One of my favorite ways to spend quality time and connect with my kids is through family read-aloud books. If you aren’t familiar with the concept, these are just chapter books that you experience together by reading aloud to your kids, usually one or two chapters at a time.
My cousin is 15 years older than me and an elementary school teacher. When my brothers and I were growing up, she would babysit during summer breaks while my parents worked. I have a clear memory of her reading Tuck Everlasting to me each day during rest time one summer. Although I was an avid reader and enjoyed reading, I usually stuck to what I knew I would enjoy (like every single Babysitter’s Club book!) I was hesitant to try a book that looked and sounded a little boring, but was willing to give it a chance since she was willing to read it to me and promised I would like it. I was quickly captivated by the story and looked forward to listening to her read each day. One Friday, we were close to finishing and the thought of waiting until Monday to hear how it all ended was too much for me to handle. She left the book with me so I could finish it on my own over the weekend. I was so excited to discuss it with her on Monday.
by Natalie Babbitt
When my oldest daughter was 4 years old, I decided I wanted to try introducing more complex stories to her. It seemed she was able to understand and discuss big ideas but didn’t have the reading skills yet to read on her own. I started by reading a chapter of Trumpet of the Swan to her each night at bedtime. It quickly became a time that I cherished, connecting with her at the end of each day. We finished Trumpet of the Swan and continued with many more books. When little sister was the right age, we started including her too. Now, they are 11 and 9 and even though they enjoy reading on their own, they still love to have a family read aloud book as often as possible.
Benefits for Family Read-Aloud Books
You can increase your child’s exposure to higher quality, well written stories above their reading level before they are able to read them independently.
Encourages kids to try a book they wouldn’t pick up on their own.
Fosters connection by exploring stories together. When you are all familiar with the book, you can discuss the settings, characters, and conflicts together.
Books often touch on complex issues, giving you a chance to address and discuss these situations with your kids.
Exposes your child to places, people and activities they may not encounter in their daily life and ask you questions about things that are unfamiliar to them.
Increases vocabulary, language skills and reading comprehension.
Sparks creativity and imagination as they use the ideas during pretend play or to write their own stories.
Tips for Successful Read-Alouds
Start with Trumpet of the Swan
In my opinion, Trumpet of the Swan is hands down the best book to start with! I read it to my daughter when she was 4 and then again to both girls when they were 8 and 10. It was a hit both times so it will work with multiple ages. I recommend it to anyone who wants to start reading chapter books to their kids. It is full of adventure without being scary and highlights the main character’s ability to overcome adversity. If you want ideas for other books, there is a list at the end of this post.
Remind yourself they are listening even if it doesn’t look like it
This is the most important piece of advice: don’t get upset or frustrated if it seems they aren’t listening…they are! Wouldn’t it be nice if kids would just sit completely still and silent and give us their undivided attention for extended periods of time? But that is just not realistic. Kids need to fidget or do something to occupy their bodies to help keep their minds focused on the story. It doesn’t mean they aren’t listening. If you feel they are starting to get distracted, you can stop and ask questions or their opinions about the story.
Provide an activity
For almost any age, but especially younger kids, giving them an activity to do while you read makes it much more enjoyable for everyone. For young kids, I recommend using snack time to introduce the first few chapters. Most kids can pay attention and keep quiet for a little while if they have something to eat at the same time! Coloring is another great listening activity, even better when you can find coloring pages that are connected to the story. During bedtime, my kids will often draw in a sketchbook or get their dolls “ready for bed.” The basic rule for us while reading at bedtime is they can do anything that doesn’t make noise. Sometimes they even start cleaning or organizing things around their room!
Review what you previously read
It is usually helpful to spend a minute or two discussing what happened the last time you read together to refresh their memory and dive right back into the story.
Use books that have a movie companion
Whenever it applies, we have a movie night to watch the film adaptation after finishing the book. Kids love seeing the characters and scenes they pictured in their minds come to life. They can be passionate if someone or something does not look like they are “supposed to”. We always enjoy discussing the similarities and differences between the book and the movie.
