Family Read-Alouds: Part IV

by Rebecca Berg Manor

I hope you've enjoyed this little read-aloud series. Today we are going to look at some great choices for families with older children - basically those aged 12 and up. At this point, your family read-aloud times will probably begin to become more difficult to coordinate as your children's extra-curricular obligations and activities become more time consuming, but I do encourage you to press on. The topics you can delve into at this age are so important and being able to discuss racism, prejudice, war, as well as issues of personal character within a supportive family setting is a wonderful way to encourage openness and communication. Take the time to listen to your children's developing opinions and do not feel like you always need to provide an answer to difficult moral questions. Children can spot stock answers from a mile away and will benefit greatly from being able to work through the questions with your gentle guidance.  Well-written stories will have a powerful influence on the moral development of your child and by choosing books that tackle these problems in all of their complexities, you are giving your child a secure place from to contemplate and address these questions.

 Elizabeth George Speare came to writing relatively late in life but quickly carved a place as one of the best-loved writers of young adult historical fiction. The Witch of Blackbird Pond and The Bronze Bow both one Newbery Metal awards and Sign of the Beaver was a finalist. I must have read The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Calico Captive a dozen times. They are fantastic stories set in the early days of the American experiment. The Witch of Blackbird Pond is set in the colonial days and deals with the rampant fear and prejudice that fuelled the early colonial witch hunts. Calico Captive is set during the French and Indian war and tells the story of a colonial girl who is taken captive and sold in Canada. The Sign of the Beaver is set in 1780s Maine and tells of the friendship between a young colonist and a Native American. The Bronze Bow is set in the time of Christ and provides a wonderful historical setting for this volatile and world-changing time. As a child I remember wishing that Speare and been much more prolific as I quickly made my way through her fascinating, informative, and though-provoking stories.

This is a fantastic time to begin reading Jane Austen's classics. As your children are getting older, they will be able to relate to the many characters who essentially "grow up" in Austen's brilliantly crafted plots. Nearly every hero or heroine undergoes a change in which they put off "childish things" and begin to see the world in a much more compassionate and less self-centered light. Plus, this is just great writing with unparallelled character development, witty dialogue, and wonderful plot twists. And, do not be afraid to read these to boys. Austen's influence on the greatest writers cannot be overstated and she provides wonderful examples of both admirable and despicable character. Her best-loved novel is Pride and Prejudice, followed by Sense and Sensibility, but Persuasion has a special depth to it. They're all great, so read away! 

Along with Austen, this can be a good time to introduce the writings of Emily, Charlotte, and Anne Brontë. Considerably darker than Austen, the Brontës are great to read aloud on long winter evenings.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective novels starring the eccentric Sherlock Holmes and his down-to-earth partner Dr. Watson will provide your family hours of entertaining reading. They also provide a view into the British colonial mindset and therefor are provide fodder for interesting conversations. 

Alexander Dumas' classic The Three Musketeers is full of wonderful adventures and makes a great family read. Also check out The Count of Monte Cristo.

For truly fantastic adventures every family must consult Jules Verne. His science-fiction was so forward thinking that it can almost seem prosaic but when you consider the time period in which he wrote, he is nothing short of revolutionary. Around the World in Eighty Days was a family favorite. 

The Scarlet Pimpernel is a ruckus tale of French revolutionaries and terrified aristocrats trying to escape Paris. After reading, you can have a fabulously fun movie night with the adaptation starring Anthony Andrews. 

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a dark tale of the conflict between creature and creator. Sure to provide fascinating discussions on the topics of free-will, creator responsibility, and much more! 

No family read-aloud is complete without the indomitable Tom Sawyer and his buddy Huckleberry Finn. Everyone in my family loved reading through these books - getting caught up in the family feuds, the runaway adventures, and understanding an America that existed long ago and still shapes our present experience. 

The unparalleled classic To Kill A Mockingbird is an absolute must. Your family will be drawn into the simple world of Scout and the complex issue of race relations in the deep South. Atticus Fitch is the archetypal American hero and every child should read this heroic and heartbreaking tale. 

And there you have a start to some amazing evenings of storytelling and conversation. I will write more blog entries on recommended read-alouds in the future, but for now, I hope you find these suggestions helpful. As always, I would love to hear your favorites! 

