Tawlas Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 I'd like to spend time reading together as a family. Any ideas for a read aloud novel my whole family will enjoy - including my dh? My sons are young, 6 and 4, but they're old hands at listening to novels. Some of the books they've enjoyed are The Enormous Egg, Ida Early Comes Over the Mountain, Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh and The Boxcar Children. The 6 year old especially would be sensitive to "scary" books. When my (now grown) daughter was young, dh enjoyed listening to our read alouds of the Harry Potter series and the Monster Blood Tattoo series - these would both be too full of monsters and thrill for the littles however. Any suggestions? My dh is a rancher who doesn't read a lot for fun, do you think he'd like Little Britches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Some we've enjoyed at those ages: Little House in the BIg Woods and the series Mr. Popper's Penguins Rabbit Hill The Trumpet of the Swan, Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little by E.B. White Your investment in reading aloud will pay off in spades! It not only allows your dc to listen to good literature above their reading level but will give you all wonderful shared experiences as a family. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 My husband's favorite books are: Thor's Wedding Day The Incredible Journey and his favorite series which he talks a lot about to everyone is The Enchanted Forest (Dealing with Dragons is the first book) All of these were read to my boys when they were around 5? 6? years old. My boys don't do scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plath Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a big hit with all of us. My husband is really looking forward to us starting the Hobbit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 My dh really enjoyed Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry. He also enjoys the SOTW series. Tuck Everlasting. A Wrinkle in Time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 Some good suggestions! I bet my dh would really like hearing The Hobbit. I hear about all kinds of people reading it to their littles. . . how does it go over for 6 year olds? Seems a little early to me. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Some good suggestions! I bet my dh would really like hearing The Hobbit. I hear about all kinds of people reading it to their littles. . . how does it go over for 6 year olds? Seems a little early to me. . . I wasn't keeping in mind that your oldest is 6. I do think the Hobbit would be too advanced. Maybe things like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, the Indian in the Cupboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Owls in the Family - one of my husbands favorite read alouds!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 Tammyw that's a good one - I believe I recall my MIL saying that dh really enjoyed the books as a child. Forgot about that until now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Matilda The Magic Theif Patrick Carman's Elyon books have been huge hits with my kids. The Hobbit may be a bit wordy for your 6 yo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plath Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 We plan to try The Hobbit after reading the Narnia series, which I want to read to them this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooketopia Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Some good suggestions! I bet my dh would really like hearing The Hobbit. I hear about all kinds of people reading it to their littles. . . how does it go over for 6 year olds? Seems a little early to me. . . As a mother who is right now reading The Hobbit aloud to a 9yo and a 6yo, I’m going to say that it is not too early for the book. My 5yo wanders in every now and then to sit down and take a listen herself, and she totally gets it as well. The three of them are eagerly awaiting the day when we finish The Hobbit so that we can “finally†start reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy. (You know why? Because they play the LOTR LEGOs Xbox game. Never in a million years did I ever think that playing video games would encourage my children to explore good literature!) I’m making them listen to The Hobbit first in order to see if they liked the writing without committing to something as long as LOTR. As to the original topic, I wouldn’t worry about your DH. My DH doesn’t like to read either, and kind of mocked me for reading books aloud to the kiddos that were so far above their supposed ability to understand, but as the years go on, I catch him more and more often hovering outside the room we’re reading in, and with The Hobbit he’s taken to just coming in and laying down on the end of the bed we’re sitting in and intentionally listening to the book. (When did I start with the read alouds? Five years ago. That’s how long it’s taken...he's also a fan of listening SOTW CDs in the car on long drives.) The first time I caught him “hovering†was when I was reading The Trumpet of the Swan to my (then) 4 and 2yo…we had a newborn as well, and he always found an excuse for bringing the baby into the room and tending to her “needs†in there while we were reading… My advice would be to just read. Sometimes DH will hover, sometimes he won’t; but if reading aloud is something that is consistent and enjoyed in your home, I’ll wager he’ll jump on board after a while. Make sure your kids love it, and that will probably be enough to rope him in eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Some books my dh listened to with us Little House books Yellow Eyes Owls in the Family The Indian in the Cupboard Beautiful Joe (made my dd cry) The Wind in the Willows (#1 family favorite) Little Britches and Man of the Family Especially anything dealing with nature and animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwiesman Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 We have read and enjoyed Homer Price, Little House series, E.B. White books, an abridged version of Wind in the Willows. We also read Carry on Mr. Bowditch but that is a little bit older. Mary Poppins, The Moffats, The Saturdays, The Little Prince, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. This website has 1000 books that are listed by grades. You can look there for suggestion. http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Well, I immediately thought of lots of books, but most of them wouldn't be perfect for a 4 & 6 yo. By the time they're 7 & 9, I think you'll have a lot more options that are appealing to everyone, including your dh. And, in the meantime, I agree that the Little House books, Owls in the Family, and a few of the others may do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishMum Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 How about How to Train your Dragon series? It is very funny and suitable for the younger crowd, and I enjoyed it. Also the Gaurdians of Ga'hoole series is delightful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellieK Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Hank the Cow Dog My Father's Dragon Pinocchio These were favorites for mine at that at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Narnia, especially LWW, has worked well at those ages for us. Also any books of fairy tales,like the Lang books. For us at those ages it often means that the four year old isnt getting all of it no matter what we read, but that's all right. Only one of mine so far at four has been fully attentive for entire chapters of a chapter book at that age, til five or closer to five. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 Yes, I think you're right Penelope. My 4yo goes in and out of the books I've read with the 6yo and I'm fine with that. We read a lot of picture books etc together and both of them get a lot of it. The 4yo often plays nearby while I'm reading novels. Thanks so much for the suggestions and encouragement everyone! I think I need to just reading aloud when dh is home, and in the living room rather than in the bedroom at bedtime and see if that reels him in. Going to start perusing the library and my own bookshelves now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 My family has absolutely loved the Thornton Burgess books (Reddy Fox, Bobby Coon, etc). My husband insists that we read them when he is at home so that he doesn't miss anything!!! We have also loved (trying not to mention those already mentioned): Tum Tum and Nutmeg (and the sequels) Paddington Bear chapter books Folktales Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 My family has absolutely loved the Thornton Burgess books (Reddy Fox, Bobby Coon, etc). My husband insists that we read them when he is at home so that he doesn't miss anything!!! We have also loved (trying not to mention those already mentioned): Tum Tum and Nutmeg (and the sequels) Paddington Bear chapter books Folktales There is a book coming out next month about the author. Nature's Ambassador: The Legacy of Thornton W. Burgess http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/book_template.php?isbn=9780764344459 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 You might check out a copy of The Read-Aloud Handbook and have your husband flip through the short descriptions of books labeled as appropriate for a six year old and see if any catch his fancy. Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma2Luke Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 My son was 5yo when we read the Hobbit - he adored it! AND I'm amazed by how much he remembers, a year later... Some other books we've read aloud to him (he's now 6): - Chronicles of Narnia - Little Britches - highly recommend - Rascal, by Sterling North - highly recommend - All of E.B White's books - Henry Huggins Actually - here is a fairly accurate list of the books we've read together as a family (I'm missing a few): http://asformeandmyhome.blogspot.ca/p/books-weve-read-aloud-as-family.html We're now starting on Little Pilgrim's Progress... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 The Great Brain was a fun one in our house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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