Reading With My Boys (Our Book List)

My favorite thing to do with my boys is to read to them at night, in fact I look forward to it all day.  They lay in their beds all ready to go to sleep and I sit in between their rooms so they can all hear me.  We have read so many good books over the years and it is something that I will always cherish.

The books I choose to read to my boys are usually (not always) books that they probably would not read by themselves.  Sometimes they are books about something they are working on in school or just something that I am interested in and want to share with them.  I love classics, so I try to read a lot of those with my boys.  We usually read abridged classics as the language isn't so hard to understand.  As they get older I would like to read books with them that are unabridged, but for the time being, it is too difficult and takes too much time to explain those.  We did read The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and although I had to explain quite a bit, we all loved reading it. 

I also try to not just read books that are "boy books".  We read Ella Enchanted, which they really liked.  I also plan on reading Little Women and Anne of Green Gables with them.  I have gone through scores of "recommended book lists" for kids and below is the list I have compiled from them all, as well as some I have added on my own.  

The books that I have read with my boys are:
1. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
2. Pippi in the South Seas by Astrid Lindgren
3. Pippi Goes on Board by Astrid Lindgren
4. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (we've read this twice)
5. Mary Poppins Opens the Door by P.L. Travers
6. Mary Poppins Comes Back by P.L. Travers
7. Ramona Quimby Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
8. Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
9. Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary
10. Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
11. Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary
12. Henry and the Clubhouse by Beverly Cleary
13. Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
14. The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
15. Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary
16. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (twice)
17. White Fang (abridged) by Jack London
18. The Prince and the Pauper (abridged) by Mark Twain
19. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
20. Alice in Wonderland (abridged) by Lewis Carroll 
21. Through the Looking Glass (abridged) by Lewis Carroll
22. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's  Stone by J.K. Rowling (twice)
23. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (twice)
24. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
25. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
26. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
27. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
28. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
29. Gentle Ben by Ben Crenshaw
30. Journey to the Center of the Earth (abridged)  by Jules Verne
31. Dr. Doolittle (abridged) by Hugh Lofting
32. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Flemming
33. Peter Pan (abridged) (we have read this about 4 times) by J.M. Barrie
34. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahme
35. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
36. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
37. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
38. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
39. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NYMH by Robert C. O'Brien
40. Toby Tyler by James Otis
41. Charlott's Webb by E.B. White
42. The Witches by Roald Dahl
43. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
44. Matilda by Roald Dahl
45. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
46. The Twits by Roald Dahl
47. The BFG by Roald Dahl
48. The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
49. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic by Betty McDonald
50. Frindle by Andrew Clements
51. Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
52. Robin Hood (abridged) by Howard Pyle
53. The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo
54. Who Was Abraham Lincoln? by Janet B. Pascal
55. The Adventures of Lewis and Clark by Ormonde de Kay, Jr.
56. Robinson Crusoe (abridged) by Daniel Defoe
57. Johnny Tremain By Esther Forbes
58. Holes by Louis Sachar
59. Treasure Island (abridged) Robert Louis Stevenson
60. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
61. The Jungle Book (abridged) by Rudyard Kipling
62. Hotel for Dogs by Lois Duncan
63. Kingdom Keepers: Disney after Dark by Ridley Pearson
64. The Adventures of Pinocchio (abridged) by Carlo Collodi
65. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
66. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
67. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
68. Old Yeller by Fred Gibson
69. Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
70. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
71. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
72. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein
73. Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Yona Zeldis McDonough and Carrie Robbins
74. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty McDonald
77. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
78. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
79. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
80. From the Mixed-Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L Konigsburg
81. A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
82. Peter and the Star Catchers by Dave Barry
83. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
84. Who was George Washington? by Roberta Edwards
85. Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
86. Oliver Twist (abridged) by Charles Dickens
87. Bednob and Broomstick by Mary Norton
88. Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
89. Artemis Fowl by  Eoin Colfer
90. Cheaper By the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth
91. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
92. Little House on the Prarie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
93. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (one of my favorites)
94. Stuart Little E.B. White
95. The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene
96. The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman, Peter Sis
97. The Borrowers by Mary Norton
98. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
99. Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
1oo. Who was Anne Frank? by Ann Abramson
101. The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon
102. The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
103. Homer Price by Robert McKloskey
104. Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrim's by Clyde Robert Bulla
105. Molly's Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen
106. Shiloh by  Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
107. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

108. Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary
109. Ice Magic by Matt Christopher 
110. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli 
111. Heidi by Johanna Spyri
112. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
113. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
114. Ginger Pye by Elanor Estes
115. Who Was Susan B. Anthony by Pam Pollack
116. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, Jules Feiffer
117. Around the World in 80 Days  by Jules Verne
118. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
119. Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
120. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
121. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
122. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
123. Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
124. The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
125. Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
126. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
127. The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
128. Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry
129. Robinson Crusoe (unabridged) by Daniel Defoe
130. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
131. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
132. The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan
133. Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge
134. King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry
135. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
136. Redwall by Brian Jacques, Gary Chalk
137. Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
138. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
139. Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
140. The Silver Chair by C.S Lewis
141. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
142. The Cricket in Times Square by  George Selden, Garth Williams
143. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
144. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
145. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
146. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
147. Helen Keller: The Story of My Life
148. Treasure Island (unabridged) by Robert Louis Stevenson
149. The Jungle Book (unabridged) by Rudyard Kipling
150. Gullivers' Travels (unabridged) by Jonathan Swift
151. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
152. Focus by Noelle Pikus-Pace
153. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit
154. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by: Jeanne Birdsall
155. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
156. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
157. Journey to the Bottomless Pit by Betsy Mitchell
158. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
159. Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
160. The Return of the Indian by Lynne Reid Banks
161. The Secret of the Indian by Lynne Reid Banks
162. The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin
163. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
164 Peter Pan (unabridged) by J.M. Barrie
165. On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingles Wilder
166. Babe: The Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
167. The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
166. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgsen Burnett
167. Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody
168. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
169. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
170. Enders Game by Orson Scott Card
171. Hubener vs Hitler by Richard Lloyd Dewey
172. Magyk: Septimus Heap by Angie Sage
173. Amos Fortune Free Man by Elizabeth Yates 
174. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
175. Hubener vs Hitler by Richard Lloyd Dewey
176. Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
177. Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
178. Rebecca of Sunny Brooke Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
179. Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery

Some books I am excited to read with my boys: 
Sounder by William Howard Armstrong
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Rifles for Waitie by Harold Keith
The Hundred Dresses by  Eleanor Estes, Louis Slobodkin
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
Walk Two Moons by  Sharon Creech
Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Richard Howard
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin 
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Five Children and It by E. Nesbit 
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
The Trolley Car Family by  Eleanor Clymer, Illustrated by Ursula Koering
Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles
Harry's Mad by Dick King-Smith
Time For Andrew: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin by Jean Fritz
By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman
The White Mountains by Jon Christopher
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
The Wishgiver: Three Tales of Coven Tree by Bill Brittain 
Sheep by Valarie Hobbs
The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy
Boxes for Katje by Candace Flemming
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days by Stephen Manes
Phineau L Macguire...Errupts by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Tricking the Tallyman by Jacqueline Davies
Tornado by Betsy Byars 
A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla
The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Curtis
The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo


P.S. I constantly add to this list to remember what books our family reads together, so check back!
P.S.S. Thrift stores and yard sales are an excellent place to get books, they are usually very inexpensive and sometimes you can find really fun books that are out of print and wouldn't be in a regular book store.