Our readaloud plans for 2026
Reading aloud to my children continues to be one of the best parts of motherhood for me. There’s just something so peaceful, so connected, so all-is-right-with-the-world about snuggling up together — everyone freshly pajama-ed, all quarrels postponed, lamplight low — to read another chapter.
In the midst of a full life, I have found that the very best way to make time for reading together is to choose books that we can’t wait to return to each night — books that make us start dinner prep on time, work together to clear the table, bathe efficiently, and eagerly bounce onto whatever bed we’re gathering on. To help with this, I put in some effort each year to plan out of titles for the months ahead. (Just like with my own reading list!) We’ll almost certainly deviate from this plan, but it’s a good place to start. In case it inspires your own year of reading…
Quarter 1 | January, February, and March
The first three months of the year tend to be some of our best for readalouds: our schedule is quieter, and we’re (I’m) fired up from yearly planning. Knowing that June would want to start the fourth Harry Potter as soon as she received it for her early-January birthday, I wedged in a shorter-but-beloved favorite from my childhood right at the beginning. (Both kids loved it.) I’m currently deep into the fourth HP while John reads Prince Caspian to Shep (he hadn’t joined readaloud when John and June read it the first time). From there, John will read the final Narnia book and then I’ll crack open the first in the Wingfeather Saga, which June has been desperate to read. (All her friends have read it, apparently, which delights me no end.)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
Wingfeather Saga Book 1: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
Quarter 2 | April, May, and June
Next we’ll return to another beloved series we’re making our way through. Shep hasn’t read the first three, but they’re easy to pick up midway. From there, we’ll read one of my favorite books of all time, with attendant nerves that they’ll enjoy it as much as I do. We’ll round things out with a classic and the second book in the Wingfeather series. This quarter is a little “girl heavy,” but Shep continuously surprises me by how much he loves even books I’m unsure about. (For example, he loved Anne of Green Gables last year.)
The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Wingfeather Saga Book 2: North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson
Heidi by Joanna Spyri
Quarter 3 | July, August, and September
When June heads to summer camp, Shep and I will dig into Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. (I don’t know what we’ll do when Shep goes to camp, too, but right now June’s two-week absence aligns well with his birthday!) John will read them the third Wingfeather before Annie joins read aloud upon her entrance into kindergarten (!). With the newest member of our crew, we’ll circle back around to where we started our readaloud journey: with the first book in the Little House series (it’s been four years since June read them) and with Charlotte’s Web, a book I think every child should have read to them at least once.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Wingfeather Saga Book 3: The Monster in the Hollows by Andrew Peterson
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Quarter 4 | October, November, and December
Between travel, holidays, and activities, these months are notoriously slow for readalouds around here. Realistically, I’m hoping to fit in just three: a beloved classic from my childhood, the next Little House, and the final Wingfeather installment. (Not sure what I’m going to do about the fact that Annie will have only joined for number four, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Maybe she’ll sit that one out and she and I will catch up on something else?)
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Wingfeather Saga Book 4: The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson
We are also reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and Island of the Blue Dolphins with June’s school book club! For Shep’s, I plan to start with Mr. Popper’s Penguins and The Mouse and the Motorcycle in the fall.
This year’s list skews heavily classic, and there are so many more books I wish we could squeeze in! First up if we have more time, or for next year: Number the Stars, A Place to Hang the Moon, All Thirteen, and Because of Winn Dixie.
Friends, I’d love to hear: What books have you enjoyed reading with your kids recently? What books would you be most excited to introduce your kids to?
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Love this! From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is one my favorites from childhood, too. : ) One of my fondest readaloud memories is my 5th (!) grade advisor reading the Betsy-Tacy series to our all-girls advisory group throughout the year. (Boys and girls were in separate classes at my middle school!) I haven’t read the series since then, but this is making me want to go back and read it!
June has read a few of the Betsy-Tacy stories but it was a few years ago! I’ll have to dig them back out.
Island of the Blue Dolphins is one of my most notable reads from elementary years, as well as Hatchet. My son and I have only read Goosebumps for the past 6 months and will continue this year!
Goosebumps! What a 90’s classic!!
We are on the middle of the Zoey and Sassafras series with my five year old right now and t really enjoying that. We loved the first few Penderwick books, but I sadly tabled the series on book four because I did not like how boy crazy it felt, with tons of emphasis on kissing, crushes, boyfriends, etc. Maybe we’ll come back to it in older years. Thanks for all the other recommendations. I may add some of those to our list.
This is a good heads up, Jocelyn! I felt there was a bit more of that than I was expecting in the third book, so I’ll do a little digging into the fourth before we dive in.
Adding another vote for Betsy-Tacy, it’s a lovely coming-of-age series similar to Anne of Green Gables and Laura Ingalls Wilder. We’ve been working our way through the early books in the series with my girls and I recently went back and re-read the later books about Betsy’s high school and college years. Just as delightful as I remembered! We’ve also been on a big Andrew Clements kick lately. Start with Frindle—it’s funny and features a boy protagonist which might be fun for Shep!