Family Read-Alouds: Part III

by Rebecca Berg Manor

This started out to be what I thought would be a brief series listing some of my favorite books for family read-alouds! Ha! There are just too many, so I am going to expand it a bit. I've loved so many of the suggestions you readers have shared in the comments and on our Facebook page - they've jiggled my memory and so this will be the second entry of recommendations for families with middle school aged children. It is worth noting, that when reading aloud, it is very easy to include a broader range of ages. Older and younger students will often enjoy these books when read in a family setting! So, here we go!

For wonderfully fantastical adventures you cannot beat C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L'Engle, and Frances Hodgson Burnett. 

C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series, especially The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and Prince Caspian will whisk you and your children to another land where animals talk, tiny mice have outsized courage, winter never ends, and fauns are just about the best possible guides one can find. For some reason I think these books are best read on a cold winter's night. Maybe its the perpetual winter and the ice-hearted Queen, but I remember feeling shivers when my dad read these aloud! And be prepared to start searching for recipes for Turkish Delight as your children will be very curious as to what this mysterious treat is that Edmond is so willing to trade for his integrity. 

A Little Princess and The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett are also lovely stories with a bit of the fantastic. Burnett also wrote Little Lord Fauntleroy and that is a great story as well but my favorites will always be A Little Princess and The Secret Garden. Not only are the stories well told, they also portray characters who are kind and generous. Self-indulgent and shallow characters are transformed into caring fully-fledged boys and girls who see beyond their own needs and act selflessly for others.

The E. B. White stories make wonderfully sympathetic read-alouds. While I always thought the premise of the story of Stuart Little was very strange (how to two people have a son who is a mouse), it is such a lovely story and one that children can relate to. Charlotte's Web is the classic that no child should miss. Provides an excellent opportunity to discuss love, friendship, sacrifice, death, loss, and living a life for others. And The Trumpet of the Swan is a such a unique story and one that will stick with you long after you've finished reading it. 

When my dad read Wind in the Willows we spent most nights laughing hysterically at the crazy antics of Mr. Toad, nodding in agreement with the wisdom of Mr. Badger, and shaking our heads at Mr. Rat. Find a beautifully illustrated edition of this book or stick with one that is not illustrated. Poorly illustrated versions of this tale impede a child's ability to imagine these characters in all their wonderful color. 

The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warren is appropriate for younger middle school children and these stories are wonderful. Again, a note on illustration: try to stick with the copies that have the lovely black and white cut-out illustrations. Children find them fascinating and will spend lots of time looking at them. I loved the stories of Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny and their faithful dog, Watch.  

E. Nesbit's British classic The Railway Children provides many young readers with their first introduction to the genre of mystery. Although there are only a handful of characters in the book, the plot is intriguing and leaves children on the end of their seats as Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis try to save their father from a fate he does not deserve. E. Nesbit's other classic Five Children and It is another well-loved classic.  

I love The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Written by a French World War II pilot, this extravagantly imaginative tale has some very dear down-to-earth lessons in its pages. It may take a bit to get into because the subject is so original, but it's worth pressing through the first pages. Be sure to get a version with the original illustrations by the author - they are incomparable. There are other editions out there and they are not worth your money or even your effort in checking them out from the library! 

Another World War II veteran, Miendert Dejong's writing style is unique and enticing. Three very different stories, The Wheel on the School, Along Came a Dog, and The House of Sixty Fathers are modern-day classics with staying power! Whether Dejong is writing about children in Holland or American soldiers in China, his books are well-worth reading. Each book is delightfully illustrated by Maurice Sendak who is able to capture these diverse and fascinating worlds. 

Although Oscar Wilde was and remains a controversial character, is was a talented and keenly observant writer. His children's stories can be a painfully accurate mirror to the darker aspects of our nature as well as an inspiration to strive for something more noble, more generous, and more loving. There is a definite dark side to these stories so I would suggest waiting until you are sure your child has the maturity to properly process the content. That said, they should not be missed. 

I could go on and on! But I do not want to impose on your time any longer. I hope you are inspired to pursue some of the books in our  little "Read-Aloud Series" and spend time reading as a family. We will be back next week with more suggestions for advanced middle school and high school level read-alouds! And I am sure I will do other entries with more titles for this age-range. Be sure to Follow the blog (see sidebar) to make sure you don't miss anything!

