Every child is unique, with different likes, dislikes and interests. Therefore, choosing books to read aloud becomes a very personal and subjective endeavor. We at BTBL never want to explicitly state one book is superior to another and close the door on potentially appealing and diverting read alouds, but we do have our own favorites. So, we offer here lists of books that we enjoy and have had phenomenal success sharing with the children in our lives, whether at home or professionally. These titles are here for your consideration, to be viewed as a jumping off point to help get you started on the read aloud journey. You may not enjoy any of the titles we have chosen, but they may lead you to something amazing.
The Book Find
With so many amazing titles to consider, and new ones being published every year, it can be a rather costly venture to include classics as well as expand your library to add new favorites if, like us, you need to own the books. Libraries are wonderful for checking out new titles and for searching books to find what appeals to your little reader but for purchasing, consider some of the options where we have made some great finds at lower costs.
**Educators, Librarians and Homeschoolers: look for a Scholastic Warehouse Sale near you. They generally have two big sales a year with books discounted as much as 80%! A great way to keep a classroom or home library up to date.
- Library used book sales - Most libraries receive donations as well as sell their withdrawn books in monthly or yearly sales often for less than a dollar.
- Used book stores - Get a group together and take a road trip to find great buys. Our absolute favorite is McKay Used Books, CDs, DVDs & More in Tennessee for all books.
- Clearance/discounted books - Check out what titles have been placed in the clearance/discounted title aisle of your local bookstore.
- Big-box stores - National chain bookstores often discount books, even newer titles.
- Discount stores - We have found some unique and uncommon titles, those not generally featured in national chain bookstores, at some unexpected stores. Our favorite stores are T.J. Maxx and Marshalls.
- Online - Always look online for hard to find titles. Someone is bound to have it.
**Educators, Librarians and Homeschoolers: look for a Scholastic Warehouse Sale near you. They generally have two big sales a year with books discounted as much as 80%! A great way to keep a classroom or home library up to date.
Book Buddies!
As reading aloud has benefits for both the listener and the reader, stuffed or plush book buddies become a great addition to enhance the experience. Book buddies are wonderful as a cuddle buddy while hearing a story and also as a non-judgmental listener when a child practices reading. Book buddies that offer a physical representation of a character from a child’s favorite book allows a child to make a greater connection to that character and to the story and can increase creativity as they reenact the story with their buddy. Consider including a special buddy when giving a book. Below are a few of our favorites:
Pout-Pout Fish from The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
|
Llama Llama from Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
|
Skippyjon Jones from Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner
|
Caterpillar from The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
|
Pigeon from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
|
Knuffle Bunny from Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
|
*Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.