This post contains my referral link which helps support the work of this site. Here’s my full disclosure policy.
Homeschool Read Alouds
Read alouds are a huge part of our family learning. We spend several hours most days lost in family read aloud time. You can see what read aloud time looks like at our house.
I wouldn’t trade our read aloud time for anything – priceless. Because we homeschool year round this allows us to keep read aloud time going, even through the summer months.  These are books that we read every year together. I consider them family favorites that never get old. We also have fresh books that we read each year; that’s another post.
Most of the  books listed below we’ve used to create literature lapbooks.  You should be able to find all of these books at your local library.
(There are actually more than 10 read a louds listed below. Because we own several of these books in one-book-volume sets; I’ve always counted them as one book in my mind. I’m just weird like that. 🙂 )
Favorite Homeschool Read Alouds
If you love this book be sure to check out the Where the Red Fern Grows Lapbook that we did!
Â
How many times have we laughed as little Arliss plays naked in the drinking water and cried when Travis has to shoot his ol’ yeller dog? Old Yeller is a family favorite that is always welcome at our house. When I get Old Yeller out we usually clear the day and devour the entire reading in one long sitting. I am so thankful for the gift of homeschooling my children, that I have the privilege of enjoying these books with them.
Â
We love the how-to and outdoors adventure of My Side of the Mountain.
My Side of the Mountain is the first of a trilogy which additionally includes: On the Far Side of the Mountain and Frightful’s Mountain.
We love survival-type stories and really enjoy this book overall.  I heavily edit the first two chapters of Hatchet.
Â
Our current copy of the complete 7 book set of Narnia is pretty pitiful. I’ve read this copy to the kids too many times to count over the years. I also have kids who read and reread this set independently.
As I’ve shared on Instagram, “Cookies and Narnia for bedtime read alouds. We’ve loved our 7-book-copy so well that it’s held together with tape!”
Â
- Jesus Freaks: The Voice of the MartyrsÂ
As a Christian adult my soul is fed by reading the testimonies of fellow believers around the world who still experience persecution and sometimes even the ultimate price of death for their faith. Â As a Christian homeschooling mom it is of the utmost importance to me that I instill a faith-based world view in my children; that they will know a love for Christ as deep as these martyrs.
Jesus Freaks is a powerful read. It is also graphically descriptive. There are stories that I read in their entirety. There are also accounts which I alter the wording with wisdom. Even still, I read this book like a devotional to my family, choosing 1-3 stories each day that we cover.
- E.B. White Classic Set {Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, Trumpet of the Swan}
We have worn the covers off of our E.B. White Classics! My littlest ones are just now getting into the series and even the teen and pre-teen will still listen in. 😉
What are some books that you find yourself reading often in your homeschool?
What a great list! Do you guys really get through all of these every summer? How long do you do read alouds each day?
By His Grace,
Heather
http://www.upsidedownhomeschooling.com
Yes, we do read through these in the summer. I’ve always read for long periods of time for the kids and they can’t get enough. We tend to work through one read aloud a week, but know that read alouds are the back bone of our homeschool. We read 2-3 hours per day (most days ;)); most of this happens in the afternoons.
What do you think of Hatchett? I bought the series at the beginning of the school year, but haven’t let my 10-year-old read it because of the language and way things are discussed in the book. I remember reading it and not catching on to that stuff, but then again, I wasn’t raised in a Christian home. I’d love to hear your input. 🙂
I was shocked reading Hatchett as a grown up too. I need to add to my post that I “edit” Hatchett. Once the book gets going it seems to be less of a problem, but differently editing done on my part; and my older kids don’t read it alone. 🙂 I basically skip the first two chapters.
Aww, no edits! I haven’t picked that book up in decades and I still remember the farts-and-death scene. Those things stick with you and build memories with the book!
I love Hatchett, and we’ve read it several times. In those first few chapters as Brain is dealing with a lot in his family life, I talk the kids through it. Brian’s family life is a mess, but boy there are so many messy situations in life. I’m not telling you what to do at all. Your family has to read books based on what you feel is best. I use the story to talk through real-life junk. And the story as a whole is a fantastic adventure, in my opinion. 🙂
Thanks for this great list! I am so inspired by your committment to reading 2-3 hrs a day! I usually get about 1 hr of read alouds to the kids, but then they do listen to quite a few books on cd! I put some of these titles on hold on audio books from the library!
Tiffany, there is A LOT that I don’t do. Science experiments at the kitchen table, tons of outside lessons, etc – but real is just our thing. Thank goodness for ‘whatever works!’ 😉
Hi Jamerrill,
I’m new to your website and so far am very impressed by how Jesus focused you are the way you are trying to bring up/disciple your children. Well done!
I do have a question about the Jesus Freaks book – HOW do you read this to your children? They seem very young to hear such brutal stories and yet it’s the truth of life for so many Christians. Do your children usually have questions once they hear a story? What kinds of things do you talk about once you’ve read it?
Any comments or helpful advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.
I have a 9 year old, 8 year old and 3 year old and my 9 year old is especially sensitive to troubling things.
Blessings to you and your family xx
Debbie
Debbie, it is a brutal book in a sense. I have a fire in me to instill in my children that people live radically for Jesus all over this world. To me this is a book of people offering their lives for Jesus. In many of the stories in which believers die, they are singing praises to God. Those who kill them are amazed that they die of peacefully. I see the beauty in their peace with the Lord. Whether it’s a believer who is being burned at the stake for owning a Bible; how powerful to read of them singing out shouts of joy through the flames!!
There are stories in which deliverance comes in the form of the believer going to be with Jesus in eternity, yes. There are also stories where the Lord delivers in this life! One story in particular a mob was coming to kill and pastor and his wife in their home. As the pastor and his wife prayed for safety the Lord struck the crowd with blindness – they couldn’t find the door to get in the pastors house!
A few stories have talked of rape that women have suffered. I always edit those stories and say, “they were hurt very bad.”
But for the most part I am so inspired, with my spirit all ablaze to live radically for Jesus myself, that I read the full stories. I pray that they challenge my children as much as they do me.
Ultimately you know what your children’s hearts can handle. If you don’t feel at peace about reading them the book than by all means don’t! There are plenty of wonderful missionary stories out there as well.
Blessings!
Thanks for the tip on Hatchett. I love those kinds of stories (My Side of the Mountain was a childhood favorite), but I was a little worried from some of the reviews I’ve read. I think we’ll give it a try as a read-aloud, so I can edit it a bit!