This is a wonderful list! I read aloud to my children when they were growing up, and it continued long after they were able to read on their own. They often wanted me to read to them when they were sick. When our son published a quantitative mathematics book during his postdoctoral fellowship , his professor said he was the best writer he had ever encountered in his doctoral mathematics program. When I asked our son to what he attributed this, I thought he was going to credit his AP English teacher. But instead he said (I'm paraphrasing), "Mom, it's because you read to us so much. I can hear in my head how words and sentences are supposed to sound." What a powerful affirmation!
Elizabeth: Amen, sister! I hope you are able to help others do the same. The world needs this. Read aloud is the antidote to STEM education. You proved it--and your son in quantitative mathematics!
A true classical Christian education puts science, technology, education, and math in proper place. Look at the disciplines in classical: Trivium equals Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. You need these perfected in early education before you can advance to Quadrivium, which equals Arithmetic, Music, Geometry, and Astronomy. These are the classic liberal arts. Saint Augustine (d. 420 AD) was headed for a “career” as a master Rhetoric teacher before he had his Christian conversion. He then helped bring these classical disciplines into Christian understanding.
We’re doing Around the World in 80 Days -he breezed through the Usborne version several years ago -the colourful illustrations help! There are a number of translations, so the comprehension guide I had from Veritas Press didn’t match up w the vocab. Still a lot of wonderful vocab however!
Oh I love this this list!! We do read-a-louds too. Now that our boys are a *little* older we are making our way through the Lord of the Rings trilogy and did 4 of the Harry Potter books so far. Also did the Hobbit which we found a beautifully illustrated one to add to our ever growing Tolkien collection ha!
And..going to add Treasure Island now to our future read-a-loud list!!
Thank you for sharing this list! I have enjoyed reading some of these books to my kids, and have just put a few more on hold at the library. I recently read A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga to my 10 year old son. We both loved it. Some of our other favourites are: The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, The Ickabog by J.K. Rowling, The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, By The Great Horn Spoon! by Sid Fleischman, and Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques.
Pippi Longstocking is just wonderful, isn't it? We also read one by Astrid Lindgren that is less well-known called "Mio My Son." Thanks for your list! Lots of great books on it (and a few we haven't read yet!) Always adding to the list... :)
Yes! I will add that one to my list. Here are a few more I just thought of: "Owls In the Family" by Farley Mowat, "Matilda", "The Fantastic Mr. Fox", and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" all by Roald Dahl. We have read all of these multiple times.
We just started the second in this series (https://lithoskids.com/collections/littlepilgrim). It's another, even younger, adaptation of the PIlgrim's Progress. The 4 and almost 3 year-old boys LOVE it. It's truly one of the first handful of quality read-aloud books they've requested in recent times. So, I can sense we are on the verge of some good read-aloud experiences that aren't AS wiggly as it is with young toddlers. :)
Yes, I’m sure you are on the verge of some wonderful reading aloud with your little ones! 3 & 4 is hard (especially with boys) but you’re laying a great foundation for them. My Father’s Dragon is one of my favorite read-alouds for the youngest listeners. Have fun with them!!
This is a wonderful list! I read aloud to my children when they were growing up, and it continued long after they were able to read on their own. They often wanted me to read to them when they were sick. When our son published a quantitative mathematics book during his postdoctoral fellowship , his professor said he was the best writer he had ever encountered in his doctoral mathematics program. When I asked our son to what he attributed this, I thought he was going to credit his AP English teacher. But instead he said (I'm paraphrasing), "Mom, it's because you read to us so much. I can hear in my head how words and sentences are supposed to sound." What a powerful affirmation!
I’m sure hearing those words from your son meant so much. Love that story!
I love this!!!
It did!
Elizabeth: Amen, sister! I hope you are able to help others do the same. The world needs this. Read aloud is the antidote to STEM education. You proved it--and your son in quantitative mathematics!
Or maybe a better way to put it is reading aloud as an *enhancement* to STEM. Hmmmm…need to think on this some more.
A true classical Christian education puts science, technology, education, and math in proper place. Look at the disciplines in classical: Trivium equals Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. You need these perfected in early education before you can advance to Quadrivium, which equals Arithmetic, Music, Geometry, and Astronomy. These are the classic liberal arts. Saint Augustine (d. 420 AD) was headed for a “career” as a master Rhetoric teacher before he had his Christian conversion. He then helped bring these classical disciplines into Christian understanding.
That is a perfect description: read-aloud as an antidote to STEM. Love it.
My husband and I are reading Twenty-One Balloons right now! At the request of our 12 year old son, who’s a Jules Verne fan.
Thanks for this list. I’d like to check out Understood Betsy.
You know, we haven’t done any Jules Verne out loud yet! We need to!
We’re doing Around the World in 80 Days -he breezed through the Usborne version several years ago -the colourful illustrations help! There are a number of translations, so the comprehension guide I had from Veritas Press didn’t match up w the vocab. Still a lot of wonderful vocab however!
Oh I love this this list!! We do read-a-louds too. Now that our boys are a *little* older we are making our way through the Lord of the Rings trilogy and did 4 of the Harry Potter books so far. Also did the Hobbit which we found a beautifully illustrated one to add to our ever growing Tolkien collection ha!
And..going to add Treasure Island now to our future read-a-loud list!!
So many good ones!
Thank you for sharing this list! I have enjoyed reading some of these books to my kids, and have just put a few more on hold at the library. I recently read A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga to my 10 year old son. We both loved it. Some of our other favourites are: The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, The Ickabog by J.K. Rowling, The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, By The Great Horn Spoon! by Sid Fleischman, and Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques.
Pippi Longstocking is just wonderful, isn't it? We also read one by Astrid Lindgren that is less well-known called "Mio My Son." Thanks for your list! Lots of great books on it (and a few we haven't read yet!) Always adding to the list... :)
Yes! I will add that one to my list. Here are a few more I just thought of: "Owls In the Family" by Farley Mowat, "Matilda", "The Fantastic Mr. Fox", and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" all by Roald Dahl. We have read all of these multiple times.
These are great!
We just started the second in this series (https://lithoskids.com/collections/littlepilgrim). It's another, even younger, adaptation of the PIlgrim's Progress. The 4 and almost 3 year-old boys LOVE it. It's truly one of the first handful of quality read-aloud books they've requested in recent times. So, I can sense we are on the verge of some good read-aloud experiences that aren't AS wiggly as it is with young toddlers. :)
Yes, I’m sure you are on the verge of some wonderful reading aloud with your little ones! 3 & 4 is hard (especially with boys) but you’re laying a great foundation for them. My Father’s Dragon is one of my favorite read-alouds for the youngest listeners. Have fun with them!!
Harry Potter books make great read alouds as well. I'm impressed you did Tolkein out loud - so wordy!
Yes, definitely. Ezra read aloud all three of the Lord of the Rings trilogy to the kids last year but I only got to hear the first one.
Our firstborn is an Ezra, too :)
I hardly ever hear the name (we came across one other little Ezra here in Wisconsin, but that's it).
Ezra is actually my husband’s name! It’s an excellent name, isn’t it? ☺️