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Books are a big deal at our house and even in months where we are overwhelmed with all the things (ahem, May), we make it a priority to read as often as possible. I get a lot of questions about how we cultivate a love of reading in our family and while it isn’t easy, it is certainly doable. We ask friends and family to gift the girls books instead of toys and we did that even when they were little bitty girls (remember Sophie’s first birthday party?). Josh and I don’t often watch television until after they are in bed at night (with the exception of survivor marathons with the girls and college football), so when they come to our room they usually find us with a book in-hand. We take big stacks of books on our vacations and are sure to spend a significant part of every day reading together (this applies to our extended family, too). We take regular bookstore dates together and let the girls pick out new things to try or just browse the latest selection (gift cards for birthdays and Christmas make this especially easy to pull off). We’ve shared entire days where we did nothing but read as many pages as possible and my girls think this is the greatest thing ever!
I would encourage you to let your kids see you reading. We never presented books as an option, but as something that everyone in our family should love. They were surrounded by them from birth and we read to them often, even when they were too little to understand.
The second question we get, is what books to read to and with our kids. I can tell you that we’ve bought some not so fabulous options and I could share a post of its own about picture books and story books, but for today, I wanted to share ten of our very favorite series for elementary aged children. We’ve been unboxing toys and getting things organized for the great bedroom swap and I had Ella help me go through all of our books earlier this week. Some of the ones I’m sharing today are series we’ve picked up for Sophie, but many of these were Ella’s favorites and she spent a big part of Tuesday re-reading some of the shorter books, just because. A few were from kindergarten and first grade and she was so cute and nostalgic, digging right in!
In no particular order, here are our
TOP TEN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL READERS:
THE LITTLE HOUSE COLLECTION by Laura Ingalls Wilder
recommended for ages 8-12
The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura’s real childhood as an American pioneer, and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier, and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.
These books were some of my very favorites as a child. My grandmother bought me a blue boxed set (which I’m pretty sure I still have somewhere) and I vividly remember sitting on a yellow stool in her living room, watching the television show as a little girl. We haven’t read the entire series together, but we did read the first three books when Ella was in early elementary and Sophie was a toddler. I loved hearing their questions and seeing how fascinated they were by pioneer life and the lack of electricity and technology. We’ve been talking about getting back into the habit of reading together before bed and this series is one of the first on our list. I think Ella will enjoy the later books about Laura’s life and since Sophie was so young during our first read, I’m hoping she will love them just as much as we do!
THE COMPLETE RAMONA COLLECTION by Beverly Cleary
recommended for ages 8-12
Kids everywhere feel connected to Ramona’s unique way of looking at the world as she tries to adjust to new teachers, feels jealous about Susan’s curls, and is secretly pleased by Yard Ape’s teasing. The scrapes she gets herself into—like wearing pajamas to school or accidentally making egg yolk shampoo—are funny and heartwarming, and sometimes embarrassing. No matter what—Ramona’s lively, curious spirit shines through.
I devoured these as a young girl and thought Ramona and her antics were so endearing. These are all super short and a great way to ease your little one into chapters books (hilarious + not too many pages). Ella has read most of them and we are passing them along to Sophie this summer.
MERCY WATSON: ADVENTURES OF A PORCINE WONDER
by Kate DiCamillo
recommended for ages 5-8
Foiling a robber, driving a car, squeezing into a tutu—is there anything the porcine wonder won’t do in her single-minded pursuit of treats, buttered toast, or just a rollicking fun time? And who knows what other adventures twinkle in her mischievous eyes? Here, for Mercy Watson’s loyal fans and new friends, comes a big fat paperback collection of pig tales that will have readers squealing with delight.
These books are DARLING. When we pulled them out of the basket to snap a photo, Ella actually squealed and started reading the first one immediately. They are definitely geared towards a younger crowd, but she remembered how much she loved them and couldn’t wait to read through them as fast as possible. They are super short with lots of pictures and a large font, making them a great set of chapter books for your early reader. Just in case you didn’t recognize the author’s name, DiCamillo has written so many other wonderful books, including a few of our other favorites: The Tale of Desperaux, Because of Winn Dixie, and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.
IVY + BEAN (set one | set two | set three) by Annie Barrows
recommended for ages 6-10
The moment they saw each other, Bean and Ivy knew they wouldn’t be friends. But when Bean plays a joke on her sister, Nancy, and has to hide quick Ivy comes to the rescue, proving that sometimes the best of friends are people never meant to like each other. Vibrant characters and lots of humor make this a charming and addictive introduction to Ivy and Bean.
This is one of Sophie’s favorite series and she loves them so much, that they have been read multiple times. If you look closely, you’ll notice number 9 is missing, because she’s already packed it for the beach! There are several other companion books (a fill in the blank about me book, paper dolls and more!) and we are keeping our fingers crossed that there will be more published.
