My Favorite Read Alouds

© illustration by Kevin Palivec, used with permission

I'm a firm-believer in reading aloud to students… at any age! Children listen at a higher level than they read so reading aloud to students is an effective component of a good reading program. Many studies have shown that reading aloud to students improves reading comprehension, strengthens vocabulary and grammar, and stimulates growth and understanding of language patterns in ways that silent reading never can. Reading aloud gives me the perfect opportunity to promote quality, high-interest books, stimulate imagination, build a sense of community and foster a love of books and reading.

Read-Aloud Tips

Preview each book and chapter before reading aloud. Be alert for unfamiliar vocabulary or difficulties with expressive language and/or subject matter that may require additional support.

Make each chapter a special experience for your students so ham it up! Practice reading aloud with expression and feeling. Change your voice for different characters and vary the pacing and intonation.

Discuss each chapter to enhance students' understanding. Model reading strategies such as: how to make predictions and connections to one's own experiences.

Have students share their impressions of the story in journal writing- see my Read-Aloud Journal under Classroom Management Tools in the Index page. Or ask children to draw pictures of the setting, the main characters, or their favorite parts of the story. Your students will be surprised by the different ways they interpreted the same story.

Choose books that you like to read that have an emotional impact. It's hard to demonstrate interest and enthusiasm if you don't like the book you are reading.

Read Aloud Book Websites

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
A heart-warming story of a young boy in search of a home. It explores the themes of friendship, family, homelessness, and prejudice.
http://shop.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?
productId=30925&langId=-1&storeId=10101&catalogId=10004&sa_campaign=
internal_ads/scholastic3_0/search

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate Dicamillo
Opal, the main character, rescues a dog in the Winn-Dixie grocery store. It is due to Winn-Dixie that she makes new friends among the somewhat unusual residents of her new hometown, Naomi, Florida.
http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=book&isbn=0763607762&bkview

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Being a giant with an undiagnosed learning disability has negatively affected Maxwell Kane's self-image. He is totally unprepared for a friendship with Kevin, aka Freak, a genius with a serious birth defect that's left him in braces and using crutches. Max becomes the legs and Freak the brain of their partnership called Freak the Mighty. (Have students view the video and compare the differences and similarities between the two media versions.)
http://www.scholastic.com/titles/features/fantasy/
freakthemighty_rrr.asp

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
The Herdmans lied, stole and smoked cigars including the girls. By intimidation they become the lead players in a Christmas Pageant. You can't help but be touched by how the Herdmans cleaned up their act to tell the wonderful story of Christmas in their own special way. (Have students view the video and compare the differences and similarities between the two media versions.)
http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.
asp?isbn=0064402754

The BFG by Roald Dahl
The story of an unusual friendship between a little girl and the Big, Friendly Giant. Any book by Roald Dahl is sure to be a child pleaser.
http://www.puffin.co.uk/Book/BookFrame/0,1007,,00.html?
id=0141302836

Holes by Louis Sachar
Stanley Yelnats, an overweight-outcast, has been sent to a boy's detention camp where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. Stanley finds friendship as he tries to dig up the truth in this darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment--and redemption. My students' chose this book as their favorite read-aloud.
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780440414803

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
Joey has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), which is not being effectively controlled with his current medication. Readers are emotionally drawn into Joey's life as his behavior gets out of control. When he injures a classmate, he is transferred to a special-education program in another school. With a nurturing teacher, who recommends further medical evaluation, Joey is eventually able to return to his former school.
http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.
asp?isbn=0064408337

Frindle by Andrew Clements
A humorous story about an independent 5th grader, who invents a new word. The word Frindle takes on a life of its own.
http://www.simonsays.com/content/content.cfm?
isbn=0689832508&sid=33

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1) by Lemony Snicket
The Baudelaire siblings are three very unlucky children. After their parents die in a fire, they are sent to live with a distant relative. But life doesn't get any better. The diabolical Count Olaf schemes to steal the children's inheritance. As the narrator says, "There is no happy ending, there is no happy beginning and there are very few happy things in the middle."
http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/
book_xml.asp?isbn=0064407667

Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath
In spite of adult logic, Eleven-year-old Primrose Squarp refuses to believe that her parents were lost at sea. She entertains herself in a variety of intriguing ways and sits on the dock and waits for her parents to get back. She receives attention and acceptance in a quaint restaurant where everything, even waffles, comes on a waffle. The restaurant owner, Kate Bowzer, takes Primrose under her wing, and teaches her how to cook. with some amusing results.
http://www.holtzbrinckpublishers.com/FSGBYR/search/
SearchBookDisplay.asp?BookKey=572868

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Brush up on your Greek pronunciations because this book has it all…adventure, monsters, battles, magical powers, Greek gods and a 12 year old boy sent on a hero's quest to retrieve a god's stolen symbol of power and prevent war.
http://www.hyperionbooksforchildren.com/board/displayBook.asp?id=1676