34 Favorite Books to Read Aloud as a Family [Curated]
Do you want to raise lifelong learners? Do you want to continue to be one yourself? Reading aloud as a family is an effective way to do both.
We know reading aloud to children improves their cognitive development, vocabulary, comprehension, and increases concentration. Let’s not forget, reading aloud can also develop a love for reading which is a vital element in lifelong learners. But did you know the advantages of reading aloud as a family impacts more than just your children? Reading aloud as a family can benefit you as a parent, and your family as a whole.
As a parent, reading aloud as a family adds value to your relationship. It gives your family something to discuss at the dinner table or on the car ride to the grocery store. This type of family discourse allows you to dive into the novel together: you can relate parts of the story or themes to life in ways your children may not be able to, and vice versa. It’s amazing to see what goes on in young minds, and this can be the perfect opportunity to do so.
We’ve compiled a list from homeschool parents like you of favorite books to read aloud as a family. There’s something for your toddlers to your tweens.
So travel to Narnia, or get some advice from Dumbledore at Hogwarts. Learn how a spider’s love saved a pig named Wilbur. Really, the possibilities are endless.
Go, explore, discover together.
| Title | Author | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|
| The Chronicles of Narnia (Series) | C.S. Lewis | 8 |
| Little House (Series) | Laura Ingalls Wilder | 8 |
| Winnie the Pooh (Series) | A.A. Milne | 5 |
| Charlotte’s Web | E.B. White | 7 |
| The Lord of the Rings (Series) | J.R.R. Tolkien | 12 |
| The Green Ember | S.D. Smith | |
| Magic Tree House (Series) | Barbara Schultz | 6 |
| Harry Potter (Series) | J.K. Rowling | 8 |
| Wingfeather (Series) | Andrew Peterson | |
| Little Britches (Series) | Ralph Moody | |
| American Girl (Series) | Various | 8 |
| Lamp Lighter (Series) | Various | |
| Hank the Cow Dog (Series) | John R. Erickson | 7 |
| Trumpet of the Swan | E.B. White | |
| Swiss Family Robinson | Johann D. Wyss | |
| The Boxcar Children (Series) | Gertrude Chandler Warner | 7 |
| The Old Man and the Sea | Ernest Hemingway | 12 |
| A Little Princess | Frances Hodgson Burnett | 9 |
| The Indian in the Cupboard (Series) | Lynne Reid Banks | |
| Judy Moody (Series) | Megan McDonald | 6 |
| Around the World in 80 Days | Jules Verne | |
| On the Wings of Heroes | Richard Peck | 9 |
| Mr. Potter | Jamaica Kincaid | |
| Henry and Mudge (Series) | Cynthia Rylant | 5 |
| Pony Scouts (Series) | Catherine Hapka | |
| Betsy-Tacy (Series) | Maud Hart Lovelace | 7 |
| The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood | Howard Pyle | |
| Redwall (Series) | Brian Jacques | 10 |
| Peter and the Starcatcher | Dave Berry | 9 |
| Wilderking (Series) | Jonathan Rogers | |
| The Tale of Peter Rabbit | Beatrix Potter | 3 |
| The Three Investigators (Series) | Robert Arthur, Jr. | |
| Time Quintet (Series) | Madeleine L’Engle | |
| The Sugar Creek Gang (Series) | Paul Hutchens |
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