Book List 7th Grade Girl

If left to her own ways, my daughter, who loves to read, would settle in on modern fantasy books alone. And so, we came up with a compromise that worked quite well last year (her 7th-grade year.)

I created a list of books that I’d like her to read by end of 8th grade. I had her choose a book from that list each month for independent reading. These were in addition to her other favorites that she reads… and re-reads. 🙂

Most of these books started off slow for her but were appreciated by the time she got to the end.

The books on this list can be read by boys or girls, and also kids younger or older than 7th grade.  These just happen to be the (assigned) books she read during her 7th-grade year.

This blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost to you).

Book List for a 7th Grade Girl

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

Historical Fiction Novel that takes place in 12th century Korea. I had hoped to do this one as a family read-aloud for the Middle Ages, but we did not get around to it, so I was glad she picked this one!

Book List 7th grade girl

Freckles by Gene Stratton Porter

A classic story about a disabled orphan who overcomes much.

Book List 7th grade girl

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter

Sequel to Freckles.  This well-loved story is about a poor girl whose love for nature leads her to extraordinary circumstances.

Book List 7th grade girl
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

This is an adventure story about a boy and his beloved hunting dogs.

Book List 7th grade girl

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald

This classic children’s fantasy novel was written in the 1800s and has stood the test of time. Written by George MacDonald whose works inspired and influenced C.S. Lewis.

Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi

Another historical fiction piece that takes place in the Middle Ages. This was a favorite of hers!

Book List 7th grade girl

Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight

Book List 7th grade girl

Sophia’s War: A Tale of the Revolution by Avi

Historical Fiction novel that takes place during the Revolutionary War.

Book List 7th grade girl

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Book List 7th grade girl

The Giver by Lois Lowry

(Not technically assigned but was received as a gift during the summer and ended up being a favorite!)

Book List 7th grade girl

 

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Middle Ages Book List

The Middle Ages span the years from (roughly) 500-1400 AD. It’s the millennium that bridges ancient history with modern history. 

The Middle Ages were characterized by everything from lack of literacy (only a small percentage of people could read or write) to the building of the most magnificent cathedrals and castles, to the writing of the Magna Carta (which initiated the idea that everyone needed to yield to the law, even the king.)

Here is a list of books we read to learn about the Middle Ages, and a few extra that we hope to read the next time around (we do history in cycles, so we will be circling back to the Middle Ages in a few years!)

This blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost to you).
Reference Books

Middle Ages

The Magna Charta by James Daugherty- Written in a narrative style, this book is jam-packed with information about the Magna Carta,  a historic document that influenced government moving forward. My history lover enjoyed this one! However, t’s a bit of a dry read (for a non-history lover.) Good for ages 10+.

A Child’s History of the World by Hillyer.  A great overview of history.

How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer – This is not specific to the Middle Ages, but includes one chapter devoted to the Middle Ages and I highly recommend reading this book alongside studying history with your kids to give you a better foundation of the history of Western Culture. If you want a broad picture of history from a Christian worldview, this is THE book to read.  It starts with Ancient Rome and moves on to the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Reformation, and beyond.  Considering the times we are living in, I think this book is more relevant than ever. 

Time Traveler  Usborne (this is a family fave!)

Leif the Lucky by Ingri & Edgar D’aulaire – Leif, a Viking who lived in the 900’s , was a Norse explorer (his family was known for settling Greenland.) Exploring was more of a characteristic of the Renaissance but because his life fell during the time of the Middle Ages, I’ve placed this book here.  Great illustrations and good for younger kids.  

Castle and Cathedral – both by David Macaulay

Atlas of World History Also, Usborne!

Usborne Encyclopedia of World History

Look Inside a Castle (Usborne Look Inside) For younger children (not pictured)

Literature:

Middle Ages

Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli – A short novel about a boy who is sent away to become a knight, but he loses use of his legs and therefore dream is squashed. A story of bravery and character.

Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly – This takes place near the end of the middle ages in Poland.  It was a captivating historical fiction story of a famiy who has a great treasure and must keep it hidden for the safety of everyone. It gets into the wrong hands and things take a wild turn.  Gives a good depiction of the danger of living during this time.  

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park- My daughter read this on her own but enjoyed it.  Takes place in 12th century Korea. 

