One of my fondest memories are the hours that I spent cuddling with each of my three children on their beds, reading them books, while they peered over my shoulder, looking at the pictures. This is a tradition that started when my oldest child, Brandon, was four or five years old and continued until he was a teenager. I still remember the last book that we read together—Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It was his summer reading assignment, and the whole family enjoyed reading this book while we were on vacation! Needless to say, I am delighted that my children have continued this tradition! Brandon reads to his children every night. They have made it through the entire Harry Potter series, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by Sinclair Lewis, and many more. My daughter, Shannon, is currently reading her boys the Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland, and my youngest daughter, Caitlin, reads picture books to her two-year-old every night before bed. For those of you who are also reading out loud to your children, here is a list of some of my favorite read-aloud books. Note these are all chapter books and some have wonderful illustrations, but we also have picture book lists on our website at thereadingbug.com. If you’ve stopped reading aloud as your children begin to read themselves, I encourage you to take time over the holidays to begin again with this rewarding family tradition!
Now, remember…new books do not necessarily mean better books though there are quite a few new books on this list. We have also included some titles that stand the test of time!
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett has been entertaining young readers for more than half a century. The beautiful black and white illustrations make it an ideal read-aloud. When a boy named Elmer finds an old alley cat on the street and invites her home, the cat tells him about a flying baby dragon who is being forced by the animals living on a mysterious island to work as a flying bridge. Together they decide to journey to the island and rescue the baby dragon. Two other books in the series are: Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland. Recommended to read aloud from ages 5-9.
The Tales of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup , and a Spool of Thread by Kate Dicamillo is a story filled with adventure, despair, love and soup that features 24 stunning black-and-white drawings! Despereaux is a mouse that loves music, stories, and a princess named pea. Roscuro is a rat who lives in the dark and longs for a world filled with light, and Miggery Sow is a slow-witted serving girl with an impossible wish. These three characters embark on a journey that leads them into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and finally, into each other’s lives. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this children’s classic, there is a new edition that includes a bonus short story from the author and a new black-and-white illustration AND we have author-signed copies while they last! Perfect for ages 6 to 10.
Each book in The Unicorn Rescue Society series by Adam Gidwitz is an exciting and often hilarious series about friendship, adventure and mythical creatures from around the world. Gidwitz wrote the first book, The Creature of the Pines, which introduces the reader to Elliot Eisner, who is going on a field trip to a creepy forest on his first day at a new school. The only kid who will talk to Elliot, Ucherna Devereaux. They do not know it yet, but they are about to become part of a secret group of adventurers, The Unicorn Rescue Society, whose goal is to protect and defend the world’s mythical creatures. In each book in the series, Elliot and Ucherna travel to a new place to save a different mythical creature. Illustrated throughout, these books are entertaining for both the parents who read the book out loud, and for children, ages 6 to 9, who listen
Big Tree by Brian Selznick was published in 2023 and is the newest book on this list. Filled with humor, wonder, a profound sense of hope, as well as 300 pages of illustrations, Big Tree tells the story of Louise and Merwin, sycamore seeds who hope that one day they will be able to set down roots and grow into big trees. When a fire forces them to leave their mother tree earlier than expected, they are catapulted into an unknown world, far from home. Alone and unprepared, they must use their wits to navigate a world filled with dinosaurs, meteors and volcanoes, and they begin to fear they will never find a safe place to grow up. As the mysterious voice in Louise’s dreams grows louder, she realizes that their mission in life might be much bigger than either of them had imagined. Selznick has created a book that is a living example of the importance of building community. The book is especially good for young scientists and botanists, ages 7 to 12.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is a Newbery Medal winner inspired by the true story of Ivan, a gorilla who lived more than 25 years in a small cage in a shopping mall who was rescued and lived the rest of his life in a gorilla habitat at Zoo Atlanta. Ivan’s friends are a dog named Bob, an elephant named Stella, and a girl named Julia. Stuck in a small cage, Ivan whiles away the time watching television and making artwork that is sold to the people who view him through glass windows. Then Ruby, a new baby elephant plucked from the wild, arrives in the mall. When Stella becomes sick Ivan cares for Ruby. Ivan begins to recall his time in the jungle and his desire for freedom. Will his memories help him find a way to change Ruby’s fate? This book is so beautifully written that you may just wind up reading in a single session! The One and Only Ivan is a great book for animal lovers aged 8 and above.
A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga was published in 2022 and is one of the newest books on my list. It is a deeply moving book about the journey of a fictional Mars rover robot named Resilience (“Res”). A New York Times bestseller, Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly and the NYPL. Res was designed and built to explore Mars, not to have human emotions. But as Res learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, ne begins to develop humanlike feelings. Time passes and eventually Rex blasts off to Mars, accompanied by a drone helicopter named Fly. Once there, Res quickly discovers that Mars is a dangerous place, filled with dust storms and rocky cliffs. As millions of people on Earth follow his progress, Res must find the courage and resilience to accomplish his mission — and survive, This book is a great read for robot lovers aged 8 and above.
The Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland is a popular fantasy series with a cult following among readers. In the first book, readers are introduced to the seven dragon tribes of Pyrrhia. Each tribe inhabits a different territory in Pyrrhia, and the dragons of each tribe have unique strengths, magical powers, and exhibit human-like behavior. The tribes don’t always get along, so there are stories of war as they fight for power and control, which means parents should be aware that there are storylines that explore difficult topics such as war, murder, deceit and racism, that may be challenging for younger readers. However, the series also explores real life issues relating to family, friendship and identity that can be used to facilitate meaningful conversations between parents and children who read the books together. This is a great series for children, 10 years and above, who love action, adventure and fantasy. However, I should share that my 8-year-old grandson is reading these books with his mother and loving them!
Eragon is the first book in the Inheritance Cycle written by Christopher Paolini and published when he was 19 years old. The book tells the story of a farm boy named Eragon who finds a mysterious stone that turns out to be a dragon egg. Eragon names the hatchling Saphira. When the evil King finds out about the egg, he sends his monstrous servants to acquire it, forcing Eragon and Saphira to flee from their home with a storyteller named Brom, an old member of an extinct group called the Dragon Riders. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Eragon’s publication, a stunning illustrated version, packed with full-color paintings, was released in November 2023 of the book was released which to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Eragon’s publication. This new, oversized version of the book is perfect one to use when you read the book out loud to children aged 10+ who are fantasy fans.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman is one of the most celebrated books of all time and has been published in 50 countries with over 22 million copies sold. A masterpiece of storytelling and suspense, The Golden Compass tells the story of Lyra and her daemon familiar and their dangerous journey to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule and where her fearsome uncle is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world. There is a beautifully illustrated version of The Golden Compass, containing more than 100 full color illustrations, that is perfect to use if you read this book to your children. The book will enchant and thrill both the parent who reads it and the children who listen. Because the book contains some mature themes, you may want to preview the book first before sharing it with a child under 12 years old.
Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, one of America’s 100 most-loved books, is a sweet and tender book about friendship, love, life, and death that has been enjoyed by children for decades. E.B. White described his book as a story of friendship and life on a farm, which he wrote from his own experiences as a farmer. When Wilbur the pig finds out that he is destined for slaughter, his spider friend, Charlotte, is determined to save him. She accomplishes this by spinning words about him in her web. The words are viewed as a miracle, and Wilbur becomes so famous that Mr. Zuckerman, the farmer, decides to spare Wilbur’s life. Charlotte’s Web is a great book to read to children aged 7 and above.
Reading Bug Blog 