I. Love. Books.
One of my very favorite parts of our day is when we all cozy up together and I read a book aloud to the kids.
As humans, we are programmed to learn through story. We are all natural storytellers! It's literally in our genes. In my opinion, reading a good book is, hands-down, the best way to learn. Not only are we picking up new language and vocabulary, it's an amazing way to learn about new cultures, history, science, etc. all while keeping our imagination active and creativity flowing!
Did I mention I love books?
Okay, so, I thought I'd round up some of our favorite reads as of late. For me to love a book enough to finish it, it has to meet a bunch of requirements.
- I'm SUPER visual, so if it has an awful cover, I may never pick it up. Just being honest. If it's softcover, the feel of the cover is also a thing. That kind of powdery, velvety, matte finish cover makes my heart so happy! Nothing beats a hardcover book though. I always get rid of the jacket, so taking a peek underneath is a weird thing I do. If there are details pressed or embossed into the it and the color is right, I'm in love before even looking side. If the pages are rough at the edges and uneven, even better! Am I the only one that does this?
- It has to be well-written and have a good, positive message. Even if the outcome is good, if the characters lack, well, character and say or do awful things left and right, I just can't. It's an absolute deal-breaker. If we have all gathered around to enjoy time together, we need to all walk away better for it. Obviously, life and books aren't all sunshine and rainbows, but I have picked up a lot of books in the young adult section that are just garbage from start to finish.
- The book has to keep everyone engaged and begging for just one more chapter! I have boys (11 and 4) and girls (9 and 7) and I have to love it, too, so that can be a tall order!
So, without further ado, my favorite read-alouds from the last 6 months or so! May they find their way into your hands, hearts, and bookshelves!
SNOW & ROSE | I cannot recommend this book enough! It is beautifully written and just as beautifully illustrated. We were all so excited to snuggle up and venture into the woods that Snow and Rose lived in to piece together the mystery of the dark woods and how to make things right again in the world. It's at the top of our list for good reason!
THE WILD ROBOT | I am not a big robot fan, but Roz the robot is totally different. She has heart and soul and you fall in love with her as she learns to relate to others and bring an entire island of animals together as a community.
THE WILD ROBOT ESCAPES | The sequel you will want to start as soon as you put down The Wild Robot! More adventures with Roz as she grows and stretches and adventures to try to get back to the island she calls home!
PAX | A boy and his coyote separated brought together when they needed each other most and torn apart by war. This book raises all sorts of important questions about humanity and started some beautiful conversations about life, loyalty, and the bonds we share with people and animals.
BOB | This book captured us all as we followed along a young girl and a sweet creature named Bob she left behind in her Gran's closet many years before as they try to unravel the past, determine *what* he Bob is help him find his way home. We were all making lots of guesses the whole way through, but the ending had us all laughing and cheering along!
GRANTED | Humor and heart collide in this story of a fairy-in-training whose job it is to grant the humans wishes! We learn along with her as she figures out that way more than fairy dust goes into making a dream come true!
CARTWHEELING IN THUNDERSTORMS | When Willhemina is taken from living half-wild on a farm in Botswana and put into a boarding school, we witness her find her courage, vulnerability, and resilience as she learns that schoolgirls can be even wilder than the animals from back on her farm. It feels like a classic, but reads with a twist! We loved this one so much!
WISHTREE | A beautiful, magical, heartfelt about acceptance story told from the perspective of a wild old tree. The animals bring in some humor and the people have big personalities, but we get to soak in all that wisdom from the still, strong tree. A shorter read, but one that held us all captive!
THE UNICORN IN THE BARN | Told in the first-person, this sweet and magical story explore finding one's true self, connections, love, and loss. This story had my kids laughing, tearing up, and dreaming about finding a unicorn of our own in our barn!
Well, there you have it! Nine of our favorite read-aloud books! There are so many more we have loved and a list a mile long that we WANT to read! I'd love to hear from you though! Do you have any favorites we should add to our list? What do you look for in a book to read aloud?