We’ve covered the classic, timeless books you should read aloud and share with your children, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t share some modern books that are perfect for an evening story time at home. I’d bet many of these are destined to become classics of their own.
25 Modern Read Aloud Books for the Family
- Hoot by Carl Hiaasen – Hiaasen is a master of Florida Fiction, and it turns out he pens a fabulous children’s book as well. Alligators, pancakes and owls oh my!
- The Time and Space of Uncle Albert by Russell Stannard – If you have ever had trouble explaining the concept of time and space to your children, then this book (the first in a series) will be a hit at story time. It was much easier to explain the speed of light of reading this with my children.
- Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling – This series probably needs little introduction, but just in case… it’s just your basic tale of an orphaned boy who discovers he’s a wizard and is whisked off to Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to learn how to fly on a broom and cast spells with a wand. Your kids will be so caught up in the magic they won’t even realize they are learning lessons on bravery, family bonds and friendship.
- Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt – What if drinking water from a magic spring could make you live forever at your current age? And how would you explain what that was like once your family’s secret was out?
- Utterly Me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child – Child is the creator of the popular book and television series Charlie & Lola, so my children and I were thrilled to find her series of chapter books. Clarice is an instantly likeable narrator and the story has just enough suspense and humor to keep parents entertained, as well as children.
- Geronimo Stilton Series by Elisabetta Dami – Very entertaining series and my 8-year-old usually ends up finishing the books alone before we finish reading them aloud. Stilton is a journalist and newspaper editor in New Mouse City. He, along with this sister, Thea, cousin Trap and nephew Benjamin find themselves in exciting adventures that make for an exciting read.
- Emily Windsnap Series by Liz Kessler – The tale of 12-year-old Emily who discovers she’s half-mermaid after her mother reluctantly agrees to let her take swimming lessons. What follows is a voyage to an undersea fantasy world where Emily searches for her father.
- Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans – First, I insist you read this one aloud with a British accent to entertain your children. Stuart Horten isn’t thrilled about having to move away from his friends and in the middle of the summer at that, but he is quickly caught up in the mystery of his missing magician uncle Tony and his workshop of miraculous mechanisms.
- The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo – This is a fairy tale spun by the highly-talented DiCamillo. The tale tells of Desperaux, a mouse and a bit of an underdog. Desperaux is written off as a disappointment by his mother and madly in love with a human princess. A perfect read aloud for the family.
- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine – A fairy tale indeed but with an added twist – Ella must obey every order she is ever given, as a result of spell gone bad. As you can imagine this makes for a rather colorful adventure and entertaining read.
- The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall – Vacationing at a New England estate, four sisters embark on adventures with the son of the estate’s owner. A heartwarming tale with just the right amount of wit.
- The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo – Another DiCamillo classic, this tale tells the journey of Edward, a China rabbit who is separated from his owner, a little girl name Abilene, after he falls over the side of a boat. The interactions he has with the people he meets along his journey teach him the complex lessons that surround affairs of the heart.
- Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson – What happens when a bunch of hoodlums take over the annual church Christmas Pageant? The answer might surprise you. (I partly chose this book so I could use the word “hoodlums”).
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