This year, we will start the year by talking about the benefits of reading aloud as a family. In preparation for these conversations, we wanted to share some Classical Conversations staff favorites.
Our Favorite Read-Alouds
Shorter Stories
Read before nap time; as a reward after a job well done; when a child just needs some snuggle time; with a snack; to start the morning. These are excellent for starting discussions about characters, plot, setting, language, and choices that all members of the family can participate in.
- “The Pokey Little Puppy” by Janette Sebring Lowrey
- “How Now Brown Cow?” by Alice Schertle
- “Click, Clack Moo” by Doreen Cronin
- “Rusty Rings a Bell” by Franklyn M. Branley and Eleanor K. Vaughan
- “Peter Churchmouse” by Margot Austin
- “The Quiltmaker’s Gift” by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken
- “Once Upon a Time” by Pamela Prince and Jessie Wilcox Smith
- “Mouse, Look Out!” by Judy Waite and Norma Burgin
- “Five Minutes’ Peace” by Jill Murphy
- “An Edward Lear Alphabet” by Edward Lear and Carol Newsom
- “The Lord is My Shepherd” by Gennady Spirin
- “The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes” by DuBose Heyward and Marjorie Flack
- Short stories by Beatrix Potter
Longer Books
Rread one chapter a day in the morning or before bed; read straight through on a sick day or during a trip; have older children take turns reading a chapter to the family; read while children do quiet activities (coloring, crocheting, playing with blocks, trains, or Legos); read a chapter outside on a beautiful day; read a chapter with a snack; read while mom or children are doing chores to make the time pass pleasantly.
- The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
- The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis
- The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
- Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
- The Story of Doctor DooLittle by Hugh Lofting
- The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
- The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll
- Laddie by Gene Stratton Porter
- The Little Prince by Antione de Saint Exupéry
- Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
- The Golden Key by George MacDonald
- The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
- The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
- The Apprentice by Pilar Llorente
- The Green Ember by S. D. Smith
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Wildwood Chronicles by Colin Meloy
- Teddy’s Button by Amy Le Feuvre
- Little Britches by Ralph Moody
- A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Wilderking Trilogy by Jonathan Rogers
- The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson
- Just David by Eleanor H. Porter
- Kildee House by Rutherford G. Montgomery
- Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall
- Gorgias by Plato
Reading First this School Year
As you begin your planning, we thought you might want to see what some of us are reading with our families to kick off a new year:
- Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
- Miracle on VooDoo Mountain by Megan Boudreaux
- The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
- The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
- The Striped Ships by Eloise McGraw
- Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
- The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Magic Runes: A Tale of the Times of Charlemagne by Emma Leslie
- The Bible with other selected short snippets from time to time
Happy Reading Adventures Await!
We hope this list of our favorite read alouds inspires some exciting conversations and memorable moments around the bookshelf in your home this year. Whether you’re snuggling up with a short story before nap time or diving into a longer chapter book together each night, the shared joy of reading aloud is a gift that keeps on giving. So grab a book, gather your family, and get ready for some wonderful reading adventures together!
