Holiday Read-A-Loud When our boys were young, we always had one special holiday gift: the read-a-loud to be shared by the fire. Actually, we enjoyed the lengthy read-a-loud so much that my husband and I read with our sons right through their high school years. And now that they’re “grown and gone” we often share a book aloud. The publication of children’s books is such big business these days that it’s hard to find those “oldies but goodies” that make wonderful read-a-louds to elementary children. So, I’ll share a few of the titles we’ve loved reading together. In the not–to -be-missed category are the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling, and the Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. I’m very partial to the Michael Hague illustrated Wind in the Willows because I have the toad, badger, and mole figures attired in the outfits Michael Hague gave them. There are some gems for the younger set among the Newbery Awards. John Lawson’s Rabbit Hill is a tender story of animals that have made their home in an abandoned farmhouse. And, E.B. White’s silver medal Charlotte’s Web is a sure bet, as are any of the E. B. White books. I find that series have a lot of appeal to young children but The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting seems almost forgotten these days. We loved the “goings on” in Puddleby-on-the Marsh. My husband and I made a trip to the Yale library for the opening of an exhibit of Hugh Lofting’s charming pen and ink drawings for the series. Let’s not forget the great adventures: L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Two of the titles that I overlooked and wish I hadn’t are Carlo Collodi’s Adventures of Pinocchio and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Why not? Another great listening choice among the newer books is Kate DiCamillo’s Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Leigh Riesenfeld, LMS @ C.W. Barrows & E. S. Rhodes Grades i-4 Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White Rabbit Hill by John Lawson The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Di Camillo Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling Grades 3-6 The Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson The Hobbit by J. R.R. Tolkien The Secret Garden by F.H. Burnett The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

Holiday Read-A-Loud

When our boys were young, we always had one special holiday gift: the read-a-loud to be shared by the fire. Actually, we enjoyed the lengthy read-a-loud so much that my husband and I read with our sons right through their high school years. And now that they’re “grown and gone” we often share a book aloud.

The publication of children’s books is such big business these days that it’s hard to find those “oldies but goodies” that make wonderful read-a-louds to elementary children. So,

I’ll share a few of the titles we’ve loved reading together.

In the not–to -be-missed category are the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling, and the Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. I’m very partial to the Michael Hague illustrated Wind in the Willows because I have the toad, badger, and mole figures attired in the outfits Michael Hague gave them. There are some gems for the younger set among the Newbery Awards. John Lawson’s Rabbit Hill is a tender story of animals that have made their home in an abandoned farmhouse. And, E.B. White’s silver medal Charlotte’s Web is a sure bet, as are any of the E. B. White books.

I find that series have a lot of appeal to young children but The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting seems almost forgotten these days. We loved the “goings on” in Puddleby-on-the Marsh. My husband and I made a trip to the Yale library for the opening of an exhibit of Hugh Lofting’s charming pen and ink drawings for the series.

Let’s not forget the great adventures: L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz, Treasure Island

by Robert Louis Stevenson, and the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Two of the titles that I overlooked and wish I hadn’t are Carlo Collodi’s Adventures of Pinocchio and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Why not? Another great listening choice among the newer books is Kate DiCamillo’s Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.

Leigh Riesenfeld, LMS @ C.W. Barrows & E. S. Rhodes

Grades i-4

Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White

Rabbit Hill by John Lawson

The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting

Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Di Camillo

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Grades 3-6

The Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Hobbit by J. R.R. Tolkien

The Secret Garden by F.H. Burnett

The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi