Note: Today’s post comes to us from Deborah van der Linde, a librarian and children’s literature expert! Read on for fun suggestions to read with your kids!
Today’s book suggestions are aimed at children in first to third grade.
At this age, kids are just starting to read, and possibly read independently. All the books I have included in this section can act as great read alouds or be used for independent reading.
Reading with children, no matter how good their reading abilities, is a wonderful way to maintain and strengthen the parent-child bond. It’s also a great way to introduce children to the pleasure of reading novels.
Here are a few books that everyone will enjoy:
The Spiderwick Chronicles
by Tony DiTerrlizzi
My husband and I took turns reading this series out loud – before we even had kids. It’s a series of five well told stories, with lovely illustrations interspersed through out the books. They are also a nice size for younger readers, and very visually appealing. The stories revolve around a boy, his twin brother, and his older sister, and their discovery of fantastical creatures.
Fortunately, The Milk
by Neil Gaiman
Mom’s away, and Dad runs down to the corner store to pick up some milk for the kids’ breakfast. But when Dad arrives home much, much later, he has a wild tale to tell about his adventures. The book is full of amusing and quirky illustrations.
The Hobbit
by J.R.R. Tolkien
This story was made to be read aloud, and it is decidedly more child friendly than the Lord of the Rings. Enjoy the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, and what happened before the Lord of the Rings takes place. Both children and adults alike are sure to enjoy this tale – then maybe follow it up with the movie. This book is also available as a graphic novel!
Flora and Ulysses
by Kate Dicamillo
This story involves a girl, a squirrel, a far too powerful vacuum cleaner, and a crazy adventure. It’s hard to go wrong with any story by Kate Dicamillo.
Captain Underpants
by Dave Pilkey
This series is a favorite with both my son and my daughter. With the goofy, silly potty humor and funny illustrations, it is sure to be a hit with most young readers. This is a great tool to get kids interested in reading!
Happy Reading!
Deborah is a librarian, mother of two and military wife. She has a masters of Library and Information Sciences, and is completing a Masters of Education. She has been working with libraries and literacy initiatives for the last decade, and is now establishing the blog, Poppies and Prose, which offers book reviews for adults and children, aimed, though not exclusively, at the Canadian military community. She currently lives in Quebec City and manages the historic Morrin Centre Library.
Check MilKids out on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Subscribe to my email list for email updates and free printables!