Crispin: Cross of Lead by Avi – Another book my daughter read on her own.

Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray- Newberry Honor Book. Set in 13th century England, this book follows the adventures of a young minstrel boy, Adam. This book stays true to 13th century England.

Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo- An easier take on the classic.  This was perfect for a first run-through of the story.  We highly enjoyed this read.  

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman (not in picture) – An easy read that will captivate your young learner. Highly fictitious, but fun and still gives a feel for what the middle ages were like.   

Books for Next Time Around

Middle Ages

Hawk and Dove Trilogy by Penelope Wilcock

Pendragon Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead- We tried the first book of this trilogy as an audio read-aloud, and while my husband and daughter enjoyed it, it was too intense for my 10-year-old, so I recommend it for older readers.    

The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson

Middle Ages Chalk Pastel Art

Middle Ages

My youngest, age 6, enjoyed doing medieval chalk pastel art as his primary way of learning about this time period (there may be one or two Renaissance time period pictures in there too!)  He is definitely a kiddo who learns through activity and this was a great way for him to learn about the Middle Ages in an age-appropriate way.  

Check out my other history book lists!

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Greece

Ancient Rome

 

 

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Ancient Greece Book List Grades 3-6

Ancient Greece has been fascinating to study.  We’ve used a variety of books to deepen our knowledge and understanding of this time in history.   A time in history that has contributed to and influenced so many things in our current society.

One of my absolute favorite things about homeschooling is redeeming my own education and getting to dive deep into things that I was only able to “scratch the surface” of during my time in school.

These are the books we used to dive into the world of Ancient Greece.  I gave the suggested age range of grades 3-6 but you know your kids best so don’t feel like you need to be confined to that!

This blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through these links will result in a small commission for me (at no cost to you!) 

Our “spine” books that we use for all of history:

A Child’s History of the World by Hillyer.  A great overview of history.

Story of the World Volume 1 We only do SOTW on audiobook, the kids (and hubs!) just love listening to Jim Weiss.

Other books that cover much of history:

Time Traveler  Usborne (this is one to OWN!)

Atlas of World History Another Usborne book!

Non-Fiction Books

Usborne Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece Usborne yet again 🙂

Horrible Histories: The Groovy Greeks and Rotten Roman’s  Confession – these are bit much for my taste BUT based on fact that my kids love it and are learning a ton in the process, I have it on the list…   I catch my daughter reading and re-reading this one often! I got this one off eBay, not sure why it’s priced so ridiculously high on Amazon!

Archimedes and the Door of Science   We were fascinated by Archimedes and his inventions and creativity!

Ancient Greece by Daniel Cohen – Fabulous illustrations and easy to understand text.

Fiction:

D’aulaire book of Greek Myths   BEAUTIFUL illustrations!

Theras and His Town A great historical fiction novel contrasting the Spartans and Athenians.  Probably the book that surprised us the most.  Despite the slow start it ended up being a favorite!

Aesop’s Fables  Illustrated by Arthur Rackham.

Aesop’s Fables: A Pop-Up Book of Classic Tales  This is a great book to introduce younger kids (though my older kids liked it too!) to Aesop’s fables.  The pop outs are incredible.  

The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey  by Rosemary Sutcliff.

Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Illiad, also by Rosemary Sutcliff (we actually did not get to this one yet, but is written by the same author as Wanderings of Odysseus)

The Usborne Illustrated Odyssey   Can’t get enough of Usborne! This is a simpler version of the Odyssey and a good book to use to introduce it (The Odyssey) to kids.  

Check out my other history book lists!

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Rome

Middle Ages


 

 

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Read Aloud Book Log 2018-2019

With the 2018-19 school year all done (not that we really ever stop, because the learning is always happening!), I wanted to look back at what we accomplished this last year. Here is our Read Aloud Book Log from 2018-2019.

As you will see, many tied in with our study of ancient history.  These are the books I read aloud with my 9 and 11-year-old.

This blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through these links will result in a small commission for me (at no cost to you!) 

Read Aloud Book Log for 2018-2019

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness – The first book in the Wingfeather Saga, this book is Andrew Peterson’s first novel, full of fantasy, humor and adventure.  And the character’s have the best names!

