36+ CAPTIVATING CLASSICS

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The three “B’s”.

There is a specific way to inspire a love for stories in a child and at the same time encourage them to read. I call it the three “B’s.” Begin early and often, be okay with failure, and be the example.

Begin early and often.

Picture books and stories.

My great grandma, Baba, babysat my sister and I when we were little. She read countless picture books to us from the whimsical and beautiful selection our mom had curated for us. Baba would tell us stories she made up as well too, my favorite was about the ghost Casper.

If we weren’t with Baba, then my grandma watched us. She ran a small daycare out of her house and didn’t have as much time to sit down and read because there were usually 5-6 other kids, including babies. But when she did have a moment she would sit down and read her extensive collection of Dr. Seuss books. 

My sister and I developed a love for stories early because of these women in our lives. Because of this I knew that when my husband and I had kids we would have a wonderful selection of picture books and read them everyday to our children as my grandma’s did for me. Whether your child sits and points at parts of the illustrations or lets you read the story in its entirety with no interruption you’re beginning early and often.

How early can you start with the list of kids’ read aloud books?

I began as soon as my eldest turned 5. We haven’t stopped listening to these kids’ read aloud books and I noticed my 4.5 year old picking up on the stories as well. Be sure to check in with them frequently if they are younger to make sure they’re following the plot. Ask questions and help clear up any confusion. They will also love conversing with you about the story.

How often do I need to read aloud to my child?

This is a tough question to answer because everyone’s day looks different. Some of us homeschool while others work full time jobs. What I can do is provide ideas for you to make reading aloud to your child a part of your day.

Practical tips to include kids’ read aloud books in your home.

Begin a morning basket tradition.

I use a morning basket in our homeschool to make sure that all my boys’ reading needs are being met. From reading Aesop’s allegories for my oldest kiddos to Click, Clack, 1,2,3  by Doreen Cronin for my youngest. I make sure that they each get a story that caters to their listening and attention level. This works for us because we have slow starts to our mornings since we homeschool.

Begin a nighttime tradition.

These next two ideas are excellent for homeschooling and non-homeschooling families. My husband and I began this tradition about a year ago as we noticed our eldest craving more and more stories. We take turns with which book we’re reading. For instance, I finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with Marty a few days ago. It’s now Daddy’s turn to read a book. And I should mention that Harry Potter is specifically saved for me to read aloud because it’s my favorite, obviously. This is why Marty is reading ahead of me! Because he is being forced to wait.

Daddy is now reading the book of Matthew from the Bible at bedtime and when he finishes it will be my turn again. We read at least a chapter a night before the kids go to sleep. Occasionally our youngest two fall asleep before the parent finishes reading. This actually solves two problems. Controlling our children’s behavior at bedtime and catering to our eldest’s desire for more stories.

Listen to audiobooks in the car.

“Momma, can we please have a story?” This has been the first thing I hear as I load us up into the van to go anywhere for the past 2 years. Now my almost 5 year old has even started asking. We listen to audiobooks about 90% of the time that we’re driving. That is how we have made it through the majority of this list of kids’ read aloud books so easily.

Do you have a commute to your child’s school everyday? Then, this is a perfect option for you and yours! Another great benefit to audiobooks is that it makes it so much easier to cater to my older kid’s needs for deeper stories and still have time to read picture books with my younger two. Currently, my middle son is kind of in a limbo between loving both! It’s great!

Also, for our younger kiddos my husband and I love playing the Disney Storyteller collection on YouTube Music during car rides as well. Be sure to check those out, especially if you have a 3 year old who doesn’t like sitting for books. Our favorites are Winnie the Pooh and Hercules but there are many others!

The caveat…set parameters.

Why did I specifically say “in the car?” There is a reason for this. When Marty was very little I remember speaking with another homeschooling mom at our co-op whose daughter was 9 and couldn’t read. She didn’t have any developmental delays. And from all pretenses she simply had no desire to learn to read because she did not need to.

From what I gathered, the little girl always had access to the stories that she loved. Her mom would turn them on in the house, her bedroom, in the car, and would never tell her daughter “no,” that she couldn’t read right at that moment. Is that little girl reading now? Probably! But I gleaned a little bit of wisdom from that story. Establish some boundaries. 

