We know we should start reading aloud to toddlers when they are still small, but somehow the logistics of doing just that are really difficult!
Today I’d like you to meet Haley and Sarah from Aslan’s Library– a blog I love.
Haley and Sarah focus most of their blog writing about beautiful and true theological books for kids.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- the nitty gritty of reading aloud with toddlers- a formidable age group to approach with a read-aloud, no doubt. :)
- how to power through the rocky spots
- why it’s worth it
I’ve got a pack of toddlers in hand at the moment, so this episode is especially relevant to me.
Be inspired and encouraged. Click the play button below and let’s get started!
Click the play button below:
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from the Read-Aloud Revival
More free resources and booklists
Get the best episodes and reources
from the Read-Aloud Revival
Books from this episode:
(All links are Amazon affiliate links.)
Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book
FROM SARAH
When a child asks the zoo for a pet, they keep sending animals, but none of them seem just right. Well, maybe until the end? Kids love lifting the flaps to reveal the animals!
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Young readers love lifting the flaps to discover the animals the zoo has sent—a monkey, a lion, and even an elephant! But will they ever find the perfect pet?
With bright, bold artwork, a catchy refrain, and a whole host of favorite animals, Dear Zoo is a must for every child’s bookshelf.
More info →The Princess and the Goblin
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Leopold Classic Library is delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive collection.
More info →Five Children and It
FROM SARAH
Five siblings discover a sand-fairy who will grant one wish a day... so they've got to use those wishes carefully! This classic tale is a delight.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
When Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother go digging in the gravel pit, the last thing they expect to find is a Psammead – an ancient Sand-fairy! Having a Sand-fairy for a pet means having one wish granted each day. But the children don't realize all the trouble wishes can cause ...
More info →Each Peach Pear Plum board book
FROM SARAH
A fun combination of Mother Goose and I Spy, this book is one your child won't tire of hearing you read time and time again.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Each Peach Pear Plum is a timeless picture book classic from the bestselling illustrator/author team Janet and Allan Ahlberg, creators of Peepo! Each beautifully illustrated page encourages young children to interact with the picture to find the next fairy tale and nursery rhyme character.
More info →The Hobbit
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.
More info →The Seven Silly Eaters
FROM SARAH
As each new child arrives in the family, the family food requests get more and more complicated, and Mrs. Peters finds herself accommodating more and more tricky appetites. But when her birthday comes, so does a surprise.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Peter wants only milk, Lucy won’t settle for anything but homemade lemonade, and Jack is stuck on applesauce. Each new addition to the household brings a new demand for a special meal. What’s a mother to do?
More info →Pancakes for Breakfast
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Missing ingredients and mischievous pets create one humorous complication after another for a little old lady determined to make pancakes for breakfast in this larger-sized, color-enhanced edition of Tomie dePaola's wordless picture book classic.
More info →The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings (the Hobbit / the Fellowship of the Ring / the Two Towers / the
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
The complete four-book boxed set of what is arguably the greatest fantasy epic of all time: The Lord of the Rings and its enchanting prequel, The Hobbit,
More info →The Folk Tale Classics Keepsake Collection
My very favorite folk tales for young kids. These are simple, delightful, and you won't tire of reading them aloud again and again. Look for any folk tales by Paul Galdone, and you're in good shape.
More info →The Frog and Toad Collection Box Set (I Can Read Level 2)
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Frog and Toad are always there for each other -- just as best friends should be. From sledding in winter to eating ice cream on hot summer days, these two friends have fun together the whole year round!
More info →Boynton’s Greatest Hits : Moo, Baa, La La La!, A to Z, Doggies, Blue Hat, Green Hat
The ultimate set for Boynton fans, here are four of her seriously silly bestselling board books in their own sturdy boxed set. Full-color illustrations.
More info →Little House (9 Volume Set)
The set includes: Little House in the Big Woods, Little House on the Prairie, Farmer Boy, On the Banks of Plum Creek, By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, and The First Four Years.
More info →The Maggie B
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
A little girl's wish for one day of sailing on a ship named after her comes true, but a storm at sea threatens to ruin the adventure.