Adam & His Kin – Written by Ruth Beechick, Adam & His Kin gives a picture of what life was like from Adam to Abram.  Should be read alongside the book of Genesis.  This book helped us to see Adam, Noah, Abram, etc. as real people.

A Cry From Egypt – One of my daughter’s now favorites!  A Cry From Egypt, which is a Christian Historical Fiction novel, was a crowd pleaser for sure. It helped us to see what it might have been like to be living as a Jew during the time of the ten plagues and the exodus.

Golden Goblet – A book that gives a picture of what it was like to live as a common Egyptian in Ancient Egypt.  Gives a great picture of what Ancient Egyptian culture was like with fantastic detail.  A little slow to start but then it picks up.   This was a favorite of my son’s.

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson – We read this during the start of baseball season this year.  It’s a sweet story about a Chinese immigrant girl moving to New York.

Adara – Another historical fiction novel (set in the period of the Kings from the Bible).  This one takes place during the time of General Naaman.   This book gave good insight into what life was like during that time.  Kind of slow, but still liked by my kids.

Amon’s Adventure: A Family Story for Easter – We read this the weeks leading up to Easter and it was a favorite!   This book certainly made the time of lent more meaningful for us, and will be read again many times I’m sure!   It helped us reflect on the power and beauty of Jesus’s resurrection.

Jotham’s Journey: A Storybook for Advent – This was our third time reading this one!  We always read to coincide with the advent season.  A powerful little story that always helps us reflect on the meaning of Christmas.

Theras & His Town – This was one was slow to start and we almost stopped reading it.  HOWEVER,  this was perhaps one of the most surprising novels, because we ended up enjoying this one immensely.   And it was especially good for teaching the differences between Athenian and Spartan culture.  A fabulous living book.

Wanderings of Odysseus – Written by Rosemary Sutcliff, this is great retelling of the Odyssey. Still working through (we had to break so we could read Britfield because I’m writing a review for it!)

Britfield – This is the book we are currently reading.  Loving it so far.  Has a historical fiction “feel” but set in modern times.   I’m personally loving the setting of England.   A unique story with a great plot.   This one comes out in August! www.britfield.com

Mysterious Benedict Society – We listened to this one on audiobook.  It’s about 4 smart kids who go on a mysterious mission.  It’s full of codes, puzzles, and intrigue.

Tale of Despereaux – An endearing story about a mouse (who talks!), a rat, a servant, and a princess.

Farmer Boy – The story of Almanzo’s (Laura Ingall’s Wilder’s husband) childhood growing up on a farm.  Has the same feel as the Little House books.  We listened to this one on audiobook.  Great for the whole family!

Anne of Green Gables – Anne is one of my favorite characters and though I love the movie I had never read the book until this year.  We chose to listen on Audiobook.

Crenshaw – This is a story about a family who is going through a difficult time, and a boy and his imaginary friend.  It’s a touching story that my kids really enjoyed.

Wizard of Oz – This was our third time through this classic.  Always a favorite!  We listened to the audiobook version read by Anne Hathaway.

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library – With a similar feel to Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, this is a fun quirky book that would make a great summer read! If you’re well acquainted with children’s literature, this book is sure to delight as there are so many references to children’s books.

Shiloh – Ok, I’ll admit, the kids listened to this one on their own!  It was a short audiobook we did over just a few car trips.  I remember enjoying this as a child so I thought my kids might like it too.  It’s a moving story about a boy saving a dog.  Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is one of my kids’ favorite authors.

 

Here is a list of our favorite read alouds of all time!

 

 

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Favorite Read Alouds (Mom AND Kid Approved!)

When it comes to read-aloud novels I can think of countless books that are favorites in our family…

And then, there are the favorites of the favorites.

Reading aloud is the spine of our homeschool.  A good majority of our time is spent reading (mostly living books) together.  It is probably my absolute favorite thing about homeschooling.

This blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through these links will result in a small commission for me (at no cost to you!) 

I compiled a list of all the books we have read aloud together during the last few years and then pulled our top 5 from that list.

These are perfect for ages 6-12, or elementary age kids!

And they are all kid AND mom approved!

