Best Read-Aloud Classics for the COVID Crisis

Ever since my children were babies, I've read aloud to them at bedtime every night. Sometimes it's simple books on their own reading level, sometimes it's more complicated stories than they might read on their own. Here are a few of our favorites that you might want to work through during this COVID crisis.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Mary is a spoiled young girl born in India to English parents. Mary is orphaned and sent to live with her mysterious, stern, and hunchbacked Uncle Archibald Craven back in England. When Mary arrives in England, she is as crabby and antisocial as Archibald, but under the care of young Yorkshire maid Martha and Martha's nature-loving brother Dickon, after discovering another young resident who is just as spoiled and crabby as she is, and exploring a hidden garden, Mary learns to care for not only herself, but others. In the end, all the sad characters blossom along with the garden.

Bonus: there are several lovely film versions of the story (including a 1993 version  which features Maggie Smith as housekeeper Mrs. Medlock and one due out in 2020 starring Colin Firth as Archibald Craven) as well as a marvelous stage musical that is often performed by community theaters.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Pirates! Hidden treasure! X marks the spot! This adventure story will draw in children of all ages, especially because it is narrated by young Jim Hawkins, with whom the children will identify. At his mother's inn, Jim encounters an old sailor who dies, leaving behind a treasure map. Jim finds himself on a ship that is taken over by a pirate crew after the same treasure, and has many typical "pirate adventures" as multiple parties search the island for the hidden booty. Many of our modern images of typical pirates - peglegs and parrots, for example - come from Stevenson's colorful tale.

Bonus: It's worth either sneak previewing or following up with the Muppets' Treasure Island film. Tim Curry chewing the scenery as Long John Silver is worth the price of admission, as is the whole cast singing "Cabin Fever."

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

A semi-autobiographical story of a young girl growing up in the late 1800s, as her family travels across the country, settling in various places. The books provide a wonderful description of daily life during that time period, as Wilder details her daily chores, her thoughts about her family's adventures and travels, and explains the way people lived during that era.

Any one of the books in this series can be read independently. These Happy Golden Years was one of my favorites, but younger children may prefer some of the earlier stories, such as Little House on the Prairie itself, or The Long Winter. It can be interesting for children to discuss how daily, ordinary life has changed over time. Particularly during the COVID-19 isolation, it reminds us that many people in Wilder's day lived in remote locations where they only saw people other than their families a few times a year, and they relied on themselves and their own households for food and supplies.

Bonus: All nine seasons of the TV series starring Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert are available on Amazon Prime.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

The four Pevensie children are evacuated from their London home during the war, and come to live in a rambling old house in England owned by an odd professor. While exploring one rainy day, they discover the land of Narnia, which can be accessed through the back of a wardrobe in a back bedroom of the house. Once there, they finds themselves embroiled in a battle between good and evil, between the rightful king, the lion Aslan, and an evil witch, who has turned the land into a place of endless winter. With Aslan's help, the children lead the creatures of Narnia - humans, talking animals, fauns, naiads, dryads, and more - to victory over the witch, and taking their rightful thrones as kings and queens of Narnia. Some of the books follow the children into further adventures in Narnia, and others follow tales of new characters in the same magical world. The final book brings all the stories together in a bittersweet ending, as Narnia's world dies but the children discover an even better world ruled by Aslan and his father, the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea.

Another series of books which can be read piecemeal or in their entirety, this delightful fantasy series is a Christian allegory that can be read and enjoyed on multiple levels, so it's ideal for reading to children of varying ages. Littler ones will enjoy the books simply as adventure stories, while older ones may think about the deeper meanings and the parallels to Christianity. In either case, Lewis' glorious prose and use of language is music to the ears, no matter what age.

Bonus: Three of the most popular books, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Prince Caspian; and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader were all made into movies. The Silver Chair was in negotiations to be made into a film as recently as 2019, but talks seem to have stalled out. But don't despair! Netflix is currently in negotiations to create either a series or a feature-length film.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Dahl's fanciful story of a young boy who wins a chance to tour a curious chocolate factory with its even more curious owner - and some pretty curious companions - is a madcap romp. The book is odd in the usual Dahl way, yet not nearly as creepy as the Johnny Depp film version.