As always, I would love to hear from you! What books has your family enjoyed? Have a great weekend!

Family Read Alouds: Part II

by Rebecca Berg Manor

Thank you to all who added their favorites to our suggested family read-alouds for young children. I am so glad that Joy mentioned Babar because those are lovely stories! They definitely deserve a place on the list! Sherry had a whole bunch of wonderful titles that I had forgotten about! She recommends:

• Ferdinand by Munro Leaf (excellent recommendation!)
• The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper and Loren Long
• The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese (such a sweet story!)
• Caps for Sale by Sephyr Slobodkina 
• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton (all Burton's childrens books are excellent)

-Series

• Henny Penny
• Frog and Toad
• Lyle the Crocodile
• Harry the Dirty Dog

Another great collection for young ones is the Billy and Blaze series by C. W. Anderson. Excellent for boys who have a hard time sitting still as each book is fully illustrated with a brief but engaging text. 

And there are many more great books to read to your young children. And of course, there are some wonderful wordless, or nearly wordless, books that allow you to create a story with your children. Good Night, Gorilla is an excellent example of how a talented illustrator can create a story simply using engaging pictures.

So, there are some additional recommendations for books to share with young children. Now we will move on to recommendations for families with children in middle school. 

Marguerite Henry's books make fantastic read-alouds. For horse-lovers they are the end all of literature yet the stories are well rounded and will appeal to children who are uninterested in species of the equine persuasion. Most famous for her Chincoteague Pony books, Henry also wrote about the western Mustang ponies, the development of the Justin Morgan breed, guides to identifying horses, and even a biography on Benjamin West, the great American painter! And you cannot miss King of the Wind, Henry's wonderful book on the Arabian stallions. 

It seems that most middle school aged children love animals and James Herriot's amazing stories are just the ticket for meaningful family read-aloud time! Known for his All Things Bright and Beautiful series that included All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Wise and Wonderful, and The Lord God Made Them All, Herriot was an English veterinarian who found inspiration for is writing in his work with the animals (and people) of his beloved Yorkshire. The All Things Bright and Beautiful stories may be read aloud but they do deal with some complicated issues, so I would recommend sticking with the James Herriot's Treasury for Children. Herriot also wrote the following books for children.

• Blossom Comes Home
• Moses the Kitten
• Only One Woof
• The Christmas Day Kitten
• Bonny's Big Day
• The Market Square Dog
• Oscar, Cat-About-Town
• Smudge, the Little Lost Lamb

I remember the first time I stumbled upon this book at the library. It looks like a lot of fun so I checked it out and it quickly became a favorite. I loved following Homer as he walked through Centerburg and got into all sorts of hilarious and ridiculous situations. Do not miss Home Price and Centerburg Tales by Robert McCloskey. You'll also love the illustrations!

There seems to be an entire genre of children's literature devoted to heartbreaking stories about people and their relationships with animals. Rascal by Sterling North is one of the best. Wilson Rawl's Summer of the Monkeys and Where the Red Fern Grows will break your heart, as will Anna Sewell's Black Beauty, but these are stories that will also make you laugh while teaching compassion, empathy, and generosity. I probably wouldn't recommend reading these four titles consecutively! Break them up with something lighter like the Homer Price stories.

I read every book in the Little House on the Prairie series at least five times when I was growing up. And that was after my parents had read them aloud! There was something about Laura and Mary's adventures and their family's struggles in settling the west that appealed to our my imagination. I will always remember my dad reading the chapter where Jack, the family dog, gets lost. We were all chocked up and simply could not believe that Jack was gone. The characters in this book are so well written, the settings come alive, and the dialogue is superb. These have recently come under some criticism for portraying life as a western settler in too idealized a way, but I disagree. These books portray joy and hardship, sacrifice, family dynamics and much more in a realistic way. They may not be reliable historical references, but they are much much more than that.

Once you've read through The Little House on the Prairie, you will be ready for Little Britches by Ralph Moody. The Little Britches series is more advanced than The Little House books and quite a bit more complex but just as endearing. Also autobiographical accounts of a family moving west in search of a better future. You will find yourself shaking your head in amazement, laughing until tears roll down your cheeks, gritting your teeth in frustration, and yes, crying, as you make your way through the adventures of the Moody family.

Lois Lenski's Strawberry Girl is one that should not be missed! It's an endearing and convicting story of poverty and kindness.

While The Hundred Dresses may be one of Eleanor Estes better known titles, it is simply one among many wonderful titles by this talented author. Her Moffats series and Ginger Pye stories are whimsical and entertaining. Check your library for the following titles:

• The Moffats

• The Middle Moffat

• The Sun and the Wind and Mr. Todd

• Rufus M.

• The Echoing Green

• Sleeping Giant and Other Stories

• Ginger Pye

• A Little Oven

• Pinky Pye

• Miranda the Great

• The Tunnel of Hugsy Goode

• The Lost Umbrella of Kim Chu

• The Coat-Hanger Christmas Tree

• The Moffat Museum

• The Curious Adventures of Jimmy McGee

Marguerite de Angeli combined exquisitely written stories with beautiful illustrations and made an indelible mark on the world of children's literature. From her stories of Quakers, to her tale of a traveling medieval mistral, her books are all wonderful. My favorites include:
• Henner's Lydia
• Yonie Wondernose
• Thee, Hannah!
• Bright April
• Copper-Toed Boots
• Skippack School
• Turkey for Christmas
• The Door in the Wall
• The Lion in the Box

Mildred D. Taylor's American classics Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Let the Circle Be Unbroken are difficult titles as they deal with complex issues of hate, racism, prejudice, and injustice, but they also depict great courage, generosity, forgiveness and grace. Many do not know that Roll of Thunder was part of a five-book series. My favorites are Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Let the Circle be Unbroken, and The Road to Memphis. 

And that's just a tiny portion of all the wonderful books available for middle school aged children. I will be listing many more in the future, but I hope that gives you a start. And as always, I would love to hear your recommendations! I know there are so many more out there, I simply cannot get to each and every one in a single blog entry, so we will keep working our way through these!

Family Read-Alouds

by Rebecca Berg Manor

Thank you to everyone who chimed in on our post regarding reluctant readers. I enjoyed reading your responses and questions. As discussed, one of the best ways to encourage children in their literary development is to make time to read aloud as a family. Not only is this great for children's intellectual development, it adds a dimension to family time that can easily be lost in the hustle and bustle of every day life. While families often spend a lot of time together, especially as home schoolers, much of that time is spent doing the necessities of every day. By purposely setting aside time to read as a family, you are affirming the importance of engaging together. Sharing stories is also a wonderful way to create discussion. Children often have the most wonderful observations! Hearing what a child thinks about a story gives you a window into how his mind works. And stories provide wonderful teaching opportunities where a parent is able to engage with his children and talk through moral issues. Sometimes it can feel like the only time one is able to teach a child a lesson is when the child has messed up. How refreshing to be able to read wonderful stories together and talk through issues of character in a supportive setting!

Another benefit of reading aloud is the bonding that takes place between those involved. My dad read aloud to my siblings and me nearly every night while we were growing up. Sometimes we read hilarious books that would have us all laughing. Other times we were making our way through serious stories when suddenly my dad would interject something funny and it would catch us all off guard. There were many nights when we would beg for another chapter as we simply could not wait until the next night to hear what happened. These moments became the center of our family. On those difficult days faced by every family when nothing seems to go right, having this quiet hour to be together was an essential touchpoint for each of us. Instead of being bombarded by the terrible news on TV, we nestled into the security of one another's company. Instead of hearing about war and famine and death from jaded newscasters we explored Africa through the eyes of Dr. Livingstone, traveled the fantastic worlds of C. S. Lewis, time traveled to the Wild West with Ralph Moody, learned what it was like to be homeless in Paris in The Family Under the Bridge, grew up in Pearl Buck's China. For children growing up in a tiny, poor, gold-mining town in the Sierra Nevadas these literary voyages showed us a much bigger world. Sure, there were often times when one of us was antsy, distracted, or grouchy. We also read some pretty disappointing books (to this day we cannot understand why The Swiss Family Robinson is such a beloved classic!) but I look back on those times so fondly. I am very grateful that it was a priority to my parents and I can still hear Pop's low voice - it's one of those childhood sounds I'll never forget.

So, in honor of that, I want to share some of my personal favorites for family read-aloud time. Over the next week, we will look at classics, new finds, and more. I am going to divide them according to age and today, we will start with books for little ones. In respect of the fact that young children often want to read the same story aloud over and over, I am trying to include books that parent's will also find endearing, engaging, or entertaining.

Families with Young Children

(Ages 3-6) As a child I found Amelia Bedelia to be hilarious! Her mixed-up world showed me that words could be fun and misunderstandings hilarious! The originals books, from the 1960s and '70s, are the best. The illustrations are whimsical, Amelia is lovably ridiculous, and laughing with little children is just about the best thing in the world, right? Since the 1990s the series has been added to but I do not think the newer versions even deserve comparison. For reference, here's a list of the originals: 

• Amelia Bedelia
• Thank You, Amelia Bedelia
• Amelia Bedelia and the Surprise Shower
• Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia
• Good Work, Amelia Bedelia
• Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia
• Amelia Bedelia Helps Out

(Ages 3-7) Brinton Turkle's Obadiah books are charming. These heartwarming stories of a small Quaker boy living on Nantucket during the colonial period are so unique. Not only are the illustrations beautiful, the characters are entirely loveable and fully developed. Quite the feat for a short children's story! I highly recommend

• Obadiah the Bold
• Rachel and Obadiah
• Thy Friend, Obadiah

(Ages 4-8) Robert McCloskey's books are so superb. I spent hours just looking at his wonderful pictures! As anyone who knows Make Way for Ducklings can attest, McCloskey was a genius in creating wonderful stories and his illustrations bring each character and moment to life. Rea wrote an interesting history of Make Way for Ducklings and you can read that on her blog. My favorite McCloskey titles for younger children are:

• A Time of Wonder
• Blueberries for Sal
• Make Way for Ducklings
• Lentil
• One Morning in Maine

(All ages) Although I did not discover Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox until I was an adult, I have shared this with many of the young people in my life and it is one of my all-time favorites. An incredibly touching story illustrated with delicious watercolors by Julie Vivas, this book belongs on every child's bookshelf. 

(Ages 3 and up) Tomie de Paola is one of the most popular children's authors, and for good reason. His stories are unique and intelligent and when paired with his whimsical illustrations, he delivers the whole package. My favorite is The Clown of God and his Strega Nona series is lovely. 

(Ages 3-7) As a young child I collected the Golden Books written and illustrated by Eloise Wilkins. While they may not be readily available at your local drugstore like they were when I was a kid, they're worth looking for at used book sales or checking for at your library. Her stories are simple and they do not stray far from every day life. Someone gave me The New Baby when my mom was expecting my little brother and it helped me understand what was happening and anticipate his arrival. Plus her paintings of chubby little children are so endearing. 

(Ages 2-5) Margaret Wise Brown's classics The Runaway Bunny and Goodnight Moon are probably already on your bookshelf. If you haven't read them in a while, pull them out again. While it may be difficult to be enchanted for the gazillionth time, these are very special books. Their cadence is perfect for bedtime and they are stories that portray a parent's love as wonderfully secure and safe. And, again, the pictures are gorgeous. 

(Ages 5 and up) Chris Van Allsburg's wonderfully imaginative tales may have been my first introduction to fantasy. Whether we were hearing about sailboats that could fly to other lands as in The Wreck of the Zephyr or trespassing in the intimidating Garden of Abdul Gasazi, or rolling the dice in Jumanji, my siblings and I loved these stories. We got sucked into each wonderful adventure and even though we knew the endings very well after a few readings, these are the sorts of books that do not lose their thrill. In addition to the titles listed above, I also enjoyed The Polar Express. I find Van Allsburg's more recent titles a bit less accessible for children, but others may enjoy them.

Additional authors I loved include A. A. Milne (stick with the original Pooh stories, they're brilliant and the Disney knockoffs do not come anywhere close), Margery Williams (The Velveteen Rabbit), Beatrix Potter, Dr. Seuss (of course!), William Steig, Virginia Lee Burton, and Jan Brett. And there are many others! We are surrounded by a wealth of literature for young people and I hope this gives you some inspiration and direction. 

I would love to hear what books you recommend for reading aloud? Do you have favorites from your childhood? What are your family's favorites? I'll be back on Wednesday with titles for families with students who are a bit older. 

Happy reading!