Drum roll please………. (in no particular order)

1) Caddie Woodlawn

Based on a true story, and set in Wisconsin in the 1860’s, Caddie is a spirited young lady who gets into all sorts of mischief fun.  This is one of the most entertaining historical fiction novels we’ve read.

2) Winnie the Pooh 

Who doesn’t love Pooh?!  We especially loved listening to the audiobook version of this book.  The dramatization was fabulous and piglet’s snorts make us burst into giggles every time.  And the characters have such different personalities.  Winnie the Pooh is a classic!

3) Pippi Longstocking

Okay, so full confession here.  Of this list, this is probably MY least favorite.  But when I asked my kids what their favorite read-aloud books were, Pippi was the first book to come out of their mouths.  And it’s been almost 3 years since we read it!  Obviously, it made an impression!  If you’re not familiar with Pippi, she’s a strong-headed orphan girl who lives alone and loves adventure and crazy antics.   (No wonder the kids loved it!)

4) Little Pilgrim’s Progress

Based on the original Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, this version is a just a teeny bit easier (translate: RIDICULOUSLY easier) for kids to understand.  The author has simplified the vocabulary and written it in modern English (the original is in Old English!) while still maintaining the same beautiful storyline.  This title is a great read for both children and adults, and a FANTASTIC allegory of the Christian life.

5) Amon’s Adventure and Jotham’s journey

We just love these books by Arnold Ytreeide that take us back to the time when Jesus walked the Earth.  I couldn’t pick just one as we loved BOTH of these.  They have helped us understand what it may have been like to have lived during both the time of Jesus’s birth and death and resurrection.   Not only do these books keep you on the edge of your seat, but they also foster spiritual growth and keep you focused on the meaning of Easter and Christmas.

There are three others in the series that we hope to read soon:

Ishtar’s Odyssey, Tabitha’s Travels, and Bartholomew’s Passage


Honorable Mention: A Cry From Egypt

We read this when we studied Ancient Egypt and my daughter has re-read it several times since and wanted to make sure it made the list.  🙂

All of these books, and many others that weren’t mentioned here come up in conversation often, whether it’s an amusing part of a story we remember together, or something meaningful that we dive into deep discussion about.  I love how books have enriched our family culture.

Do you have a “favorite of favorites” read-aloud?  We’d love to know!

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Chapter Books for Advanced Young Readers

What do you do when you have a younger child who is a voracious reader?  When they still can’t tie their shoes yet can read a novel a few years above their grade level.   When they’re capable of reading and understand bigger words but still need a relatively innocent storyline.

I can tell you what I did.  I went SEARCHING for books that would be appropriate for their maturity level but still challenging enough to keep them interested.  Which by the way, is not the easiest task.

My daughter taught herself to read at the age of 5 and sped through books.  It became apparent that she needed more than basic picture books (though she still liked them!)  My son was a little bit later (started reading around age 7) but went straight from hardly sounding out words like c-a-t and d-o-g to reading chapter books.

This post is all about the books my kids read (and LOVED) in their early years of independent reading.  There were plenty of other books that I did not include here.  These were the ones that were read over and over and OVER again – our time-tested, and well-loved favorites!

This post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost to you).

The Littles by John Peterson

Chapter Books for Advanced Young Readers

New to me, these were our daughter’s favorite first chapter books and were read countless times by her independently.  Telling the story of tiny 6-inch people living within the walls of a family’s (The Bigg’s) house, “The Littles” are delightful and fast-moving chapter books full of adventure.  The books are relatively short.  This picture does not include all the books.

The Ramona Books by Beverly Cleary

Chapter Books for Advanced Young Readers

Ahhh Beverly Cleary.   The name alone brings a smile to my face. Takes me back 30 years… The Ramona books were some of MY favorites when I was a kid.   Really anything Beverly Cleary is good.   Other books not listed here that would be perfect for young advanced readers are The Mouse and the Motorcycle and Socks.  (Ramona Forever is missing from this picture)

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

Chapter Books for Advanced Young Readers

I recently discovered Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is part of a whole series!  Oh how I wish I had known that when my daughter was younger!  Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is an entertaining character who uses imaginative techniques to engage children and help them correct their attitudes and deal with responsibility.

