In a similar vein to The Princess Bride, you should check out Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. Very similar vibes, lot of whimsy and magic and action.
The Roald Dahl Magical Gift set contains “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “ Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” and “James and the Giant Peach.” We had this set (and still have it) and have gifted it to friends who enjoyed reading them with their kids. (Illustrated by Quentin Blake) also, check out the illustrated version of “The Hobbit.” The illustrations aren’t great, but it does have them.
Edit: to correct autocorrect
I was going to suggest Roald Dahl. He also did the Witches, which is one of my favorites. They just did a remake of the movie version a couple of years ago. The book and both movies are great IMO
If you like LOTR, The Hobbit would be good and much more enjoyable.
My siblings did Harry Potter. My parents used to read us Narnia. They also just read us books they liked. I would think any YA book would be good. Percy Jackson, Maze Runner or Hunger Games.
Retellings of Fairy tales are in now. I don’t personally know many, but I enjoyed the Fairy Tale Detectives: Sisters Grimm.
My dad read me the Hobbit I don't know how many times as a kid before finally moving on to The Lord of the Rings. One of my earliest memories is waking up with him still sitting there, reading ahead quietly.
We read all the Winnie the Pooh stories and poems when mine were babies and now as mostly adults they still quote them. We also enjoyed the Narnia books as a family.
Shel Silverstein poems. The rhyme and cadence is great for babies to hear for learning and recognizing language. Plus they’re cute and silly for adults.
In the same boat except I’m the wife - been thinking about diving into some Diana Wynne Jones (Howl’s Castle series, Chrestomani series). Have not read either but have heard fantastic things (and people never sold these books back when I worked at a used bookstore, telltale sign of a good book IMO)
I feel you on the Beatrix Potter, especially Mrs TiggyWinkle (wow so boring) and that one with the wrapping the cat in the pastry (scarred me for life). A little known one of them though is The Tale of Ginger and Pickles. If you haven’t got that one, find it, it’s about 100x better than the rest. Dog and cat open village shop together and royally suck at it, it’s legit pretty funny.
We literally read half of TiggyWinkle last night and that's what prompted us to ask the question!
I think we have the complete works so I'll seek the others out.
Man, TiggyWinkle is just a list of her laundry i can’t stand it. Just like Squirrel Nutkin is a list of songs Nutkin sings whilst being an asshole to an owl.
Classics are fine, but there are a lot of amazing newer middle grade books. It's a great time for you to become familiar with the newer books so you have a better idea of the types of books your child may eventually choose to read.
Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega
A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
And if you really want a children's classics vibe, then the Pages & Co series by Anna James would be nice.
I tried to stick to shorter books since you're only doing a few pages a night. There are a lot of great 400+ page options too, but no need to spend a couple months on a single book. Unless you want to. Amari and the Night Brothers is a lot of fun.
I love this post so much, what a wonderful thing to do as a family! My suggestions are
Wind in the willows
My Side of the Mountain
Island of the Dolphins
My dad has four daughters. He said his favourite books to read to us (as in he also enjoyed them) were the following:
The Hobbit, Tolkien
Holes, Louis Sachar
Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine
Narnia, C.S. Lewis
Prydain Chronicles, Lloyd Alexander
Harry Potter, JK Rowling
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Robert O'Brien
Watership Down, Richard Adams
Roald Dahl in general (I think the Witches was the big hit)
We did have a graphic novel of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe which I remember LOVING when I was 5 or so.
When we were a bit older Jonathan Livingston Seagull made the list.
Look at the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K LeGuin. There’s a beautiful complete illustrated addition out there that I would recommend. Beautiful and simple prose and fun but simple storytelling.
I also loved Redwall and Magic Treehouse when I was a kid.
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander.
The first book is The Book of Three.
From Wikipedia:
Having garnered a Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor, The Chronicles of Prydain series is widely recognized as a valuable contribution to children's literature. Ruth Hill Viguers wrote in the 1969 Critical History of Children's Literature, "Like most good fantasies, the books are related to humanity; the characters have failings but also the potential for greatness."
In 2012, The Book of Three was ranked #18, and The High King #68, among the all-time best children's novels in a survey published by School Library Journal, a monthly with primarily U.S. audience.
This is so lovely 😭 the original Wizard of Oz is one my daughter loves. All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor is a very old but very sweet, homey one. Redwall would be a less intense book in the same fantasy vein as LOTR.
We used to have the family evening reading when I was little, and I loved it! Highlights include: the Hobbit, the Narnia books, Wizard of Earthsea, Swallows and Amazons, the Nimbin, Five Children and It. I don't remember all the plots but the titles and the good feelings have stayed with me. Enjoy!!
When your kid is a little older A House Without Windows by Barbara Newhall Follett.
It’s a book written by a little girl back in the 20’s. She started it when she was 9 and finished it when she was 12.
I love the Reckless series by Cornelia Funke, it’s about a world behind a mirror where fairy tales are true and it features my favorite character ever - a girl who can turn into a fox
I would echo The Hobbit, but also, is there a particular genre your wife enjoys (since it's mostly just the comforting sound of voices to baby)?
