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Books & Beyond

Just One More Chapter!

By Anna B.
January 21, 2021

We read aloud to both of our kids (almost 10 and 6) every night and have since birth. It’s been amazing to rediscover some of our favorites and amazing new books alongside our kids. Reading with them gives us the chance to talk about some of the things that happen in the book and engage them in the story even more.

Here are some of our favorite family read alouds, great for preschoolers through 3rd grade or so. Included is a rough estimate of how many sittings it might take to finish them. Some nights we read for 10 minutes, others up to 45 minutes, so don’t stress if it takes you more or less time. Whether you read to your child at breakfast, before dinner or at bedtime, it’s all good!

If you want to delve deeper into the topic, be sure to check out The Read-Aloud Family, with tips of selecting, reading, and talking about books as a family.

Looking for books to share with older kids? Be sure to check out our Family Book Group titles to share with upper elementary and middle schoolers.

Click on the covers to go to our catalog and place a hold.

One Night Reads

Mercy Watson
Series
By Kate DiCamillo

Topics: Humor, Animals, Full Color Illustrations
A pig, who lives with humans and loves butter toast, has adventures and mishaps.

Our Friend Hedgehog
By Lauren Castillo

Topics: Animals, Friendship, Gentle Read
After a storm, Hedgehog is separate from her friend and sets off to find Mutty.

Princess in Black
Series / Book One
By Shannon Hale

Topics: Adventure, Monsters, Humor, Full Color Illustrations
A princess with a secret monster-fighting identity protects her land, makes friends, and has tea parties.

Rabbit & Bear
Series
By Julian Gough

Topics: Humor, Friendship, Heavily Illustrated
An unlikely friendship leads to some silly adventures in the forest.

Three Night Reads

Sophie Mouse
Series / First Book
By Poppy Green

Topics: Animals, Gentle Reads, Illustrated
Each story features a very slight conflict, but is mostly about lovable friends and family in a forest.

Inspector Flytrap
Series
By Tom Angleberger

Topics: Humor, Mystery, Illustrated
A venus flytrap, with a goat assistant, wants to become the greatest detective ever.

The Chicken Squad
Series / Book One
By Doreen Cronin

Topics: Animals, Mystery, Humor, Illustrated
Four chicks with a sense of adventure try to solve the mysteries in their yard.

Dragon Masters
Series / Book One
By Tracey West

Topics: Fantasy, Friendship, Magic, Illustrated
Each book focuses on the strengths of a different dragon as they set off on adventures as a team.

Seven Night Reads

My Father’s Dragon
By Ruth Stiles Gannett

Topics: Classic, Adventure, Fantasy
This is technically three separate stories in one book, following a boy and a dragon on three adventures.

Heartwood Hotel
Series
By K. George

Topics: Animals, Friendship, Gentle Read
A luxury hotel for animals in the woods! Four books, one for each season.

Zoey & Sassafras
Series / Book One
By Asia Citro

Topics: Adventure, Fantasy, Science
A girl and her cat help the magical creatures in the forest by their house.

A Boy Called Bat
Series / Book One
By Elana Arnold

Topics: Friendship, Different Abilities, Animals
Bat’s mom, a vet, brings home a baby skunk who needs help to survive.

Wedgie & Gizmo
Series / Book One
By Suzanne Selfors

Topics: Animals, Humor
Can an energetic dog and an evil genius guinea pig live in the same house?

Planet Omar
Series
By Zanib Mian

Topics: Realistic, Friendship
A new house, a new school, can Omar stay out of trouble and maybe make some friends?

I’m Just No Good At Rhyming
By Chris Harris

Topics: Poetry, Humor
So not a chapter book, but these poems beg to be read aloud and shared! You can read the whole thing or skip around.

More Than a Week (and even possibly a month)

The Wild Robot
By Peter Brown

Topics: Animals, Adventure, Humor, Science Fiction
A robot wakes up on a wild robot and seeks to find her purpose.

The Tale of Despereaux
By Kate DiCamillo

Topics: Animals, Adventure, Friendship
A young mouse dreams of being a knight in a kingdom where spoons have been banished.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
By Grace Lin

Topics: Adventure, Fantasy
Any Grace Lin book makes a fantastic read aloud, but this is the story that starts them all.

Charlotte’s Web
By E.B. White

Topics: Animals, Classic, Friendship
The telling of a special friendship between a pig and a spider.

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
By Roald Dahl

Topics: Adventure, Humor
A boy with nothing finds himself on a grand tour of a chocolate factory full of fantastic creations.

The Doll People
By Ann Martin and Laura Godwin

Topics: Adventure, Fantasy, Friendship
This story of two families of dolls who come to life when no one’s looking is a delightful mystery adventure.