Children in kindergarten through second grade are learning what it means to learn. The North Carolina State Board of Education recommends read-aloud books for kindergartners and first graders that help children process information and make predictions and observations. One such book is "My Father's Hands," by Joanne Ryder, in which a girl learns about nature and gardening while working with her father in their yard.
Children also begin to develop a moral compass at this age, and the California Department of Education recommends elementary read-aloud books that support this development as well. The "Curious George" books, by Hans A. Rey, are entertaining stories in which Curious George learns lessons about correct and appropriate behavior.
Second grade students are beginning to master the concept of writing things down as messages or stories for other people. The California Board of Education recommends "Diary of a Worm" by Doreen Cronin, a story about a worm who records his day-to-day experiences in diary format, which helps them understand this idea.
The California Board of Education's recommended elementary read-aloud books for grades three through five help students continue to develop their comprehension abilities and encourage them to read and understand stories independently. Books like "Sideways Stories from Wayside School," by Louis Sachar, support both these ideas. Sachar's books are constructed of quirky and clever vignettes, and students have to pay close attention in order to get the jokes.
Recommended books for grades three through five also build on the moral development encouraged in the previous classes. Students are now old enough to understand and absorb "Aesop's Fables," which not only teach morality but also support the development of children's logical abilities.
Much of the language arts curriculum in this age range centers on introducing students to other cultures and comparing and contrasting those cultures with their own. Use "Doctor Coyote: A Native American Aesop's Fables," by John Bierhorst, as a companion read-aloud book to "Aesop's Fables." These stories are the Native American versions of the traditional tales. Read the two books together to illustrate the cultural differences.
Gifted elementary school children may be bored in school instead of challenged by the material. The recommended elementary read-aloud books for gifted children are exciting stories which children will love to listen to. They also are detailed enough to give students some educational benefits. The Davidson Institute for Talent Development (davidsongifted.org) recommends "The Phantom Tollbooth," by Norton Juster, which is full of complex word play; Terry Deary's "Horrible History" books, which present different time periods in funny and accessible ways; and "Artemis Fowl," by Eoin Colfer, which is the first book in a fantasy series about a brilliant 12-year-old. Each of these books draws students in and encourage them to seek out novels that entertain them.
One of the most important things that reading aloud to a child does is to teach him that reading is fun. The New York Public Library has a list of recommended elementary read-aloud books that do just that, including "Bunnicula," by James and Deborah Howe, "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH," by Robert O'Brien, "How to Eat Fried Worms," by Thomas Rockwell, and "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," by C. S. Lewis. All of these books are funny or exciting children's stories that will encourage young listeners to read in their spare time.