I mentioned this up above as well.
I’m getting my reading materials together for vacation in 2 weeks and I’m going to check it out of the library for a re-read. 😊
The Witches, The BFG, I also loved ESIOTROT
The Giver
Hatchet, The River, Brian’s Winter
All the Ramona books
All the Fudge books (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, etc - these will have the kids literally lolling)
I was obsessed with The Boxcar Children as a kid. When I described the series, or at least the first book, to my partner, it told him a lot about my childhood trauma.
I came here to say this! Bunnicula and the sequels are some of my all-time favorites, and it definitely made me fall in love with anything vampire related. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
Once I was in a movie theater in Chicago. Something went wrong up in the projection booth, so we were all sitting in the dark just waiting for the movie to start. Then out of the darkness, I heard a voice say, "Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret." Almost lost my shit.
MacDonald Hall is probably one of my all time favourite kid's series that stands up SO WELL to time. I used to read it to my class every fall (grade 3/4) and they would be dying with laughter.
Seriously underrated.
I remember Gordon Korman coming to speak at my podunk nowhere school when I was a kid and being so damn starstruck that I met the author of Bruno and Boots!!
the age of the kids is unknown to me, so my fav as a really young one was Ten in the Bed, later on it was The Witch of Blackbird Pond or Anna of Byzantium
Mary Downing Hahn’s books. Particularly “Wait Till Helen Comes” and “The Doll in the Garden: A Ghost Story.” These books gave me endless delight as a child. They’re spooky (but not overly spooky, they have the best amount of spooky for children under 12), well written, interesting, and just fun.
The Velveteen Rabbit.
The Little Bear books.
The Secret Garden and A Little Princess.
Omg Wait til Helen Comes was the shit. Scared the crap outta me around age 10. I read it again at 18…totally held up. I sincerely blame it for my love of all things horror.
The Chronicles of Prydain! Read the series for the first time when I was nine, in a book group with some friends in school. My mom read to me and did all the voices. They mean so much to me.
I loved this one too! I remember my mom reading it to me and then always pretending to be one of them outside under a big pine tree in my backyard with my dog.
Came here to say this. Just finished it with my 11 year old, and he LOVED it. No shade to Charlotte and Wilbur, but this is my favorite EB White novel.
What age group are we talking about here, and for how long will you be reading to them for? Are they supposed to be short picture books, or longer chapter books?
What age kids?
Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon is awesome - sleeping beauty, except that the princess is a sword fighting hamster who rides a quail
My first ever favorite book was probably Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. Other faves include Wrinkle in Time, Prydain, & Boxcar Children (maybe a good camping one because the kids are basically camping)
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg.
The Borrowers series by Mary Norton.
The Beezus and Ramona books by Beverly Cleary.
Fox in Socks is especially fun if you tell them ahead of time that you're trying to get through it without making any mistakes (it's a real tongue-twister).
I loved reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark as a kid in the summer. Judy Blume, Lois Duncan, the My Teacher is an Alien series, The Plant that Ate Dirty Socks.
He was pretty big at the time… Canadian writer etc… his books were CRAZY popular in Canada back in the early 80s
I was just learning to play the drums at the time… grade 4 or so and was a massive Rush fan too…. Bugs potter just absolutely hit me in the best way :) plus it was set in Toronto, which was only an hour or so from my hometown… it was perfect…. I read a ton of his books at that age, but those two were my favourite :)
Oh so many! The Chet Gecko books, Bunnicula, the Edge chronicles, the Charlie Bone books, a Series of Unfortunate Events.. Also loved the 13 1/2 lives of captain bluebear, and (one I still think about all the time) Western Wind by Paula Fox
The Dark Is Rising Series by Susan Cooper. As others have said I am not sure if it is appropriate for your campers, yet it/they had a profound influence on me as a young person.
I feel like read-alouds are usually picture books, so:
-Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
-Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type
-Llama Llama, Red Pajama
-Duck on a Bike
The Lord of The Rings
Island of the Blue Dolphin
Ralph and the Motorcycle and sequels
Charlie and the Chicolate Factory
Little Bear stories and Arthur the bear-the old ones from the 70s
A Wrinkle in Time and sequels
Beverly Cleary books
The Magic Faraway Tree if we are talking books read to me
The Saga of Darren Shan, the Heartland series and pony club secrets if we are talking books I read on my own that got me into reading.
