I need suggestions for read aloud books for my daughter who is eight. She is a bit reluctant so I would prefer books that are engaging. She has enjoyed the Dr Doolittle books and the dramatic audiobooks of the Narnia series.
I would also prefer books that are classics – since she isn’t a book lover at this stage and not listening or reading out of school hours, I want every assigned read aloud book to count! (if you know what I mean)
Here’s the book list for our age 9 to 10 girls book group this fall. We’ve read a few of them but maybe others can comment on them more. Maybe there is a gem in here that will be the “one” to get her hooked…. 🙂
My girls really enjoyed Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (both books), Pollyanna (both books), Heidi, and Misty of Chincoteague. We read the actual 101 Dalmation story and they liked it a lot too.
Trumpet of the Swan will go down in history as a best-loved around my house; my kids were 5, 8 and 9 when we did and they still talk about it…I mean they seriously quote the characters, remember the names, recall scenes – a year later!
I’ve heard Twenty-One Balloons mentioned often here and it’s coming up on my list…
Pollyanna was VERY well loved here also (and mine kids are boys!), as was Caddie Woodlawn (you can see I don’t have typical boys, LOL).
I will also second all suggestions by Sheraz above… these are all high on our list to begin in the Fall (along with Understood Betsy).
If you lean to Frances Hodgson Burnett I have heard (from my friends with young girls) that The Little Princess has been better received than Secret Garden.
You could also add in audiobooks in the car or at mealtime. Many libraries have them and you can download some free at LibriVox. This is how I fit in more literature than what I am physically able to read aloud.
The audiobooks are a wonderful idea! “James Herriot’s Treasury for Children” is one of our favourites. “My Father’s Dragon” is right up there, too. Well loved and certainly not too “young” for age 8-9 as there are a lot of clever ideas stories in the collection that really get you thinking 🙂
Someone, on another thread, mentioned Winnie the Pooh – as read by Peter Dennis. We tried to read Winnie the Pooh out loud, and it just didn’t work. BUT, I checked out the Dennis version from the libary. It’s in the car now and my 3,5, 7 yos LOVE it. I’m going to have to buy our own!
We listened to all of my suggestions as free audiobooks from librivox.org except 101 Dalmations. LOVE librivox.org.
Forgot to mention that we all LOVED Understood Betsy. And the Little House books are do not miss! We just got the Pooh audio in the mail. I think I am sticking it in next for our younger girls along with the Raggedy Ann and Andy stories.
Sheraz-I did not know about Raggedy Ann on audio. Are they original stories? Please tell me more. Even ds8 at the time loved those stories! There are so many good choices!
Here’s a link for Ambleside Online audiobooks at LibriVox: