I just got an email this morning telling me some of our favorite books are on sale via Audible! The best part? You don't need an Audible membership, and if you have a membership you actually won't *want* to spend your credits on these, because all the books are under $4! I sifted through the sale offerings to find the best ones so you don't have to waste valuable time scrolling and wondering. We listen to these on the Audible app on my phone and stream them through a bluetooth speaker (I recommend a waterproof one, because you just never know..., or we use the Kindle Fire and stream through the bluetooth speaker.
For the littlest (under 4):
Beatrix Potter Classics - I'm guessing you already own a hard copy of this book and have read them with your kids - for the little ones, I've found that familiar books keep their attention better than new ones, and this is a great deal for such a big collection!
The House at Pooh Corner - This is another one where you probably own the book (or the whole series, I hope!) - I really struggle with the voices when I'm reading Pooh aloud, so having this as an audio book is a big plus. Now We Are Six is also on sale if you have a child who would listen to poetry all day.
The Beginner's Bible - Not specifically Catholic, and I don't love the illustrations, but my kids ADORE this when they're little and I never knew it was available on audio! We have the old hardcover, but it was recently redesigned.
Frog and Toad - One of my favorites for beginning readers, and my kids all adore these long before they start reading!
A Bear Called Paddington brings back lovely childhood memories for me, but I never *can* get Paddington's voice right...
Fairy Tales and Folk Tales:
A large part of our schooling in the early years involves reading beautiful fairy tales and folk tales aloud, and these are some really gorgeous ones with rich language. I love checking them out from the library but they can be pretty long to read aloud in one sitting when I have a lot of other things to do - if you need to take a little off your plate, these are good options:
There are quite a few Rabbit Ears tales on sale for only $1.95 each - East of the Sun, West of the Moon is one of my favorites! We love every version of Paul Bunyan we've ever heard, also.
This edition of Little Red Riding Hood is an absolute gem - gorgeous, and beautifully written.
History Stories:
The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence is packed with facts that are bound to stick with your children long past their history studies!
We love Jean Fritz history books - there are a few on sale right now, about the Gettysburg Address, Ben Franklin, and Plymouth Rock (I've heard that you should skip the Columbus book, though!).
Squanto and the First Thanksgiving is perfect for the upcoming holiday!
Historical Fiction:
The Courage of Sarah Noble comes highly recommended, and would go well with studies around early American settlers and American Indians.
Caddie Woodlawn is perfect for kids who loved the Little House series, but with a little more excitement!
The Door in the Wall is set in the 14th century, and the author has come highly recommended. A boy loses use of his legs, and has to overcome these obstacles in order to find his way in life.
It looks like almost all the American Girl series are on sale (not Felicity) - only $4 for ALL the books in each girl's series! Addy, Samantha, Rebecca, Kaya, Kirsten, Kit, and Molly.
Amos Fortune, Free Man will probably be better for older kids - Amos was captured by slave traders and brought to America in the 18th century. I haven't read this one yet, but it was recommended to me, so I recommend checking out the reviews and seeing what other people think of it.
General Fiction:
The Fairchild Family series is a favorite of my 6-year-old daughter - all four books in the series (Happy Little Family, Schoolhouse in the Woods, Up and Down the River, and Schoolroom in the Parlor) are on sale for only $1.95 each.
Henry Huggins is excellent for independent reading, and also a great audio story! It might get your reluctant reader interested in the series and eager to read the others.
My Side of the Mountain has inspired my kids to be way more outdoorsy than they otherwise might be! The sequel is also on sale.
Ginger Pye is by another one of our favorite authors, Eleanor Estes. If you have animal loving children, they'll love this!
Strawberry Girl tells the tale of an early 20th century Florida family trying to make a living farming and getting along with their troublesome neighbors.
Christmas:
Angela and the Baby Jesus is one of our favorite Christmas read alouds - we own the hard cover, as well.
The Christmas Doll is new to me, but gets such amazing reviews I'm definitely getting it and will probably add it to our Christmas book basket as well.
The Clown of God is another good one that's in our Christmas book basket, and I know more than one parent who can't get through reading it without crying, so an audio version might be a safe bet!
The Savior is Born: Morgan Freeman narrating the Christmas Story. Could you really ask for anything more?
The Steadfast Tin Soldier is a beautiful tale of love and sacrifice, and perfect for the Christmas season.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is such a funny, sweet story that the kids love to read every year!
Fantasy:
The Frog Princess is a fun, silly, light series for early readers. Magic, witches, and unconventional princesses will make your young kids chuckle!
The Story of the Treasure Seekers is by E. Nesbit, one of my favorite authors. I don't love reading her books aloud though, because they can get pretty wordy and my voice gets tired... Thank goodness for audio books!
Howl's Moving Castle is by one of my all-time favorite authors, and is a really fun fantasy story with a wicked witch, magic gone wrong, and strong personalities!
The Jungle Book is our current read aloud, and my energy is flagging... It's LONG! But such an exciting book.
That's all I have for now! I'll continue updating this list if I find others worth adding - leave your recommendations in the comments!
If you're looking for good independent reads for early readers, these are some of our favorites - you'll notice quite a bit of overlap with the audio books that happen to be on sale right now!
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