I just found a blog that's part of The Horn Book, one of my go-to journals for the best in children's literature. The blog is called "family reading" and the link to it is here:
https://www.hbook.com/blogs/family-reading/
Blog entries on Family Reading seem to vary, but what they all have in common are suggestions for what you might read with your children around a variety of themes. A recent post was called "Stories that Build on a Common Humanity" and another was called "Picture Books about Jewish Women". Very interesting reading for all of us who are interested in promoting a love of reading in children!
I would also recommend the following for family reading (just some recent titles that come to mind):
Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon-- Humorous fiction for all about Dory, a young girl with a great imagination!
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker-- Another funny girl who lives in Boston with her parents. Clementine is always in trouble because people say she doesn't pay attention to ANYTHING--but in her mind she actually pays attention to EVERYTHING! So much so that she misses the directions and frequently lands in the principal's office.
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser -- I've mentioned this one before but I can't say enough about it! It a slightly more modern family story set in present-day Brooklyn. The family has been told they need to move from the apartment that they all know and love so well. The children set out to convince the grumpy landlord that he should keep them as tenants.
The Explorer by Katherine Rundell -- This book reminded me of Hatchet (by Gary Paulsen). Four children are in an airplane that goes down in the Amazon jungle. They need to figure out how to survive with piranhas and snakes surrounding them at every turn. An exciting adventure! The main characters are a variety of ages so I can imagine a family read-aloud of this title that everyone could enjoy.
Checked by Cynthia Kadohata -- A hockey story -- very well written. Puts you in the shoes of a young hockey player moving through the various levels of juvenile hockey. But it's also a story of a father and son and their Doberman who was diagnosed with cancer. Effective on multiple levels and not just for hockey fans!
The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor -- Realistic fiction about Mason who is bullied by his classmates and saddened by the loss of his one good friend. Lucky for Mason a new boy in school befriends him and they build themselves a fort in Mason's backyard. There's a nice dog story here, too. Probably best for grades 4 - 6.
Happy family reading!
