RAR #138: How to Choose Books for Your Kids

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Since its publication in 1969, this has been an essential guide for parents wanting to find the best books for their children. This family favorite is now revised and updated, including an annotated list of books for ages 0-12.

FROM SARAH

Follow the zoo’s night watchman as he tucks in all the animals for the night. But, uh-oh...did that gorilla just nab his keys?

FROM THE PUBLISHER

It's bedtime at the zoo, and all the animals are going to sleep. Or are they? Who's that short, furry guy with the key in his hand and the mischievous grin?

FROM SARAH

Soothing words and charming illustrations have made this Margaret Wise Brown book a classic. Say goodnight with Bunny to the great green room, the light and the red balloon

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In this classic of children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day.

FROM SARAH:

This one comes up again and again in podcast episodes! The first in Ralph Moody’s autobiographical series, this is a wonderful father-son story. Note: Does contain a few mature words that begin with H and D.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Ralph Moody was eight years old in 1906 when his family moved from New Hampshire to a Colorado ranch. Through his eyes we experience the pleasures and perils of ranching there early in the twentieth century. Auctions and roundups, family picnics, irrigation wars, tornadoes and wind storms give authentic color to Little Britches. So do adventures, wonderfully told, that equip Ralph to take his father's place when it becomes necessary.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The prelude to the Lord of the Rings, Bilbo sets out on a great adventure. Lots of suspense and humor … There’s a beautifully illustrated version available that can make this book a little easier to share with families with a large age gap.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The first in Laura’s story about her family of American pioneers. Join the Ingalls family as they celebrate Christmas and the harvest and their first trip to town.

Young Gaylen, the king’s messenger, journeys around the kingdom in search of the true meaning of "delicious." A quick read-aloud that is sure to please!

**Description from Amazon: Featuring a carefully curated reading treasury of the best children's literature for each area of the globe, as well as practical parenting suggestions and inspiration, Give Your Child the World helps moms and dads raise insightful, compassionate kids who fall in love with the world and are prepared...

FROM SARAH:

This is easily one of my "most recommended" books of the year. I found this book impossible to put down-- and so did my kids! If you have a child who hasn't fallen head-over-heels for reading yet, start here. I loved the second book (Code Name Flood) every bit as much as the first!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

One hundred and fifty years ago, the first dinosaurs were cloned. Soon after, they replaced humans at the top of the food chain. The only way to survive was to move into underground compounds...

This short book is unforgettable. Watch the Danish resistance through the eyes of 10-year-old Annemarie Johansen, just as the German troops begin their campaign to "relocate" all the Jews of Denmark. Your kids can meet author Lois Lowry in her Author Access video replay in RAR Premium.

**Description from Amazon: The classic million-copy bestselling handbook on reading aloud to children—revised and updated Recommended by "Dear Abby" upon its first publication in 1982, millions of parents and educators have turned to Jim Trelease’s beloved classic for more than three decades to help countless children be...

**Description from Amazon: The story starts out simply enough: Jess Aarons wants to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade--he wants it so bad he can taste it. He's been practicing all summer, running in the fields around his farmhouse until he collapses in a sweat. Then a tomboy named Leslie Burke moves into the farmhouse...

FROM SARAH:

The first in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series will surprise and delight you at every turn. You see, the children of Ashton Place aren't ordinary children. They were found in the forest, and it appears they have been raised by wolves...

The audio book is absolutely exquisite.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Discovered in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children. Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. A recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must eliminate their canine tendencies.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on the Tucks' disturbing family secret, nothing is ever the same. But how can a spring that grants eternal life be anything but wonderful?

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Available in paperback for the first time, the modern classic that introduced the beloved baby-sitting rottweiler to the world.

Sam and Dave are on a mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find . . . nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. This one is full of surprises! Your kids can get to know both the author and the illustrator in the Author Access replays in RAR Premium.

The book that started it all! Little House in the Big Woods is the first book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's treasured Little House series, which is based on her life growing up as an American pioneer. Told from four-year-old Laura's point of view, this story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin on the e...

NARRATED BY: Rob Inglis, BEST FOR AGES: 10+

**Description from Amazon: How is this book unique? Font adjustments & biography included Unabridged (100% Original content) Illustrated About The Complete Father Brown Mysteries by G. K. Chesterton Father Brown, one of the most intelligent and attractive characters to emerge from English detective fiction, first made ...

**Description from Amazon: A giant of American humor makes his Penguin Classics debut with “probably the best book in the world” (Neil Gaiman, from the Introduction), in a stunning Deluxe Edition featuring the original, full-color illustrations  The hands of all thirteen clocks stand still in the gloomy castle on a loner...

FROM SARAH:

I wrote this book as a love note, of sorts, to the Read-Aloud Revival community. You'll find practical tips, inspiring stories, and booklists for every age. The audio book won was nominated for an Audie Award!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

USA Today Bestseller |  The stories we read--and the conversations we have about them--help shape family traditions, create lifelong memories, and become part of our legacy. Reading aloud not only has the power to change a family--it has the power to change the world. 

Connecting deeply with our kids can be difficult in our busy, technology-driven lives. Reading aloud offers us a chance to be fully present with our children. It also increases our kids' academic success, inspires compassion, and fortifies them with the inner strength they need to face life's challe...

**Description from Amazon: A Newbery Medal Winner

"A supersharp mystery...confoundingly clever, and very funny." —Booklist, starred review A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has...