Bedelia’s adventures while also building confidence as readers. A Level 2 reader is a wonderful step for children who are moving toward reading more independently. It gives them the opportunity to recognize words, follow a story, and experience the pride of reading a book themselves.
Why I Chose This Book
I chose Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia because sometimes a book finds us at exactly the right moment and this title drew me with the word good driving which I’ve been telling Charlie more and more lately as we run errands together and he does the driving. This story also reminded me that our children grow up faster than we expect.
One day we are reading bedtime stories. The next day they are asking for the car keys. One day we are helping them learn their letters. The next day they are learning how to navigate the roads. Those moments are precious. And while Amelia Bedelia may be learning about driving in a funny way, parents know that every milestone comes with a mixture of excitement, pride, and maybe just a little worry.
What Adults Can Learn From Amelia Bedelia
Even though this is a children’s book, there are reminders for adults too. Life does not always go exactly as planned. Sometimes we misunderstand. Sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes we have to learn something new. And just like Amelia Bedelia, we need people around us who are patient, encouraging, and willing to laugh with us along the way.
As parents, we spend so much time teaching our children how to grow. But sometimes they teach us too. They teach us to slow down. They teach us to notice the little moments. They teach us that a late-night trip to Sonic in pajamas, a random Walmart adventure, or a book shared together can become the memories we treasure.
Today’s 30-Minute Reading Challenge
Today, spend 30 minutes reading.
You can:
📚 Read Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia together.
📚 Let a child practice reading aloud.
📚 Read a favorite childhood book from your own past.
📚 Share a story about a milestone you remember.
Then ask:
What childhood book would you buy for your child today if you could relive a favorite moment?
Because reading is not just about the words on the page.
It is about the people sitting beside us.
It is about the laughter.
It is about the memories.
And sometimes, a book helps us hold onto a moment just a little longer.
One page at a time.
Then come back tomorrow and see what book we will be sharing
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates