Whitefield Academy Blog
8 Tips For Choosing Read Alouds For Young Children

Do you want your young child to relish your reading time together? In her article, ‘What Is a Classical Christian Library?’, Whitefield Academy Librarian, Kris Guensche, suggests some guidelines for choosing read alouds that will ignite the imaginations of young children.
Mrs. Guensche states that our picture books are ‘meant to awaken children to the world of literature through words and illustrations which convey beauty.’ She goes on to say that Whitefield’s picture books are chosen because they ‘engage and inspire younger students to a sense of wonder and excitement’.
She suggests that a quality picture book does one or more of the following:
1. It conveys beauty in both illustrations and words.
2. It inspires a sense of wonder, excitement or joy.
3. It portrays good versus evil.
4. It demonstrates truth and consequences.
5. It shows right and proper behavior.
6. It teaches loving God and serving others.
7. It makes good use of literary techniques such as rhyme and repetition.
8. It tells a story that will appeal to a young imagination.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
by Beatrix Potter

Blueberries for Sal
by Robert McCloskey

The Quiltmaker’s Gift
by Jeffrey Brumbeau

The Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams

Be Nice to Spiders
by Margaret Bloy Graham

Whistle for Willie
by Ezra Jack Keats

Because I Love You
by Max Lucado

The Swan Princess
by Hans Christian Anderson

Sleeping Beauty
by The Brothers Grimm

Penny and Her Marble
by Kevin Henkes

Petunia
by Roger Duvoisin

The Cow Who Fell in the Canal
by Phyllis Krasilovsky

The Little Engine That Could
by Watty Piper

A Parable About the King
by Beth Moore

Chrysanthemum
by Kevin Henkes

Andy and the Lion
by James Daugherty

The Blacksmith’s Gift
by Dan T. Davis

The Baker’s Dozen
retold by Aaron Shepard
