This week, we're celebrating World Read Aloud Day, a holiday dedicated to the joy and power of reading aloud! To help us get in the spirit, we asked our Scholastic colleagues to share what their favorite read alouds are! We received an incredible book list in return, filled with some beloved classics, as well as new books we can't wait to add in to our reading rotation. Here are just a few of the books that Scholastic employees love to read aloud:
Ballet Cat The Totally Secret Secret
"My favorite book to read aloud is Ballet Cat The Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea. I really have fun with the characters so whenever I read this one aloud to my kids they go crazy and laugh through the entire story...it's become one of their favorite read alouds. I'm even planning on reading it to my daughter's class on World Read Aloud Day this year!" - Laura B.
The Book With No Pictures
"My favorite would have to be The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak. It get the reader totally involved and gives you the chance to be creative. There is no way not to laugh while reading this book to a group of kids!" - Krista W.
StoryPlay Dinosaurumpus
"My favorite book to read aloud is StoryPlay Dinosaurumpus because when I read it to my 2 1/2 year-old great nephew he is sooo very cute at shaking his little bootie when he does the dinosaur stomp! It's a wonderful interactive read aloud story." - Janice G.
Giraffes Can't Dance
"An addition to my favorites is Giraffes Can't Dance, which is a fun story in rhyme that both adults and children of all ages can enjoy reading together. Wow, can't believe it was back 10-years or more, when this treasure was found in our own Scholastic store!" - Susan S.
Good Night, Gorilla
"Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann. When my daughters were little I'd read it out loud to them. It was the perfect book for making up little voices for each of the animals. An sounds for the pages that had no words. They loved it. My daughter just found our worn out board book and I can say tears came to my eyes." - Michele L.
Goodnight Moon
"My all time favorite to read aloud is still Goodnight Moon. I have memorized this book forward and backward after reading to my kids so many time when they were young." - Suzi Raymond
The Kissing Hand
"The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is a tradition in our house. Every September, the night before the first day of school, I read it aloud to my daughter. This year she'll be heading off to college-- and I'll be reading to her one more time before she leaves." - Ellen R.
Peppa Pig: Ballet Lesson
"My favourite book to read aloud is Peppa Pig: Ballet Lesson, because my kids love Peppa, and it gives me a chance to pretend to be British. There are a few fun French phrases thrown in there as well. Petit jeté!" - Cali P.
Runny Babbit
"I love to read aloud from Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein. I enjoyed reading Shel Silverstein to my children and now my grandchildren love hearing the poems too. But Runny Babbit is especially fun to read. The rhyming and tongue twisting and letter switching are a challenge to read and everyone wants to give it a try! By the end of the poems all the listeners and readers are laughing, even Grandpa!" - Ann V.
Sleepy Toes
"I love reading Sleepy Toes by Kelli McNeil (with adorable illustrations by Cori Doerrfeld) out loud to my toddler. One by one she has learned to say good night to her own toes, tummy, nose and so on and now pats each child on the page "good night" as we read together." - Elizabeth K.
Tikki Tikki Tembo
"My favorite book to read aloud is Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel. Aside from it being a great story to read, the name of the main character typically encourages kids to join in and try mastering the pronunciation. It makes reading aloud interactive and fun!" - Loribelle L.
Where the Wild Things Are
"My favorite book to read aloud is Where the Wild Things Are. When my boys were young they loved to join in when the wild things roared and when they gnashed their terrible teeth. It wasn't a soothing bedtime experience but we all loved it!" - Elizabeth B.
Too many to name!
"Asking me which book I like to read aloud is like asking me which child I like the best. They are all so delicious. But if I were to choose the one I like to read aloud the most, I would have to say I like to read the ones that make my audience do and feel the most. I want to read the ones that make my audience smile and laugh. I want to read the ones that make my audience get up and dance. I want to read aloud books that make me yell and move so that those listening can see the fun in the story, because that is what it means to read aloud. To share the wonder of the written word so that everyone can experience in some part how we feel when we read. That being said, the one I read the most lately is I Love You Night and Day. My 3 year old loves that one. :-)" - Tiffany H.