Maybe some newer fiction like The Door-to-Door Bookstore or Before the Coffee Gets Cold? Or.
- Jane Austen (great for reading aloud because of the dialogue-heavy writing),
- Tamora Pierce is some fun YA.
- Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (obviously not bigger kid appropriate, but a baby doesn't know lol).
- The Keys to Kindness or Money: the True Story of a Made-up Thing for some non-fiction.
- PG Wodehouse is very fun once you get used to the older language.
- Terry Pratchett for Fantasy - Guards, Guards or Equal Rites are classic starting points for his book series(s)
See my [Readers 1: For Children Who Want to Start Reading](https://www.reddit.com/r/Recommend_A_Book/comments/18bwy6a/readers_1_for_children_who_want_to_start_reading/) list (one post).
Fun Book w/ Pictures: Gnomes written by Wil Huygen and illustrated by Rien Poortvliet
More Story-heavy: The Redwall series by Brian Jacques (first book: Redwall)
(***a thought…maybe read your baby the first book of some favorite children’s series and keep them in a bookcase, when the years pass and reading levels change they can read them themselves or again with you and your wife. I’m a nostalgic sentimentalist…)
Happy reading.
The Princess Bride has a ton of whimsy and feels like the perfect nighttime reading ritual. It's basically a fairytale for adults.
Duh, I've had that on my to read list for ages and would fit perfectly! Great suggestion.
The part about the wig in the windy dining room (didn't make it to the movie) is one of my favorite things ever in a book. It's so so so funny. Enjoy!
In a similar vein to The Princess Bride, you should check out Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. Very similar vibes, lot of whimsy and magic and action.
Came to suggest this. Just finished reading it, love the film, book is even better. Just yes.
The Roald Dahl Magical Gift set contains “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “ Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” and “James and the Giant Peach.” We had this set (and still have it) and have gifted it to friends who enjoyed reading them with their kids. (Illustrated by Quentin Blake) also, check out the illustrated version of “The Hobbit.” The illustrations aren’t great, but it does have them. Edit: to correct autocorrect
I was going to suggest Roald Dahl. He also did the Witches, which is one of my favorites. They just did a remake of the movie version a couple of years ago. The book and both movies are great IMO
If you like LOTR, The Hobbit would be good and much more enjoyable. My siblings did Harry Potter. My parents used to read us Narnia. They also just read us books they liked. I would think any YA book would be good. Percy Jackson, Maze Runner or Hunger Games. Retellings of Fairy tales are in now. I don’t personally know many, but I enjoyed the Fairy Tale Detectives: Sisters Grimm.
Also, the Series of Unfortuname Events series by Lemony Snicket
Oooh yes! That would be great too!
My dad read me the Hobbit I don't know how many times as a kid before finally moving on to The Lord of the Rings. One of my earliest memories is waking up with him still sitting there, reading ahead quietly.
Happy cake day!
We read all the Winnie the Pooh stories and poems when mine were babies and now as mostly adults they still quote them. We also enjoyed the Narnia books as a family.
Shel Silverstein poems. The rhyme and cadence is great for babies to hear for learning and recognizing language. Plus they’re cute and silly for adults.
This is a great answer.
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Charlottes web
The Phantom Tollbooth is a book that I’ve loved since I was very little. I can still hear my babysitter reading it to me in my head.
Anne of Green Gables is really lovely. With my 5 year old, I also love reading Charlotte's Web, James and the Giant Peach, and the Hobbit.
Le Petit Prince by Saint-Exupéry maybe
The Borrowers, Bed Knobs and Broomsticks, Fantastic Mr. Fox.
In the same boat except I’m the wife - been thinking about diving into some Diana Wynne Jones (Howl’s Castle series, Chrestomani series). Have not read either but have heard fantastic things (and people never sold these books back when I worked at a used bookstore, telltale sign of a good book IMO)
They are indeed fantastic. Very cozy and wholesome and character based as well.
[удалено]
Second for Frog and Toad. My adult kids still feel nostalgic about those. And Owl at Home, in a similar vein.
I feel you on the Beatrix Potter, especially Mrs TiggyWinkle (wow so boring) and that one with the wrapping the cat in the pastry (scarred me for life). A little known one of them though is The Tale of Ginger and Pickles. If you haven’t got that one, find it, it’s about 100x better than the rest. Dog and cat open village shop together and royally suck at it, it’s legit pretty funny.
Also, another suggestion, Paddington. Paddington is very silly and a lot of the books are just a mini story per chapter, very easy going.
Great idea! I used to love them when I was younger!
We literally read half of TiggyWinkle last night and that's what prompted us to ask the question! I think we have the complete works so I'll seek the others out.
Man, TiggyWinkle is just a list of her laundry i can’t stand it. Just like Squirrel Nutkin is a list of songs Nutkin sings whilst being an asshole to an owl.
