happypamama Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 I need some more suggestions for read-alouds that my 4.5 yo son would particularly enjoy. He's listened to a lot of stuff that DH or I've read to the big kids (like Percy Jackson, Treasure Island, The Hobbit), but I'd like to read some things that are more specifically for him. We've read the Pooh books (he loves them), and we've read all of the Henry Huggins and Ralph S. Mouse books. (I'm not really a big Ramona fan; he can read those when he's able to read if he wants to.) We've read The Cricket in Times Square and Carolyn Haywood's Penny and Peter (I want to leave the Betsy books and the Eddie books for him to read on his own too). We've read a couple of the Little Britches books, and he liked them, but I just feel like they're a little on the old side for him. Same with Narnia -- I want to wait a couple more years before reading them again. I do have Mr. Popper's Penguins and Rebecca Caudill's Fairchild Family series that I'm putting on our list. We've read some Paddington; he'd probably enjoy more of those too. Oh, and I have the James Herriot children's treasury upstairs; I forgot about that one. We read Farmer Boy fairly recently, and we'll be starting the first several books in that series (again) in the fall, when we start the Prairie Primer. Maybe he'd like the first one or two of the All of a Kind Family books, but again, maybe a little old for him. So, I guess I want books that are more than picture books, appealing to a 4-5yo (not just "tag along for the ride"), and not things that he'll be able to read on his own in a year or so. Also, not too academic; this is for evening read-aloud time, so I want it to be easy and pleasant. Maybe I should try Redwall again? (We tried the audio version, and the kids weren't really into it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Pippi, and the first Dr. Doolittle (updated version) were among dd's favs at that age. We also liked Milly, Molly, Mandy--very sweet but still fun for a boy or a girl. Roald Dahl was a huge hit--For a 4yo, I would read Fantastic Mr. Fox. She also enjoyed D'Aulaire's Greek Myths, which was nice because it was vaguely familiar to her when we hit in in first grade in history. Don't forget fairy tales--you don't have to go really authentic if you don't want to, but it's good to get them in before allusions start cropping up in children's literature. You could also have some fun reading picture books that are a little more involved and comparing them--Compare Lon Po Po with Little Red Riding Hood, and 3 Little Pigs with that one that tells it from the wolf's perspective. You could do a comparison of Cinderella stories--If you have the AG for SOTW 2, go thru and pick them out; there's one for Japan, NA, Korean, Iran, etc. That's very appropriate as 4-5's are learning to take another's POV By "compare," I mean just talk about them and notice differences/similarities in a casual, conversational, "isn't that neat!" kind of way, not something academic like a Venn Diagram (you can do that later...lol!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 DD's favorites at that age: Five True Dog Stories by Margaret Davidson The Apple and the Arrow by Conrad Buff The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Capyboppy by Bill Peet (Very cute story!) Dolphin Adventure by Wayne Grover A Grain of Rice by Helena Clare Pittman James Herriots Treasury for Children by James Herriot (One of our all time family favorites!) Mary on Horseback by Rosemary Wells My Fathers Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett The Story of Dr Dolittle by Hugh Lofting The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Another all time favorite) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sades Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 My daughter is 4.5. In the last year we have read quite a few chapter books aloud, but her favorites were: Charlotte's Web James and the Giant Peach (We read this last year and this year) The Hobbit (I thought she would be too young for this, but she loved it and we are reading it a second time) My Father's Dragon (We read this a few times) Beatrix Potter stories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItoLina Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 My son is 5, but over the past year his favorites have been: Charlotte's Web Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Box Car Childen Peter Pan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koerarmoca Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Dd4 has been enjoying Island of the Blue Dolphins. She also LOVES SOTW. In the past we have done. James and the Giant Peach, Charlottes Web, Anne of Green Gables, Dear Mr. Henshaw, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and she really really loved Stuart Little. She has been asking for me to read a Zombie book (dh is reading world war Z and talking about zombies a lot) I have not found one yet that I feel would be for a 4 year old though lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FromA2Z Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 We've been recently plowing through the series of Oz books put out by Books of Wonder. My almost 5 ds is loving them. Wizard of Oz Marvelous Land of Oz Ozma of Oz Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (we are currently on this one) The Road to Oz Emerald City of Oz I think I'm going to take a break here (there are 8 more by F. Baum) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanikit Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 At that age I read quite a few Dick King Smith books to my DD - there are some that are more suitable for that age and he also writes early chapter books which also suited my DD) Pippi Longstocking Some of the Enid Blyton books - depends on how you feel about these books - some people want to read the originals, others want the more poilitically correct versions. The Faraway Tree series, Wishing Chair series, The Circus Series and possible even the Secret Seven are suitable for this age. The Boxcar Children By 5 my DD wanted The Indian in the Cupboard - not usually a choice for this age The Borrowers Books about The Littles Roald Dahl: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Magic Finger, George's Marvellous Medicine, Fantastic Mr Fox Twenty and Ten And then stick to loads of picture books too as even when they are reading chapter books for themselves they will want picture books and shorter stories at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Another vote here for Oz. I read the whole set twice when they were young because we loved it so much. Your big kids will love it too. The whole thing is free on kindles just make sure you get the order right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 Another vote here for Oz. I read the whole set twice when they were young because we loved it so much. Your big kids will love it too. The whole thing is free on kindles just make sure you get the order right. We have many of them, and I think I have several of them in Kindle form; DD went through a phase where she was completely obsessed with the Oz books. I haven't read them myself, so I didn't think of them for the 4yo; I might have to try them and see what he thinks. Great suggestions in this thread -- thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lily08 Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 My son who is just turning 4 and my 5 year old nephew have really enjoyed the Magic Treehouse series. We read the first 3, then read Charlotte's Web and they kept asking where Jack and Annie were. Then we read the 4th one and they were very excited about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 My ds really enjoyed the Magic Tree House series as a read aloud. He's also enjoyed a few Raggedy Ann and Andy books. (sort of vintage but fun). Also quite a few already posted. The Beverly Cleary books, Peter Pan, Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and Trumpet of the Swan. Pinocchio, Wizard of Oz, Wind in the Willows, Pooh books, Aesop fables, fairy tales, Beatrix Potter stories, quite a few of the Roald Dahl books, Pippi Longstocking, Mrs Piggle Wiggle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mohop Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Sorry, I am probably going to be repeating some things, but I just thought I'd share a list of some of the chapter books we have read to my almost-5-year old in the past couple of years: Charlotte's Web Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (and it's sequel, Charlie & the Great Glass Elevator) Fantastic Mr. Fox The BFG Heidi (I think this has been my favorite) Mary Poppins (not my favorite, but my DD has wanted us to read it two more times since we first finished it) A Cricket in Times Square Wind in the Willows (granted, this is probably above MY reading level, but my DD listed contently to it, even if she did not always understand everything) Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series Mr. Popper's Penguins Pinocchio (I personally dislike this one, but my DH and DD liked it fine) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma2Luke Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 One that hasn't been mentioned yet is Rascal by Sterling North... we read that when my son was almost 5 and we LOVED it... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyPillow Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 We keep a running book list for our kids of favorite books by grade and books for future grades. https://docs.google....uthkey=CN_P5pEK For our 3 and 5 year old we read from the Preschool through Kindergarten lists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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