Our First Semester Read Alouds 2018-2019
- Annie Schrader
- Feb 8, 2019
- 4 min read
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February is here and we are FINALLY getting our winter. It's cold outside, there's snow on the ground, and a fire in our wood stove. This time of year really just makes us all want to curl up and enjoy some good books. I'm so thankful that all of my kids really and truly love books. We work really hard at reading aloud to the kids, whether it's board books to our toddler, a stack of picture books that we all love, or a chapter book for all of us to enjoy. We read some really great books this first semester, so if you're looking for the next great one to read to your crew, try one of these. We loved them all!
by E.B. White
I never read this one as kid, but always felt like I should have since E.B. White is basically amazing. So I was anxious to give this one a try and oh my goodness. We absolutely adored this book! It's about Louis the trumpeter swan who can't trumpet or make any other sounds at all. But the real show stealer is Louis' father who can't say a thing without rambling on and on and on until Louis' mother finally steps in. He had us laughing a number of times! After finishing the book we took a trip out to the Sunriver Nature Reserve where they have a real life trumpeter swan, and it was so much fun!
by Jeanne Birdsall
A story of four sisters and a boy they meet at a beautiful estate called Arundel. They go on all sorts of mischievous summer adventures, despite the estate owner's warnings to stay out of trouble. It is charming and whimsical and has you feeling like that little kid back on a summer day, carefree and ready for whatever the day may hold.
by E.B. White
We have read Charlotte's Web before, but this time it was part of a Brave writer curriculum that we decided to try out, so we read it again. It's the free sample and I think the teaching aspect was really good, so if you have been thinking of incorporating Brave writer curriculum, check it out! I once heard it said that you'll never tire of reading good literature more than once, and this book is proof of that. This is the exact edition we have and it's my favorite solely because of the illustrations by Garth Williams.
by Roald Dahl
This one brings me so much joy. I set it aside to read once Ivy was in first grade because that's when I was introduced to it. My first grade teacher, Mrs. Anderson, was a shining star in my years of public education. She showed me how learning can be fun and silly, she instilled inside of me my love for reading, and she introduced me to Roald Dahl, my all-time favorite! She read The Twits aloud to us and I remember sitting in shock as I listened to story after story of the horrible Mr. & Mrs. Twit. I was forever hooked and spent the rest of my childhood and into my adult life reading his works. My girls laughed and laughed through this short read, just like I did 31 years ago.
by Richard & Florence Atwater
This charming little story is a total classic, and another one that I never read as a child. I'm not sure why I never picked it up, but am so glad to have enjoyed its sweetness now. I think my favorite thing about this story is that it is very easy for all ages to connect to in some way. We loved it!
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
You guys. We have been reading this series over the last couple of years and this one was no joke. Laura tells the story of their brutal winter in Dakota Territory, and with each chapter you read you are left feeling cold and hungry. They faced months of very little food, near starvation, and very little warmth at times. We were all so ready for them to see spring! This series is by far the most loved thing we read in our home.
by Virginia Sorensen
Such a sweet and heartwarming story of a family trying to reconnect after their dad comes home from the war. It shares the trials and struggles they face in their attempts to regain normalcy, and how they eventually find this in the quiet togetherness at Maple Hill.
by Barbara Robinson
My favorite Christmas story of all time! This story follows the Herdman siblings who are dirty, loud, mean, and just downright awful. They end up overtaking the church Christmas pageant and what happens will seriously break your heart. If you haven't read this one, do yourself a favor and read it before the holiday season next year. You will both laugh and cry and you won't be disappointed!
by Natalie Savage Carlson
The most perfect Christmas story of a man living on the streets of Paris, and the mother and children he meets one day that he just can't seem to shake. It's precious and heartwarming and a very short read, but one you won't forget quickly.
There it is friends! These are what we read aloud from September through December of 2018. We are well into the new year and have already read some serious winners, so stay tuned for the next list!
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