Read Aloud Chapter Books for Older Kids

[QueeTheBean]

I've been reading aloud to my kids forever & will continue to do so as long as they still want me to!

I have 2 boys--first and fifth graders. The first grader is reading at almost a 5th grade level & can understand many "older books". We've read Mrs. Frisby, the whole Little House series, Secret Garden, & A Little Princess. I'd like some suggestions of some other great read-alouds.

I know that some people may think I made "girly" choices, but these happened to be books from my childhood that I loved--and mainly bc. the girls in them were NOT girly-girls. I'd certainly like suggestions for books that feature boys as main characters, though!

[onlyzombiecat]

The Narnia books by C.S. Lewis
The Redwall books by Brian Jacques
Beverly Cleary books
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Understood Betsy
Charlotte's Web
Peter Pan
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Wind in the Willows
The Bromeliad Trilogy by Terry Pratchett
Shadrach
Detectives in Togas
Little Pear
The Cricket in Times Square
Ginger Pye
Pinky Pye
Robin Hood
James Herriot stories
The Wizard of Oz

[Tra1978]

I second Beverley Cleary and Charolette's Web. I'd also recoomend the Fudge series by Judy Blume and the MacDonald Hall series by Gordon Korman.

[lorijds]

I'm reading a great book aloud to my girls right now; it's called the Graveyard Book. It's by the guy who wrote Coraline. It's VERY well written, but it's pretty macabre and dark. My kids love it. It reminds me of Roald Dahl (which are also great read aloud books).

[ChocolateNummies]

Some classics we've enjoyed:
My Side of the Mountain
Misty of Chincoteague
Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley
Black Beauty - does deal with animal cruelty and mentions alcohol abuse several times
Heidi - the first few pages are kind of boring (we used to skip them) but it gets much better
Betsy Tacy
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

As for more contemporary books, we also read the Animal Ark series. They're pretty predictable but my daughter loves them.

[suziek]

Five children and it
Black ships before tro
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Carry on Mr. Bowditch
Stowaway
Revenge of the Whale
But the Great Horn Spoon
Chronicles of Narnia
and all Zombiecat's suggestions

Also, search on amazon for newbery awards--they are almost always good bets.

[Murihiku]

Great suggestions so far. I'll add The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander, the first of the Prydain Chronicles.

[mammastar2]

The Black Stallion

Peter Pan

Swallows and Amazons

Half Magic

The Railway Children

[bandyr]

I'd like to second Swallows and Amazons - all the books by Arthur Ransom are published by Godine.com. This is a great series!!

[bandyr]

OH, I forgot! Jim Trelease's book on reading aloud has a super section on read-alouds for older children. All of his recommendations are arranged by age/grade level in the book's treasury at the back. And there is a fairly new edition!

[grapejuicemama]

I have this boxed set of classics that have been abridged somewhat for children. It includes 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Journey To The Center of The Earth, Moby Dick, Heidi, and a few more. Right now, I'm reading Island of The Blue Dolphins with my 7 year old, but I can't wait to start on those classics with her.