Do you know how they say the best way to recognize counterfeit money is by studying the real thing? This is true in so many areas of life–if you diligently eat good food, the bad stuff will make you feel queasy. If you make art with quality paints, brushes, pencils, then you’ll know just how terrible Walmart-brand is. A decent mattress or coffee will turn you into a person who never wants to leave home and risk waking up somewhere else.
The same idea rings true for books: if you train kids to read and approve writing that is a level superior–intellectually, creatively, literally–then they will begin to recognize and eventually disdain inferior material.
That said, the culture in which we live is inundated with folks who don’t like chewing and swallowing. Mediocrity has become our common language. It’s just easier to go with the flow because that’s what everyone else is doing, and in doing so we often compromise our best intentions. We devolve into groupthink because we are social and want to please our compadres–or at least not stick out too much.
What does this have to do with reading? Well, how often do you see someone reading out of a book while they wait instead of scrolling a feed on their phone? We are a prolific bunch of consumers, to our shame–the eye never has enough seeing, the ear never enough hearing (Ecc. 1:8). The lower the hurdle, the more comfortable we get, the less shame we acknowledge in devouring a constant stream of entertainment.
It takes a bit of training to level up.
Part of our evolving culture includes current social influencers and “thinkers” among us who lower the bar even more with outspoken, agenda-driven chatter that deflects intellectual conversation. You run into these characters often. They love to point out the slightest provocation, regularly missing the forest for the trees. A quick Amazon search for many of the outstanding books listed below will have reviews that say things like:
“It is full of offensive and false stereotypes (none of which I remembered from when I read this book as a child). Constantly correcting all the inaccuracies in the book and trying to explain them to my kids was exhausting and I think it went over their heads. Things were different when we were kids but now that we are better educated about indigenous peoples, there is no excuse for this kind of garbage literature.” (“ShopGirl”, Indian in the Cupboard)
Stalwarts of political correctness typically miss the point entirely. Every book ever written will show a bias or unique tone, as all books are written by human beings. But to assume that because we live forty to a hundred years in their future that we are better than them–that we are profoundly superior in taking a minute to write a two-sentence Amazon review pointing out their misdirects–well, it’s fair to say each generation has its own plank-in-the-eye problem. I suggest parents let little old stereotypes fly over their heads. A life spent observing human nature will correct such idiosyncrasies.
Racist, sexist, misogynistic, xenophobic–once in these trenches we are already miles away from the point, which is engaging lifelong learners through quality reading. Don’t get caught up in the peanut gallery opinions of folks who disseminate ego-boosting, superficial nonsense. We are looking at books written by authors who aren’t looking over their shoulder constantly for the woke police, but folks who, like us, had a unique perspective and tone. We aren’t seeking to desensitize, and at the same time we refuse to slap on labels.
Frederick Douglass, having learned to read as a slave, then escaping to freedom to write, lecture, and live as a prominent abolitionist, said, “knowledge is the pathway from slavery to freedom.” This is an awesome concept to keep in mind: we are applying knowledge liberally and regularly in order for our children to develop higher thinking. Such thinking will ensure they are slaves to no one.
Ok, too much talking on my part!
This is my approach to hooking kids on decent reads. It is more proactive than waiting for a teacher to teach them to read, and it will cost some money and/or effort to locate good books–and talk them out of spending your cash on less stellar but shinier book-order books. You do these things because you recognize that the long-term investment of molding a child returns an exponential factor in every aspect.
You will have a reader and thinker for life, someone who can pass on the joy of learning and growing. A future parent who will sagely read to their own kids without fear of having to edit out the “offensive” bits.
I’ve written a little about a basic approach to helping babies learn to love reading time. Reading and being read to on mom and dad’s lap should go on for years, but there is also a fun new thing to introduce early on: audiobooks. For the post-board book beginners, audiobooks are magic. Around this time, some of their peers are already hooked to the iPad ball and chain–don’t fall for it! By introducing audio with tangible books, you’ll be teaching them to sit and work for the next page–the first step in reading–and they’ll love it.
Believe it or not, phonics and reading comes after familiarity, so listening to stories over and over and over is imperative.