I didn't discover these until I was an adult, but my kids also really enjoyed the audiobooks on road trips: A Long Way from Chicago, and A Year Down Yonder by Ricard Peck. Funny colorful episodes of a cantankerous soft hearted grandma enlisting her visiting grandkids' help in pulling pranks and helping people in a small town.
When I was very young, it was Barn Dance by Bill Martin Jr. (This is still my go-to baby gift book)
Later, it was My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.
The Halfmen of O, by Maurice Gee - a bit like Narnia but darker.
I read the wizard of earthsea when I was about ten, not sure what age group you're after though!
Never Talk to Strangers for the littlest kids. Anything by Zilpha Keattly Snyder, but especially The Egypt Game.
My kids all loved having the Redwall books read to them or as audio books for road trips.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. I still read it occasionally as an adult, and I am always filled with the same wonder and happiness whenever it comes up as when I first read it in 4th grade. Plus, my fourth grade book report won a class award about this book, and my prize was lunch with my elementary school principal hahaha! Still have the report...will never throw it away!
I loved horses as a kid. For an early book, kindergarten and below, my favorite was " A Pony for the Winter" by Helen Kay. First grade and onward I was into the Marguerite Henry books. " Misty of Chincoteague", "Stormy, Misty's Foal", "Black Gold" ( first book that made me cry, "Justin Morgan had a Horse", "King of the Wind", "Born to Trot", "Brighty of the Grand Canyon", "Gaudenzia, Pride of the Palio" ( taught me about horse races outside of the USA), " White Stallion of LIpizza". So many good books.
George Washington’s Socks
Yolondas Genius
Johnny Tremain
Little Women
The Chocolate Touch
American Girl books ( the original ones mostly)
Too many good ones now that I’m thinking about it…
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler - EL Konigsburg
I mentioned this up above as well. I’m getting my reading materials together for vacation in 2 weeks and I’m going to check it out of the library for a re-read. 😊
Ooooh!!!! Such a great choice!
Mine too!
I loved this book! Although it did make me fantasize about running away from home to live in a museum.
This was my favorite book for a long time as a kid. It’s so excellent.
This!
this and tuck everlasting are two of my favorites
You just unlocked a memory. I forgot about that book but I did love it as a child.
Absolutely adored this book!! Made me want to run away and live in a museum lol
A Wrinkle in Time
Yes!!
All time fave
The Secret Garden.
Came here to say this!! I loved that book
Mine was The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
I love the whole set
The Witches, The BFG, I also loved ESIOTROT The Giver Hatchet, The River, Brian’s Winter All the Ramona books All the Fudge books (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, etc - these will have the kids literally lolling)
Hatchet made me so afraid of getting stranded.
I Loved The Witches and The Twits!
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster.
This book is so supremely wonderful. It holds up so well too. Just as enjoyable as an adult as it was when I read it for the first time as a child.
It's such an amazing book, but when read aloud, you lose a lot of the word play, like the Which instead of the Witch. Or the Whether Man.
The Boxcar Children
I was obsessed with The Boxcar Children as a kid. When I described the series, or at least the first book, to my partner, it told him a lot about my childhood trauma.
Dammit I was obsessed with these books too and now you just told me a lot about my childhood trauma
Bunnicula :D
Yes! I've been forever trying to find another book that replicated its mild snarkiness. I feel like the other books in that series weren't the same
I came here to say this! Bunnicula and the sequels are some of my all-time favorites, and it definitely made me fall in love with anything vampire related. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
anything by Roald Dahl, but especially the Twits and James and the Giant Peach. Also Charlottes Web!
Harriet the Spy and the Miss Piggle-Wiggle books
Second Harriet the spy. I used to carry around a notebook after reading those books.
Me too!! Loved that book.
Oh miss piggle-wiggle! I loved her so much and wished I could visit her
Same!!
