A whole lot of parents are wondering how to occupy their kiddos the next several weeks (months?!)- I happen have a lot of experience with that haha. We’ve homeschooled or partially homeschooled (using a university model school) since my oldest son began kindergarten in 2010. Our daughters’ school is rolling on at home this week, which I’m not sure how I feel about yet haha.
Nevertheless, we will have some extra hours to fill. I want to work really hard to not give in to excess screen time because it just does not affect my kids’ attitudes in a positive way. We plan to spend lots of time outside, painting, and of course reading. I’m not the best out-loud reader but I’m making more of an effort lately. Here are some of the books that we’ve either read aloud, or my kids enjoyed reading alone. These books are geared towards the 3rd-6th grade age group, depending on your child’s reading level and preference.
How you can get books during the social distancing period– (besides Amazon, ha!)
- Many libraries have apps you can use to borrow e-books- check out Libby or Hoopla and see if your library participates
- Do a one-month free trial of Kindle unlimited if you don’t have it already
- Exchange books with a neighbor’s kids (be wise about this)
- Check your shelves for kids’ books you bought and never read.
- half-price books online is currently still in operation
Missionary Stories with the Millers– this one was part of our homeschool curriculum several years ago and our kids loved it. I believe our oldest two were 8 and 9ish when we read it. If your kids are sensitive, you may want to skim through the stories before reading as some of them have difficult content. I think it’s super important for our kids to learn about Christians’ lives around the world, but only you know when the time is appropriate for your kids to learn. This book is great for pre-teens to read alone.
Hero Tales: A Family Treasury of True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes this is another book of stories of Christian heroes. We still have a few stories left in this one, so we’ll work on that this week. This book is also great for pre-teens to read alone.
(Also, Amazon has a great video series called Torchlighters, which is all about heroes of the faith such as Jim Elliott, Gladys Alyward, and many more. I love that they include several women heroes in the series. It’s free if you have Prime! It’s screen time that’s worth it. 😉 )
The Littles series- a super cute series of little people who live in the walls of a family’s home.
Listen for the Whipoorwill– this is an excellent age-appropriate introuduction to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. This book sparked a run of my oldest daughter reading several books about slavery, and seeing through her own eyes how awful this practice was. Another one she liked: The Underground Railroad (An American Girl book)
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry– Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one family’s struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice.
Third Grade Detectives series– this was part of some of my kids’ homeschool curriculum in, you guessed it, 3rd grade, and they loved them! Series really capture kids’ attention because they get attached to the characters.
The Little House on the Prairie Series. My favorite growing up. I probably read the entire series 6 or 7 times. You learn lots of American history by reading these books. (Sometimes some of the seasons of the TV series are free on Amazon Prime as well. Click here for a free trial of Prime)
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street– this is a new series for us. My 3rd grader just finished the first one and absolutely loved it! There are 2 more in the series, with a 3rd one scheduled to release in September. From Amazon: “In this delightful and heartwarming throwback to the big-family novels of yesteryear, a large biracial family might lose their beloved brownstone home, but win it back with an all-out charm offensive.”
If your child loves hunting and/or fishing, he or she will LOVE Kevin Lovegreen’s books. They are based on a character named Lucky Luke- and entail all of his hunting adventures! Best of all, almost all of them are available on Kindle unlimited. (Click here for a free trial if you don’t already have it. Now is a great time to try it!)
Other books my kids have loved:
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie by Connie Roop – This is the exciting true story of Abbie Burgess, who in 1856 single-handedly kept the lighthouse lamps lit during a tremendous storm off the coast of Maine.
Run Away Home– After escaping from a train headed for a reservation in Alabama, an Apache boy named Sky is welcomed into the home of a black family, in the story that highlights a lesser-known period of African-American and Native American history.
Tornado by Betsy Byers- A tornado appears in the distance, and the family quickly gathers into the storm cellar. The storm rages outside, but Pete, the farmhand, knows this is the perfect time to tell his stories about a dog named Tornado.
House on Walenska Street– A warm and touching story about a Russian Jewish family who has lost its father and wants to emigrate to America. Set just before World War I and the Russian Revolution.
Bud, Not Buddy– The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning classic about a boy who decides to hit the road to find his father.
Okay, that should be enough books to get you started! Haha. I plan on adding a post in the next few days for younger kids, as well as pre-teens. Click here for a post on some good fiction books I’ve read in the last year or so.
About Kelli Hays
