Top Ten Books I Would Read to Kids

I’m linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for Top Ten Tuesday, for the prompt “Ten Books I Want My Future Children to Read”. I decided to broaden this topic into books that I would read to kids in general…and maybe my future cats. 🙂

I decided to leave out “Harry Potter” because that’s an obvious choice, at least for me, and I wanted to branch out into some other titles!

Also, there are plenty more bookish pictures on my instagram, @once_upon_a_yarn. Shameless plug over. 🙂

1. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. These books were a fundamental part of my childhood – I remember reading them in first grade or sometime around then and becoming obsessed with them. I think historical fiction is great to read to kids because not only is it entertaining, but it teaches them about a different time period. Plus, the writing in these books is superb!
2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. I’ve only read this one series, although I know he has several more now. These books are fantastic for introducing kids to Greek mythology – with any luck, they’ll want to go check out the classic Greek myths when they’re finished! I think it’s awesome to have a basic knowledge of mythology and these books are a good introduction. (The author clearly knows a lot about it.)
3. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. Who doesn’t love the titular character in this series? It sounds like a fun book to read aloud because Anne talks SO MUCH. This is probably my favorite classic book because of all the adventures Anne has. Plus, it’s a whole series, so if the kid in question likes the first one, you can just keep reading. The later books chronicle Anne’s life as a grown-up, so it might not be as interesting to kids, but the first books would be an awesome read-aloud.
4. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Yes, there are a couple classic books on this list, simply because I loved these as a kid. Of course they’re for older readers because of the reading level. This book would be especially good for kids with siblings because of the four sisters in the story. I think Beth was always my favorite, and then probably Jo. 🙂
5. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. This might be my favorite book ever. I first read this book in my high school French class and fell in love with it, and am now recommending it to everyone I know. If I had a child, I would love to raise them bilingually, so it would be awesome to read them Le Petit Prince. (Of course, first I’ll have to become fluent in French myself…) It’s never too young to start examining the differences in translations, right? 😛
6. Wildwood by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis. Continuing along the illustrations track, this series could be neat to read to an older reader – simply because the books are realllllllly long. It would be cool for a kid who lives in the Pacific Northwest because that’s where the trilogy is set, and it’s obvious that the author and illustrator know it well. Plus, the storyline and characters are super interesting.
7. The Princess in Black by Shannon and Dean Hale. Shannon Hale is one of my favorite authors, so I was super excited when I learned she and her husband were writing a series of picture books for younger readers! The illustrations, by LeUyen Pham, are super adorable, and the story sends a great message: you can be a feminine princess and fight monsters, too. That’s exactly what little girls (and little boys!) need to hear, and I would be overjoyed to read something like this to a kid.
8. Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham. This is a graphic novel that tells the story of young Shannon’s difficulty making friends in elementary school – something I think all kids can relate to. The illustrations by LeUyen Pham are fantastic and imaginative. There’s also a bit about little Shannon struggling with what she later finds out to be OCD, which struck home with me, and I appreciate. I want to add this book to my own bookshelf!
9. Smile and Sisters by Raina Telgemeier. I love her graphic novels, despite them not being my preferred “genre,” if you can call it that. Her art is fantastic and I especially love her autobiographical works, Smile and Sisters. Sisters would probably be great for someone with a sister, as it deals with all those sibling fights and challenges! (Also, you may remember I did a crochet project inspired by her book Ghosts!)
10. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. Although not literature, these books are hilarious and perfect for reluctant readers. They blur the line between a novel and a graphic novel, and the author is kind of a genius for coming up with this concept. These are great read-aloud books, and definitely not just for boys, either – I loved these books when I was younger (and I still find them hilarious!).

What books would you read to your future children? Have you read any of these ones? I’d love to hear your thoughts!