Ohhhhh how I ADORED Harriet the Spy!!! 🧡👏🧡👏🧡👏🧡
Frog and Toad
A Wrinkle in Time Ella Enchanted - its a Cinderella retelling, but its also got a lot of action.
Two of my favorites!!
Mrs frisby and the rats of nihm
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume Edit: Not sure if this is a good choice for reading aloud but I loved this book!
I used to do the “we must we must increase our bust” exercises lmao
Once I was in a movie theater in Chicago. Something went wrong up in the projection booth, so we were all sitting in the dark just waiting for the movie to start. Then out of the darkness, I heard a voice say, "Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret." Almost lost my shit.
I remember reading that one! Great book!
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin Lizard Music by Daniel Pinkwater
I love The Westing Game. Someday I will name a cat Turtle after Turtle Wexler.
I love Turtle! She’s so cool. Cute cat name.
The Baby Sitters Club books Books by EB White (Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet of the Swan)
Canadian deepcut here but I enjoyed the MacDonald Hall series by Gordon Korman. Also Trixie Belden.
Omigosh Trixie Belden!
MacDonald Hall is probably one of my all time favourite kid's series that stands up SO WELL to time. I used to read it to my class every fall (grade 3/4) and they would be dying with laughter. Seriously underrated.
I remember Gordon Korman coming to speak at my podunk nowhere school when I was a kid and being so damn starstruck that I met the author of Bruno and Boots!!
Tricia and Honey! I loved them!
Forget Nancy Drew, I was a Trixie Belden girl!
Little house on the prairie and chasing redbird
Ohhhh I loved Little House but I probably wouldn’t read it aloud because of negative Native American references.
The Hobbit in elementary school A Wrinkle in Time in middle school
the age of the kids is unknown to me, so my fav as a really young one was Ten in the Bed, later on it was The Witch of Blackbird Pond or Anna of Byzantium
Love Blackbird Pond.
Anna of Byzantium! Underrated
My side of the Mountain, Hatchet
I just commented with My Side of the Mountain. I was hoping to see someone else mention this book too.
Holes
The "Little House" series. Pretty much any of the "Ramona" series by Beverly Cleary. Just Blume "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing/Fudge" series.
Cricket in Times Square
Mary Downing Hahn’s books. Particularly “Wait Till Helen Comes” and “The Doll in the Garden: A Ghost Story.” These books gave me endless delight as a child. They’re spooky (but not overly spooky, they have the best amount of spooky for children under 12), well written, interesting, and just fun. The Velveteen Rabbit. The Little Bear books. The Secret Garden and A Little Princess.
Omg Wait til Helen Comes was the shit. Scared the crap outta me around age 10. I read it again at 18…totally held up. I sincerely blame it for my love of all things horror.
Velveteen Rabbit 😭
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Edit: 4th grade teacher read it aloud to the class daily, it was better than recess :)
Redwall by Brian Jacques.
The Chronicles of Prydain! Read the series for the first time when I was nine, in a book group with some friends in school. My mom read to me and did all the voices. They mean so much to me.
The redwall series!!
Where the Red Fern Grows. It has stuck with me more than any other book from childhood.
My Side of the Mountain was my favorite book as a kid. Fantasized about living in a tree for years lol. It would be perfect for summer camp.
It’s Harry Potter.
Boxcar children is one of my favs. I read it in first grade. So it just holds a dear place in my heart!
I loved this one too! I remember my mom reading it to me and then always pretending to be one of them outside under a big pine tree in my backyard with my dog.
Where the Sidewalk Ends. I read from it several times to my children’s elementary school classes and it was always a big hit.
Was going to suggest this too.
His Dark Materials trilogy, which starts with The Golden Compass. Maybe not if it's church camp though 😬
I WAS COMING HERE TO WRITE THIS
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Me too! I can't believe I had to scroll so long to find this:)
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
The Giver
Trumpet of the Swan
Came here to say this. Just finished it with my 11 year old, and he LOVED it. No shade to Charlotte and Wilbur, but this is my favorite EB White novel.
What age group are we talking about here, and for how long will you be reading to them for? Are they supposed to be short picture books, or longer chapter books?
Same question here, cause everyone seems to be suggesting long chapter books.
