Favorite Bedtime Stories, Part 2
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This is a follow-up post to Favorite Bedtime Stories, Part 1 and The Importance of Bedtime Stories.
So, your little one is growing up and ready for some more meaty bedtime stories, what do you do? You slowly move to chapter books by reading longer picture books and then short chapter books and finally dive in hard and heavy for the next few years :).
Moving up and up picture books

Bill Peet
Oh my stars, how much we love Bill Peet’s stories! You know him well, or at least his work, without knowing it. Bill Peet was Walt Disney’s greatest storyman! He was the only storyman in the history of Disney to create the entire story boards for a whole animated movie! And he did two of them: the Sword in the Stone and One Hundred and One Dalmatians! Go to www.billpeet.net to learn more about Bill, his life and his work.
As far as his picture books are concerned, they are longer, for a more mature audience, even if they will appeal to toddlers, most of them will miss the jokes and the funny side of the story. If you are in need of a good laugh, go for Bill Peet.
Some of our very favorites are Zella, Zack and Zodiac, Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent and Big Bad Bruce.

Fairy Tales
Fairy tales are also longer stories that make a nice transition for little people to more mature children. Their imagination is ready to accept the fantastic and to see the humanity in each tale. One of our favorite fairy tale retellings is the Ruth Sanderson Collection. Her retellings are spot on and her illustrations are absolutely stunning. We have enjoyed over and over The Twelve Dancing Princesses and Rose Red and Snow White. Another very fun thing to do with fairy tales is to read the same story through different cultural lenses. Cinderella seems to be a very popular story for that, you can find a Cambodian Cinderella, an Indian one and even a chicken one, thanks to Jan Brett.

Folktales
Similar to fairy tales, folktales are longer and stretch our understanding a little further. They broaden our horizons, enlarge our knowledge and most of them have a nice moral. I love to use folktale picture books, not just as bedtime stories but also as geography and cultural enrichment. Just like fairy tales they speak to the imagination and humanity of the child and foster wonderful conversations. Some favorites: American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne, The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship: A Russian Tale by Arthur Ransome, illustrate by Uri Shulevitz and Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel, illustrated by Blair Lent.

The Brambly Hedge series, by Jill Barklem
This is a great series to read to start transitioning to chapter books. Each book is a standalone, but they are all part of the same series and the same characters return again and again until you are well acquainted with them. These charming mice have all kinds of adventures, the illustrations are delightful and you enter into a world similar to Hobbiton.

Winnie the Pooh, by A. A. Milne
This is a chapter book, A.A. Milne has arranged each story as a chapter. It is the perfect introduction to chapter books. You can read one chapter (story) or two each evening, as there is a continuity to them that sets the stage for chapter books. Each chapter (story) is fairly short and so I can easily read 2 each evening. The most critical part of reading Winnie the Pooh as a bedtime story is the introduction of the continuity from story to story that sets the stage for chapters.
First bedtime chapter books

My Father’s Dragon, by Ruth Stiles Gannett
We have loved this one, a lot! It was one of the very first chapter books I read out loud to the kids, a new experience for me and for them. Growing up we had always read picture books out loud but never a chapter book, I wasn’t sure it was something that was done, so to speak. But my Little Guy was too young to read it himself and was so intrigued by the pictures that he wanted to hear all about it. So we jumped and read our first chapter book. From there was no turning back from that experience. We all loved it!

Little House on the Prairie Series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
From My Father’s Dragon, I decided to read out loud the whole Little House on the Prairie Series! That was one literary experience from my childhood that I could share with my children without any language barrier. Growing up in France, I had devoured this series and I can definitely blame it for some of my attraction to coming to the USA. Oh how much I loved revisiting Laura’s growing up years with my children. I have read the whole series, aloud, five times so far. It never gets old and its truths are self-evident and timeless.

Tumtum and Nutmeg, by Emily Bearn
We love this lovely elderly mousy couple! They are so British, so well behaved and so charming, they are simply irresistible. So much so that I even had to make Tumtum and Nutmeg for my Littlest One, to bring the stories truly to life. Again, wonderful adventures, straight forward plot but with enough twist that he keeps us all interested.

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis
My husband read those to our oldest children out loud and apparently left an everlasting impression. They loved having Dad read them their bedtime story instead of Mom. He was so involved in the story himself, that he really brought it to life, making each character come into himself.

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Another one my husband read to the children, and performed the songs! Which definitely brought it over the top! Mom can do voices, but definitely not sing. What can I say about The Hobbit that hasn’t already been said many times over? If you have not read it yet, what are you waiting for? This is one of the true gem of literature, immortal and unsurpassed.
Chapter books
And now you are in for it! There is no turning back. Here are a few more of our all time favorites, but it was very hard to pick just a few…

Heartwood Hotel series by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
Very sweet series. Great for all ages and could be a first chapter book with no problem. Friendship, loyalty, family are all in glorious display in these four little books. Girls and boys alike will enjoy them as adventure abounds. Delightful. And our latest chapter books read aloud.

Little Britches series by Ralph Moody
Often called the boy version of the Little House on the Prairie, this one hit close to home. We discovered it shortly after moving on our farm, not too far from Littleton, CO where the first couple of books take place. Beautifully written, it brings life on a dry Colorado ranch to light in ways that will stay with you forever. Another beautiful story of family and overcoming obstacles, this is one to treasure for the ages.

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson
Good versus evil at its best! Wonderful tales that will make you laugh and cry, give you goosebumps and courage. This is definitely for older kiddos, who are not too afraid of the dark. A not to be missed saga!
The Green Ember series by S.D. Smith

Rabbits against wolves, this adventure series will make your heart beat faster and your mind swirl into a new world, ready to fight evil at all cost. A brother and sister are separated from their families during a wolf raid in their warren; what ensues is an adventure that will keep you wanting more.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
That was the first chapter book I conquered in English during my second summer Stateside. I was so proud of having been able to finish it! There is definitely some of that attached to it for me. We usually wait until the girls are 10 years old for this one as the poetry of the language is better enjoyed a little older rather than younger. I can’t say enough about Lucy Maud Montgomery’s writing and heroine. I love them both dearly and so far all my girls have really enjoyed it. Well, except for The Contrary One, she had to be contrarian about it, lol.
This was so hard, y’all! How can you only pick just a few books when there are so many amazing ones! I will have to keep going with more recommendations for bedtime stories and for any time stories, as I have barely touched the surface of our favorite books to read together as a family.