My husband and I both avid readers, and our daughter's attention span and interest in books has recently gotten to the point that she is enjoying longer books with limited or no pictures – it's awesome, and super fun to find something we all enjoy to read together! Looking for suggestions for some other books/series we can read aloud with her and all enjoy, that are appropriate for a 4-5 year old.
So far, she has loved:
– Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (this was a huge hit, so fun for all of us)
– The Magic Treehouse
– The Never Girls series
– Zooey and Sassafras (I think I love this more than she does, lol)
– Princess in Black (although I think she is about on the upper edge of the age range for this)
– there's a couple "Anna & Elsa" frozen spin-off stories that are great
– Catwings (Ursula K Le Guin)
I LOVE Roald Dahl but will probably avoid Matilda/BFG/Witches until she's a bit older (I think some of the themes are a bit a much for her age). Maybe James and Giant Peach is ok?
I see Junie B Jones recommended a lot, but I can't stand it (even though I loved it as a kid).
For others that have read aloud to kids in this age range, what have some of their favourites been?
by -kate-
11 Comments
Wayside School series is great. My kid loved them. Short chapters that are standalone.
The Boxcar Children
Maybe some of the Beverly Cleary books (it’s been a while since I have read them so I am not sure which ones would work for reading to a five year old)
Dory Fantasmagory series by Abby Hanlon
Magic Schoolbus has books I think.
The Little House on the Prairie books, Caddie Woodlawn, Mossflower, Redwall
I loved Grace Lin’s Starry River of the Sky series! We also read a lot of world mythology for young readers, and the Dear America, Royal Diaries series!
At this age my kids loved The Faraway Tree Series. Like howling out loud laughter loved. We also read all of the Ramona books.
All of the Tales from Deckawoo Drive books are so good. There are pictures. They’re witty enough for adults that you don’t want to stick pins in your eyes when you read them. Ditto the Bear and Rabbit series by Julian Gough.
I read *The Wild Robot* to my son at this age and we both loved it. Maybe *My Father’s Dragon*? Amelia Bedelia, Pippi Long-stocking?
The BFG
Ours loved The Hobbit at that age. Astrid Lindgren’s Ronia The Robber’s daughter was lovely. We read Mio, my Son and Brothers Lionheart too but I think it would have been more enjoyable year or two later. They are pretty dark.
Because of Winn Dixie was solid with my kids at that age