This month we’ve been talking about how to choose classic books to read aloud to different ages of kids. To finish up the month, I’m going to:

• answer the question, why read aloud to older kids, anyway?
• add one more list-this one is must read classic books for middle school and up

But first, please ✨add sparkle and fun✨ with art and stories to your school or after-school learning this year!

❇️ Online classes are ready whenever it fits your schedule and can add fun to your learning! Find out more here about quick and easy monthly Art Club, and here for our step- by-step Drawing For Kids course. 

Reading aloud is great, but why should you still read aloud to kids who can read it to themselves? By the way, when I mention reading aloud, listening to audiobooks counts, too! 

Reading aloud to middle school students and teens can:

-draw reluctant readers into a great story. Try reading the first few chapters aloud, and then leaving the book on a table for them to pick up and finish ...

Last week, I shared some “must read” classic picture books to read aloud to young children. (And I missed a few...Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things that Go was one of them!)

This week, I’d like to share some classic chapter book read alouds for kids and parents to enjoy.

Are you ready for a little longer reading aloud experience for your kids? Perhaps you love picture books but are interested in something with continuity that will keep your kids coming back for more every afternoon or for a bedtime routine. 

📚Before I share my favorite next step chapter books, I want to remind you that Storygalorey art Club is a wonderful way to do art at home, with a new exciting art project every month, reading suggestions, and a private community where your kids can share art and ask questions from a trusted teacher! Your kids can enjoy lots of story based art at your own schedule, with easy to find supplies like colored pencils, crayons, and watercolors. Take a second to Join the pri...

 Recently I was asked by a conscientious young mom what I would recommend for a “must read” list of children’s literature.  What are some classic books every child should read, and every family can enjoy reading aloud together?

I remember wanting a checklist  like that when I was a young mom. It is so frustrating to read something poorly written, boring, or questionable to my kids. Worse yet, it is gut-wrenching to read a book where you actually sense a message you don’t want your kids to absorb. 

Back in the pre-internet days, I primarily used three resources to choose good read alouds for my kids: The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, the Rainbow Resource Catalog, and the Sonlight Curriculum read aloud lists. I also drew on my own favorites from childhood plus whatever my friends recommended. Libraries also had some lists I occasionally found helpful.

The internet has made the search more accessible, but also more overwhelming. My favorite resource besides Sonlight lists is the...