I’ve been asked recently about chapter books and read alouds for children.
Children’s books are one of my favorites! Captivating stories are so much fun.
I knew this question would make a great post! I love blogging about books and products that make me happy. 🙂 It’s fun to share them in case it will be a “that’s-just-what-I-was-looking-for” moment for someone else!
No. 1
It’s Mini and Maxi! That’s what my kiddos called these books, anyway! Each book is formatted with a Bible story followed by a story about Mini and Maxi and their Mommi and Poppi and other friends! Often, the story about the children has a lesson in it that pertains to the Bible story. R&T loved these books and stories. They aren’t in print anymore, but I’ve found them using PaperBackswap, Amazon or Ebay.Â
I’d never heard of these books until I met and married Matthew. His family had them when he was growing up and he and his brothers loved the stories too!
They are funny and hold real-life happenings and arguments and reconciliation and feelings we can relate to.Â
My grandma did have a set of smaller storybooks, each containing one story that are by V. Gilbert Beers and I loved them! But I didn’t meet Mini and Maxi until later.Â
No. 2
Little House in the Big Woods.
Of course! Laura and Mary are such fun to read about! Jack the brindle bulldog and wolves howling and the wind howling and a doll made from a corncob! So intriguing! And always, always, a bit of sympathy for Laura because she had dull, brown hair and Mary had golden curls! 🙂
If you don’t have time to read aloud as much as you’d like, we have a few of the “Laura Ingalls Wilderness” {as my son has been known to call them} in audiobooks.Â
Good Audios are something else I loved having for my kiddos.
No. 3
A Hive of Busy Bees!
I loved these stories when I was young and I loved reading them to my small people. They teach important lessons and each story has a story within it and there’s something so intriguing about a story in a story!
No. 4
Summer with the Moodys! This was a fun series to read. Happy, busy family life!
No. 5
Aww, Spunky! Such a cute puppy and so fun to read the story from “his” perspective. I love all of Janette Oke’s animal classics. I read them quite a few times to myself when I was growing up.Â
No. 6
These three friends had such fun and adventures together! And I loved the peek inside three different families and the way they all had different lives. I loved the description of each of their homes.
We had this book when I was growing up and then I ordered the set of them when we were a few years into our homeschooling season.
No. 7
I LOVED this story! Our school library had these books and I checked them out over and over.Â
Ella and Henny and Charlotte and Gertie! Four little girls creating an all-of-a-kind-family! I loved the peek inside a Jewish family and I loved that all the girls looked forward to going to the library. It was great fun to run down the basement steps to Papa’s shop with them and visit Mrs. Blumberg’s candy shop and peer in the glass cases and then step into Mr. Basch’s grocery store and buy a scoop of broken cracker pieces!
No. 8
These books are a compilation of short stories and I loved them. The variety of stories and lessons learned were captivating, amusing and interesting.
There was Tommy who told his sister, Mary, he’d give her the holes of the doughnuts he was gobbling down. After eating the last bite and licking his fingers, he tells poor Mary that “the holes are just air, and I can’t eat air and neither can you!” He runs off laughing at what he considers a great joke. But Mama overhears and doesn’t find this behavior as laughable as Tommy, nor does she view donut holes in the same way he does.Â
Then there are the Custard Triplets and Marilyn who wishes there wasn’t any more milk in the world and Dorine who learns a lesson about being ready on time………
No. 9
This is a cute and simple story about the adventures of Ryan and his puppy Rusty.Â
No. 10
I read James Herriot’s books when I was a teen and completely enjoyed his tales and his style of storytelling. This treasury for children is a treasure in my book! {Puns intended.} 😉 The pictures are beautiful.Â
His stories about animals are pretty hard to top! And his books are chock full of characters and personality.Â
Do you have any of these in your personal collection of children’s books? What’s another children’s favorite of yours?

How fun! I haven’t read most of these. I really liked Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and Pippi Longstocking. Your list looks like stuff my girl would love. She loves Little House on the Prairie. …who doesn’t?!
I liked Pippi Longstocking too! And her pluttification! Ha!
I’ve never read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. Baby Island is another book I loved!
Love seeing this list… must admit I was bummed that I can’t get the V. Gilbert Beers books from library to check them out… they look good! Thanks for sharing.
Yes, the V. Gilbert Beers books are not necessarily easy to come by. Sometimes you can find them on Ebay or Amazon for a decent price and sometimes they’re pricey! Have you ever used Paperback Swap? It’s a great place to request used books, but you still aren’t guaranteed if the book will become available from another swapper.
I love compiling book lists, but it requires some time! I’m glad you enjoyed this one! Thanks for telling me!