JUNIE B. JONES KINDERGARTEN COLLECTION
+ FIRST GRADE SERIES by Barbara Park
recommended for ages 6-9
Meet the World’s Funniest Kindergartner (and first grader!) — Junie B. Jones! Remember when it was scary to go to school? In the first Junie B. Jones book, it’s Junie B.’s first day and she doesn’t know anything. She’s so scared of the school bus and the meanies on it that when it’s time to go home, she doesn’t.
Please tell me you’ve read these books — even if you are a grown up with no children on the horizon, these are hysterically funny and you can finish them in less than thirty minutes each! I distinctly remember changing words when I read these aloud to Ella — because I thought she was too young to say stupid! — and Junie B. is a little bit sassy, so use these as an opportunity to talk about how we can learn from Junie’s mistakes. We blew through the entire kindergarten and first grade series one spring and these will forever remain on our little kid shelf!
JUDY MOODY UBER-AWESOME COLLECTION
by Megan McDonald
recommended for ages 6-9
To start, Judy Moody doesn’t have high hopes for third grade. Her new desk won’t have an armadillo sticker with her name on it. Her new classroom will not have a porcupine named Roger. And with her luck, she’ll get stuck sitting in the first row, where Mr. Todd will notice every time she tries to pass a note to her best friend, Rocky. An aspiring doctor, Judy does have a little brother who comes in handy for practicing medicine, a cool new pet, and a huge Band-Aid collection.
This was another of Ella’s favorite series, soon after she started tackling chapter books. Can you sense a theme here? We love moody female protagonists who manage to get themselves into a pickle!
HEIDI HECKELBECK TEN BOOK COLLECTION by Wanda Coven
recommended for ages 5-9
Welcome to the world of Heidi Heckelbeck, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary secret: she’s a witch in disguise! Join Heidi and her friends at Brewster Elementary on their charming adventures as they deal with everyday childhood challenges…with a bit of help from Heidi’s magical Book of Spells.
This is a great series to start with because you don’t necessarily have to read them in order! Start with book one — it does a great job of introducing Heidi to the reader — but after that, feel free to skip around. These are challenging reads, while still being easy enough for young readers, and provide plenty of pictures and a large enough font for little eyes.
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN SERIES by Dana Simpson
recommended for ages 8-12
A boy and his dog, a girl and her . . . unicorn? It all started when a girl named Phoebe skipped a rock across a pond and accidentally hit a unicorn in the face. Improbably, this led to Phoebe being granted one wish, and she used it to make the unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, her obligatory best friend. But can a vain mythical beast and a nine-year-old daydreamer really forge a connection? Indeed they can, and that’s how Phoebe and Her Unicorn unfolds. This beautifully drawn comic strip follows the unlikely friendship between a somewhat awkward girl and the magic unicorn who gradually shows her just how special she really is. Through hilarious adventures where Phoebe gets to bask in Marigold’s “awesomeness,” the friends also come to acknowledge that they had been lonely before they met and truly appreciate the bond they now share.
YOU GUYS. This is such an outlier for us, but one of Sophie’s favorite series to date. We picked up the first installment, on a random bookstore date (see?!) and she devoured it in a single afternoon. It’s a great way to introduce your kids to graphic novels and makes for a completely different reading experience. In addition to the books, we have an activity book full of puzzles, that makes a great companion.
THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES
by Gertrude Chandler Warner
recommended for ages 7-10
The Aldens begin their adventure by making a home in a boxcar. Their goal is to stay together, and in the process they find a grandfather.
I have to admit, this is more of a mama favorite than a children’s favorite, but I still have high hopes. I loved this series as a child and bought it for Ella for Christmas a few years ago. I’m not sure that she’s actually read it, but that is probably more about the sheer number of children’s books we have and not because she isn’t interested. I thought it was so cool to think about living in a train car and I remember acting this one out, during my own childhood. I’m planning to tackle these as read-aloud books with Sophie this summer, so maybe we’ll entice Ella to join us!
AMELIA BEDELIA CHAPTER BOOKS by Herman Parish
recommended for ages 6-10
Laugh along with literal-minded Amelia Bedelia as she earns money for a new bike, gets a dog, goes on a road trip, and so much more! The Amelia Bedelia Chapter Books star Amelia Bedelia as a young girl and feature funny family and friendship stories just right for fans of Judy Moody and Ivy + Bean. Each story includes fun extras such as “Two ways to say it” (a guide to the idioms used in the book), and more!
This is another series inspired by my own childhood, but Sophie is a huge fan! I remember devouring the Amelia Bedelia story books from the school, so when Sophie brought home a chapter book from the book fair one year, we ordered the entire boxed set to enjoy. These are just as funny to the adult reader as they are to the kid!
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Now, tell me what your favorite series was as a child or what you and your kiddos are currently reading together?
