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Books to Read Aloud

The books on this list are suggested for sharing aloud with many audiences, both in family settings with small numbers of children and with children in classrooms or other large groups. Since your personal values and children's emotional maturity levels vary widely, we highly recommend that you read the books yourself before sharing them with your audience.

• For Younger Listeners
• For Intermediate Listeners
• For Older Listeners

For Younger Listeners

My Very First Mother Goose

This collection of more than 69 nursery rhymes is illustrated by Rosemary Wells and includes such favorites as "Hey Diddle, Diddle," "Pat-a-Cake," and "Little Jack Horner."

The Neighborhood Mother Goose

Photographs of young children romping in an urban setting interpret well-known and less familiar Mother Goose rhymes.

The Rain Stomper by Addie K. Boswell

When it begins to rain and storm on the day of her big parade, Jazmin stomps, shouts, and does all she can think of to drive away the rain.

The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron

Mischief, imagination and humor abound in six stories about 7-year-old Julian and his little brother Huey.

A Friend for Einstein: The Smallest Stallion by Charlie Cantrell

After searching for a new friend, Einstein, a very small horse, finds the perfect companion in a white boxer named Lilly.

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

Ramona meets a lot of interesting people in kindergarten, including Davy, whom she wants to kiss, and Susan, whose springy curls beg to be pulled.

Dolores and the Big Fire: A True Story by Andrew Clements

A usually aloof cat risks her own life to save her owner from a deadly fire.

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo

When Despereaux, a small mouse of unusual talents, falls in love with a human princess, he is banished to the rat-filled dungeon.

The Random House Book of Fairy Tales by Amy Ehrlich

This collection includes 19 of the greatest fairy tales of all time.

The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett

When a new baby princess accidentally changes places with a piglet, both of their lives are forever changed.

Stone Soup by Heather Forest

Two hungry travelers use a stone as a soup starter and demonstrate the benefits of sharing.

Three Tales of My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

A compilation of tales that relates the fantastic adventures of Elmer Elevator and a baby flying dragon named Boris.

Teeny Tiny Tales for Toddlers by Sarah Hayes

These five stories are just the right length for bedtime reading to preschoolers.

A Bargain for Frances by Russell Hoban

After Frances is tricked out of buying a tea set she likes, she finds a way to teach her friend a lesson.

Humpty Dumpty Climbs Again by Dave Horowitz

Humpty Dumpty has not climbed a single wall since his great fall. When one of the king's horses is stuck, can he find the courage—and the proper climbing equipment—to help out?

Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz

Sing these funny poems to the tunes of well-known songs.

Anansi and the Magic Stick by Eric A. Kimmel

Anansi the Spider steals Hyena's magic stick so he won't have to do the chores, but when the magic stick won't stop, Anansi gets more than he bargained for.

Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel

Funny, simply told stories reflect Frog and Toad's warm friendship.

Ruby Lu, Brave and True by Lenore Look

Ruby Lu loves her life: her new baby brother, Chinese school, performing magic tricks, learning to drive, and her adventures with friends old and new.

The Story Tree: Tales to Read Aloud by Hugh Lupton

Among these seven colorfully illustrated tales from various cultures are such favorites as "The Little Red Hen," "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," and "The Magic Porridge Pot."

Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne

Here are Pooh and Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, and of course Christopher Robin, doing what they've done for generations--enchanting young readers in A.A. Milne's tales from the Hundred Acre Wood.

Dona Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big heart by Pat Mora

Dona Flor, a giant lady with a big heart, sets off to protect her neighbors from what they think is a dangerous animal, but soon discovers the tiny secret behind the huge noise.

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai by Claire A. Nivola

This is the remarkable story of one woman's effort to change the fate of her land by teaching many to care for it.

Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile by Won-Ldy Paye

A Liberian folk tale describes how Mrs. Chicken cleverly convinces a hungry crocodile not to eat her.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Jerry Pinkney

A courageous mongoose thwarts the evil plans of Nag and Nagaina, two big black cobras who live in the garden.

Lemonade, and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word by Bob Raczka

These poems in a brand new poetic form (part anagram, part rebus, part riddle) capture a scene from a child's daily life and present a puzzle to solve.

Belle, the Last Mule at Gee's Bend by Calvin Alexander Ramsey

In Gee's Bend, Alabama, Miz Pettway tells young Alex about the historic role her mule played in the struggle for civil rights led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Bear is too lazy to work during planting season so Hare develops a clever scheme to work Bear's land and get the best of his crops.

The Seven Chinese Sisters by Kathy Tucker

When a dragon snatches the youngest of seven talented Chinese sisters, the other six come to her rescue.

Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt

Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree because he's afraid of the unknown "out there." But then something unexpected happens that may just change his outlook.

Max & Ruby's Bedtime Book by Rosemary Wells

At bedtime, Grandma tells Max and Ruby three favorite stories about themselves.

Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox

In a takeoff on the fairy tale, Rapunzel's hearing problem stymies the Prince when he asks her to let down her hair.

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

Please help the bus driver keep the pigeon from driving his bus!

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams

A little old lady who is not afraid of anything must deal with a pumpkin head, a tall black hat, and other spooky objects that follow her through the dark woods trying to scare her.

For Intermediate Listeners

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Ten-year-old Winnie Foster befriends a family that accidentally finds the secret to living forever. Winnie realizes she must protect their secret from an intrusive stranger.

