The Book Series (& a few extras) You Should be Reading with Your Kids Right Now!
A few months back, when we were in Hilton Head, it was a rainy afternoon & we stumbled upon a Barnes & Noble where we had an amazing and memorable afternoon. We all walked the aisles, finding books filled with favorite characters, more books from series my kids had already read and new ones we’d never seen before. We ended up spending about 2 hours just roaming around the bookstore. I find this is the most inspiring way to get your children to read.
If you live near a local bookstore, consider yourself lucky. If not, it’s totally worth the field trip to the closest one you can find!
Although Kindles are great, especially when traveling, I think it’s very important to feel the book you are reading, folding pages, doodling in corners and underlining things that resonate with you. Kids love to crawl into your lap or a comfy sofa and hold a book that speaks to them--devices will never offer the same feeling!
Books inspire, empower, make room for conversation and even introduce us to worlds we would have never otherwise visited. Here are some of my family faves that make us giggle, wonder and chat: What do you do with an idea?, What do you do with a problem?, and The book with no pictures.
These are a few books and book series recommended by my 5 girls (age 1-14), in ascending age order (if you liked their TV recommendations, you’re going to LOVE this!):
When you’re reading to your child:
Anything Eric Carle, especially the classics, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? or Very Hungry Caterpillar. The illustrations are always familiar but the books range in content from stories to rhyming poems to fun with animals.
Llama Llama- Just about any of these is great for when you’re going camping, talking about feelings, waking up, winding down, or just in the mood for a cute rhyme.
Interactive fun for preschoolers:
The Poke-A-Dot books are totally interactive board books in a range of themes.
Herve Tullet’s books are a fun way to explore color...the first time you read these is such a fun surprise!
When they start to read on their own:
Pete the Cat is great for when you’re still the one reading and when your kiddos start reading on their own! This moment of transition is so cool! After years of fostering their love of letters, patterns, and words, you slowly get to watch them take off on their own.
Pinkalicious is another great read-to-me and first reader transition series. There are endless books to choose from and some nice box sets too!
Keeping the transition with the same characters will get them interested in doing it on their own!
What Should Danny Do is part of “The Power to Choose Series.” It’s the type of book where you get to choose your own ending. What I really enjoy about it is that it truly teaches children how their choices/behavior can directly affect what happens next.
It reminded me of the Choose Your Own Adventure series from when I was a kid, which was slightly geared towards older kids
Young, Independent Readers: 8-11
Heidi Heckelbeck is an 8 year old witch in disguise and her little brother, Henry Heckelbeck is her not so magical little brother who has to figure out some spells of his own. Both series are fun for boys and girls respectively. These are two box sets to get you started: Heidi & Henry.
Who is Series delves into the lives of so many important people ranging from scientists to authors to world leaders and athletes. Their contributions to society, and the paths they took to become who they are, is all told in a way that is level-appropriate.
Captain Underpants is super popular, especially for its silly title. He is actually a superhero that was made from 2 students’ homemade comics.There are illustrations on every page, and just the right amount of text that will keep kids giggling till the end.
For Older Kids: 11-14
Mythology series often teach kids about cultures and histories they are not familiar with but will definitely encounter as allusion in other classic books and movies. Knowing about these references will always enrich their understanding of what they’re seeing, hearing and reading.
Greek mythology- Percy Jackson
Norse mythology - Magnus chase
Egyptian mythology- Kane Chronicles
The two part Front Desk and Three Keys books engage YA readers from the start with a quirky, relatable character and witty dialogue.
The Giver Quartet is a series by Lois Lowry that “...challenges readers to imagine what our world could become, how people could evolve, and what could be considered valuable.” I read the first one back in elementary school and it’s a sort of classic that is still taught in schools!
So what now?
Take a road trip to your nearest Barnes & Noble or any other local bookstore, even if it’s an hour away. Your kids will thank you!
There are amazing Audiobooks for kids. I know this may sound strange, but just think how much they love having stories read aloud to them. This kind of falls under the same category. They’re great for long trips where you’re not sure how you’ll entertain them for so long in the car or on a plane. The Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton is one of my favorites.
Take a picture of your child reading one of the books listed here or at any local bookstore and tag me for the chance to win something from my online shop!