Books to Read Together (Elementary School Age)

[AACPL]

A great way to encourage children to read is by reading books together, either out-loud or just reading alone simultaneously and then setting aside time to discuss the story and reflect on what you have read. Here are some suggestions for stories to start with:



Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo
A great book for those just starting to read chapters on their own. The text may be simple, but there is a lot of humor and heart in this story about two best friends.


The Buddy Files: The Cast of the Lost Boy by Dori Hillestad Butler
A mystery story told from a dog's point of view. Short chapters great for children just starting to read longer books on their own. If you have a dog in your house, that will only add to the humorous moments.


The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi
A longer book, but appropriate for older elementary, this is a science fiction story of the last human survivor. Raised by a robot in an underground bunker, Eva Nine experiences the real world for the first time, a land inhabited by strange and dangerous alien creatures. Fully illustrated by the author (who wrote the popular The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set series)


The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
It's Star Wars meets 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' in this middle school story. Lots to discuss as each character probably resembles someone your child goes to school with. Quirky and full of inside jokes that your Star Wars fan will be happy to explain to you.


Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
The first series by the famed The Hunger Games author, this 5 book fantasy story is filled with action, adventure, humor (and giant cockroaches and rats) but it also has gray areas that will lead to good discussions when it comes to the decisions Gregor has to make as the story develops.

[Christine]

Love this idea and we have our eye on Origami Yoda to start!

[Stephanie]

That's a great place to start, and to make it more fun, there's this book too!



Find it in the library

[Lawrie]

We are reading the classics right now. We also listen online on trips. So far Anne of Green Gables and Wind inthe Willowa. I've also started the Narnia series. I am planning to start the Gregor series soon.

[Carolyn]

Thank you so much for posting this list! My son is just starting to read chapter books, but some are too difficult for him and he is getting frustrated. We recently checked out 2 of these titles and they are perfect:)

[AACPL]

I'm so glad! If you need more after you've gone though this list, please let us know. Any of our librarians are happy to suggest more, and specify them to your son's interests, too!

[Christine]

We read Origami Yoda as a family. That piqued my stepson's interest in the series so he's now on the final one (Fotune Wookie). He has us reading them all to keep up the discussion!

[Gail]

When I was in elementary school, starting in the 2nd grade, my mom would ask me if I knew any kids in my class were having trouble reading---if I did ( usually no more than 5 kids were like this), Mom would phone their moms & ask if their kids could come to our house that Sat to join our free reading circle (plus these kids would get a free lunch from her) with me, my brother & his friends (she used to be a public school teacher/county librarian before she became a homemaker). Most of these moms would agree; Mom would have us all take turns reading a paragraph out of our current school textbook & explain to us patiently how to pronounce the word ("sound out each letter if you're having trouble saying the word" [" that's phonetics!" she would say]) & explain what each word meant. All of these kids in our at-home reading circle did better in class; she had this group the whole time me & my brother were in elementary school.

[Stephanie]

What a wonderful memory of your childhood and your mother!