THE Best Read-Alouds

I LOVE reading to kids.  It is the highlight of my day, every day!!  The bonus of reading aloud to my class is that they really benefit from it.  It is the number one way to get kids excited about reading.  Many kids don't "get" how awesome reading is....until you read them that one, really great book that "hooks" them!! 

When I was in third grade, I had an amazing teacher, Mrs. Stubie.  I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Mrs. Stubie.  She was one of the great ones.  The best thing about Mrs. Stubie was that she read to us...every day.  It was the first teacher that I ever had that read to her students.  She read us the best, best books too....The Mouse and the Motorcycle, James and the Giant Peach, Ramona, and the list goes on.  It was because of Mrs. Stubie that I fell in love with reading.  I was hooked forever.

In addition to getting kids to love reading, reading to them shows my fledgling readers "HOW" to do it right.  It's the best modeling you can do for your kids.  Thinking outloud as you read outloud demonstrates to them exactly what readers do.

Finally, when you read a great book to your whole class, it generates the most amazing conversations and creates the most wonderful sense of excitement among your community of learners.  We get to know the characters together, laugh with them, cry with them and we get to know each other better too, through our conversations and we grow closer as a group. 

Here are a few of my favorite read alouds:


I love Kate DiCamillo....she knows how to draw the reader in and weave a great story.

Roald Dahl....he knows kids and what they like!!







I love Beverly Cleary...fond memories from my younger reading life.  Socks is such a heartwarming story.





If you haven't yet discovered Goony Bird Greene....you're in for a treat!



This is a very funny and heartwarming story.

This week we started the book Shiloh in my classroom.  I know it will spark some interesting dialogue among my students.  I found an amazing resource on TpT by Rachael Parletton (fellow blogger from The Classroom Game Nook) and I am looking forward to using it with my kiddos.  Click the link if you are interested:

What are your favorite, most beloved stories that you read to your students?  Please, please leave a comment to share....I am always on the lookout for "book candy."

Love and Peace,