Happy Friday! We are so excited to be sharing our favorite books, curriculum, resources, and supplies that we use to homeschool! Each Friday, we will be sharing products we love to use in our own homeschooling adventure. Enjoy these homeschooling items that we can’t live without….and you shouldn’t either!
Today we want to share with you resources for selecting books for your read aloud and audiobook list. Our Making Reading Fun Instead of Frustrating post shares the many benefits of using audiobooks and read-alouds and offers suggestions on when and how to use them. But where can you find great books to incorporate into your daily routines?!
One place is the internet--search for “children’s read-aloud list” and you will find endless search results. Although this seems like a terrific resource, it quickly becomes overwhelming! I would find myself opening list after list and jumping back and forth between the 25 tabs I had opened on my computer. Also, I am a list maker, so I would start creating a list of books I wanted to use but then not know if the level or material would be appropriate for my kids only to have them get lost in the long list I was creating!
My solution was to find an annotated reading list book! The one I have gone to time and time again is Honey for A Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt. The three reasons this is my go-to resource for book ideas are:
Part One, “Using Books to Help Children Grow” contains excellent information from everything from choosing “a good book” to helping your child become an avid reader.
Part Two, “Best Loved Books for Children” is an annotated booklist organized by child’s age, reading ability, and genre. Also included is if the book has won any honors (like Caldecott, Newberry, etc.) as well as other books by that author.
The list is filled with hidden gems! Do you know there are tens of thousands of children and youth books published every year? It is impossible to keep up with all of the new great books! This book was last updated in 2002 and contains treasures that aren’t always used in today’s storytime classes or classrooms, so your kids don’t already know the story.
Tip: When using the list to select audiobooks and read-alouds remember most children listen 1-2 grade levels higher than what they read. As long as the subject matter of the book is appropriate go ahead and investigate higher-level book suggestions.
This is a well-worn and written in book that I bought when my children were in elementary school and has stood the test of time. I actually note which children have read or listened to which books, as well as make extra notes on some of the books. This book is geared for children 0-12, but if you have teens check out Honey for a Teen’s Heart! I have both and find them both valuable additions to my homeschooling resource bookshelf!
If you want an informative book with a comprehensive book list, we recommend getting these books! You will want to be sure to check out our other Favorite Friday picks!
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