The most crucial part is this: listen with them while they’re little. Don’t hand them a device and disappear. If you have a copy of the book, give it to them, but be ready for them to beg you to help turn the pages if they aren’t adept at it yet. Play the audio in the car on the speakers and laugh together. Be a parent who stays.
For early and pre-readers, a fun thing to do is buy Sandra Boynton’s sing-along plus CD books (or simply download the music that pairs with it).
Philadelphia Chickens, Rhinoceros Tap, Frog Trouble, Blue Moo, Dog Train. These were the best 4-to-6-year-old birthday presents my kids ever got. They scratched the heck out of those CDs. Hours of fun, I say! Kids can hold the book and look at pictures while listening to hilarious music? No better entertainment.
Next, if you can wean them from the delights of Boynton–not that you should, and it might take years anyway–is to introduce longer audio stories that are perfect for errand-running carseat time. You might download some short books from your local library’s app. Be prepared that the frustrating thing is how short some books are! Think about it–Brown Bear, Brown Bear takes two minutes to read. You’ll be fumbling around trying to download one story after the next. If you can’t afford to spend cash or credits on shorties and the library is forever waiting for a loan to be returned by someone else, invest in a handful of audio book collections that will be family favorites for years.
Our absolute favorites for the 2+ year old crowd:
Frog and Toad Audio Collection (Arnold Lobel, read by author–a calm, slow read with pleasant music)
3 Volumes of Seuss: The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories, The Cat in the Hat and Other Dr. Seuss Favorites, and Green Eggs and Ham and Other Servings of Dr. Seuss (read by a fantastic variety of actors, these collections really break up a long road trip)
Nate the Great Collected Stories (not pictured. Marjorie Weinman, read by John Lavelle–don’t sleep on these books or this narrator! Perfect for kids beginning chapter books)
Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo –I still wake my children up each morning by calling them, “my darlings, my dears, my porcine wonders.” We love the jaunty intro music and the narrator’s voice. Easy to follow and read with book in hand.
The Trumpet of the Swan–my favorite book of all time and Charlotte’s Web, both read by none other than E.B. White himself in a voice so soothing and unique you won’t want it to end.
The Ramona Quimby audio collection (by Beverly Cleary, narrated by Stockard Channing)–outstanding, my absolute favorite books to quote to the kids and favorite book to listen to, hours on end. Buy this on Audible, don’t even wait for the library loan time. It’s excellent, laugh-out loud, and twenty hours of entertainment. Channing is a revelation and audiobooks are her calling.
Other titles by Beverly Cleary you won’t want to miss: Ribsy (included in the Henry Huggins collection, read by Neil Patrick Harris) and Socks and Muggie Maggie (the Beverly Cleary audio collection).
Mr. Popper’s Penguins, My Side of the Mountain, James and the Giant Peach—All terrific car-riding company for the ears!
*My ten year old put together these graphics so they are not in a particular order*
For the next age group, Hank the Cowdog is another series you’ve no doubt encountered–a good one for 6-10 year olds but can eventually be grating on parents as it’s stream-of-conscience dialogue by dogs (ha!). The podcast with Matthew McConaughey is also a stellar, free way to get hooked into the series.
Tales from the Odyssey by Mary Pope Osborne was one of our first forays into audiobooks and is surprisingly wonderful (her Magic Treehouse series doesn’t hold a candle to Odyssey excitement).
Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Endless Waiting–these Cookie Chronicles books are wonderful read-alongs, as they have awesome illustrations and filled with hilarious metaphors. My six to ten-year-olds especially loved it.
The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob–my kids read these books and recommended them, so we listened to them. Pretty cute.
Edge of Extinction–-a people-and-dinosaurs blood-pumping adventure. We loved the whole series.
The Penderwicks is a great series I was surprised my kids enjoyed as much as they did, because it seems to be very sisterly and warm (whereas my boys love a hearty battle scene). The intensity level is very low, which is exactly what I’m looking for in a car ride.
Hatchet and The Sign of the Beaver are both great reads we’ve listened to while swinging in hammocks in the backyard. Spellbinding.