Can I See Your I.D.? : True Stories of False Identities by Chris Barton

Here are stories of ten individuals-many just teenagers-who adopted false identities for amusement, profit, or survival.

Masterpiece by Elise Broach

Marvin, a beetle, forms a secret friendship with James, a boy, and they work together to help recover a drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

Is it possible for a boy to make up a word out of thin air and convince the whole world to use it in conversation?

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

When 11-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they find themselves on a quest which triggers an epic battle involving men, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

The classic adventure story of a boy's visit to a magical chocolate factory celebrates its 40th anniversary of publication.

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman

A collection of poems about insects designed to be read aloud in duet.

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

When their castle is attacked by a treacherous neighbor, twelve-year-old Igraine, the daughter of two magicians-turned-pigs by a spell gone awry, demonstrates her bravery as a knight.

The Tarantula in My Purse: And 172 Other Wild Pets by Jean Craighead George

These stories recount what life was like for Newbery Medalist Jean Craighead George as she raised three children and 173 wild pets.

Marley a Dog Like No Other by John Grogan

This heartwarming story follows the life of an exuberant Labrador retriever who gets into perpetual trouble and has inspiring adventures.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

A journey through a land where Milo learns the importance of words and numbers provides a cure for his boredom.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to bring life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

When Nazi soldiers begin evacuating Jewish families from Copenhagen, 10-year-old Annemarie Johansen wonders how she can keep her best friend Ellen Rosen from being captured.

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

When their father invites a mail-order bride to come live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are captivated by their new mother and hope that she will stay.

The Doll People by Ann M. Martin

Adventures abound when the 100-year-old Doll family meets the new and plastic Funcraft doll family.

How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills

Afraid he will always be an outsider like ex-planet Pluto, nine-year-old Oliver finally shows his extremely overprotective parents that he is capable of doing great things without their help.

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

This biography profiles the life of Bass Reeves, a former slave, who for more than 30 years was the most feared and respected lawman in the U.S. territories.

Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'Malley

While cooperatively writing a fairy tale for school, a girl imagines a beautiful princess whose beloved ponies are being stolen by a giant, and a boy conjures up the muscular biker who will guard the last pony in exchange for gold.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

To everyone's dismay, the worst-behaved kids in town take over all the main roles of the church Christmas pageant.

Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda

Young Rowan, neither brave nor strong, finds he must be a key member of a search party to find out why the village's mountain stream has stopped flowing.

Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories About Growing up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka

How did Jon Scieszka get to be so funny? He grew up as one of six brothers with Catholic school, lots of comic books, lazy summers at the lake with time to kill, babysitting misadventures, TV shows, and jokes told at family dinner.

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

A cricket's uniquely melodious chirp gains him fame beyond anyone's dreams.

Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems and Drawings of Shel Silverstein by Shel Silverstein

A zesty collection of humorous light verse that delights listeners and readers.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.

The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop

A gift of a toy castle, complete with silver knight, sets William on an adventure involving magic and a personal quest.

Dealing With Dragons by Patricia Wrede

Bored with traditional palace life, independent princess Cimorene goes off to live with a group of dragons and soon becomes involved with fighting against some disreputable wizards who want to steal away the dragons' kingdom.

For Older Listeners

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

When his father takes a job at the Alcatraz Island prison in 1935, 12-year-old Moose has to contend with an extraordinary new environment in addition to the challenges of life with an autistic sister.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

After her mother leaves home suddenly, 13-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham — 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Nobody Owens is a normal boy, except that he has been raised by ghosts and other denizens of the graveyard.

Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff

When a terrible blight attacks Ireland's potato crop in 1845, 12-year-old Nory Ryan's courage and ingenuity help her family and neighbors survive.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.

Spiders in the Hairdo: Modern Urban Legends by David Holt

These modern-day folk tales with a twist are funny, scary and downright weird.

The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg

Four students develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, a paraplegic, who chooses them to represent their sixth grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.

No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman

Eighth-grader Wallace Wallace becomes locked in a terrible struggle with his English teacher and his football team when he gives his honest opinion in a book report.

Ties That Bind, Ties That Break: A Novel by Lensey Namioka

Ailin's life takes a different turn when she defies the traditions of upper class Chinese society by refusing to have her feet bound.

Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridge

The author leads readers straight into the chaotic, passionate, and deadly three months of protests that culminated in the landmark march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

After a plane crash, 13-year-old Brian spends 54 days in the Canadian wilderness learning to survive with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother, and learning also to survive his parents' divorce.

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Through journal entries 16-year-old Miranda describes her family's struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls

In the late 1800s, a 12-year-old boy spends a summer trying to capture four runaway circus monkeys.

Holes by Louis Sachar

As further evidence of his family's bad fortune, which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a horrendous correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.

Dare to Be Scared: Thirteen Stories to Chill and Thrill by Robert D. San Souci

Choose from ghost stories, supernatural thrillers, science fiction and dark fantasy to read under the blankets at sleepovers, around the campfire or under an ominous moon.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

In a story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity, and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever.

The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien

Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to share in an adventure from which he may never return.

Probably Still Nick Swansen by Virginia Euwer Wolff

Sixteen-year-old Nick finds joy in life despite his learning disability, the taunting of other kids, and the death of his sister.

Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel—a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors.