Favorite books for family reading out loud time, that would work for an 8-10 year old? I need to be entertained too!

Question

Chris Mueller · Answer

Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkein: The perfect bedtime story. Tolkein wrote this for his 4yo son who'd lost his toy dog on the beach. It's little Rover's adventures under the sea and to the moon and more, with all kinds of sorcerers and wizards and wonderful creatures. Delightful.

Adelaide · Answer

The Wild Robot (Peter Brown): Grand adventure, profound humanity, and non-saccharine personification of animals. We read the trilogy out loud as a family and were all in.

Joel Abrams · Answer

Zorgamazoo: Silly, and in verse that’s a pleasure to read out loud.

Laurenb · Answer

The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes.: An oldie but goodie about imagination and friendship.

Caroalbers · Answer

Little House on the Prairie: Such fond memories of reading this aloud with my mom and sisters when I was a kid.

pairofgeese · Answer

The Good Thieves: A great adventure story! Would actually recommend any of Katherine Rundell’s kids’ books.

Ruby · Answer

The Discworld Series by Sir Terry Pratchett: It’s hilarious! Start with The Wee Free Men. You’ll enjoy the books as much as they do.

And when they both hit 10 I recommend His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman too.

Aud · Answer

A Wrinkle in Time: A classic for a reason. This book is such an adventure that involves an interesting villain and family bonding. My dad made me read it when I was little and I still love it. Can’t say I would recommend the movie though…

Shira · Answer

Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series: On holiday in Cornwall, three siblings find an ancient map which leads them on a quest to find the holy grail.

Terrah · Answer

My Fathers Dragon: My kids loved this timeless book so much… and it’s a series too if you want to continue!

Bethany Poteat · Answer

Knight’s Castle, Edward Eager: Part of a series of magical adventures befalling multiple generations of a family. Well written and charming.

Madge Home · Answer

Chasing Vermeer: I loved this book as a kid! Art History Mystery set in Hyde Park, Chicago. The sequel the Wright Three (frank llyod wright that is) is also fabulous. as great for kids as it is for adults! very fun puzzles and codes included that you get to crack alongside the characters. left brain 🤝 (w)right brain

Kel · Answer

The Saturdays (Elizabeth Enright): It's super wholesome: a family of four children pool their allowances so that each one can go on an adventure each Saturday. The adventures are all different and engaging. My 8 year old LOVED it, even though it's about the past. And the rest of the series is similarly charming.

Elena · Answer

Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers: Two short stories which together tell of a human rethinking their purpose and what brings them fulfillment, and a wild robot learning about humans needs.

Even with such thoughtful subject matter, the book stays refreshingly grounded and light and leaves you feeling buoyed. A hopeful and illuminating balm for the sensitive soul that paints a beautiful picture of what life could be like if we opt to take real care of the living world around us.

Elena · Answer

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip: This story has stayed with me since reading as a child, when I fell in love with every mythical creature Sybel calls to her castle’s crystal observatory. Forever dreaming of the liralen.

Jessica Hoffman · Answer

Diary of a Wimpy Kid books: They’re just so silly and crazy and so much fun to read out loud.

Chad Nelson · Answer

Dragons at Crumbling Castle: And Other Stories: Collection of assorted funny short stories from Terry Pratchett. Some of them have a little bit of his biting humor which was perfect for my 10 year old because it felt more than a kids book, but still at the level he could follow.

He’s 16 now and he still goes back and reads it on the regular.

Tim Sondrup · Answer

The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Brian Selznick): This is the other book we’ve read recently that we both really liked. And once you’re done, you can watch the movie!

Tim Sondrup · Answer

The Witches (Roald Dahl): I’m currently reading this to my 8-year-old daughter every night, and we’re both really into it. There have only been a couple of books she hasn’t wanted to stop reading at night. It’s fun to read, interesting, and just flows well.

KLS · Answer

Boy by Roald Dahl: Roald Dahl's memoir reads exactly like one of his novels. And then when you're done, listen to the audiobook version of the sequel, Going Solo, because it's read by Dan Stevens.

Maddy · Answer

The Thief Lord (Cornelia Funke): I read this over and over as a kid and then listened to the audiobook earlier this year and almost cried over how good it is. It's so magical and pure.

Maddy · Answer

Journey to the River Sea (Eva Ibbotson): You can't go wrong with anything by Eva Ibbotson, but this book in particular had a lasting impression on me. And I remember my mom reading it, too!

Caitrin Chappelle · Answer

The Penderwick Series: This summer, we started this series about four sisters and their everyday adventures. We all laughed and sometimes cried through the first two books and are starting the third. Both my 10-year-old son and my seven-year-old daughter are hooked. And I love it for its simplicity in storytelling about family and navigating change and growing up. It reminds me of Louisa May Alcott and Jane Austen.

Sarah · Answer

Rat Rule 79: An Adventure (Rivka Galchen): Also any roald Dahl book (the BFG, Matilda, the Witches are personal faves). I know he can be controversial though…

Renzo · Answer

Wind in the willows - Kenneth Grahame: A classic. Can’t wait to read this to my kid.

Coofandy · Answer

The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz: This is something really special and unexpected. Approximately the story of three child saints…but with zero religious overtones. And perhaps they aren’t saints at all? Also dragons, mad monks, and a final chase scene that is closer to a Michael Mann movie than a kid’s book. Gidwitz is an excellent writer and a joy to read out loud.

When I see this in a bookstore, I always face it out on the shelf.

Danielle · Answer

The Land of Stories: Fairytale retelling perfect for an 8-10 year old!

Darragh · Answer

Redwall Brian Jacques: Great stories- all animal based and the food!

Liz · Answer

Wilderlore series!: Harry Potter adjacent- long books and good character development. We’ve loved them all

Soph · Answer

The house of many ways: This book is so cozy. All of Diana Wynne Jones’s books have that Ghibli vibe (she also wrote Howl’s Moving Castle), but this one is so magical. Cozy houses, strange little spells, she was born to write for kids and adult kids. Shes got a lot more if yall get hooked.

Kat (they/them) · Answer

Front Desk book series by Kelly Yang: Holy cannoli this book series is an extraordinary gateway for discussing racism, sexism, poverty, and the complexities of immigration with kids. I’ve listened to the first two audiobooks with my 9 and 11 year old and it’s been a fantastic jumping off point for conversations about the horrors of today’s world. The book is authentic and does not sugar coat the reality of being a person of color in 1990s California, but manages to still bring humor, joy and hope to every story. Audiobook narrator Sunny Lu is somehow both believable as an 11-year-old girl while also not at all annoying or grating. 10/10 recommend.

amy groome | mid-flight · Answer

The Cat on the Mat is Flat | Andy Griffiths: Probs too young for 8-10 years olds, but riotous. Let me point you specifically to Harry Black, The Sack, The Snack, And A Sneaky Snack-Stealing Yak Called Jack.

Unicorns · Answer

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (E. L. Konigsburg): THIS STORY RULES, and I had a handshake pact with my kiddo that made it official “running away from home was just in books and movies!”

Jamie · Answer

The Percy Jackson series, we started with reading 1 chapter a night and quickly went to 2 chapters a night.: I still think about this series. My son and I really bonded over it.

reo · Answer

The Hobbit: Cliche maybe but such a fun story great for kids and adults alike. It is so fun to read aloud because Tolkien is a poet. My parents read this to me and I literally refused to learn how to read because we were in the middle of the book and I didn’t want them to stop reading this book to me.

Katie P · Answer

The Mysterious Benedict Society