For the past several years, I have read aloud to my boys at the beginning of each school day. I’ve been doing this ever since I was encouraged to do so by hearing talks by Andrew Pudewa of Institute for Excellence in Writing and Sally Clarkson of Whole Heart Ministries.
Reading books aloud will take your family on a magical journey. Even after our kids are able to read on their own, we should continue to read books aloud to them. Try to read books to them which are just a little bit above the level which they can comfortably read on their own.
These books are an excellent source of reliably correct and sophisticated language patterns. Hearing the English language in this way will help our kids to increase their vocabulary and to recognize proper English when they hear it!
The read aloud books below are some of our favorites. I hope that this guide will help you find just the right books for your boys! Enjoy!
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain is such a fun book. “There are no bears on Hemlock Mountain, No bears, no bears at all…” This book tells the tale of Jonathan who has to travel over Hemlock Mountain all alone. A great tale of bravery! (Great for elementary aged boys and younger!)
Owls in the Family is another fun book about a boy and his pets… two of which just happen to be owls. This book is full of adventure and surprises! (Great for all ages!)
The Abernathy Boys is another high adventure about two brothers – Bud, age 9, and Temp, age 5. These boys are determined to see the Old West and they set out across it on their own. Oh, by the way… This book is based on a true story! (Great for all ages!)
The American Adventure Series is a set of 48 books which follows many generations of one family as they travel to America on the Mayflower all the way through World War 2. We loved every book in this series. It gave us a great overview of American History and it was awesome to see God’s hands in the events that shaped our nation. (Great for elementary or middle school ages!)
The Princess Bride is the hilarious adventure of Wesley and Buttercup. Filled with swashbuckling sword fights, pirates, and giants. Super funny! And be sure to watch the movie after you finish the book! (Great for middle school aged boys!)
The Hiding Place is a wonderful book to teach your boys about the horrors of World War 2. Reading this book to my boys changed ME! Corrie ten Boom does an excellent job of detailing how God was at work in her life and the lives around her. Have kleenexes handy when you read this… but read it! (Great for middle school or older boys!)
Elijah of Buxton is another excellent story. Elijah is an 11-year-old boy who lives in a settlement of runaway slaves in Canada – near the American border. This book is a great way to teach your boys about the horrors of slavery. Such a touching story! (Great for middle school or older boys!)
The Lamplighter is the tale of Gerty – a mistreated and abandoned young girl who develops a bad temper. Through the story, Gerty learns many wonderful lessons from the meek and gentle lamplighter. An immediate best seller in 1854! Definitely worth reading. (Great for middle school or older boys!)
Little Men is a fun book filled with the adventures of Jo and her boys at Plumfield Estate School. Your sons will be able to identify with one or more of the boys at the school. We read Little Women first; however, I don’t think that would be a requirement. We loved this book! Funny! (Great for middle school or older boys!)
The Bronze Bow is the story of 18-year-old Daniel, an Israelite who is furious with the Romans after they kill his father. He is determined to avenge his fathers death – until he begins to hear the stories of a traveling carpenter. This is a powerful book! (Great for upper elementary or older boys!)
I hope this guide helps you to find a book or two that you and your boys will enjoy!
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Question: If your boys have any read aloud books that they love, please share them below. Thank-you! 🙂
And be sure to check out the other great Reading List posts from iHN bloggers at iHomeschool Network.