Echo, Pam Munoz Ryan–three stories woven together and narrated by the delicious voice of Mark Bramhill. Definitely get the audio for this–the music enhances the story by a thousand percent.
We read aloud The Indian in the Cupboard, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Captain’s Dog, and Farmer Boy, and Little House on the Prairie, but they are also all available as audiobooks on Audible.
American Tall Tales–this was another lucky library find and a great way to introduce some of those old stories like Paul Bunyon and Davy Crockett.
James Herriot Favorite Dog Stories–a favorite bedtime read aloud at our house where LOTS of questions come up. But it’s delightful, as are all of Herriot’s stories.
Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic-available on CDs. We have these books and read poems outloud to one another, but a CD would be a lot of fun.
Mary Poppins–mixed feelings on Mary Poppins, honestly. I have one kid who absolutely loves her, though, so it is worth the addition.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz-all of Frank L. Baum’s Oz books are pure magic to me…to think that all of it came from his imagination!
The Westing Game-we read this as a family–a little spooky for the under-10 crowd, but a fun riddle/game book. A very interesting study on stereotypes, too!
Guys Read: True Stories series–there are some bizarre and crazy stories in this collection, but we all loved them. Ever wondered what folks did when they had a toothache back in prehistoric times?!
Chronicles of Narnia—of course you should have a hard copy of this series in your house! I have found all the books, over and over at thrift stores, which is where you should look first. Some of my kids love listening to this on audio; some prefer to be read aloud to; some only want to read to self. I think it’s because the world of Narnia feels so real–it’s personal preference whether you want to share the experience or not. As with Ramona Quimby and The Action Bible, this series has a permanent place on my phone.
The Hobbit, Bridge to Terabithia, A Wrinkle in Time—all outstanding in my opinion, but my kids have differing opinions as far as read-aloud quality. Some things are better in print. Great car ride listening with a young teen (Jubal would argue on Bridge to Terabithia–you might cry while driving!)
Not pictured (but should have been): The Phantom Tollbooth–not a personal favorite, but kids who love wordplay will think it hilarious.
Here’s the random assortment of books I couldn’t leave out, though they fit no particular category:
I Survived series–some people love to hate these. They have a very particular storyline–a troubled kid followed by disaster where they must learn a lesson. All historical fiction. I’m not saying they’re great or terrible–very medium. Fun to listen to while baking on a snow day with kids gathered around, and they’re usually available on a library app.
The Hero’s Guide series–similar to How to Train Your Dragon except maybe funnier! Hits the ten-year-old sweet spot.
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle–wacky and goofy, a step up from Amelia Bedelia.
Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series–sort of a modern Willy Wonka-character with games and puzzles to solve. My kids think these books are brilliant.
Ms. Bixby’s Last Day-narrated by the perspective of three middle school aged boys, this is goofy and gut-wrenching. Another good one to listen to on a long car ride with a 12-year old boy.
Tom Sawyer–I do think Mark Twain will go the way of Dr. Seuss, as in scrubbed from popular history for the sake of not ruffling feathers. Reading Twain is all the more important, and for kids it is easier to listen to than pick up on dialect through audio.
The Tale of Despereaux and Wayside School stories–we have read aloud but they also are available on Audible. Sometimes I love to read Kate DiCamillo outloud and sometimes I think her wordy beyond belief (LOL). Wayside School is by the same author who wrote Holes, Louis Sachar. He is incredibly weird and witty and my boys love it.
Paddle to the Sea and (not pictured) Pagoo are by Holling C. Holling, a brilliant teacher, scientist, and artist whose books are spellbinding. Read aloud or listen (I haven’t found a Pagoo recording) and buy the hard copy to follow along.
Last of all, my kids have spent hours with The Action Bible and accompanying audio. It is incredible what they know and retain simply by having listened to the stories again and again.
I have a 64-CD set of the NIV audio Bible–we listen to a chapter every day on the way to school. It’s a nice way to start the day and kids listen quietly and ask me all sorts of questions later.
I hope this list is a helpful start for folks wanting to do some audiobook scaffolding with their kids! It sure has taken me a long time to compile. Building a library of loved and shared books is such a wonderful thing–encourage one another!
