Want to know where to find high quality children’s book lists for read alouds or independent reading? I’ve compiled some of my favorite go-to book lists for children’s literature.
Where can you find high quality book lists for children? You want to pick up the most engaging and thought provoking stories for your children to meet their book appetites. These days, there are a lot of great books, and a an equal number of questionable books. It isn’t okay anymore to say any book is fine as long as they are reading. Just like we are intentional about which television programs or internet sites are healthy, book selections have the same power.
As a mom with different levels of readers, and with a very hearty desire to read, I have had to often search for stories that educate, entertain, and inspire. I wanted to share some of my go-to book lists in case you find yourself in the same position.
You will have book lists that you can put into a bookmarks folder to conveniently visit throughout the year. Library runs will be intentional and productive from this point on!
This post is all about finding quality book lists for children’s literature.
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Book Lists: Online
Here are some of my favorite places online to find new reads to check out for my children.
Stories of Color
Stories of Color is a recent find for me, and it is a treasure. As an Asian American, it is so refreshing to see the commitment to diversity on this site! You can search books by:
- Culture and perspective
- Region
- Historical time period
- Form (grade)
- Religion
- Awards
- Genre
Read Aloud Revival
I first encountered Sarah Mackenzie when reading the book Teaching From Rest: A Homeschoolers Guide to Unshakable Peace, which I highly recommend to any homeschooler. Her site Read Aloud Revival is just as helpful! There are book list categories for:
- Picture Book Biographies
- Picture Books for Ancient History
- Picture Books for Medieval History
- Books for Kids in Big Families
- First Novels to Read Aloud
- Christmas Novels and Short Stories
- Books that Feature Differently Abled Characters
- Math Read Alouds
- Picture Books about Loss and Grief
- Books that Help Discuss Racism
- Poetry Books
Biblioguides
To those who believe what you read is just as important as reading itself, Biblioguides gives you the resources and tools to discover the right book for the right person at the right moment.
biblioguides
Biblioguides provides book suggestions and reviews by region, reading level, awards, and time period. There is a membership option where you can create custom reading plans for your family. Once you start a membership, you can have access to book lists from reputable companies like Sabbath Mood Homeschool, Heritage Mom, and Life-Giving Motherhood.
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#LivingBookLegacy
For over a year, a group of homeschool moms have been sharing living book ideas weekly based on themes. Examples of themes have been books about teaching character, books about the beach, author spotlights, and read aloud suggestions. Many captions provide descriptions of each book, and give you an idea of what to expect. Each week, I find new selects to check out!
Book Lists: Within Books
It may seem funny, but I consult within books for book lists! These are a few I keep closeby because they are JUST THAT GOOD.
Read Aloud Family
This may be a staple for any family, homeschool or not. Sarah Mackenzie knocked it out of the park with Read Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids. I feel really blessed that I read this book early on in our homeschool journey. Sarah brings up such great points to argue the high value of reading aloud with your children, and I’ve since worked on building this into our homeschool culture in a major way.
Honey for a Child’s Heart
Gladys Hunt has released an updated and expanded version of the classic Honey for a Child’s Heart. She provides read aloud selections for children 0-12, and they are organized by age group. There are even suggestions for audiobooks, which can be your best buddy.
Mothering By the Book
I recently finished Jennifer Pepito’s book Mothering By the Book. Jennifer is the creator of all The Peaceful Press resources and has been an encourager and veteran in the homeschooling community. Jennifer shares her motherhood journey, and how reading aloud to her children, and reading for herself, brought her stability, transformation, and hope. Each chapter also offers great book suggestions, just like her curriculum.
Give Your Child the World
Give Your Child the World: Raising Globally Minded Kids One Book at a Time by Jamie C. Martin is a book I pick up at least once per term. It is completely organized by continent and age ranges. I have found SO many gems from this book. It came in handy when we study geography and cultures. Having multiple ages to juggle, I appreciate that I can rely on this book for some high quality ideas for stories at different levels.
Book Lists: Within Curriculum
My last step is to look at curriculum book lists. These are the brands I either currently use or have used in the past, and trust for their solid book lists:
This post was all about favorite places to find high quality book lists for children’s literature.
Other Posts You May Like:
- Curriculum Review: A Gentle Feast
- Curriculum Review: Beautiful Feet Books
- Curriculum Review: The Peaceful Press
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