There’s something special about family read-aloud. The cozy evenings curled up on the couch, the little giggles over funny books, and the quiet moments that plant stories deep in our hearts.
Here’s the truth, though: I’ve struggled with read-alouds. We’ve got five little boys that are very active. The oldest will snuggle up and listen intently, but for the other four, each day is a gamble with them! Even so, the benefits of read aloud far outweigh the inconvenience of pushing through with rowdy boys! Read-aloud family moments have become the heartbeat of our homeschool, shaping our family culture while building a love for good books across all age ranges.
Even with the challenges, we managed to sneak in quite a few read-aloud books in our last school year.
- By the Shores of Silver Lake – Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Farmer Boy – Laura Ingalls Wilder
- The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe – Chronicles of Narnia
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
- The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls
- The Wingfeather Saga
We have also listened to a large number of the Lamplighter books, which count in my book right now! I highly recommend these books for character and faith development!
As I plan and gain excitement for the upcoming school year, I’ve also been putting together our read-aloud wish list that will pair with our Gather Round homeschool unit studies.
I hope you enjoy dreaming alongside me as I share our read-aloud for 2025-2026. May they inspire your own family to read aloud!
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Why We Plan Family Read-Aloud
Choosing chapter books with young readers for the year is one of my favorite summer planning moments. I find that planning read-aloud alongside our Gather Round Homeschool unit studies is the best way to add depth while nurturing a whole family’s reading habit.
We lighten up our summer load with very loose schedules, so our summer read-aloud has been sporadic. However, read-alouds anchor our day with consistency and joy, so I’ve made it a point to add audiobooks to our routine when we are in the car. Lamplighter Theater and audiobooks have been our go-to this summer. It’s a great way to keep our momentum going without the pressure of adding another to-do during the relaxation of summer.
2025-2026 Homeschool Plans
You can view the entirety of our 2025-2026 homeschool plans here, but a major component of our homeschool this year is that it’s the first year we are going to entirely base our year around unit studies. We will be doing six unit studies plus two mini-studies for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Now there is nothing out there that says I have to pair our read-alouds with the unit studies we are doing. I could focus entirely on literary classics or Lamplighter Theater books, or any other number of book choices. Read-Aloud Revival has stellar resources.
Viking Unit Read Alouds
These titles will pair perfectly with our Gather Round Vikings unit and keep every family member engaged, from the young girl (although we don’t have one currently) who loves adventure to the little boy who dreams of ships and swords.
- Leif the Lucky by Ingri d’Aulaire – A beautifully illustrated fairy tale feeling biography that brings Viking exploration to life, perfect for all ages.
- Voyage with the Vikings by Paul McCusker – A young readers chapter book with adventure, faith, and a compelling question of bravery.
- Raiders from the Sea by Lois Walfrid Johnson – This series provides a great way to discuss faith and history through engaging storytelling.
National Parks Unit Study
This unit study is going to take us on a virtual tour of the United States through it’s National Parks. We are not going to be able to do the entire unit, so we may only get to one of these book choices. I’ll be using the remaining lessons in the unit as ‘fill in the gap’ unit when we don’t have something specifically planned.
- Grand Teton Stampede by C.R. Fulton– A fun chapter book series that follows a family exploring national parks, excellent for young readers.
- Mystery In Rocky Mountain National Park by Aaron Johnson – Adding a bit of mystery to our geography studies while learning about real locations.
US History Unit Study
My oldest son was the ‘picker’ of most of our unit studies this year and doing a history unit was one of his top choices! Usually these units are what is called a ‘mini unit’, but we will be treating it as a full curriculum choice. Our children are still young enough, I feel completely comfortable doing this!
- Blood on the River: James Town, 1607, by Elisa Carbone – A vivid, good book that brings Jamestown history to life with rich detail.
- Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims, by Rush Limbaugh – A funny, engaging, whole series that makes US History accessible and fun for the whole family.
Christmas Unit Study (The First Christmas)
Two years ago we read Jotham’s Journey as a Christmas Advent practice, and the kids still talk about it! Last year we and the Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, and althoughit was still a great read, I knew I wanted to get back to by Arnold Ytreeide’s books because of their richness to the Christmas story!
- Bartholomew’s Passage by Arnold Ytreeide – This book follows a young boy on a dangerous journey across Israel during the time of Jesus’ birth, weaving together adventure and faith as he seeks safety and hope. This heartwarming tale helps the whole family experience the anticipation of Advent while learning about courage, trust, and God’s provision.
Dinosaur Unit
Originally, we planned to leave this unit open to allow for gap room and flexibility, but we just couldn’t resist adding Knights vs Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan to our list!
- Knights Vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan – This funny book combines the excitement of medieval knights with the roaring fun of dinosaurs in a way that keeps the whole family engaged.
It’s a great way to add humor and adventure to our Dinosaur unit while also giving our young listeners something to look forward to during read-aloud time.
Ocean Life
At first I struggled to come up with some good options for read aloud with our Ocean Life unit, until I consulted our Gather ‘Round Facebook community. It’s wealth of knowledge over there!
- Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly– A beautiful heartwarming tale about a young girl and a whale, connecting hearing loss and creation care.
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Julie Verne – A classic adventure that ties in exploration and the beauty of the sea.
Creepy Crawlies
- How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell– One of those funny books that will keep the kids giggling while learning about courage and friendship.
- Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White – A classic reminding us of loyalty, life cycles, and the beauty of words.
Why Audiobooks Are a Lifesaver
As a homeschool mom, I’ve learned to embrace audiobooks when we can’t get to every page. I’ve heard all the research that concludes that you will get the most benefits from personally reading aloud to your children. I get it and I’m not here to argue the point. However, sometimes we need help. I would much rather utalize audiobooks than never commit to reading aloud as a fmaily.
Why Family Read Alouds Matter
Hopefully by the time the school year is done, we will have read 13 read-aloud family books. This is a lofty goal for a family with all boys ages 0-7, but I think it’s doable, especially with the backup of audiobooks.
Family read-alouds give us more than stories, they give us shared memories and vocabulary for meaningful conversations.
Hopefully my family read-aloud book picks for 2025-2026 has given you some inpiration, but if you need more inspiration, I recommdned stoppy by Sarah Mackenzie’s website called the Read Aloud Revival. It is a wealth of information!
More Homeschool Picks:
– Read Aloud Chapter Books for Kindergarten
– Our Daily Homeschool Routine
– Curriculum Picks 2024-2025
– My Honest Gather ‘Round Homeschool Review
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Let’s Read Together!
Building a favorite family library doesn’t have to be overwhelming. From picture books to huge chapter books, it all counts! Cozy up with a good book, read with your family and ask compelling questions afterward to get the discussion going.
Wether you have older kids or younger ones, read aloud is valuable. From picture books to chapter books, they all count and they will shape your family culture with stories of faith and value.
What are your favorite books for family read-aloud time? Share your read-aloud family picks below so we can add them to our list for next year!
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