In the age of Youtube videos and ‘Netflix & Chill’ it can be tough to get your kids to be interested in reading. One of the best things I remember growing up is reading books as a family; usually a chapter a night before before- unless the story was really good then we’d keep going! Here are series that are fun for children and parents alike:
Series of Unfortunate Events: ‘Lemony Snicket’s writing style is entertaining at any age. These books are relatively short, averaging about 200 pages. However, there are 13 of them so there is some longevity there as well. Part of the fun is the authors consistent plea that you not read on as it may be too traumatic. This of course piques your child’s interest to keep reading! Quirky characters galore, this series is sure to keep your whole family rapt to the Baudelaire siblings plight.
Harry Potter: Wether your kids have seen the movies or not, the book series are a good time for everyone. There’s a special nostalgia for those of us who grew up going to Barnes & Noble midnight launches dressed in costume, speed reading through the book and being exhausted the next day at school after reading all through the night. It’s hard to say if there will be a series that our kids will be as excited about as we were about Harry Potter. The closest thing I can think of in 2016 is a midnight video game release. With the upcoming release of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’, now is the perfect time to start the series. How else are you going to convince your son to dress as Dobby for the midnight launch?
Ramona Quimby: Ramon is a pretty ‘wholesome’ series that many kids can relate to. This is especially true when it comes to pesky older siblings! While fantastical adventure books are entertaining, Ramona books are about the every day kid and everyday kids thoughts. Reading books about ‘kids like me’ can inspire your child to pick up a book and put down the xbox controller a littler a little more often.
Chronicles of Narnia: The Chronicles of Narnia is a great story, if a little dark at times considering the allegory. The language may seem a little ‘dated’ but the story is one that kids can really get behind. Overall, this is the perfect series for the ‘read aloud’ family as it has a lot of concepts to talk about; which is a welcome break from discussing Minecraft.
Roald Dahl: Okay NOT a series but come on- Roald Dahl books are the best! Entertaining, a little gross at times and full of humor these books will inspire belly laughs through the night. Again, a lot of good versus evil, but infused with such silly, ridiculous moments in each story that it doesn’t tire. Story lines that might seem a little frightening – i.e. witches turning little children into mice- aren’t because the story structure, narration and characters are so quirky and silly. Also, Roald Dahl was basically James Bond before he began writing which makes him one of the coolest authors ever.
What are your favorite books to read as a family? Comment below!