June read Frindle on her own last year. I’m sure Shep will love it soon!
Consider The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, by Julie Andrews. As a 4th grade teacher, I read this every year to my class. To me, it’s a combination of Narnia and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Kids loved it every year!
Because Mandy by Julie Andrews is one of my very favorites from childhood, we read Whangdoodles with June’s third grade book club. I’m not sure if it was because our reading was spaced out with just one session a week, but it didn’t land as well as some others and was a bit harder to follow! Love that you read to your classes! ❤️
I am interested in implementing this but I am curious how much time you spend each evening reading aloud? My girl never ever wants to put a good book down and I’m not the best at time management at the end of the day!
We aim for 30 minutes – sometimes we have a little bit less time and sometimes more. Knowing there’s a hard stop at 9pm is often a good motivator to them for moving expediently through their bedtime routines!
Thank you for sharing! I love the mix of classics and newer books. At wha age did you stay reading longer books with your kids? We’re still doing picture books but I’m so excited to move on to some of these!
We started with June when she entered kindergarten! Shep joined when he started kindergarten, and Annie will do the same in the fall ❤️
Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler!!!! Second favorite book of all time! We are currently working our way through the Magic Tree House books, which missed me in childhood, so I’m enjoying it as much as Foster. My grandmother used to read Sideways Stories from Wayside School aloud to the high school (!!) classes she taught, and I can’t wait until Foster is ready for those!
That was the first series Shep read through independently and he loved it so much! And your grandmother! 🥹
We just finished the BFG! I had forgotten all about some of these classics and I’m excited to start them. What age did you start HP?
We started with book one at age 7 for each child and read one per year, right after their birthday! More here: https://emformarvelous.com/reading-harry-potter-with-our-children/
I love this post and the motivation to recommit to this. Wondering- do the kids take turns reading aloud or are they listening to you?
They are listening to me! I’d be open to switching off in the future but no one has ever asked, ha! (For the school book clubs, we do switch off readers every paragraph, going around in a circle!)
I’m reading Harry Potter #1 right now with my 1st grader. We’ve been reading the Heartwood Hotel series, which has been a big hit. We also loved Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. I’ve been wanting to reread Anne of Green Gables–good to know it was a hit with your two older kids.
LOVE Heartwood Hotel! I read the first one to Shep while waiting for June at piano lessons – June has read the whole series independently!
Family read-alouds always make me think of Madeleine L’Engle’s Austen family, which she describes as having the coziest evening reading tradition :).
Also very excited to see not one but two commenters mention the Betsy-Tacy books! They’re my very favorite (I reread the entire series, following Betsy from age 5 to 25, yearly), but, I find, not nearly as well-known as books I would consider similar, like Anne of Green Gables or Little House. The stories are based on the author and her real-life best friend’s turn-of-the-century Minnesota childhood, and the “Betsy” and “Tacy” houses are currently maintained as museums — they’re not far from some Little House sites as well, and could make for a fun literary trip if you all get into them!
So cool! Thanks, Kate!
Obviously I am SO excited that you all are beginning The Wingfeather Saga! Just the absolute best! Also, love that you began with Little House in the Big Woods- have I ever told you that was also my first read aloud to Laura as well when…guess what…she began kindergarten! Kindred spirit over here! :-)
My daughter is only 12 months old, but I can’t wait to read to her! I keep trying even with short, musical board books, but she just doesn’t want to sit still. These are great ideas to visit once she’s older and hopefully more into reading.
Such a sweet age!! I say keep reading, even if she moves around while you do – you’re still transmitting the idea that books are fun and valuable and a sort of warmth and closeness! You might also enjoy this post about our favorite board books: https://emformarvelous.com/top-ten-favorite-board-books/
What a wonderful list! Last year we have going throug all the Magic Tree House series with my girl Aurora. We also reread some favorites: Pippi Longstocking, Matilda, Charlotte’s Web. This year I plan to read HP and the Sorcere’s Stone (thanks you for your inspired post about HP), the Wild Robot, The Wind in the Willows, some Laura Ingalls and i finally find a used copy of Mr. Poppers Penguins, which has an out-of-print Brazilian edition from 2011. Happy reading!!!!
This is such a good list!! I’m saving your recommendations! We just started our first read-aloud novel with our 4.5 year old. We started with the Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe and it’s going so much better than I expected! He’s hooked and asks so many questions and can’t wait to read more.
We’re making our way through it faster than I thought and I’m not sure what we’ll read next – re-read it, move to the second book in the series, pick another chapter book (Paddington? Charlotte’s Web? Winnie the Pooh?), or dive back into picture books.
I love this! Such good ideas! I recommend The Moffats.