To say that COVID-19 has disrupted the world would be an understatement. In the midst of social distancing and self-quarantining, there are kids who are asking to be entertained after they’ve finished all of their online work. Maybe it’s old fashioned of me, but I remember becoming an avid reader after finding the right books, and I try and recommend them to my sisters so that they can develop a love of reading like I did.
For today’s blog, I thought I would take the time to share these books with you, because your children might enjoy them as well. Of course, many children’s books have been published since then, but these are the books I enjoyed and loved in my childhood.
Sideways Stories From Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Back in third grade, I attended a school that I wouldn’t say was exactly top tier. However, it was at that school that I started to fall in love with how powerful words can be, and I would have to say that has a lot to do with my third grade teacher at the time.
You see, on days that it was raining and we couldn’t have recess, or just when we had extra time at the end of the day, she would read us a chapter from a book. Wayside School was one of the very first books that she read to us, and I remember falling in love with the unique characters, the crazy stories, and the humorous tone that Sachar writes this series with.
Now, you might recognize the author because he also wrote a well known book called Holes. I had to read that in six grade, and I can’t say that I like it very much, but I can appreciate the story that was there. Wayside Story is just the better book to get a kid hooked on reading.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
After finishing the Wayside School series, my third grade teacher started the first Narnia book. She thought it was very appropriate because Disney was getting ready to release the first Narnia movie. If you haven’t heard of Narnia, it is quite an adventure story.
We were able to finish the first Narnia book by the end of the year, and then I watched the movie in the summer. I enjoyed it, because at the time, I related the most to Lucy, a young, curious girl with a big heart.
The Frog Princess by ED Baker
If you ask me who my favorite Disney princess is, Tiana’s name would not even make the top three. It’s not a race thing; it’s because I read this book series, which is the series that Disney based their movie from.
The movie is definitely clever and unique, but they didn’t totally stay true to the story. Since I read this series when I was in fourth grade, there’s a sense of nostalgia that comes when I think about the books. Tiana certainly has her merits, but Emma was so charismatic and adventurous that I can’t help but think of her when I see the movie.
Other Books for Younger Audiences
As immigrants who had to earn their keep, my parents were not the type of people who tucked me into bed by reading a story, if they did it at all. The result was that a lot of the easier books I liked, I read when I was older, or I consumed them another way. For example, PBS Kids used to have a program called Between the Lions about lions who lived in a library, and many episodes would have a portion where we were read a story. That’s actually how I know the story of Icarus.
Here are the stories I would recommend for younger readers:
- What Do You Do with an Idea? By Kobi Yamada
- Pookie and Tuska Find a Little Piano by Jorge (free on the iBooks store)
- The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
- One Lucky Duck by Alison Maloney
- Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin
- The Little Red Hen by Mel Helper
- The Emperor’s Seed by Demi
- Dr. Seuss books (I’m reading them now)
As a child, what was your favorite thing to read? Do you have a favorite fairy tale? If you didn’t read, how did you pass the time as a child?
I hope you’re staying safe and healthy in these trying times, and thank you for taking the time to read my blog. If you enjoyed what you read, remember to like, comment, and share this post. It really helps me a lot, and even more so if you subscribe. Thank you so much, I hope this helps ease your bordom.
Love Always,
Kristi My
Kristi My Dao 