Saying “no.”

Homemaking, homeschooling, tending to other siblings, you name it we’re busy parents! Don’t be afraid to say no to reading. When they’re little try to take the time whenever they ask. But once my kiddos are 4.5 year’s old they’re learning to read. and not always agreeing to sit down and read aloud to them can be a good thing. 

My kiddos know that they will get stories in the morning, if we’re driving somewhere, and at bedtime. There is also a very good chance that there will be a midday reading session. However, if they want stories at other times…they may need to learn to read themselves.

Be okay with failure if you choose wrong from the kids’ read aloud books list.

In the list of kids’ read aloud books there were a couple books that we did not finish. I’m still including them in the list though because they’re amazing, kids’ read aloud books and simply did not resonate with my eldest. Your child may find them fascinating though!

Specifically Rudyard Kipling works failed. They were one of the first we tried listening to and I think for a young 5 year old the animal voices kept him from becoming absorbed in the story. We gave The Jungle Book every chance and I recommend always dedicating 1 hour to an audiobook before moving on. We listened to the Just So Stories in their entirety but the last couple hours my son was complaining. I figured we had put in enough time that we might as well finish so we did over the next few car rides but there was some groaning coming from the back.

Ultimately, give each story a chance. But do not force it on to your child. My son wasn’t a big fan at the beginning of Stuart Little, again an animal’s voice. He came around to it though after a couple car rides and a little discussion with me as to what was going on in the story. By the end he was rooting for Stuart in the boat race and over all loved the book.

Be the example.

My parents were excellent examples for my sister and I growing up. The television was rarely on, maybe for the evening news, but other than that my parents read. They read books, magazines, newspapers, and more books! 

However, our love for reading extends further than them finding enjoyment from it. It was also because my mom was an avid book buyer. If we went out with my mom she would buy my sister and I a book. Anything else while on our back-to-school shopping day had to come from our allowance. Books were the exception because they are special. It was a treat and gave importance to stories in our lives.

If you’re a homeschooling momma, keep the television off. Even during the day at my grandmas’ houses, the televisions were never on…well Baba had her daily soap opera but that was during nap time. Frequently when my boys have tired themselves out I find them all sitting quietly in the living room with a book in their lap. One will be in the chair, another on the couch and the other sitting on the rug in front of the children’s bookcase. Even though my youngest two can’t read, they simply enjoy studying the pictures. They’ve seen that this is what we do when we’re bored or relaxing. To learn more about boredom and your child check out this post here.

36+ Kids’ read aloud books.

Without further ado, here is the list of kids’ read aloud books. These include classics and none of it is twaddle. Do not underestimate your child’s capability to understand some of these books. Countless times my son would surprise me with retellings of The Hobbit or talk about characters in Little Men with profound insight. Lastly, some we listened to as audiobooks and others Daddy or I read the hard copy. Figure out what works for you!

1. Stuart Little by E.B. White
2. Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson
3. Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
4. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
5. Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
6. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
7. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
8. The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit
9. Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
10. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
11. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
12. Heidi by Johanna Spyri
13. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
14. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
15. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
16. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
17. Classic Starts: The Iliad, Greek Myths and The Odyssey
18. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
19. The Roald Dahl Collection
20. Matilda by Roald Dahl
21. The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
22. Cajun Folktales by J.J. Reneaux
23. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
24. Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
25. Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
26. Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott
27. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
28. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
29. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.
30. The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
31. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
32. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
33. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
34. Treasure Island by R.L. Stevenson
35. The Adventures of Robin Hood by Paul Creswick
36. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

Inspire a love for stories and motivation for learning to read with these kids’ read aloud books.

If your child develops a love for stories then you are setting them up for success in their reading lives and future. Begin early and often, be okay with failure, and be the example. And remember you don’t always have to say yes to reading. Setting boundaries can actually encourage your kiddo to take ownership of their own reading skill. 

Overall, I hope these tips inspire you to become a read aloud family. For further inspiration I recommend The Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie. Also, did I miss any books? If so, share in the comments the book(s) that have been successes for you and yours.