These are books our family has enjoyed. More will be added often. Every family has their own standards so always pre-read!
**For an article about booklists that had me nodding my head read Valerie's article here. As she discusses, these are the best books for our family that we have found, thus far, at our smaller-sized library. By no means are they the best books ever written in their genre.
The 'Book on Books' I Use Often:
Read for the Heart by Sarah Clarkson (Look on Amazon or through Apologia Press)
Bible Resources:
Leading Little Ones to God (My favorite devotional for ages 4-8)
Apologia Worldview Curriculum for older ones
Grandpa's Box by Meade
Hero Tales by Dave & Neta Jackson
Read Alouds (listed generally from younger to older audiences)
We read aloud to our children often. You would be amazed at what even a two to three year old can grasp from these great stories. They learn humor, imagination, character, the sound of good literature and more.
Family Treasury of Little Golden Books
Peter Rabbit's Giant Storybook by Beatrix Potter
Milly Molly Mandy by Joyce Lancaster Brisley
Cappyboppy by Bill Peet
Boxcar Children By Gertrude Warner
James Herriot's Treasury for Children by James Herriot
Uncle Wiggly books by Howard Garis
Billy and Blaze Series by C.W. Anderson
The Story of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting
The Grandma's Attic Series by Arleta Richardson
Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Gannett
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Atwater
Winnie the Pooh Books by Milne
Sarah Whitcher's Story by Elizabeth Yates
Lion in the Box by Marguerite deAngeli (Christmas story)
The Hundred Dresses by Estes
Little House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
All-of -a-kind Family by Sydney Taylor
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Bulla
The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz
Sword in the Tree by Clyde Bulla
Homer Price by Robert McCloskey
Pagoo by Holling
The Cricket in Times Square (and Sequals) by George Selden
E.B. White Books
The Matchlock Gun by Edmonds
Thimble Summer by Enright
Rabbitt Hill by Lawson (a bit political)
Indian in the Cupboard by Banks
Baby Island by Brink
By the Great Horn Spoon by Fleischman
Understood Betsy by Fisher
Five Little Peppers and How they Grew by Margaret Sidney
Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge
The Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
Wind in the Willows by Grahame
Picture Books
These are very often light hearted and funny. We use picture books as a fun spontaneous way to enjoy books with our children, particularly the preschool aged ones.
Favorite Picture Book Authors (with many books we enjoy)
Asher, Sandy
Barklem, Jill
Barret, Judi
Bemelmans, Ludwig (Madeline Books)
Bond, Michael
Brett, Jan
Bridwell, Norman (Clifford Books)
Brown, Marcia
Burton, Virginia
Carle, Eric
Carlstrom, Nancy (Jessie Bear Books)
DeRubertis, Barbara (The Animal Antic Books-great fun!)
Duvoisin, Roger
Freeman, Don
Geras, Adele (Ballet Books)
Gruelle, Johnny (Raggedy Ann Series)
Hobby, Holly (Toot and Puddle Books)
Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie
Lewis, Kim
Locker, Thomas
Mayer, Mercer
McCloskey, Robert
McPhail, David (Big Brown Bear Books)
Rey, H.A. (Curious George)
Suess, Dr.
Favorite Picture Books (in addition to the above)
Ackerman-Song and Dance Man
Ashman-Can you make a piggy giggle?
Banks-The Eraserheads
Bartone-Peppe the Lamplighter
Beaumont-Move Over, Rover
Bechtold-Sally and the Purple Socks
Blankenship-Mr. Tuggle's Troubles
Bunting-Pop's Bridge
Bunting-Train to Somewhere (just plan on crying)
Bunting-The Wednesday Surprise
Brumbeau-Quiltmaker's Gift and Quiltmaker's Journey
Cooney-Miss Rumphis
Daugherty-Andy and the Lion
DeAngeli-Yonie Wondernose & Thee, Hannah (beautiful story, but full of references to Quaker Friends)
DePaola-Four Friends in Summer
Doyle-Cow & Horse (two different books)
Garlan-The President and Mom's Apple Pie
Gibbons-Mama and Me and the Model T
Goode-Monkey Mo goes to sea
Gorbachev-Molly who Flew away
Gray-My Momma Had a Dancing Heart
Hall-Ox Cart Man
Hass-Hurry!
Hest-The Purple Coat & When Jessie came across the Sea
Hoberman-Seven Silly Eaters
Hopkinson-Saving Strawberry Farm
Horning-The Giant Hug
Hort-The boy who held Back the Sea
Howland-The Matzah Man: a Passover story
Hubbell-Hurray for Spring
Hughes-Olly and Me
Isadora-Lili at Ballet
Johnston-Grandpa's Song
Johnston-The Cowboy and the Black Eyed Pea
Johnston-Amber on the Mountain
Kimmel-My penguin Osbert
Kinsey-Warnock-A Farm of Her Own
Kinsey-Warnock-Nora's Ark
Krupinski-Pirate Treasure
Lasky-The Emporer's Old Clother
Lewin-Nilo and the Tortoise
Lobel-Little Honey Bear and the Smiley Moon
McClintock-The Fantastic Drawings of Danielle
Numeroff-Otis & Sydney and the best birthday ever
Oke-Making Memories
Perrow-Lighthouse Dog to the Rescue
Scheer-Rain Makes Applesauce
Schubert-Beaver's Lodge
Strand-Grandfather's Christmas Tree
Historical Picture Books *indicates for 2nd grade or above
*Bauer-B is for battle cry: a Civil War Alphabet
Coles-The Story of Ruby Bridges
Eubank-Seaman's Journal: on the trail with Lewis and Clark
Hodges-The True Tale of Johnny Appleseed
Johnston-Sunsets of the West
Kellogg-Johnny Appleseed
Krensky-Sisters of Scituate Light
Krensky-George Washington Carver, A Man for All Seasons
Rabin-Mr. Lincoln's Boys: being the mostly true adventures....
