Awesome Books for Kids to Read That My Family Is Loving

We hear it time and time again, “read to your children”. Not only does it have numerous benefits, but it is also a fundamental skill as they get older. But where do you start? There are so many to choose from that it becomes overwhelming. Have no fear! I’ve put together this list of some of our most loved books for kids to read.

Snuggling up with a good book and a warm blanket is one of my most loved memories. We are total book junkies at my house.

I’ll admit with a baby getting ready to walk, it has become challenging to sit still and read to my older kids.

This list offers some busy books that will keep the not-yet-reading tots happy, along with audiobooks for the emerging reader.

Books for Kids to Read By Age Level

It’s never too early to start reading to your kids. Some of our most loved books for kids are ones that we began reading when our kids were newborns (maybe even in the womb!).

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It has been said that reading can improve concentration, vocabulary, and language skills.

Baby – Toddler

There are options for the chewing baby! If you are a seasoned mom you know why I point this out. When babies are well, babies put everything in their mouths – including books.

I can’t tell you how many board books we have with corners missing because our book-loving kids decided the page tasted better than it looked.

There are books called Indestructibles. They are tear-proof, water-proof, and easily portable. Our favorite is Beach Baby, but there are various themes offered.

Don’t get me wrong, we do love board books too, and so do babies. Our most loved books for kids that aren’t yet toddlers include picture books with objects that you can point out and faces for the baby to see.

It’s never too early to start practicing the ABC’s. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is one of our most loved books for kids to read.

There are many supplemental activities that you can find online to support the story, such as instructions on how to build an alphabet tree.

Early Learners

In addition to picture books, some books that our kids love to read are “lift the flap” type books. These are typically books that are centered around one specific topic or question that the book answers.

There are questions throughout the pages and you have to lift a flap to find out the answer.

Some topics include:

• Why Do We Need Bees?
• What is Poop?
• What are Germs?

There are various publishers that offer these varieties of books. We’ve found Usborne to be our favorite. They can be found at thrift stores, or through your local Usborne representative.

A treasured classic is Dr. Suess. Dr. Suess books come in beginner collections or more challenging for advanced readers and adults! This beginner set is great for kids learning how to rhyme or identifying sight words.

Series

As kids get older they seek challenging or longer more in-depth stories. Chapter books are great options, especially for reading comprehension.

You may want to read them ahead of time to assure they are age/maturity level appropriate. Below I have included the recommended grade level in regards to these books for kids to read.

Some of our most loved book series for kids to read include:

• Owl Diaries (grade K-2)
• The Last Kids on Earth (grade 3-6)
• Harry Potter (grade 4-6)

Some other series that you may want to look into depending on interests and grade level include; The Secret Zoo, Alphabet Mysteries, and The Chronicles of Narnia.

Audiobooks

Above I mentioned that it can be hard to read to children when you have kids of different ages or even kids with different interests. This is where audiobooks can be a lifesaver. With audiobooks you have options:

• Choose a story that is read to your child and have them follow along with the hard copy book
• Listen to audiobooks in the car
  • Audible app (paid subscription or per book, get two FREE audiobooks when you use this link)
  • stories.audible.com (free)
  • Libby (read why we love Libby, here)
• Listen & watch
  • Storybookonline.com is a website where actors/actresses from the screen actors guild read books.
  • Vooks is a site where books are animated and read. Some of the books that are read offer corresponding worksheets that complement the story to make for fun exercises.

Two of our most loved books for kids include The Magic Treehouse (ages 6-10) and Winnie- the-Pooh.

Empowering Minds

With social media all around us and societal pressures, kids are never too old, nor too young to be reminded of their potential.

These last two books are our MOST loved books for kids needing encouragement and opening the conversation of doubt.

The first is from a local author The Adventures of Luxton the World Changer – bonus that it comes with coloring pages (probably for the kids but I too enjoyed them!). Nevada Moms also chatted with Nevada Dad, Stephon to help him showcase his book.

Lastly, the book She Persisted presents a great history lesson about women of the past and how they contributed to change in our world.

Powerful! Just recently I found out that there are a couple of versions of the story, and even a box set available.

Where to Purchase or Borrow Books for Kids to Read

We have options! I know convenience outweighs other factors a majority of the time, but keep in mind that bookstores do exist. We are used to picking up our phones and at the click of a button an order ships.

Let’s do what we can to support the locals, whether through a book store or an independent representative. Whichever you choose helps provide to a local family!

• Grassroots 
• Usborne books
• Libraries – Select books available for electronic download
• Thrift Shops
• Amazon – (Kindle – with a Prime membership some books can be “checked out” for free, plus get 30-days of Amazon Prime for FREE)
• Yellow House Book Rental – helpful for homeschool curriculum

Reading Benefits

If encouraging imagination, question-asking, and navigating interests weren’t enough, reading has been found to activate multi-sensory stimulation throughout the brain.

It wasn’t until I had kids of my own that I realized the importance of reading. Now I’m grateful for the bond that my kids and I share, as a result of reading our most loved books together.

It was a tough task narrowing down a shortlist for all of you. So after READING this article, let us know in the comments what your most-loved books for kids to read are.