Part 2 of 2
Hopefully, as the parents of older children you have already passed along a passion for reading and enjoying books that began many years ago with snuggling together, looking at colorful pictures, and reading aloud.
There is a wonderful transitional period that extends through the middle school years when adults can read longer stories aloud to children with less pictures—or no pictures—to the great enjoyment of all. Who doesn’t love a good story, told aloud, with characters’ personalities made to come alive with special “voices” and dramatic sound effects? During this period some books can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, both with and without parents.
Now that your children are older and interested in reading more on their own, the choices of classic adventures through different times, places, and realities only become richer and deeper. Below is a short list of wonderful books for older children and teens, grouped by ages. Head to your library or local bookstore and check them out!
7 to 10 year olds:
Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Richard Atwater and Florence Atwater. Chaos ensues when a group of penguins moves into the Popper household. It’s an hysterical adventure!
The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary. Ralph is a brave mouse who has amazing adventures as he bravely explores the world outside of his hole-in-the-wall home.
The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. An absolutely charming and sentimental story. A well-loved toy becomes real!
Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein. Extraordinary work by Silverstein, guaranteed to become one of several of his volumes on your best-loved books.
Winnie the Pooh, by A. A. Milne and illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. Make sure to find a volume with the Shepard illustrations. This beloved bear and his companions have adventures in the ordinary world that are truly magical.8 to 12 year olds:
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll. Alice tries to make sense of a world that makes no sense at all in this book that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.
Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Anne Shirley is a driven, feisty, red-haired orphan who bumbles through life with the best of intentions and a lot of love in her heart.
Charlotte’s Web, by E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams. A little pig named Wilbur is saved by Charlotte the spider, in this facts-of-life tale about inevitable change and dear friendships.
The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks. A toy Indian is brought magically to life in a real world full of dangers. This is a fast read but you won’t want the tale to end!
Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder and illustrated by Garth Williams. The life and struggles of pioneer life is illustrated in this series of books. You’ll want to begin with the prairie adventure.
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Spoiled, bad-tempered Mary and new-found companion Colin find their lives changed for the better as they bring a mysterious, abandoned garden back to life.
Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt. A magic spring hidden in the woods brings the Tuck family immortality, but is it a curse or a blessing? The adventure of Winnie and Jess and the discovery that living forever comes at a cost.
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle. Probably better for the older kids in this category, this is a wonderful book which will introduce science fiction as a remarkable genre.12+ year olds:
Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling. Of course this list had to include Harry Potter. Empowered children, magical and remarkable characters, and the clash between good and evil. These books are for kids and adults alike. Even if you’ve already seen the movies, read the books!
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis. A magical door leads into a world of talking animals, mystical creatures, and epic battles. The children find that they are true leaders and more powerful than they’d ever imagined. This is one book in the wonderful Chronicles of Narnia series. You’ll want to read them all!
Eragon, by Christopher Paolini. Paolini was 15 when he wrote this story about a young boy who discovers he is a mighty Dragon Rider with a remarkable destiny. This book is on many summer reading lists for kids of this age.
The Giver, by Lois Lowry. This is an amazing Newbery Medal winner that is a part of many must-read middle and high school curriculums. In it, readers see characters questioning the wisdom of their adults and even challenging authority. Read this one with your child and conversation will surely follow. A fascinating read.
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.The beginnings of the classic Lord of the Rings trilogy are found in this fantasy. Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and Gollum are bound to become favorite literary characters.
The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss and illustrated by Crockett Johnson. A little boy’s adventure as he watches his carrot grow to a huge size. Patience and faith persevere! 
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, and illustrated by Lois Ehlert. Kids just love the rhymes in this storybook as they learn the alphabet. They’ll ask you to read this one to them over and over again.
Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. This gentle story is perfect for bedtime. The illustrations are sweet and your kids will quickly learn to recite the “goodnights” as they wind down at the end of the day.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter. Frankly, all of the Beatrix Potter books are must-reads. The characters are adorable, the illustrations are heartwarming. Many of these are cautionary tales, and if you’re lucky you’ll find reprints of the original editions which are made to fit perfectly into the hands of small children.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle. Eric Carle’s colorful illustrations will capture the attention of any child. In this book your child will experience counting and days of the week and see the wonder of the caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly. 
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss. Did you know that Dr Seuss wrote this book as a response to an article about how boring traditional reading lessons were? He managed to use 223 words from school reading lists. The Cat in the Hat is a must in your child’s library. 
Curious George, by Margret and H.A. Rey. Remember how much you loved the story of this adorable monkey when you were a kid? Your child will love George just as much as you did. Timeless.
The Frog and Toad series, by Arnold Lobel. Frog and Toad are loyal best friends and their adventures are wonderful in this series of four books.
Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans. Miss Clavel leads a troupe of 12 little girls, including the wonderful Madeline, on adventures in France.
Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey. A wonderful story about a duck family in Boston’s Public Garden who crossed a busy street with the help of the police department. This book is so popular that the actual Public Garden in Boston erected statues of the duck family in its center. Illustrations so lovely you'll want to own this book.
The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg. Magical illustrations by this Caldecott Medal winner. Gentle, heartwarming, and full of the wonder of childhood. 
The Story of Babar, by Jean De Brunhoff. Remember Babar? He’s a young orphaned elephant who dons a suit, packs his suitcase (including his jar of marmalade), and heads off into high society. 
Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak. Every child needs to experience a Maurice Sendak book, and this is probably the best loved Sendak adventure of all. Let the wild rumpus begin!