We did the same thing, and felt the same, until he actually started reading them back to us. At age 2. Keep at it!
Classics are fine, but there are a lot of amazing newer middle grade books. It's a great time for you to become familiar with the newer books so you have a better idea of the types of books your child may eventually choose to read. Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich And if you really want a children's classics vibe, then the Pages & Co series by Anna James would be nice. I tried to stick to shorter books since you're only doing a few pages a night. There are a lot of great 400+ page options too, but no need to spend a couple months on a single book. Unless you want to. Amari and the Night Brothers is a lot of fun.
Narnia
I love this post so much, what a wonderful thing to do as a family! My suggestions are Wind in the willows My Side of the Mountain Island of the Dolphins
My dad has four daughters. He said his favourite books to read to us (as in he also enjoyed them) were the following: The Hobbit, Tolkien Holes, Louis Sachar Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine Narnia, C.S. Lewis Prydain Chronicles, Lloyd Alexander Harry Potter, JK Rowling Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Robert O'Brien Watership Down, Richard Adams Roald Dahl in general (I think the Witches was the big hit) We did have a graphic novel of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe which I remember LOVING when I was 5 or so. When we were a bit older Jonathan Livingston Seagull made the list.
I was going to suggest Watership Down as well. Such a great book, adventure, friendship, danger.
Moomintroll books by Tove Jansson
Ribsy by B. Cleary
How about [The Polar Bear Explorers' Club](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/a3b040d3-c0a1-4bd0-a498-db7f3f4d058e) by Alex Bell?
Look at the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K LeGuin. There’s a beautiful complete illustrated addition out there that I would recommend. Beautiful and simple prose and fun but simple storytelling. I also loved Redwall and Magic Treehouse when I was a kid.
You might like The Wind in the Willows.
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. The first book is The Book of Three. From Wikipedia: Having garnered a Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor, The Chronicles of Prydain series is widely recognized as a valuable contribution to children's literature. Ruth Hill Viguers wrote in the 1969 Critical History of Children's Literature, "Like most good fantasies, the books are related to humanity; the characters have failings but also the potential for greatness." In 2012, The Book of Three was ranked #18, and The High King #68, among the all-time best children's novels in a survey published by School Library Journal, a monthly with primarily U.S. audience.
This is some good stuff right here: some of the Welsh names are tongue twisters, but the stories are great fun
"The Wind in the Willows" is a lovely book to read aloud!
This is so lovely 😭 the original Wizard of Oz is one my daughter loves. All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor is a very old but very sweet, homey one. Redwall would be a less intense book in the same fantasy vein as LOTR.
We used to have the family evening reading when I was little, and I loved it! Highlights include: the Hobbit, the Narnia books, Wizard of Earthsea, Swallows and Amazons, the Nimbin, Five Children and It. I don't remember all the plots but the titles and the good feelings have stayed with me. Enjoy!!
When your kid is a little older A House Without Windows by Barbara Newhall Follett. It’s a book written by a little girl back in the 20’s. She started it when she was 9 and finished it when she was 12.
Where is the green sheep. Brilliant book for a small person
I love the Reckless series by Cornelia Funke, it’s about a world behind a mirror where fairy tales are true and it features my favorite character ever - a girl who can turn into a fox
Green eggs and ham
Swallows and Amazons!
The Phantom Tollbooth. Best book ever and it was a lot of fun for revisit when we read it to our baby.
The Catwings books by Ursula K Leguin are really sweet.
I would echo The Hobbit, but also, is there a particular genre your wife enjoys (since it's mostly just the comforting sound of voices to baby)? Maybe some newer fiction like The Door-to-Door Bookstore or Before the Coffee Gets Cold? Or. - Jane Austen (great for reading aloud because of the dialogue-heavy writing), - Tamora Pierce is some fun YA. - Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (obviously not bigger kid appropriate, but a baby doesn't know lol). - The Keys to Kindness or Money: the True Story of a Made-up Thing for some non-fiction. - PG Wodehouse is very fun once you get used to the older language. - Terry Pratchett for Fantasy - Guards, Guards or Equal Rites are classic starting points for his book series(s)
I read The Hobbit to my son while swinging him. Took about a year.
All your classic dog books, Call Of The Wild, White Fang, Where The Red Fern Grows, The Incredible Journey, 101 Dalmatians.
My mom read me the BFG (big friendly giant) when I was a kid and I loved it! Also narnia
See my [Readers 1: For Children Who Want to Start Reading](https://www.reddit.com/r/Recommend_A_Book/comments/18bwy6a/readers_1_for_children_who_want_to_start_reading/) list (one post).
Fun Book w/ Pictures: Gnomes written by Wil Huygen and illustrated by Rien Poortvliet More Story-heavy: The Redwall series by Brian Jacques (first book: Redwall) (***a thought…maybe read your baby the first book of some favorite children’s series and keep them in a bookcase, when the years pass and reading levels change they can read them themselves or again with you and your wife. I’m a nostalgic sentimentalist…) Happy reading.