Bonus: Both film versions, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory capture the oddness of the original book, yet in very different ways. The latter may be a bit dark for littler ones, but the original, with its catchy tunes, is sure to be fun for all. Also, if your kids enjoy this book, they can go on to read the sequel, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, or any of the other delightfully off-the-wall books by Dahl, including Matilda; James and the Giant Peach; The BFG; Danny, the Champion of the World; and the lesser-known The Witches and The Magic Finger.

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

The story of the unlikely friendship between a little girl, a pig, and a spider is sweet and charming, but the ending can be a bit sad for a sensitive child, so consider your audience on this one. Be sure to find a copy that includes Garth Williams' marvelous illustrations. You've never seen so much expression on the face of a pig as you'll see on Wilbur's face in Williams' illustrations.

Bonus: There are several film versions available, including an animated version featuring the voices of Debbie Reynolds, Paul Lynde, Danny Bonaduce, Henry Gibson, and Agnes Moorehead, as well as a live-action/CGI version with the voices of Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Reba McIntyre, Kathy Bates, and Robert Redford, and Dakota Fanning as the young girl, Fern.

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Florence and Richard Atwater

Lovers of animals and silliness will love this absurd story of Mr. Popper, a painter who wished he had seen more of the world before settling down. He spends all his free time reading about polar expeditions and even writes a letter to the famous Arctic explorer Admiral Drake - who sends him a penguin. Mr. Popper installs the penguin in his icebox, and eventually ends up with a collection of a dozen penguins, which all have the silly adventures that penguins living in a suburban house could be expected to have. Parts of the story may feel a bit dated (you'll definitely need to explain to most children what an icebox is!), but Mr. Popper's wide-eyed delight and naivete is up there with Amelia Bedelia's, with an equal amount of charm.

Bonus: With the disclaimer that I have not yet seen the film, Jim Carrey did a film version that includes in its cast Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury, Clark Gregg, and Jeffrey Tambor. The framing of the story seems to be a significant departure from the book, but the silliness of the adventures is spot-on.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewall

A first-person account of a horse's life as he is traded from owner to owner, some better and some worse, this story is a fascinating look at how people behave - to each other, and to the animals they have power and authority over. Black Beauty himself has many insightful observations about human nature. Another book that can be read on several levels, I was surprised at how much my son enjoyed this book as well as my daughter.

Bonus: The 1994 British film has a cast list that reads like the "Who's Who" of British actors: David Thewlis, Jim Carter, Alan Cumming, Sean Bean, and Peter Davison, just to name a few. A new film version is due out in 2020, with Kate Winslet as the voice of Black Beauty.  The 1972 TV series, "The Adventures of Black Beauty," is available on Amazon Prime.

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Talk about silliness! The tale of an exceptionally strong and self-sufficient young girl who lives on her own with her monkey companion, Mr. Nilsson, and her horse, who makes friends with her young neighbors, Tommy and Annika, and has all kinds of silly adventures, including an encounter with some unfortunate burglars (which may or may not have been an inspiration for at least parts of the movie Home Alone).

Bonus: The list of film and TV versions of Pippi is lengthy: films in 1949, 1997, 1998, and 1999; TV series in 1969 and 1998; a Swedish TV movie in 1984; and a special episode of Shirley Temple's Storybook and one of ABC Weekend Specials.

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

A boy finds a cupboard that magically brings his toy figurines to life learns about freedom, responsibility, and caring for others. An interesting look at native American life from a slightly different perspective than we often get, as well as some sibling rivalry, friendship struggles, and family issues, this book is somehow light-hearted and very serious at the same time.

Bonus: The film is not easy to find (you might need to get it on DVD), but it's worth watching. Also, there are several less-well-known book sequels; however, they get successively darker in tone, so you may want to read them yourself before sharing them with your kids.


Other Read-Aloud Books Worth Checking Out
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
The Kane Chronicles series by Rick Riordan
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs
The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz series by L. Frank Baum
Holes by Louis Sachar
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
The Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Patterson
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate Camillo
Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss