Children's Book Lists

Following my email last week about our plans for the current school year, a few people asked about the book lists that I've prepared to read out loud to the kids during the winter, and whether I could post these lists.

Yes, gladly, is my answer.

It was hard coming up with these lists, to be honest.  There is such an incredible array of children's literature to choose from that there are literally thousands of titles that could have made my lists, and I am sure that many incredible books never got onto this year's lists.  I'm also unsure about whether the books I have listed are in the right list for the right kid(s).  Finally, because I've never listed the books I've read for the kids), I don't know whether I've listed too many books to get through this winter, or too few.  But whatever!  I'll modify the lists as I need to.

If, as you read the lists, you see a book that really wasn't all that great, please let me know because I can then consider removing it and putting another one in its place.  I've read most of these books, but not all of them, so I'd appreciate knowing if any are duds.  On the other hand, if you have read a book with your kid(s) that is really worthy of being on a short list, let me know that, too - I'm all ears for hearing about your favourites!

I have four lists:

• One list is comprised of the selection I've chosen from the first two volumes of the Five In A Row unit study Curriculum.  We'll read one of these books/week (several times) and base part of our school day work on the curriculum that is prepared for each of these books.
• The second list is comprised of books that I'll be reading to all three kids together during our regular school day.
• The third list has been put together with Matthew in mind and will form part of our regular evening reading time.
• The final list contains the titles I'd like to read to Seth and Lizzie this winter during the first part of our day when Matthew is still sleeping.  I've tried to orient these books more towards a younger audience.

So here are the lists, in case they're of help to anyone else.  The font is a bit whacky because I've just cut and pasted from my usual document.

Books I'll read and teach from Volumes 1 & 2 of FIAR (Five In A Row):

The Story About Ping, by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese
Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans
A Pair of Red Clogs, by Masako Matsuno
The Rag Coat, by Lauren Mills
The Glorious Flight, by Alice and Martin Provensen
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, by Marjorie Priceman
Grandfather's Journey, by Allen Say
Cranberry Thanksgiving, by Wende and Harry Devlin
Another Celebrated Dancing Bear, by Gladys Scheffrin-Falk
Katy and the Big Snow, by Virginia Lee Burton
The Giraffe that Walked to Paris, by nancy Milton
A New Coat for Anna, by Harriet Ziefert
They Were Strong and Good, by Alice and Robert Lawson
The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf
Down Down the Mountain, by Ellis Credie
The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter
Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson
Gramma's Walk, by Anna Grossnickle Hines


Read Aloud Books for All Three Kids Together (during the school day):

Catwings, (#1) by Ursula K. Le Guin

Catwings Return, (#2) by Ursula K. Le Guin

Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings, (#3) by Ursula K. Le Guin

Jane on her Own, (#4) by Ursula K. Le Guin

My Father’s Dragon, (#1) by Ruth Stiles Gannett

Elmer and the Dragon, (#2) by Ruth Stiles Gannett

The Dragons of Blueland, (#3) by Ruth Stiles Gannett

The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary

Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Farmer Boy, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

On the Banks of Plum Creek, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

By The Shores of the Silver Lake, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Long Winter, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Little Town on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

These Happy Golden Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The First Four Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

A Bad Case of Stripes, by David Shannon

Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo

Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White

The Boxcar Children, by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

The Moffats, by Eleanor Estes

Stuart Little, by E.B. White

James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl

Read Aloud Books for Matthew (age 8):

The Last of of the Great Whangdoodles, by Julie Andrews

Frindle, by Andrew Clements

The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall 

Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson

Black Stallion, by Walter Farley

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E.L. Konigsburg

Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen

The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke

Knights of the Kitchen Table, by Jon Scieszka

Robin Hood, by Roger Lancelyn Green

Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Mask of Zorro, by Johnston McCulley

The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Orczy

Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe

Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh

Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls

The Hundred Dresses, by Eleanor Estes

Hardy Boy Books (continue the series)

Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine

Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan

Follow My Leader, by James Garfield

The Secrets of Droon: The Hidden Staircase and Magical Carpet, by Tony Abbott
Various Hardy Boy books
Various Geronimo Stilton books

Read Aloud Books for Seth and Lizzie (ages 7 and 5):

* note: usually Seth and Lizzie pick from our little library the books to start our day with.  I will continue that practice and then supplement it with the following.

Agapanthus Hum and Major Bark, by Jennifer Plecas
Bonaparte, by Marsha Wilson Chall
Amos and Boris, by William Steig
The Bossy Gallito, by Lucia M. Gonzalez
Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes
The Doorbell Rang, b Pat Hutchins
Everything to Spend the Night From A to A, by Ann WHitford Paul

Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep: A Yarn About Wool, by Teri Sloat

Hamster Chase, by Anastasia Suen

How to Catch an Elephant, by Amy Schwartz

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff

Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino

It’s Justin Time, Amber Brown, by Paula Danziger

Letters and Sounds (Get Set for Kindergarten series), by Rosemary Wells

The Lion and the Mouse and Other Aesop Fables, by Doris Orgel

The Little Engine that Could, by Watty Piper

Old Thunder and Miss Raney, by Sharon Darrow

Quick as a Cricket, by Audrey Wood

Q is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Game, by Mary Elting

Ring! Yo?, by Chris Raschka

Something BIG Has Been Here, by Jack Prelutsky

“Stand Back,” said the Elephant, “I’m Going to Sneeze”, by Patricia Thomas

The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter

Three Cheers for Catherine the Great!, by Cari Best

Town Mouse, Country Mouse, by Jan Brett

Willie’s Birthday, by Anastasia Suen

Yoshi’s Feast, by Kimiko Kajikawa

Young Classics: Alice in Wonderland, by Julie Fior

Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey

Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak

Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne

Basher ABC Kids, by ?

Bear Snores On, by Karma Wilson

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr.

Frog and Toad are Friends, by Arnold Lobel

Hair/Pelitos, by Sandra Cisneros

Flat Stanley series, by Jeff Brown

I hope you've found something useful in the lists above.  I'll look forward to hearing about your recommendations!