The mama who opened the world for me

When I was a wee lass, my mom loved to read to me.

Actually, now that I think about it, I don’t know if she loved to read to me. Nevertheless, she made it a huge priority.

She would tell me to grab a stack of golden books and we would binge those babies for hours.

And if you’ve ever read a golden book, you know those things are DENSE.

I consider that time and attention to be one of the greatest gifts my mama has ever given me.

That gift gave birth to a love of reading, which opened the world for me.

Regrettably, I don’t have the same patience as my mom did. So in order to actually read with my kids, I need to enjoy it.

And in order to enjoy it, I need to pick books to read to them that I’m excited to share with them and that they will also likely enjoy.

Here are some of my own childhood favorites that I either have loved sharing with them, or that I can’t wait to share with them in the future.

A note on age appropriateness

Most of these books are geared for children ages 8 and older. However, when a book is read aloud to a child, they can comprehend far above their reading level.

To put it simply, this is because their brain can listen and take the information in, instead of having to also do the work of “decoding” or figuring out what the words physically are and then translating them into what they mean.

For this reason, my five year old is able to understand and enjoy many of these books when they are read aloud. Some of these books require more fielding questions than others, but as long as she’s able to understand and enjoy the majority of the book, it’s worth it to me.

7 fantastic books to share with your kids

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

“Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside.”¹ A kind impoverished boy named Charlie, hopes to be one of those five. One way or another, his life will become intertwined with the mysterious chocolate factory.

The imagery for this book is insane. As a kid, I remember reading about the river of chocolate and drooling over the very idea of it. The story is wacky in all the best ways and so much fun, while also illustrating virtues and vices and the power of a stalwart character in the most hilarious way.

My kids have the audiobook for this one that they listen to on their Yoto Mini, and even my 5-year old is enamored with it! It’s her current favorite audiobook.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

“At her birth, Ella of Frell receives a foolish fairy's gift—the “gift” of obedience. Ella must obey any order, whether it's to hop on one foot for a day and a half, or to chop off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not accept her fate...

Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse forever.”²

This my was first favorite chapter book as a kid and I can’t wait to share it with my kids. It’s also the first story with a love interest I ever remember reading.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

“This is the story of Desperaux Tilling, a mouse in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl with a simple, impossible wish. These characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and ultimately, into each other's lives.”³

Ah, Kate DiCamillo, how do I love thee? Everything I’ve read by the woman is gold. She has such a way with connecting with children through her books and speaking in a way that they can understand.

When I remember reading this book as a kid, there’s this sparkly beautiful haze around the memory. I absolutely loved it. I’m about a third of the way through it with my kids and they are eating it up.

It is a story of bravery, adversity, and finding beauty and hope through it all.

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Werner

This story follows the adventures of four orphaned siblings — Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden. Fearing they will be sent to live with a cruel grandfather, they run away, discover an abandoned boxcar in the forest, and set out to build a home and fend for themselves.

When I was a child, this book kicked off a love of outdoor adventures. It is such a catalyst for imaginary play. The first book is gold. The others are more focused on mystery and my kids have also enjoyed them, but nothing will match the first one.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

“Once there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost. . . . Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. Along the way, we are shown a miracle — that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.”⁴

My mom read this book aloud to my siblings and I on a roadtrip when we were kids. The storytelling was so compelling and so touching. Kate DiCamillo tells the story in such a way that brings out so much empathy, even in children. I remember literally crying as my heart was broken and then put back together again in the most tender way. Such a sweet story.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

“Twelve-year-old Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in his family’s crowded New York City apartment. One day—armed with just a penknife, a ball of red cord, forty dollars, some flint and steel, and the clothes on his back—he decides to run away to his grandfather’s abandoned farm in the Catskill Mountains, to live in the woods all by himself. There, Sam must rely on his own ingenuity and the resources of the great outdoors to survive, as he discovers a side of himself he never knew existed.”⁵

This book lived in my head rent-free everytime I went on a hike. I loved it so much that I started writing a story that riffed off of it when I was 10.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

Welcome back to Wayside School, where the classrooms are stacked 30 stories high and the students never know what kind of bizarre day awaits them. Whether they're dealing with mysterious new teachers, oddball classmates, or hilariously impossible situations, every chapter brings a fresh surprise.

I want to go back and read this one as an adult, as a kid I remember laughing my head off and just loving it.

In sum

I hope you and your kids love these! If you and your kids read them, let me know what you think. I’m dying to know!

Summary sources

7 Childhood Books That I Can’t Wait to Share with My Kids