Summer is here and is the prefect time to start some new family memories and traditions. Reading together as a family is one of those traditions that if you haven’t started yet, you should. Many studies have been done showing the importance of reading aloud to children, especially reading books that are above their reading level. Reading together is one of our favorite parts of the day. When we forget or become too busy our children will ask when we are going to read together again.

There are many books that can be read together as a family, and everyone has different requirements. For our family, we focus on books that have characters with redeeming qualities, rich literature, an engaging story that leads to discussions about good and evil. We are fine with books that contain some magic, talking animals, Christian themes, and silliness. We stay away from books that have bad language, transgender themes and suggestions, and fluff writing. To help get your family off to a great start this summer, here are some of our favorite family read alouds.

Elementary Age

The books in this section have themes that are more appropriate for the younger audience. Many of these books have been listened to and read by our older children as well. These books tend to be less scary and intense.

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Middle/High School Age

The books in this sections are geared toward our older readers. Many of these books have also been enjoyed by our younger (ages 5 and 8) children as well. The younger children miss the deeper themes but appreciate the over arching story. These books tend to have more intense themes. I do suggest you click on the link for a more thorough book review if you are concerned with any of the topics.