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    25 Beloved, Time-Tested Read Alouds For Young Children

    24.4KViews Modified: Apr 29, 2021 · Published: May 2, 2014
    By Jacqueline 15 Comments

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    25 Beloved, Time-Tested Read Alouds For Young Children, A father reading to his listening children in the evening by lantern light on the front porch.

    Sharing The Light by Alfredo Rodriguez

    I felt silly as I lay in bed all by myself with a stack of read alouds.

    Beatrix Potter was perched on my huge pregnant twin baby belly as I read out loud to the little ones inside. I guess I wanted to get an early start.

    I was ecstatic to be pregnant, and while it felt awkward at first, I soon grew to look forward to those quiet times. I had been infertile so long that it was my way of day-dreaming about coming motherhood. Reading aloud from children’s books was a big part of my concept of homemaking.

     

    Treasured Old Books
    Print this booklist before going to the library!

     

    25 Beloved, Time-Tested Read Alouds For Young Children. Mother mouse reading a bedtime story to little mouse in the cottage by lamplight.

    Bedtime Story by Chris Dunn

    In my way of thinking, reading children’s books aloud to your child would ideally begin as soon after birth as possible. Not only does it help with brain and speech development, but it develops healthy concepts of how to live life in many circumstances, it fosters bonding with your child and gradually trains them to be still for short times. If all parents understood the huge educational benefit and intense happiness brought about by reading aloud to their children, the TV might remain silent and might even become considered obsolete in your home. Radical thinking, this!

    Many people don’t realize that when an infant is born, only 25% of the brain is yet developed, and another 60% or so develops within the first young years of life till finally the corpus callosum is fully formed at around age 25. During the most crucial time (the first dozen in a child’s development), eye contact, touch, warmth and normal speech (not goo-goo-ga-ga) will help tremendously as will lots of reading aloud. 

    I firmly believed this (still do) and so nursed our twins (with a nursing pillow for twins) while reading to our 2 year old.

     

    If I had to do read alouds over again, I would have integrated the Psalms and other favorite portions of my Bible with other books when they were only 1 and 2 instead of waiting until I thought they could understand. I have often thought that Daniel in the Bible (Daniel 1: 3-5) must have had parents who taught/read to him about Almighty God from youth for him to not forsake his faith under the rigorous training and indoctrination when stolen away to the courts of the Babylonians. Ultimately, even being thrown to the lions didn’t daunt him (Daniel 6: 1-28).

    Make Reading Time Memorable:

    1. Timing– Choose a time for reading aloud that is relaxed, quiet, and conducive to listening. For us, the best time was right after lunch; others begin or end their day with a read aloud. As homeschoolers, finding time for everything within the regular school day is challenging, but read-alouds can be combined with other activities. For example, when our children were a bit older, I read aloud as they silently cleaned up from lunch, and while there was some guidance needed from time to time, it was a win-win – I loved it and so did they! Generally 10 to 30 minutes is appropriate.
    2. Atmosphere– Setting the tone is important, too. Gather everyone together on the carpet, lower the lights in the room, and have a special chair for you to read from or snuggle on the couch, rotating where they sit to avoid an argument. Let it become a stable and comfortable routine in the midst of our chaotic world. Make it relational!
    3. Book Selection– Charlie Tremendous Jones once stated, “You’re the same today as you’ll be in five years except for the people you meet and the books you read.” Books have the power to change us for good or for evil, thus the choice of a children’s book should have as its purpose to help our children identify with others of noble and faithful character. It is a window in time in which to develop integrity, compassion, purity, a love of truth and honesty, and a biblical worldview. A book can be a powerful tool to influence a child for Christ. As our young sons and daughters keep company with these rich characters, it will help them form internal values for a lifetime.
     

    “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” ~Proverbs 13: 20

    25 Beloved, Time-Tested Read Alouds For Young Children. 3 books: The Story About Ping, The Velveteen Rabbit, and Old Mother West Wind.

    Time-tested Young Children’s Read Alouds:

    • The Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff, 1933
    • Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler by Esphyr Slobodkina, 1982
    • The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, 1940
    • Curious George by H. A. Rey, 1941
     
    • Doctor De Soto by William Steig, 1971
    • The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack, 1933
    • Other Marjorie Flack books
    • One Morning In Maine by Robert McCloskey, 1952

    3 books: The Little fur Family, One Morning in Maine, and Doctor De Soto by Robert McCloskey.

    • The Little Fur Family, Margaret Wise Brown (one of our favorite authors), 1968
    • Dandelion Hill by Clyde Robert Bulla, 1982
    • The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame, 1953
    • Just-So Stories by Rudyard Kipling, 1912
     
    • Jennie’s Hat by Ezra Jack Keats, 1966
    • Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey, 1941
    • Other Robert McCloskey books
    • Little Bear’s Friend (series) by Else Holmelund Minarik, 1960
    • The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, 1963 

    3 books: Hilda the Hen Who wouldn't give Up, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, and Harry the Dirty Dog.

    • The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, 1976
    • Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion, 1956 
    • Hilda the Hen Who Wouldn’t Give Up by Jill Tomlinson, 1967
    • Mr. Brown and Mr. Gray by William Wondriska, 1968
     
    • Madeline (series) by Ludwig Bemelmans, 1939
    • Mrs. Piggy Wiggle by Betty MacDonald, 1957
    • Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. Burgess, 1910

    25 Beloved, Time-Tested Read Alouds For Young Children. Three books: Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling, Goodnight Moon by Margaret wise Brown and Corduroy.

