Read-alouds: our favorites

Thus far my major accomplishment in the school-planning category {thank you, Lord!} is this: I have collected all the books we're going to be reading next year.  This includes our read-alouds, our history selections, and lists of books I'd like to check out at the library to accompany the books we own.  Also, the kids' assigned reading shelf is filling up (and Ella and Isaac are itching to get their hands on them).  I am so thankful because that is a HUGE part of my planning.  We read a lot of books, and this year we're tackling more than ever.

Today I sorted the books I'll be reading aloud and checked in with Mark to see what he'd like to read to the kids.  That got me thinking about some of our favorite read-alouds to date, so I thought I'd share them with you, with notes following some of the titles, especially the lesser-known ones:

* * *

Incident at Hawk's Hill and Return to Hawk's Hill, Allan Eckert
     -The story of a shy, six-year old boy named Ben who wanders from home one day and gets lost- for months, but befriends a badger in the process. (based on a true story.)  Our kids were riveted- and while we read this a few years ago, now- it remains a family favorite. 

Charlotte's Web, E.B. White 

Heidi, Johanna Spyri
     -I blogged about how much we loved this book here.


Toliver's Secret, Esther Wood Brady
     -I honestly can't even remember much of this book, but I starred it on my list at the time (a few years back) as a favorite of the kids'.  I double-checked with Mark, who had read it aloud to them, and he assures me they really liked this story.

Wait for Me, Watch for Me, Eula Bee, Patricia Beatty
     -from Amazon: "The heart-pounding story of a Texan boy's transformation to a Comanche brave and back again.  With Pa off fighting in the Civil War, Lewallen Collier and his little sister are captured in a bloody Comanche raid. Admiring Lewallen's courage, the Indians give him the name Sings His War Song and try to teach him the ways of a young brave. But Lewtie dreams only of escape -- and of the day he can return to rescue little Eula Bee."  Boys, especially, will love this book!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl

A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Little House series, Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Narnia series, C.S. Lewis

Treasures of the Snow, Patricia St. John
     -A powerful story of forgiveness.

The Sign of the Beaver, Elizabeth George Speare

     -Another great book.  Matthew is left to guard his family's cabin in the wilderness while his father retrieves the rest of his family.  (This is going on Isaac's assigned reading list for the year, though we've already read it together as a family.  He'll just love it all over again on his own.)

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Robert C. O'Brien

George Muller: The Guardian of Bristol's Orphans, Geoff and Janet Benge
     -I just love George Muller.  He inspires me to greater prayer and greater dependence upon God.  This is a great book for kids, detailing God's provision for the orphans even though Muller never ONCE asked for money- though the need was often great.  Throughout the book there are examples of times when they truly had no food at the orphanage and God would miraculously answer their prayers!  I loved reading this with the kids and we had great discussions throughout this book.

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, Margaret Sidney
     -from Amazon: "Since their father died, the five Pepper children and their mother have been living in poverty, with only potatoes and brown bread for supper. Ben chops wood to help support the family, and Polly looks after the little ones while their mother earns what she can by sewing. The Peppers are so poor, they've never even had a Christmas. But from measles to monkeys, through bad times and good, the cozy kitchen in the little brown house rings with laughter and hope."

Gentle Ben, Walt Morey


Summer of the Monkeys, Wilson Rawls (*also authored Where the Red Fern Grows)
     -Another great read-aloud.  We all loved this adventure of Jay Berry trying to capture those monkeys!

Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery
     -One of my favorite books.  I had so much fun introducing Anne, Gil, Diana, Matthew, Marilla, Miss Stacy, and even Rachel Lynde to my kids!

Little Britches, Ralph Moody
     -If there was just ONE book from this list I would implore you to read-- outside of the Narnia series--- it would be this book.  Especially if you have boys.  It is thoughtfully narrated by an eight-year-old Ralph, growing and learning to become a man.  It is so full of wisdom and heart.  We all LOVED this book and it will ever be a favorite of ours.

The Railway Children, Edith Nesbit

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Barbara Robinson
      -This was a fun read-aloud--- mostly because my kids were so horrified by all the antics of the Herdman family.

God's Smuggler, Brother Andrew

Robin Hood, Howard Pyle

{Let me know if you've read any of these, or you can list one of your favorites in the comments!}