Years ago, when we were in the throes of homeschooling and raising little ones, I began a tradition of reading a book aloud at the end of the day. There is something special about taking a journey through a good book together. On some of our toughest days, we could wind down reading a book together, and all was right in the world again. What I didn’t anticipate is that I would enjoy the tradition even more as my kids got older. Yes, you can still read books aloud with your high schooler. Making time to connect is key at this age when keeping the lines of communication open can be a challenge. Following are some of our absolute favorite read alouds.
First up, a classic. When I asked my son what some of his all-time favorite books were, he immediately responded, Where the Red Fern Grows. I remember reading this as a child, and it was a joy to share this gem with my kids and see their engagement as the story progressed. There are moments in this book that will be a struggle to read aloud. This book teaches us lessons about tenacity, hard work, connection, and compassion. It has been said that reading fiction books is one of the best ways to learn empathy.
The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie has excellent recommendations for family read alouds. She even breaks down the recommendations into age groups, which is super helpful when determining what books are best for your kids. One of her recommendations was the The Vanderbeekers series by Karina Yan Glaser. It is a delightful series that takes you on a journey with a family of five kids who work together to face and overcome challenges. Family values are woven into each book along with many adventures.
In addition to the books recommended in The Read-Aloud Family, we also appreciated several of the books from the Newbery Medal winner section at our local library. A few of our favorites from that section were Amos Fortune, Free Man; Carry On, Mr. Bowditch; Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH; Bridge to Terabithia; Crispin: The Cross of Lead; and Last Stop on Market Street. The Newbery Medal winner books exposed us to different cultures and times gone by.
I discovered my favorite author while exploring different family read aloud options. When we exhausted the Newbery Honor Medal Winners section in our library, I browsed the librarian’s picks section and found the book Pax by Sarah Pennypacker. This author has a way of delivering poignant stories that draw you into the characters’ lives. There hasn’t been one book of hers that we haven’t been enamored with, but our all-time favorites of hers include: Pax, Pax: Journey Home, and Here in the Real World for middle schoolers, and her Clementine series for elementary aged kids. I could read her books time and again and never tire of them.
Including an evening read aloud in our family routine is still my favorite way to end the day. As my kids have gotten older, it has opened the door for richer conversations as we have all learned to have more compassion in our quest to digest fiction that inspires us, challenges us, and pulls at the heartstrings. I encourage you to make family read aloud time part of your daily routine.