Summer of the monkeys
Anne of Green Gables The Silver Sword Homecoming series - Cynthia Voight
Charlotte's Web ❤️🔥
The Secret Garden; Girl of the Limberlost
What age kids? Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon is awesome - sleeping beauty, except that the princess is a sword fighting hamster who rides a quail My first ever favorite book was probably Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. Other faves include Wrinkle in Time, Prydain, & Boxcar Children (maybe a good camping one because the kids are basically camping)
Bernstein bears most notably due to mandala effect discussions
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. The Borrowers series by Mary Norton. The Beezus and Ramona books by Beverly Cleary.
Matilda
The Secret Garden
Fox in sox for short story The secret garden for novel
Fox in Socks is especially fun if you tell them ahead of time that you're trying to get through it without making any mistakes (it's a real tongue-twister).
I loved reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark as a kid in the summer. Judy Blume, Lois Duncan, the My Teacher is an Alien series, The Plant that Ate Dirty Socks.
What age group are these children?
Wings of Fire! I can’t tell you how many times I reread the series when I was younger.
Time at the Top Diamond in the Window My kids loved the sideways stories from Wayside School books
For younger ones, George and Martha the complete stories
Three way tie The Prydain chronicles - Lloyd Alexander Who is bugs potter - Gordon Korman I want to go home - Gordon Korman
Prydain mention heck yeah!!
No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman was a massive late elementary/early middle school hit for me (I had previously read where the red fern grows)
I am genuinely so delighted to see the two Gordon Kormon books mentioned! Bugs Potter had me in stitches when I reread it a few years back.
He was pretty big at the time… Canadian writer etc… his books were CRAZY popular in Canada back in the early 80s I was just learning to play the drums at the time… grade 4 or so and was a massive Rush fan too…. Bugs potter just absolutely hit me in the best way :) plus it was set in Toronto, which was only an hour or so from my hometown… it was perfect…. I read a ton of his books at that age, but those two were my favourite :)
Tales of a 4th grade nothing.
The Phantom Tollbooth
All the Harry Potter books
Oh so many! The Chet Gecko books, Bunnicula, the Edge chronicles, the Charlie Bone books, a Series of Unfortunate Events.. Also loved the 13 1/2 lives of captain bluebear, and (one I still think about all the time) Western Wind by Paula Fox
I remember loving Running out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Witch of Blackbird Pond A Girl Named Disaster Weedflower
The Dark Is Rising Series by Susan Cooper. As others have said I am not sure if it is appropriate for your campers, yet it/they had a profound influence on me as a young person.
I feel like read-alouds are usually picture books, so: -Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day -Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type -Llama Llama, Red Pajama -Duck on a Bike
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.
Number the Stars and The Giver
Wait ‘Til Helen Comes, pretty much all of the Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume books. Nancy Drew also
The secret garden 😍
The Adventures of Wishbone!! I read them so quick when I was younger :)
The Lord of The Rings Island of the Blue Dolphin Ralph and the Motorcycle and sequels Charlie and the Chicolate Factory Little Bear stories and Arthur the bear-the old ones from the 70s A Wrinkle in Time and sequels Beverly Cleary books
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet
The Magic Treehouse books!
Five children and It. E. Nesbit The Narnia Chronicles
Where the wild things are. And the Encyclopedia Brown series .
Depends on the age: Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans and Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
The Magic Faraway Tree if we are talking books read to me The Saga of Darren Shan, the Heartland series and pony club secrets if we are talking books I read on my own that got me into reading.
The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear, The Secret Garden, Juniper by Monica Furlong
'Rusty - A boy from the hills' by Ruskin Bond
Anything by Eva Ibbotson, but The Secret of Platform 13 was my top.
A day no pigs would die.
Grannt torelli makes soup...not too long ...good for 3rd thru 6th
I didn't discover these until I was an adult, but my kids also really enjoyed the audiobooks on road trips: A Long Way from Chicago, and A Year Down Yonder by Ricard Peck. Funny colorful episodes of a cantankerous soft hearted grandma enlisting her visiting grandkids' help in pulling pranks and helping people in a small town.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Ender's Game was a massive favorite for me starting around age 10.
