Great Books to Read with Your Kids this Summer

Today, I’m blogging about books!

The kids and I have spent many nights and countless hours reading together so I thought I’d share our favorite books and books series and some that our on our wishlist.

The Magic Treehouse books have always been a favorite.  We started reading these when Henry was in second grade and we both loved them.  When we first started the series, I’d read all the chapters to him, but as Henry grew more confident with reading, we’d take turns reading pages.  Over time, Henry was able to confidently read each chapter alone.  It was a great way to transition into chapter books, while building confidence along the way.

 MAGIC TREEHOUSE COMPLETE SERIES

While the kids were home during the pandemic we knew we needed to do more…well, perhaps I felt that I needed to do more.  I decided in the summer on 2020 that we were going to read all of the Harry Potter series.  I had only ever seen a movie or two and never thought about reading the books.  We started with these illustrated books and they were absolutely perfect.  We did have to order the non-illustrated versions around the fifth book since they’ve yet to be made, but the kids were into the series by then, that it didn’t seem to matter.
This series will always make me emotional.  We spent almost a year and a half snuggled up on the couch reading these books and I’ll be grateful that we were able to escape into these books and away from the scary parts of the real world.  Harry Potter is so much more that wizards and magic, it’s about love – it’s truly about how love is the most powerful thing, which was exactly what we needed during that time.  I highly suggest reading this series.
We’ve started in on Chronicles of Narnia this year and we’re currently half-way through the series.  In our opinion, certain books are better than others, but we’ve still enjoyed reading them.  Jon, Henry, Eliza and I would take turns reading through the chapters of these books.  These books are definitely great for the imagination as C.S. Lewis is great at describing everyone and everything in great detail.

We have this book waiting for us on a shelf.  I plan to start The Hobbit once school gets out.  Hopefully we’ll read this and then move onto The Lord of the Rings, but since we’ve never read the series, I figured I’d just share what we have so far.  We’re really excited and I think the kids are going to love The Hobbit!
This is another series that we haven’t read, but I’m really wanting to get into this series.  Lemony Snicket seems like something completely different from what we’ve been reading.  I’m thinking we’ll start this series after we finish The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings.  
Here’s another series the kids haven’t read, Little House on the Prairie.  As for myself, I’d like to read these books all over again (I’m not even sure I ever made my way all the way through them) and to do so with the kids would be nostalgic!

Anne of Green Gables is similar to Little House on the Prairie, as I’ve read some of the series, but the kids have not.  I’m not sure if we’d start this series anytime soon, maybe next year.  I’ve always resonated with Anne and I think Eliza would, as well.
Before Jane was born I remember telling Jon that I had never actually read Charlotte’s Web, so I began reading this chapter book to the kids and we loved it so much.  We all had a better understanding of the storyline and it built so much empathy within the kids. 

Santa brought this book set for Eliza for Christmas and I’ll find her reading them at night.  I do plan to sit and read these with her this summer.  I’m thinking nap time may be the perfect time for us to snuggle up together in her bed and get in some Little Women!

While we don’t own this entire collection, Jon has read a few books from it.  Actually, he read these stories to Henry and Eliza after Jane was born.  I’d be in her nursery with her for what seemed like hours nursing her to sleep.  If memory serves me right, they read BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and Matilda.

I do believe we own most of these.  The kids would purchase one at every Scholastic Book Fair and then I’d randomly order more.  These are so fun to read and they build confidence and provide lots of laughter along the way.

Henry’s been reading this series at school and he’s been loving them.  I guess I don’t have much to say since I, myself, haven’t flipped through the pages.  Henry has raved about these books for months, so I may have to go to the library and see what they’re all about, but from an 11 year boy, he gave it five stars!

I’ve loved sitting and reading with the kids so much and I just know I’ll look back and be grateful that I did!
I’d love to hear what you’re reading!  Do tell!
Thanks a million for stopping by!
Marie 🙂

One Comment

  1. So many great ones! I grew up reading Little House on the Prairie and I still have my original boxed set! I tried reading Little House in the Big Woods to my kiddos last year and they haaaated it. Lol. I was so bummed! We all LOVED Magic Treehouse and read pretty much all of them together. I'd love to read Harry Potter with them (I've never been a big fan but I want to be so I feel like I need to at least try!), but they're not interested in the least. I might make it happen anyway. Haha. My best friend is a librarian and she HIGHLY recommends the Lemony Snicket books, so I hope you love those if y'all read them!

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