When our oldest was 6 she came bursting into the room telling us her brother was being impudent.  When asked what the word meant (which she knew) and how she knew, she replied simply, “I learned it from Mrs. Piggle-wiggle.”  Fun times.  🙂

**Make sure to get the ORIGINAL Mrs. Piggle-Wiggles (linked above)

Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

Chapter Books for Advanced Young Readers

My son gravitated towards these novels.  Obviously, Charlotte’s Web is a beloved classic.  Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan are lesser known but still well-loved.  All of these novels have lots of heart.   (Stuart Little not pictured… I couldn’t find it when I was taking the pictures.  We have books all over the house and they’re not as organized as I’d like!)

Magic School Bus Books

Chapter Books for Advanced Young Readers

These Magic School Bus books were pored over by our science-loving daughter for a couple of years.  What I love about them is the pictures combined with bite-sized, yet highly informative, pieces of text.  The characters all have unique personalities which definitely creates more interest than your typical non-fiction book.  These were a great investment!

These are our tried and true chapter books for young independent readers.  I’m looking forward to pulling these out for my youngest eventually.  He’s not quite there yet but I am prepared for when he gets there!

What are your favorite books for advanced young readers?  Are they on this list or not?


  
                                                                         

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Video: 4 Places We Find Audiobooks

Read Aloud Revival post on how to use audible without a subscription!

This blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through these links will result in a small commission for me (at no cost to you!) 

Further Helpful Information

Library Apps

The library apps I mentioned in the video are Hoopla and Libby (by Overdrive).  Some libraries use both.  Our library only uses Libby.

Audible Free Trial:
  • 2 Free books (you keep them even if you cancel after the 30 days is up!)
  • After 30 days, you get 1 audiobook a month for $14.95/month
  • Receive 30% off the price of additional audiobook purchases
  • Cancel at any time. A member’s books are theirs to keep, even if they cancel

Check out audible here. (affiliate link)

**Audible books can only be purchased using Chrome or Safari, so not from the audible or Amazon app on your phone.  They are on your phone immediately after purchasing.

Simple Homeschool always has a list of audiobook deals.  Find the list here.

Librivox

Librivox has an app AND a website.

A few thoughts on Scribd

I have never used Scribd, but I did a little bit of research on it, and it also looks like a great choice for audiobooks.  It is cheaper than Audible and has many choices.  It doesn’t have as huge of a selection as audible (for instance 2 of the last 3 audiobooks we purchased on Audible were not available on Scribd.)

I found this article to be a pretty comprehensive comparison of Audible and Scribd.

Happy Reading!  May your ears be filled with the wondrous sounds of great books!  🙂

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Books to help you explore Ancient Egypt

I recently wrote a post about hands-on activities to help you explore Ancient Egypt. THIS post is a complementary post to that one, on books you can use to study Ancient Egypt.

Included in this list are the books that we found the most interesting and ones that sparked great conversation.  As I’ve shared in other posts, we like to use mostly living books for studying history. We used them as read-alouds.

There are so many books about Ancient Egypt to pick from!  This is just a fraction (but a GOOD fraction) of them!

This blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through these links will result in a small commission for me (at no cost to you!).

Usborne Books

Oh, how we love our Usborne books!  The two Usborne books that we used the most as we studied Ancient Egypt were Time Traveler and Pharaoh’s & Pyramids

Time Traveler is a great one that covers many different age periods and the Ancient Egypt portion is just one part of the book.  My daughter actually reads this one a lot but more for the section on the Middle Ages.

Pharaoh’s & Pyramids is out of print, but you can probably get it from your library or eBay.  The pictures are just so detailed and even humorous at times.  We had a great time looking at this one together.  This one is not available on Amazon but you can probably find it at your local library or eBay.

What I love about Usborne non-fiction, is the way they just take small parts of text and include it amidst great illustrations.  They can be used by all different ages of kids.

Historical Fiction Novels

A Cry From Egypt by Hope Auer

A Cry From Egypt was not on my original book list for the year, but a friend of mine who is doing Cycle 1 with CC, posted that her family had enjoyed this book.  I was not able to get it at the library so I purchased this one on Amazon.

My kids REALLY liked this one.  With lots of cliffhangers and tons of heart, this book was a favorite.  It’s the story of a 12 year old Jewish girl living during the time of the 10 plagues.   The kids begged me every day to read more.  There is a sequel, A Stand at Sinai, that my daughter begged me to buy.  She read it on her own and loved it as well.

