Last week the American Academy of Pediatrics announced that doctors will now prescribe reading aloud to children from birth to new parents as a critical factor for future literacy and academic success. LitWorld has been leading read aloud advocacy for years. Through World Read Aloud Day (which was celebrated in over 80 countries this year) and our family and moms LitClubs, we're forever championing the power and joy of reading aloud from the earliest age, and at every age. We asked our LitWorld community and LitCamp interns to share some of their current favorite read alouds. Here are 5 books that you should check out to rock your next read aloud.
1. The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer
Our intern Rachael cannot wait to share this story with our Harlem LitCampers. She loves the spirit of creativity that honors a child's inner thought process and also guides kids to think about the needs and wants of another being (in this case, a salamander!). This is a great read by itself and extra fun in areas where kids can go exploring for salamanders in their own backyards or in a park.
2. Journey by Aaron Becker
This recommendation comes from our intern Katya who will be reading the story with 9 to 11-year-old LitCampers. It is a wordless but sophisticated picture book that gives kids the chance to take turns telling the story and to share their unique interpretations of the illustrations. Journey is an incredibly beautiful story about escaping boredom through imagination and friendship - perfect for the summer months.
3. Hooray for Hat by Brian Won
We asked our amazing WRADvocate (World Read Aloud Day advocate) Mr. Schu for his summer read aloud recommendations and Hooray for Hat was at the top of his list. This book speaks to the power of friendship and the ability we all have to bring joy into each other's life with simple but sincere and kind actions. Be ready to plan your own parade after finishing this tale, and if you love this book too, send a tweet to @MrSchuReads to thank him for his recommendation!
4. The BFG by Roald Dahl
This classic, whimsical tale is great to read aloud with all ages. Older children will be enraptured by the whimsy and fun use of language - "humplecrimp," "swallomp," and "crumpscoddles" abound! The larger than life characters (pun intended) will entertain, frustrate and delight your listeners. Reading chapter books is a great way to build anticipation and eagerness around reading. Children will want you to read chapter after chapter in one sitting, and will spend time in between reading installments thinking about the story and what might happen next!
5. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin
This groovy story is a current LitClub favorite. Pete the Cat is not only a rock star, he is a resilient role model who shows children how to focus on gratitude and all of the things going well in their lives even in the face of a not so great event. Our LitClub girls and boys get deeply invested in the story and love to share their predictions about what will happen next in the story, so be sure to pause periodically as your read to invite your child to share his guesses too!