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17 Best Books to Read Aloud To Kids

Time to ditch the Seuss.

by Tess Gionet

Any parent who’s suffered through Dr. Seuss knows that not every kids’ book is a joy to read aloud together. Sure, those easy picture books are fun the first time through, and there’s a ton of benefits to the crazy word repetition – but I swear last night I could actually feel my brains start to scramble when my 4-year-old made me crack open Green Eggs and Ham for the umpteenth time. Plus, my kid got bored halfway through. So, what are the best kinds of books to read out loud to your kids? When it comes time to move your early reader into that next phase of reading, you’ve got to find books that work just as well when read out loud as they do on the page, because your kid will be doing both: listening and reading along.

So what are the best chapter books to read aloud to a beginning reader? Ones with chapters short enough to hold their attention, a story that’s simple to follow, rich and complex language to stretch their vocabulary, and good illustrations on every few pages. But most of all, the best books to read out loud are books that interest you, the parent. Because if you’re excited about reading, your kid will be too. So fill up your shelves with these amazing chapter books, and then go hide the Dr. Seuss. Promise I won’t tell.