10 Great Summer Family Read-Aloud Books
Confession time. I’m not much of a reader. I know that’s ridiculous…for so many reasons. Sorry. But unless a book is assigned to me you will rarely find me reading one. Britt and the girls are big time readers…thankfully. Perhaps I’ll become more like them one day…I hope so. But right now, I’m not. And the crazy thing is I really do love a good read. Go figure.
Which is why I love summer…well, one of the reasons why I love summer. Because that’s when I’m read to.
That’s right…that’s when Britt picks a few good books to read out loud as a family. We all gather together…on our hanging day bed, porch swing, a bed or couch…wherever…and read to each other.
It’s also a particularly great way to pass the time on those long stretches of highway on the way to and from a summer trip…that doesn’t involve electronics!
If this isn’t something that you and your family already do…I highly recommend that you give it a try. Your tweens, teens, and your family non-readers may balk at first (I know, I am one of them and I balked!). But press on…everyone will be glad that you did.
So if you decide to take this challenge, I thought I’d share some of the books that Britt and the girls have picked out for us to read…some we’ve already read and others are on our list.
- Auggie and Me – Three Wonder Stories by R.J. Palacio
We’ve already read this one…and it’s great. Although not a sequel to Palacio’s original Wonder, it’s an extension or addition to it and it’s also a really great read. - Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader’ (Book 5 of The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis
We’ve also read this one…and then watched the movie. Which was great to have a comparative discussion about the story. - The Victory Garden by Lee Kochenderfer
We knocked this one out earlier this summer on a trip to visit my family in Birmingham. Not only is it a wonderful read in general, but because it’s historical fiction it adds another dimension for discussion. Besides all that…if you’re thinking about starting a family garden, this would be an excellent book to read as you do. There’s a lot of great practical gardening information and references. - Twenty One Balloons by William Pene Du Bois
- Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
This is the book I hope we read on our next trip. It’s a classic. And not surprisingly for me, I’ve already seen the movie …so I’m looking forward to experiencing it again in word. - The BFG by Roald Dahl
You’ve likely seen the trailer to the movie version of this book. We have…but we’re planning on reading it before seeing the movie…much to my chagrin! Well kinda.
During the school year Britt often reads the same books that the girls are…particularly the classics and those that have won awards. So here are a few that she would recommend as family read-aloud books.
- Hold Fast by Blue Balliett
- From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
- The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
- The Mandy Collection starting with Mandy and the Secret Tunnel by Lois Gladys Leppard
I know that since we’re a family with 2 daughters in elementary and middle school some of these family read-aloud book suggestions might not be the perfect fit for your family…but many of them are. So please check them out. And if you don’t find one that you like from our list, hopefully you’ll press on to find one that you do like.
Happy summer friends…and happy reading,
PS…For some other books Britt’s recommended in the past, check out her previous post here.
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We’re on chapter 6 of The BFG. The kids are loving it. We have enjoyed curling up on the sofa in this hot heat and taking a few moments to get lost in this book together. We plan to see the movie after we’re done!
So cool. If we’ve read it in time, maybe our families could go to the movie together. Maybe…huh?! Enjoy your summer friend! – D.
Great post! Reading aloud as a family is the best, not just because it is a magic vocabulary builder, but it builds family as you have shared adventures, make mutual acquaintances and share perspectives. I bought The Victory Garden for my school library as it will support 5th grade standards beautifully. Thanks for the list.
Beth…thanks so much for your comment about family read-aloud books. We just got back from a week at the beach and ended up reading “The BFG”…and we have really enjoyed it.
And so glad you bought The Victory Garden for your school library. Given that a good part of the backdrop is growing a garden, clearly added to my level of interest. My girls love historical fiction…so they were really tuned into the story. And I don’t know about 5th grade standards…but we have a rising 5th grader and she loved it!
Thanks again for chiming in with your comment Beth. Hope you have a great rest of your weekend.
Take care,
D.
I just discovered your website while researching chicken coop plans, so now I’m exploring. I hope you are still enjoying time to read aloud. Our girls are in 9th and 10th grades and we still try to find time to read aloud a book or two every year. If you haven’t read it, “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh” is great, as well as “The Mouse and the Motorcycle.”
Thanks Ayme! We do still try to read aloud at least one book a year as a family. The audience is less “captive” and the topics have changed, but we still make a go at it every year…and glad that we do. Thanks, too…for the book recommendations!!! Take care, B. & D.