When we started adding read aloud books to our homeschool routine, I was a little unsure of where to start. I could never tell if the books were too easy and not benefiting my boys enough, or if they were too advanced and going over their heads.
Last year I started buying books from The Good and The Beautiful’s Book List, and it has helped so much! The list includes reviews for 650 books, and a reading level assessment for your child. What I love most is that these books are all reviewed by Jenny Phillips and her team to ensure that the content they recommend is wholesome.
These are a few of our favorites:
History:
Ranger in Time
These books are about a failed search and rescue dog who travels back in time to historical times and places to help children in need. We’ve learned about pioneers on the Oregon Trail, gladiators in ancient Rome, the underground railroad, and more. These books are a really fun way to introduce history to kids. We started reading them when my oldest was 5. He’s almost 7 now and still loves them. My 4 year old isn’t quite as interested, but every child is different! These are chapter books and it usually takes us a little over a week to finish one when we read 1-2 chapters per day. I think it’s important to note that some of these books move a little slower than others too, and can be a little harder to get into. Long Road to Freedom and Escape from the Great Earthquake were the slowest for us, but still great books.Here are the Ranger in Time books we’ve read so far:
Step into Reading History Readers
These books are beautifully illustrated and actually pretty informative! I’ve enjoyed these just as much as my boys have! These books have chapters, but are short enough to read in one sitting. We’ve read these three over and over and still love them.- Pompeii…Buried Alive!
- The Titanic: Lost and Found
- The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto (This one is a huge tear-jerker for me!)
Science
Step into Reading Science Readers
We only have a couple of these, but they are great and include some historical accounts as well as the science behind the Volcanoes and Twisters!Let’s Read and Find Out Science
These we actually bought with our science curricula through The Good and The Beautiful, but they are available on Amazon as well. These are some fun reads too, and can be read in one sitting.- Germs Make Me Sick!
- What Happens to a Hamburger? (A personal favorite of my 4 and 6 year old boys)
- Why I Sneeze, Shiver, Hiccup, and Yawn
The Good and The Beautiful Age/Level Guide
I love pretty much everything about The Good and The Beautiful’s new website, but this is probably my favorite. I’ve always known that their levels didn’t match up to public school grade levels, but I was never quite clear on where we should be and worried that Kender was behind. He’s 6, and would be in 1st grade in public school. Currently we are working on Level 1 for Language Arts, and Level K for math (mostly because Level 1 doesn’t come out until May). This awesome guide shows me that we are right on track. It brings so much peace of mind!
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