The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Also set in Ancient Egypt, The Golden Goblet is the story of Ranofer, an Egyptian boy who lives under the oppression and abuse of his evil half-brother, Gebu.  Ranofer’s main desire is to be a master goldsmith, but he has to figure out a way to escape Gebu.

This novel was not as much of a crowd pleaser as A Cry from Egypt, and my son liked it much more than my daughter.  It was slower to start but still very interesting and shed light on what life was like for common people in Ancient Egypt.

Picture books (not just for younger kids!)

The 5,000-Year-Old Puzzle: Solving a Mystery of Ancient Egypt by Claudia Logan

The reader can participate in what an actual archaeological dig would have been like.  This book uses actual historical information from Dr. George Reisner’s archaeological dig of 1924.  It puts it together in a way that really engages the reader.  Lots of great pictures combined with information in a very pleasing format.

Ancient Egypt by Daniel Cohen

What makes this book stand out is the exceptional and large illustrations.  The illustrations are accompanied by text on each page and you will know a ton more about Ancient Egypt after reading this informative book!  Unfortunately, this is another one that is hard to find.  I was able to get it at our local library.

 

If you’re looking for a movie, then there, of course, is the beloved Prince of Egypt, always a favorite!

Check out my other history book lists!

Ancient Greece

Ancient Rome

Middle Ages

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3 Books to Help Your Family Reflect on the Meaning of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching!  Um… 8 days away!  As I pulled out the books we use to prepare for, and reflect on the meaning and history of Thanksgiving, I thought it would be nice to share them here.

Note: All of the links here are affiliate links and purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost to you).  

Books about Thanksgiving

The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross is a picture book perfect for the littlest learners.  There is not as much text, but the text that is there is true to the history of Thanksgiving.  The pictures are simple, yet vibrant. It’s a very easy and short read.

Books about Thanksgiving

Another picture book, Three Young Pilgrims, by Cheryl Harness, has a bit more text and the pictures have a great level of detail. A perfect book for kids who love lots of information tidbits, this book has quite a few illustrations with intricate detail and labeling. I’ve included a picture of one page so you can see what I mean.  This book is always a favorite with my kids.

Page from Three Young Pilgrims displaying detail:

. Books about Thanksgiving

 

 

 

 

 

Books about Thanksgiving

And finally, a beautiful hardcover book (coffee table worthy) that is meant to be read aloud, Thanksgiving A Time to Remember, by Barbara Rainey, is a book that goes into more detail of the Thanksgiving story.  It is meant to be read aloud as a family over the course of a week.  It could also be read in one long sitting. There are pictures included, but it is not a picture book.  This book was put out by Family Life Publishing and also includes a CD of worshipful instrumental music.  This one is pretty pricey on Amazon, and unfortunately not much cheaper on Ebay.  But it is a good one!

Happy reading!

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How Can I Get My Kid to Read?

Do you ever ask yourself, “How can I get my kid to read more?”  Whether your kids are readers or not, here some tips that are sure to get them reading more!

Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost to you).


1. Read aloud to your kids. 

There are so many benefits to reading aloud to your kids. Getting them motivated to read for pleasure on their own is just one of those benefits! Check out “The Read-Aloud Handbook” by Jim Trelease or “The Read-Aloud Family” by Sarah Mackenzie to learn more about the importance of reading aloud, and if you need some book ideas, here is a list to get you started.

2. Get books your kids are interested in.

For us, that is anything weather/natural disaster for our 8-year-old and cookbooks/sushi books for our 10-year-old. Our 4-year-old will “read” just about anything. Use your library! So many great books right at our fingertips for “free”!

3. Have books in every room, and the car too! 

We use baskets, bags, bookcases, whatever can hold books! And yes this may get a little annoying,  but isn’t it worth it, to have readers?

4. Leave books ‘face up’ around the house.

Especially in a place your kids are likely to lounge. For us, that’s our living room. The fronts or ‘faces’ of books are way more likely to entice a child to read.

5. Be a reader yourself.

Set an example! If your children see you reading for pleasure, they will be more likely to do so themselves.

Two great reference books (both include book lists):

           

Do you have any tips to add?  Please leave a comment below!

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