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I guess I’ll always consider myself a homeschool mom, even though I no longer have any students at home. Over our 12 years of homeschooling we’ve collected a lot of books! It’s been nearly a year now since my last son went to public school. And I still haven’t done any cleaning out.
I think part of the reason I’ve not gotten rid of many of our books is because it makes me sad to I think about our homeschool days being over. I’m so glad we homeschooled and I’m thankful for the times we had. But so many of those books remind me of our read-aloud times on the couch. It’s hard to let them go.
A few weeks ago I started the process of cleaning out our bookshelves. And I found that instead of feeling sad I had a wonderful time going through so many books that we enjoyed together.
Some of my favorite memories with my boys are times we read together on the couch. We made popcorn and hot chocolate. Cuddled up together we laughed, we cried. Sometimes they fought. But for the most part we had great times together.
I didn’t get much cleaning out done that day but I did have a great idea. I decided to make a list and share with you a few of our favorite family read-alouds. I hope you’ll add them to your list. And if you’ve never tried reading chapter books together on the couch I hope this list will inspire you to start.
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo has it all, adventure, humor and suspense. I love the way DiCamillo uses the theme of light and darkness to paint a beautiful picture of love, courage and forgiveness. It’s a beautiful story.
Actually, I’ve never read a book by Kate DiCamillo I didn’t love. Other books by her that we enjoyed include Because of Winn-Dixie and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Edward Tulane made me cry hard, but I still love him.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett reminds me that when we take time to nurture those around us and believe the best for them, beautiful things can come out of ugly situations.
Another favorite by Frances Hodgson Burnet is The Little Princess. We also enjoyed the The Little Princess movie after we finished the book, but please read the book first. It’s so much better.
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is a classic for a reason! It kept us on the edge of our seats. Stevenson is a master story teller. I love the way Long John Silver, a pirate, becomes a person you actually care about by the end of the story.
If you only pick one family read-aloud from this list, please let it be this one! The Princess Bride by William Goldman is awesome! My boys rolled in the floor laughing! It’s the only book they wanted to read again immediately after we finished it. They enjoyed the movie too, but it doesn’t come close to the book. A must read!
Maybe it’s because my oldest son is named David, but Just David by Eleanor Porter spoke to my heart. One of my favorite lines reminded me not to major on the small things.
“They [women] seemed rather to be looking always for dirt, yet not pleased when they found it—especially if it had been tracked in on the heel of a small boy’s shoe!” – From Just David by Eleanor Porter
God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew reads like a modern day action movie. It’s the true-life story of Brother Andrew who smuggled bibles into communist countries after World War II. It makes a great read-aloud and is also great on Audible.
On the same theme, The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boone is the true life story of a woman from the Netherlands who was imprisoned in a concentration camp during World War II for helping Jews escape from the Nazis. The faith of Corrie and her sister, Betsie, is so humbling. I often think of this book, especially when I’m facing difficult circumstances.
You’ve got to read Heidi by Johanna Spyri. And don’t think it’s a book for girls only. My boys couldn’t get enough of it. It’s a beautiful story of friendship, love and healing.
We learned so much from Christian in Little Pilgrim’s Progress. Helen Taylor adapted John Bunyan’s classic for younger readers. We listened to an audio version of the original when they were old enough to understand the complex language, but this version is a great introduction for 6-10 year olds.
These are just a fraction of the wonderful books we’ve enjoyed together. Others include:
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald.
If you would like a printable list of these and more, you can download a copy of our 35 Favorite Family Read-Alouds.
I hope these books help you create many happy and fun memories together.
God Bless!
© Audrey McCracken, 2025
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