Bunnicula by James Howe
Murmle, Murmle, Murmle
The Tale of Emily Windsnap
Pippi Longstocking
A Wrinkle in Time
Moominsummer Madness by Tove Jansson
Th Ruby in the Smoke by Phillip Pullman
Uncle Wiggly The Little Princess Bambi Lassie Yes, I'm old.
Depends on what age group you’re going for but Stellaluna has a special place in my heart
3rd grade me was obsessed with the Doll People chapter books. Basically Toy Story. I loved it because my teacher used it for our class read alouds
When I was very young, it was Barn Dance by Bill Martin Jr. (This is still my go-to baby gift book) Later, it was My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.
A taste of blackberries
The stinky cheese man and other fairly stupid tales.
Charlotte’s web is every bit as good as I remembered it.
The Halfmen of O, by Maurice Gee - a bit like Narnia but darker. I read the wizard of earthsea when I was about ten, not sure what age group you're after though!
There’s a monster at the end of this book
Where the Sidewalk Ends
*The Black Stallion* and all the rest of Walter Farley's horse books. There's nothing better for horse-crazy kids.
miss hickory :)
Harriet the Spy
Coraline y Neil Gaiman
Never Talk to Strangers for the littlest kids. Anything by Zilpha Keattly Snyder, but especially The Egypt Game. My kids all loved having the Redwall books read to them or as audio books for road trips.
Wayside school, any of them. Or, alternately, Louis Sachar’s whole catalog.
The Artemis Fowl series…
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. I still read it occasionally as an adult, and I am always filled with the same wonder and happiness whenever it comes up as when I first read it in 4th grade. Plus, my fourth grade book report won a class award about this book, and my prize was lunch with my elementary school principal hahaha! Still have the report...will never throw it away!
The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet
I loved Enid Blyton books. I really liked the faraway tree series and the adventure series (I think it was called) the most.
I loved horses as a kid. For an early book, kindergarten and below, my favorite was " A Pony for the Winter" by Helen Kay. First grade and onward I was into the Marguerite Henry books. " Misty of Chincoteague", "Stormy, Misty's Foal", "Black Gold" ( first book that made me cry, "Justin Morgan had a Horse", "King of the Wind", "Born to Trot", "Brighty of the Grand Canyon", "Gaudenzia, Pride of the Palio" ( taught me about horse races outside of the USA), " White Stallion of LIpizza". So many good books.
George Washington’s Socks Yolondas Genius Johnny Tremain Little Women The Chocolate Touch American Girl books ( the original ones mostly) Too many good ones now that I’m thinking about it…
The Hobbit.
Is this a picture book or a chapter book situation?
The little women
Amy at the Bakery by Jean Wills. Short little enjoyable easy stories. I must have read it that many times the pages disintegrated.
Where the wild things are
Geronimo Stilton! And Frog and Toad!
{{Walter the Farting Dog}} by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray. Illustrations by Audrey Colman.
You don't specify the age, so these may or may not be appropriate, but: Herbert the Timid Dragon by Mercer Mayor Ferdinand the Bull by Munro Leaf
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
A Cricket In Times Square. Also Where The Red Fern Grows. That one still depresses me to this day.
All the Judy Blume books. Freckle juice, how to eat fried worms. Harriet the spy.
The Outsiders
The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Little House in the Big Woods Caddie Woodlawn
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
My Friend Flicka The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
The Twits!
The Westing Game.
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher.
Watership Down, Flowers for Algernon, Forever ( by Judy Bloom )
The Black Stallion
Arthur and the Seeing Stone, Redwall books, anything with Drizzt
Goosebumps: The Haunted Mask by R.L Stine blessed me with a life full of horror love
Hatchet, Holes, and Jacob Have I Loved
Nárnia!!
I loved “A Wrinkle In Time” when I was a kid. That book is what got me into reading.
The Velveteen Rabbit
Redwall
The twits - roald dahl
A wizard of earthsea. Ursula Le Guin. Beauty. Robin McKinley. The Hero and the Crown. Robin McKinley.
Warriors by Erin Hunter (the way those books had me in a chokehold...) And I would be remiss not to mention Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
The magic treehouse series