Looking for something your whole family can enjoy? Try some of these chapter books as read-alouds that are great for all ages.

   

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo This book recounts the adventures of Despereaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

   

Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes The disappearance of a new puppy named Ginger and the appearance of a mysterious man in a mustard yellow hat bring excitement into the lives of the Pye children. This one also has a sequel, Pinky Pye.

     

The True Blue Scouts of the Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Applet Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn, ancient Sugar Man, and his raccoon-brother Swamp Scouts Bingo and J'miah try to save Bayou Tourterelle from feral pigs Clydine and Buzzie, greedy Sunny Boy Beaucoup, and world-class alligator wrestler and would-be land developer Jaeger Stitch.

 

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl A young boy escapes from two wicked aunts and embarks on a series of adventures with six large insects he meets inside a giant peach. Other books by Roald Dahl (The BFG, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) are also great for any age.

   

Knee Knock Rise by Natalie Babbitt From the moment young Egan arrives in Instep, he senses the spell cast over the villagers by the Megrimum--the mysterious something that lurks on the mist-wreathed peak of Kneeknock Rise and soon he is climbing the peak for answers. Search for Delicious and Jack Plank Tells Tales are also great books by this author.

   

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary When a reckless young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy in room 215 of the Mountain View Inn and discovers the joys of motorcycling, many amazing adventures ensue. This is part of a trilogy, which includes Runaway Ralph and Raplh S. Mouse.

   

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren This series of books folloes the escapades of a funny and fiesty little girl who lives with a horse and a monkey--but without any parents--at the edge of a Swedish village.

     

Gooseberry Park by Cynthia Rylant When a storm separates Stumpy the squirrel from her newborn babies, her animal friends Kona the dog, Murray the bat, and Gwendolyn the hermit crab come to the rescue.

   

Bunnicula by James Howe Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire. The adventures of Harold, Chester, and Bunnicula are followed in several other books by the same author.

   

Half Magic by Edward Eager Four children looking forward to an ordinary summer enjoy a series of fantastic adventures by wishing on an ancient coin. But this coin does not just give any wish…it only gives half of what you wish for!

   

Cricket in Times Square by George Selden After Chester lands in the Times Square subway station, he makes himself comfortable in a nearby newsstand. There, he has the good fortune to make three new friends: Mario, a little boy whose parents run the falling newsstand, Tucker, a fast-talking Broadway mouse, and Tucker's sidekick, Harry the Cat.

   

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O’Brien With nowhere else to turn, a field mouse asks the clever escaped lab rats living under the rosebush to help save her son, who lies in the path of the farmer's tractor, too ill to be moved.

   

The Adventures of Nanny Piggins by R.A Spratt Nanny Piggins answers stingy Mr. Green's ad for a nanny and takes on his three children, filling their days with fun, adventure, sweets, and love. Be sure to check out the sequel, too!

   

Poppy by Avi Poppy, a deer mouse, urges her family to move next to a field of corn big enough to feed them all forever, but Mr. Ocax, a terrifying owl, has other ideas. This is the first in a six book series.

   

Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkines Six stories relate the adventures of three best friends, who happen to be toys. This is the first in a trilogy.

   

The Doll People by Ann Martin A family of porcelain dolls that has lived in the same house for one hundred years is taken aback when a new family of plastic dolls arrives and doesn't follow The Doll Code of Honor.

   

The Borrowers by Mary Norton Miniature people who live in an old country house by borrowing things from the humans are forced to emigrate from their home under the clock when they are discovered by the humans living around them. There are several more in this series.

   

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards With help from an eccentric professor in giving their imaginations special intensive training, three children succeed in locating the last of the great Whangdoodles and granting his heart's desire.

   

The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith In 1930, on the coast of Scotland, eight-year-old Kirstie finds a large egg which hatches into an unusual sea creature, and as he grows her family must decide what to do with him. This author has many other books that are perfect for all ages, including Babe, A Mouse Called Wolf, and Lady Lollipop.

   

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carsen Levine At her birth, Ella of Frell was the unfortunate recipient of a foolish fairy's gift -- the "gift' of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot for a day and a half, or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse -- once and for all.

   

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.

   

The Familiars by Adam Epstein Three young wizards-in-training are kidnapped by an evil queen and their familiars--Aldwyn the alley cat, Skylar, a know-it-all blue jay, and Gilbert a tree frog who can see the future--set out on a dangerous journey to rescue the boys.

   

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters, ages four through twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother.

 

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Warner Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are orphans. Determined to make it on their own, they set out to find a safe place to live. They discover an old, red boxcar that provides shelter from a storm. Against all odds, they make it into their home--and become the Boxcar Children.