    • The Velveteen Rabbit: Or, How Toys Become Real by Margery Williams, 1922
    • Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, 1948 
    • Corduroy by Don Freeman, 1968
    100 Wholehearted Books to Help Fight Back the Culture
    Print this booklist before going to the library!
     

    What are your favorite young children’s books and read alouds? I’d love you to share your read alouds in the comments.

    Check out other completely different book lists here at Deep Roots at Home!

    25 Beloved, Time-Tested Read Alouds For Young Children. A pioneering grandfather reading to the children while a boy holds a lantern for light on the porch.

    Sharing The Light by Alfredo Rodriguez

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    Related

    Hi! I’m Jacqueline!

    Thanks for being part of this journey with me.
    Welcome to my own little place on the internet! Home is where I love to be. I feel there is no greater place to incubate souls. These days you’ll find me using my experiences here to write about herbal remedies and natural health research — a big passion of mine. But being a wife and mother is not easy. It is challenging and potentially lonely. I get that. I wanted to create a place to connect with and support other moms for creating a natural, healthy, and fulfilling home life.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mary Hill

      February 21, 2015 at 12:28 am

      These titles look so sweet. Thanks for linking up with Literacy Musing Mondays.

      Reply
    2. Jamie

      April 24, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      I really love “Guess How Much I love you”, “I’ll Love You Forever”, and Richard Scary books, among many!

      Reply
    3. Jolene

      September 02, 2016 at 6:50 am

      I just came across your blog, through a link on CHEWV. Thank you for the sound advice, and for not being afraid to speak your faith. I’m also thankful for the timely reminder that supervison is necessary when visiting the library. We have two little boys, and our daily story time is very special to us.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        September 02, 2016 at 11:35 am

        Jolene, I an thankful it was helpful and encouraging to you! Praying right now for you, dear Mama, and your boys! May you and your family THRIVE in the Lord!!

        Reply
    4. Kathy Whitemyer

      October 25, 2019 at 11:41 am

      I just read the list, and I have to say there is one book that has remained in my heart since my children were young some 20 plus years ago. Peef the Christmas bear, is a story about love friendship, giving, and sacrifice, told in such a way that it made me cry every time I read it to a class in an elementary school. I just recently read it to my grandchildren, and just barely made it through!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        October 25, 2019 at 2:05 pm

        Kathy, thank you for this title!! Peef the Christmas Bear! Will check it out! Blessings, ~J

        Reply
    5. Debbie

      January 07, 2020 at 10:20 pm

      Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst (I also love her Alexander Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        January 08, 2020 at 10:52 am

        Debbie, thanks for these book titles by Judith Viorst! 😀 ~J

        Reply
    6. Jan Joyal

      April 20, 2020 at 10:54 am

      The books by A. A. Milne: Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner are delightful. I love Milne’s gentleness and love of nature and childhood. They are also humorous for adults.

      Reply
    7. DavetteB

      March 13, 2022 at 1:37 pm

      The Secret Garden
      Heidi
      Charlotte’s Web
      The Trumpet of the Swan
      Frindle (and most of the Andrew Clements books)
      Most of the Little House series
      I read a ton to my son, then when he got older we took turns. Don’t stop just because your kids can read on their own,

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        March 13, 2022 at 4:47 pm

        Amen, DavetteB,
        Thanks for these additions… they are likely on one of my other book lists! Search “children’s books”.
        Here are a few off the top:

        https://deeprootsathome.com/reading-library-childrens-books/
        https://deeprootsathome.com/100-whole-hearted-books-to-fight-back-the-culture-a-giveaway/

        and https://deeprootsathome.com/60-titles-for-the-well-rounded-childrens-bookshelf/

        Enjoy,
        ~Jacque

        Reply
    8. Anas

      April 01, 2022 at 9:06 am

      I started setting a time for reading out loud to my kids when they turned 6 months old. I don’t know why, but it seemed like a good idea. Although we read books to them since they were 3 months old, but not as a routine until they were a little older. My babies favorites were “Mr Brown can moo”, oh my! Read it like a gazillion times. “The Barnyard dance” was another one they loved.
      Our time was before bedtime, we cuddle up in a rocking chair. I miss those days. As they grew up we always read to them until they were like 7 years old, then they would each read on their own. My kids love reading, as a result they said their first words at 10 months of age, started reading at three and a half, they get high grades in ELA at school and still love reading a good book. Thank you for writing about this, more parents need to do this, so good for the children’s development.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        April 01, 2022 at 3:16 pm

        Ana, what you did was set them up with a great foundation and potential love of learning.
        Even into the teens, I have found that many still love being read to or reading to others!

        Blessings,
        Jacque

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Mentionworthy Monday | Along the Country Road says:
      June 1, 2015 at 5:46 pm

      […] 25 Beloved, Time-Tested Read Alouds for Young Children – “Charlie Tremendous Jones once stated, ‘You’re the same today as you’ll be in five years except for the people you meet and the books you read.'” If you’re in need of a little inspiration for summer reading/storytime, you’ll love this blogger’s post. A few of these timeless classics are new to me, but I’m excited to add them to our story time list and I think they’d be a great addition to yours as well. […]

      Reply

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