More info →Pilgrim’s Inn (The Eliots of Damerosehay series Book 2)
**Description from Amazon: Book Two: The Eliot Family Trilogy Few understood David Eliot’s anguish at losing Nadine. He came back from the war a shattered and lonely man. But his return to the Eliot family refuge on England’s Hampshire coast is gradually pushing back the dark waters of soul and spirit. Nadine and her husb...
More info →The Amazing Bone
**Description from Amazon: Can Pearl, a pig, and her new friend, a small talking bone, outwit a band of robbers and a hungry fox?The Amazing Bone is a 1976 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year, a 1977 Caldecott Honor Book, and a 1977 Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards Ho...
More info →Gossie: A Gosling on the Go! (Gossie & Friends)
**Description from Amazon: Meet Gossie, a small yellow gosling who loves to wear bright red boots—every day. One morning Gossie can’t find her beloved boots. She looks everywhere for them: under the bed, over the wall, even in the barn. Preschoolers will enjoy helping Gossie find her red boots and delight in where Gossie ...
More info →The Alphabet Room
**Description from Amazon: Starting with the simplest images-apples for A, bowls for B, cat for C-Sara Pinto has taken a magical leap in the concept of alphabet books. Each letter has a door, and behind each door the objects arrange and rearrange themselves so that with every letter the picture becomes more complex. Letter by...
More info →Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go
FROM THE PUBLISHER
It's time to start your engines in this Richard Scarry classic all about vehicles! Buckle-up for a fun-filled day of planes, trains, automobiles ... and even a pickle truck!
More info →The Complete Brambly Hedge
Eight classic picture books about the critters of Brambly Hedge in one volume. Read one, or read them all! Your kids will fall in love with the immersive world of Jill Barklem in these adventure tales.
More info →Edward Eager’s Magic Tales [Boxed Set] Half Magic, Magic by the Lake, Time Garden, Knight’s Castle, Magic or Not?, Well-Wishers, Seven-Day Magic
**Description from Amazon: 7 trade size paperback books in box. Half Magic; Knight's Castle; Magic by the Lake; Time Garden; Margie or Not? Well-Wishes; Seven-Day Magic.
More info →Kristin Lavransdatter: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
**Description from Amazon: “[Sigrid Undset] should be the next Elena Ferrante.” —Slate The turbulent historical masterpiece of Norway’s literary masterA Penguin Classic In her great historical epic Kristin Lavransdatter, set in fourteenth-century Norway, Nobel laureate Sigrid Undset tells the life story of one pass...
More info →The Bird in the Tree (Eliot Family Trilogy) (The Eliot Family Trilogy)
**Description from Amazon: Introducing the beloved trilogy that has captured the hearts and imaginations of the many fans of bestselling author Elizabeth Goudge. "The Bird in the Tree "takes place in England in 1938, and follows a close-knit family whose tranquil existence is suddenly threatened by a forbidden love . . . . Ma...
More info →The Heart of the Family (Eliot Family Trilogy)
**Description from Amazon: Despite the "crinkled pink petals strewn in the path of those who would have preferred red," four generations of Eliots have survived the War and are moving forward. The family's remarkable matriarch Lucilla is still with them, though she's facing the dark night of the soul. All is turned on its he...
More info →Links from this episode:
- Haley’s blog post on Owning the Library.
- Sarah’s blog post on the value of Reading Over Their Heads.
- Haley’s blog post on Toddlers and Stories.
- Get The Hobbit (or any other audio book) for FREE by signing up for a 30-day trial at Audible.
- Find scores of fantastic Jim Weiss audio recordings at GreatHall Productions.
- Listen to Jim provide tips, tricks, and encouragement on reading aloud and story-telling in Episode 4 and Episode 5 of the RAR.
- In Episode 1, Andrew Pudewa explains why kids need to listen to reliably sophisticated language patterns — found more frequently in read-alouds and audio books rather than in everyday conversations.
- In Episode 10, Heidi Scovel raves about the sophisticated, yet understandable, language in William Steig’s books.SaveSave