Our Favorite Read-Aloud Books
I asked my 11 year old, Evie, to help compile a list of her favorite read aloud books from over the years. Together we created this list of our top book choices.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
This classic story still holds up. We read this together when Evie was in preschool and it was the first time she watched a movie that was based on a book she had read. The cartoon and the live-action are both great. Evie had more fun watching the live-action version and trying to figure out how they made the animals talk.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Evie still talks about how much she loved reading this book when she was younger. We read the 50th anniversary illustrated edition, it has lots of colorful pictures which helped keep her interested and engaged. We have watched both movies and we all agree that the original Gene Wilder version is better, but theJohnny Depp one is more aligned with the book.
Matilda
Sweet Matilda lives with her cruel family who doesn’t understand her or appreciate her gifted mind. She spends her days lost in the world of books until she can finally begin attending school. Her teacher, Miss Honey, recognizes her abilities immediately and sets out to help her. We watched the movie after finishing the book and loved it. A few years ago when the musical came out, we liked that too but it doesn’t compare to the first movie. We definitely recommend watching the movie after finishing the book.
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Scene Catling
I had never heard of this book but when I read the description about a boy who turned anything he touched into chocolate, I knew it would be a fun read. It ended with some good lessons about greed, self-control and relationships.
by Patrick Scene Calling
Frindle by Andrew Clements
This is another one I was not familiar with until I started looking for books to read with Evie so this was new to both of us. I loved this story about Nick, a boy who decides to create his own word, “frindle. The word catches on and starts to gain popularity across the country, turning Nick into a local hero. I got a little teary eyed during the touching ending, where Nick reads a letter from his teacher Mrs. Granger. This book is on my list to read again since my younger daughter didn’t read it with us the first time. She wants to be an author when she grows up and would appreciate how this book demonstrates the power of words. Luckily, Evie says she would love to hear it again!
Wayside School Series by Louis Sachar
I read these books so many times as a kid! My girls loved hearing the stories about the wacky students and teachers on the top floor or Wayside School. I think this book would be best to read once your kids are elementary school age. They will appreciate the complete absurdity of this school compared to their own.
Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Horgan
Be sure to get this version, not the adult version, Marley and Me. Evie said I must include a warning that it is sad. Marley passes away from old age at the end of the book. If your kids are extra sensitive to animal deaths, you might want to skip this one. In my opinion, it is handled really well and is not too traumatizing for kids. The book follows the course of Marley’s entire life, from a rambunctious puppy to an old dog with failing health. I felt the book ended with a focus on Marley living a long, fulfilling life of adventures and love and how the family chose to remember Marley after he passed. Another important note, the movie follows the original book, Marley and Me, which deals with more adult issues. This could either be boring or not appropriate for your children. I would not recommend watching the movie with your kids without watching it first and determining if it would be a good watch for your family.
by John Grogan
Wild Robot by Peter Brown
Wild Robot follows the story of Roz, a shipwrecked robot who learns to adapt to the wilderness and live among the animals. We really enjoyed this book when we read it a few years ago. When the movie was recently released in theaters, we knew it was a must see for us. My husband, who didn’t read the book with us, was surprised by how much he also enjoyed the movie. The movie changes a few things but we loved them both equally and had fun on the drive home discussing the differences.
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
There is a good chance you are already a Harry Potter fan and looking forward to the time when your own child dives into a series you love. Although they may be a few years off before they can read it on their own, you can always introduce this series to your kids before they are independent readers. Even if they capable of reading it alone, it would be fun for you to experience it with your kids. While reading the book aloud, you can also stop and discuss things that may be confusing or hard to follow if they were reading alone.
The Vanderbeekers on 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
Evie is always a fan of books that revolve around the daily adventures of a family with lots of kids. This sweet story, set at Christmas time, follows the five Vanderbeeker children as they try to find a way to convince their mean landlord to let them stay in their Harlem brownstone. I think this might drag or be too slow for younger children and would be better for kids around 3rd grade and older. Warning: there is discussion of someone who previously lost their wife and teenage daughter in an accident.
Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
I’ll be honest, I thought this book was kind of slow and boring. I was constantly surprised by how much my kids were enjoying it and wanted me to continue reading. When we talk about books this is always one of the first ones they mention. I felt I had to include it even though it’s not one of my favorites. Maybe it will resonate with you like it did with them and you will enjoy it just as much. This story is about a girl who is deaf and struggling at her public school. She learns about a whale who sings at a frequency that the other whales cannot understand, resulting in the whale being excluded and living in isolation. She feels a connection to the whale and sets her mind on finding a way to help the whale feel less alone.
by Lynne Kelly