One of my favorite times of the day is when I get to sit down and read a book to my students. There is just something about connecting through books and stories that can help to strengthen relationships among students. My 6th graders are always so excited when it is read aloud time.
I love this reading time is because I can expose my students to new literature that they might not have sought out on their own. I also love reading the first book in a series, because that has a natural lead-in for my students to want to find out “what happens in the next book.” There are also so many life lessons that can be learned through reading, and I love having those discussions with my kids.
6 of My Favorite Books to Read Aloud
(I provide links to Amazon if you want to purchase them, but these are NOT affiliate links. I really just love these books!)
1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
I love this one because it is full of adventure. My kids were hooked from the very first chapter! It also tied in nicely with our social studies unit about Ancient Greece and their gods and goddesses. It was also the first book in the series, which meant the next book, The Sea of Monsters, often flew off of my shelf once we finished The Lightning Thief. Click HERE to check it out!
2. Prisoner B-3087
This is a really heavy book full of loss and despair, but it also has a very empowering message of hope and survival. This book is based on the experiences of Jack Gruener going through several different concentration camps during World War II. I would definitely make sure you read this book for yourself first before reading it to your students, to ensure that you know they are mature enough to handle the story. That being said, I’ve been able to have some amazing discussions about prejudice, kindness, hope, grief, identity, and so much more with my students. My students loved this book and were able to relate some of the experiences to things that are happening today. Click HERE to check it out!
3. Fablehaven
Fablehaven is such a fun book if your students love fantasy. It is about a brother and sister who go to stay with their grandpa, and find out he lives on a magical preserve, full of fairies, satyrs, ogres and other magical creatures. They face danger and learn that their actions have real consequences. This is a great book to talk about cause and effect with your students. I have some comprehension and student activities to go along with this book too. Click HERE to check out a freebie, or HERE to see the entire novel study. You can find this book HERE on Amazon.
4. The Witches
My 4th grade teacher read this book aloud to my class, and I’ve always remembered it. She made this story come alive, and I love being able to do the same with my students. This book is about a boy who finds himself in a room full of witches that are trying to destroy children! I’ve read this to each of my classes since becoming a teacher. I love introducing them to the Grand High Witch with a crazy loud voice (that sometimes makes me lose my voice…). This has been one of my students’ favorite books that we’ve read aloud. It might seem a little “young” for 6th graders, but mine absolutely loved it! Click HERE to see this book on Amazon.
5. Number the Stars
This was a good preface to reading Prisoner B-3087. It is shorter, but still very powerful. We learn about how the Danish people helped to smuggle Jews out of Denmark into neutral Sweden during World War II through the story of Annemarie and her best friend Ellen, who is Jewish. Annemarie has to risk her life to help her friend and a number of other Jewish people escape. This is a great book to talk about friendship, loyalty, and protecting others who may not be able to protect themselves. Click HERE to find this book!
6. The 39 Clues
This is another adventure book whose main characters are a brother and sister. Dan and Amy find themselves faced with a decision after their grandmother dies: take $2 million, or a single clue that could lead them to become the most powerful family in the world. Dan and Amy choose the clue, and it leads them on an adventure around the world. They have to learn how to overcome weaknesses and deal with failure while learning to trust each other. My students love the action in this book. Plus, this is the first book in a long series, which is a great way to hook your students into reading the rest of the books! Click HERE to see the series on Amazon!
Books that are read aloud can have such a powerful impact on students. Even my reluctant readers look forward to this time, because they know they get to enjoy a story with their classmates. Once we finish a book, they will often reread the book on their own again, or pick up the next book in the series.
I also love to let my students recommend books they want to read aloud as a class. I have them fill out a small form that they then submit to me, and I consider their request for the next read aloud. This is a great way to get students even more invested in this precious time during our school day. Click HERE to get my book request form sent to your email! By reading books aloud, you can help foster your students’ love of reading.