Reading Books
Once our children have learned all of their sounds, can sound out words, and are moving past basic phonetic readers these are books we have used to encourage the growth of their reading skills. This list is skewed a bit toward the boy side as we have only had a boy move through these stages thus far, but that will begin to change in the coming months...so check back.
Beginning Readers
Maslen-BOB Books (various levels, but start very easy)
Averill-Fire Cat
Capucilli-Biscuit books
Carey-Tonka Tough Trucks
Cox-Big Pig on a Dig
Dotlich-Peanut and Pearl's Picnic Adventure
Eastman-Go Dog Go
Godwin-Happy and Honey
Hayes-The Pup Speaks Up
Hope-Freddie and Flossie (Bobsey Twins) Books
Lopshire-Put me in the Zoo
Maslen-The Bob books
Mueller-The Big Ball of String
McClintock-A Fly went By
McGuire-Ann's Hat
Omerod-The Ballet Sisters books
Phillips-Cake Cake Cake Pie
Rylant-Puppy Mudge books
Seuss-Various books
Sutherland-Fun with Mo and Ella
Weeks-Splish Splash
Ziefert-Rabbit and Hare Divide an Apple
Early Readers (generally Kindergarten-1st grade)
Bauer-Bear's Hiccups
Chorao-Up and Down with Kate
Lobel-Frog and Toad Books
Lobel-Mouse Tales & Mouse Soup
Lodge-Custard Surprise
Minarik-Little Bear books
Parish-Amelia Bedelia books (these are favorites of many families, not so much in ours...decide for yourself)
Rylant-Mr. Putter & Tabby books
Rylant-Henry & Mudge books
First Chapter Books (range from 1st grade-2nd grade; the * ones tend a bit toward 3rd grade)
These are good for fairly fluent readers who just need shorter chapters. Many are historical in nature. *-indicates more advanced level
Avi-Prairie School
Benchley-Sam the Minuteman & George the Drummer Boy
Brenner-Wagon Wheels & Abe Lincoln's Hat
Bulla-Daniel's Duck and Many other books (most of Bulla's books are great...a few are questionable)
Byars-Tornado
Coerr-Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express
Coerr-The Josephina Story Quilt
Dalgliesh-The Bears on Hemlock Mountain
*Dussling (L.M. Montgomery)-Anne of Green Gables All Aboard Reading Adaptation
*Haywood-Betsy and Eddie books
Krensky (A.A. Milne)-Winnie the Pooh Readers
Kulling-Escape North!: the story of Harriet Tubman
Kulling-Eat my Dust!: Henry Ford's first race
*Latham-Eli Whitney
Levin-Snowshoe Thompson
Levinson-Prairie Friends
Lindman-Flicka, Ricka, & Dicka Books (Great old books for Girls!)
Lindman-Snipp, Snapp, Snurr Books (Great old books for Boys!)
McCully-The Battle for St. Michaels
Roop-Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie
Sandin-The Long Way Series
Shea-First Flight: the Story of Tom Tate and the Wright Brothers
Standiford-Bravest Dog Ever
Stiles-My Father's Dragon series
*Warner-Boxcar Children (up to #19; after that they are not written by Warner and can be 'ify' in content)
Wetterer-Kate Shelley and the midnight Express
Wilder-Little House Chapter Books (not the full blown originals-these are short chapters with excerpts)
Intermediate Chapter Books (ranging from 2nd -4th grade reading levels)
Bond-Paddington Bear Books
Burgess, Thornton-Many animal books and Old Mother West Wind
Dahl-Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Gardiner-Stone Fox
Garis-Uncle Wiggly Books
Grover-Dolphin Adventure
Haywood-Betsy and Eddie Books
Petersen-The Littles series
Reit-Guns for General Washington
West-Happy Hollister Series (some are a bit ify, pre-read)
Wilder-Little House on the Prairie Series
Older Chapter Books
Refer to many of the read alouds above for additional titles
Historical Books Our Kids Enjoy
*Some of the read alouds above have great historical content
American History:
Childhood of Famous American Series-love this series
Three Young Pilgrims by Harness
Stories of the Pilgrims by Pumphrey
The 4th of July Story by Dalgliesh
A Little Maid Series (check over for content)
The New Americans by Maestro
A More Perfect Union by Maestro
Bud & Me by Abernathy
Daughter's of the Faith Series
Benjamin West and his Cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry
Books by Jean Fritz (can be hit or miss depending on child)
The Sowers Series
Johnny Tremain by Forbes
World History:
Viking Quest Series by Johnson
Adam of the Road by Vining
Living History Library Books by Bethlehem Books
York and the Great War
Life in the Great Ice Age by Michael and Beverly Oard
Uncovering the Mysterious Woolly Mammoth by Michael and Beverly Oard
Detectives in Togas by Winterfeld
Victory on the Walls by Frieda Clark Hyman
Biographies by Diane Stanley
