Our Second Semester Read Alouds 2018-2019

Second semester is over, which means...SUMMER IS HERE!!

We are all so thrilled to finally be on summer break and enjoying lots of free time. Overall I felt really pleased with our year and the things we accomplished. We for sure had trials, but we had so many joys and successes as well. One of the things I feel always keeps us grounded and moving forward is reading aloud. On the days where my two year old keeps us from getting anything done, we make sure to always read aloud together. On the days where one of my older girls is feeling extra sensitive or needing more attention, we are sure to find ourselves reading aloud. It bonds us and makes us feel connected in ways that nothing else can and for that I am so very grateful.

We read some really great ones this year that I'm so happy to share with you!

The Matchlock Gun--by Walter D. Edmonds

This was part of our Early American History curriculum with Beautiful Feet Books and it was a really great read. Set in 1756 when the French and Indians were a threat to the British colonies, I think it was easy for the kids to engage with because they could put themselves in young Edward's shoes. If you're trying to sneak more history into your child's reading, this is a great place to start!

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe--by C.S. Lewis

The Magician's Nephew--by C.S. Lewis

The Horse and His Boy--by C.S. Lewis

Prince Caspian--by C.S. Lewis

My husband started this series shortly after Christmas as a bedtime read aloud with my older two and I cannot believe how much they love it! They quickly read through the first four!

Pinocchio--by Carlo Collodi

I found this suggestion in Jim Trelease's Read Aloud Handbook and wondered if it would be something the kids would like. Having already seen the Disney production, the book has a lot of different parts that were either left out or changed up enough for it to seem like a different story at times. They liked comparing it to what they had watched already. They were intrigued by how many times Pinocchio just couldn't learn his lesson and do the right thing. It was actually a good way to open up conversation about that very thing!

The Courage of Sarah Noble--by Alice Dalgliesh

Another great history read for young kids! Sarah Noble is only 8 years old when she accompanies her father on a trip to build their new family home. So easily relatable to young kids and a great example of being brave in difficult situations.

Little Town on the Prairie--by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This one was by far MY favorite of the series. We love everything about these books, but this one was a breath of fresh air after The Long Winter and all of the hardship the family and town faced. The town holds socials and parties, Laura gets her first job, and Almanzo finally enters the picture as a potential suitor for Laura. I have a feeling my girls will be talking about this one for years!

These Happy Golden Years--by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This one focuses on Laura's time as a teacher in a school that is very difficult and far from home. Her living situation is also quite hard, but Almanzo never fails to pick her up each weekend and bring her home so she can get a break. My oldest blushes when we read about Almanzo and she is certain she wants to marry him when she grows up. :) I was a blubbery mess at the end of this one. It was such a sweet ending and I couldn't help myself!

The Wheel on the School--by Meindert DeJong

We picked this one up with the Arrow Guide from Bravewriter. I had never heard of it before but it was such a fun, surprising read. It follows a group of school kids that start to wonder why storks never nest in their small town, and decide to find out why. It provided tons of conversation and peaked an interest in The Netherlands for the kids. We ended up doing a small country study as a spin off and really enjoyed it!

Widewater (Book 2 in the Growly series)--by Philip & Erin Ulrich

The second in the Growly series that culminates in what we've been waiting for through the first two books. It's the story of a young bear's quest for his grandfather's long-lost friend as he journeys across the ocean. The narrative is a little slow, but my kids don't seem to be bothered. They have been begging to start book 3 since we finished this one!

Ginger Pye--by Eleanor Estes

If you like The Moffats, you'll like this sweet story about Jerry and Rachel Pye and their dog, Ginger. Someone ends up stealing Ginger and the book follows Jerry and Rachel as they search without end for him. It's a great story with mystery and intrigue and I don't think you'll regret reading this one!

The First Four Years--by Laura Ingalls Wilder

We almost didn't read this ninth and final book in the series. It's very short compared to all of the others. My dad had warned me that Almanzo and Laura's first few years together were filled with hardship and sadness and I just wasn't sure I wanted to end on that note, or even if my girls would have been able to handle it. The characters in these stories became so personal to them and I didn't want to ruin it for them. After lots of pleading, I decided to give them a heads up on what they would be facing. We agreed to read it and while it was so sad and hard to imagine, I think we are all glad we did. Life was really difficult back then and it has been good for them to see God's faithfulness in all of it. I'll say it again, this series has been our very favorite. We listen and re-listen to them on audio over and over again, and they just asked if we can start back at the beginning and read them again. If you haven't started these with your child you totally need to!

The House at Pooh Corner--by A.A. Milne

The kids have listened to this on audiobook about a million times. The version read by Peter Dennis is our very favorite! I decided to use the Bravewriter Arrow Guide for this one as well and even though they are so familiar with the story, it was a good read. We learned about compound words, why words are italicized in type and synonyms! If you are looking for an introduction to what Bravewriter is all about, grab one of these Arrow Guides and try it out!

Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin--by Marguerite Henry

This was our last read aloud for the school year and we LOVED it! It was another one that was part of our history curriculum and it was a really fun story. I had never heard of Benjamin West, known as the father of American painting, before and we all found his story to be really interesting.

Hopefully one or more of these peaked your interest! We are getting ready to start The Secret Garden for our first summer read aloud and I'm really excited! I remember loving it as a kid and am hoping the girls love it just as much. If you have a read aloud that you are planning for the summer, please share!

Happy summer, friends!

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