Ages 4 – 8

These books will capture your kids’ imagination, and they’re perfect for reading aloud.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss

My brother and sister in-law gave this book to our family when we moved across Canada. It has become so worn, because we reread it so many times. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! is a kaleidoscopically full-colour, ingeniously creative tale from the wondrous mind of the late, great Dr. Seuss.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

I could never make it through this book without crying. A young woman holds her newborn son and looks at him lovingly. Softly she sings to him “I’ll love you forever, /I’ll like you for always/ As long as I’m living/my baby you’ll be”. This is the story of how that little boy goes through the stages of childhood and becomes a man.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

‘Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy.’ So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.

Captain Underpants: The Series. By Dav Pilkey

I am forever grateful to this author. This was the first book that enthralled my boys into reading on their own, simply for the pleasure of it.

Ages 9 – 12

The following selections are terrific to read aloud a chapter at a time to younger children. Older children (and their parents!) will enjoy reading these books on their own.

Septimus Heap, Book One: Magyk by Angie Sage

The seventh son of the seventh son, aptly named Septimus Heap, is stolen the night he is born by a midwife who pronounces him dead. That same night, the baby’s father, Silas Heap, comes across a bundle in the snow containing a new born girl with violet eyes. The first book in this enthralling new series by Angie Sage leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters and magykal charms, potions, and spells. magyk is an original story of lost and rediscovered identities, rich with humor and heart.

Silver Wing Series by Kenneth Oppel

A 1997 Notable Book – Smithsonian magazine A 1997 Best Book for Young Adults – The Globe and Mail An ABA “Pick of the Lists” for 1997 Shade, the runty young Silverwing bat whose quest for the truth catapults him into waters both dangerous and exciting, has captivated the imaginations of children and adults alike.

Holes by Louis Sachar

Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys” detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys “build character” by spending all day, every day, digging holes. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

They told him his uncle died in a car accident. Fourteen-year-old Alex knows that”s a lie, and the bullet holes in his uncle”s windshield confirm his suspicions. But nothing prepares him for the news that the uncle he always thought he knew was really a spy for MI6–Britain”s top secret intelligence agency. Recruited to find his uncle”s killers and complete his final mission, Alex suddenly finds himself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

What more needs to be said about this phenomenal series. If you haven’t heard about it, you must be living under a rock. No list would be completer without it.

Teens

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My boys are anxiously awaiting the follow up to this book, Catching Fire which is being released this summer by this best-selling author. One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery in each district to play in the Hunger Games . a fight-to-the-death broadcast on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. My boys are anxiously awaiting the follow up to this book which is being released this summer.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist-books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau. This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Jonas”s world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. Lois Lowry is a multi-award-winning author and was the recipient of the Newbery Medal for The Giver.

Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer

Not just adored by teen girls, my boys loved these books too and are completely hooked on the cool feats of the vampires. In Twilight, an exquisite fantasy, readers discover a pair of star-crossed teens, Bella adores beautiful vampire Edward. Meyer’s writing lifts this wonderful novel beyond the limitations of the horror genre to a place among the best of Young Adult fiction.

Do you have some books that you would love to share or a list just for girls? Send me an email.

Trish