In honor of World Read-a-loud Day, here are some of our family’s favorite read-a-louds!
Chapter Books for Pre-Schoolers and Kindergartners
When my children were young, people would often ask me how they had such long attention spans. The only answer I could give was that I read to them, a lot, first board books, then picture books and chapter books.
Babe the Gallant Pig (Smith-King) - This sweet story about kindness is told in short chapters and with lots of animals, making it wonderful for younger listeners.
Betsy-Tacy Series (Lovelace)- My girls loved the first few books in this series about first two, then three girls, who are the best of friends growing up near the turn of the 20th century.
Henry and Mudge Books (Rylant)- The first chapter books I read with my children, these books feature a boy, Henry, and his huge dog, Mudge, on all kinds of wonderful everyday adventures. Short chapters, short overall books, and lots of illustrations make these a wonderful bridge from picture books to chapter books.
The Little House Books (Wilder)- My dad started reading these to me when I was in kindergarten; so they hold a special place in my heart. I would suggest starting with Little House in the Big Woods for younger children.
My Father’s Dragon Books (Gannett)- Sweet adventure stories with short chapters and an adorable dragon. Many families use these as first chapter book read-a-louds.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins (Atwater)- A long time family favorite about an ordinary man who ends up with a dozen penguins. This was one that my children asked me to read over and over again.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle Series (Cleary)-A mouse who lives with his family in the walls of a hotel, discovers a boy’s toy motorcycle, and the rest is history.
Ramona Books (Cleary)- When I asked my kids (now all teenagers) which read-alouds were their favorites, this was my 17-year-old’s immediate response. Beverly Cleary is a master of telling stories about the everyday life of children.
Chapter Books for Elementary School
Don’t stop reading to them just because they can read for themselves! Read-a-louds help children grow their reading skills, increase their vocabulary, and make for wonderful family memories.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Robinson)- Laugh out loud funny, and also a great reminder about what Christmas is all about, we read this gem every December.
Charlotte’s Web (White)- The classic story of Wilbur the Pig and his friends in the barnyard, this one has charmed readers for generations. Just be sure to have tissues nearby for the end.
Ella Enchanted (Levine)- A wonderful fairy tale retelling, the book is considerably different from the movie, but both were favorites in our house.
Freddy Goes to Florida (Brooks)- This classic about a group of barn yard animals migrating south for the winter was wonderfully entertaining.
The Legend of Hobart (Mullaly)- A laugh out loud adventure about a boy who is trying to get into knight school and ends up learning what being a hero is really all about. You can visit the book’s page here.
The Hobbit (Tolkein)- Another classic tale of adventure, we loved the audiobook version of this one as well. The chapters are longer and the vocabulary and structure more advanced, so this is typically a better fit for older elementary students.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Lewis)- This is a wonderful tale of adventure and imagination. Our copy was actually a gift to my mother when she was young, making it particularly special.
Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters (Blume)- I’m sorry that I didn’t discover this gem until after my oldest two children were teenagers. Because it is a wonderful story of friendship, sisterhood and adventures around the world.
Number the Stars (Lowry)- One of the best for introducing children to the Holocaust, we especially loved that Number the Stars included children in the plan to hide Jews from the Nazis.
Redwall Series (Jacques)- This classic fantasy, featuring animals as characters, charmed my eldest, who went on to read the other 21 books in the series on her own.
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry (Taylor)- Some topics, like segregation, are better for children to explore with their parents beside them. This story of a strong African-American family living in the segregated south led to deep and meaningful conversations.
Wonder (Palacio)- This story about a boy with facial deformities is a perfect example of how books can help children develop empathy by seeing the world through someone else’s eyes.