Book Worm

Back in our moving days, I had to laugh with our movers over how many book boxes they were required to load.

"What we lack in technology, we make up in books."

We get teased by friends for having books in every room in the house...even the bathrooms.

So, it's natural that when the Miners added a 3rd person, little baby books would pop up on our shelves. Compiled is a list of all the books we love. We like too many books to list here, so I'm going to save us both some time and only include the books that are continually brought to anyone to read, are never on the bookshelves, or are gasped over anytime we see them in the library, bookstore, or Dr's office.

Our bookshelf in real time.

Kids should always be reading books that are
1. Too easy. Below their reading level.
2. Just right. At their reading level.
3. Too hard. Above their reading level (translation: YOU read these books to THEM)

I'll organize my list by these parameters. Gradually, of course, the "just right" books will become "too easy" and then everything will get bumped up. I'm gonna assume the reader is just starting to read. Also, if there is an author of too many beloved books, I'll simply list that author.

Baby Books
These are technically read alouds, but they come first in a kid's life, so here they are:
Tana Hoban (Black & White is my go-to for baby showers)
Sandra Boynton
Chica-Chica Boom Boom
We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Good Dog, Carl
Good Night Moon

Wordless Books ("too easy")
David Wiesner
Chalk
The Snowman (we also love the 80s cartoon)

Power outtage in dead of winter? Break out the flashlights!

Early Readers ("just right")
Bob Books (goes well with Ordinary Parent's Guide)
Phonics Practice Readers
McGuffy's Eclectic Readers
Pat Hutchins
Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Frog and Toad (and others by Arnold Lobel)
Little Bear
Level 1 Readers are fine, but beware! Many contain too many sight words for beginning phonics readers. Here are some of our favorites in that category:
Richard Scarry
P.D. Eastman (I find Seuss too cloying)
A Fish Out of Water

Back when our Expedit was half toys.

Readers Non-Fiction (Hard enough to be read alouds)
Christian Liberty Science Reader 1
 Pompeii Buried Alive
Titanic Lost and Found
King Tut's Mummy Lost and Found

When you don't want to forget to take your book...

Read Aloud Picture Books ("too hard")
We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Chica-Chica Boom-Boom
Little Bear's Little Boat (and many others by Eve Bunting, including the Ballywhinney Girl)
Jon Agee
The Biggest Bear
Mrs. Twiggly's Tree
Andrew Henry's Meadow
The Caboose Who Got Loose (and others by Bill Peet)
Tedd Arnold
Robert McCloskey
Barbara Cooney
The Library (and others by Sarah Stewart)
Fireflies
Chris Van Alsberg
Knuffle Bunny (and others by Mo Willems)
Three in One
Life of Fred (technically Math Curriculum, but we love the stories, too)
Light Ship (and others by Brian Floca)
Jack's Garden
Paddle to the Sea
Owl Moon
Calvin and Hobbes
D'Aulaire books
Manfish
A Pair of Red Clogs
Ping
The House the Pecks Built
Mouse, Look Out!
Greg's Microscope
Alice and Martin Provensen
Officer Buckle and Gloria
Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine

Poetry
A Child's Garden of Verses
When We Were Very Young
Now We are Six
Christina Rossetti

Chapter Book Read Alouds
Boy (and others by Roald Dahl)
Elizabeth Enright
My Side of the Mountain
Lucy Maude Montgomery
A.A. Milne
C.S. Lewis
J.K. Rowling
Lois Lenski
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Eleanor Estes
Beverly Cleary
All of a Kind Family
The Borrowers
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
Treasure Island
Hatchet
Where the Red Fern Grows
Harriet the Spy
Poppy (and others by Avi)
Kate DiCamillo
The Indian in the Cupboard
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler

Non-Fiction Read Alouds
The New The Way Things Work (and others by David Macaulay)
The Dangerous Book for Boys
Janice VanCleave
The Life of Fred
Story of the World
Brian Floca
David Shannon

Stay Tuned! We add new favorites everyday!