America’s public K-12 schools should be filled with nonfiction books, good books to read for kids, books that are based on truth and fact that promote diversity of thought, expand the minds of our children and pushes them to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the world as well as nonfiction that allows them to escape to worlds that feed their imagination and creativity. The goal of the public school library is to enhance the curricular needs of the school.
There is only so much room on a public school bookshelf. That is why it is vital that parents and teachers use wise discernment when selecting the choices they present to children. With thousands of books to choose from, it can be daunting to decipher which are worthwhile. We have compared lists from some of the most respected schools and organizations to create a short list of good books to read for kids for each age range. We also included links to more comprehensive lists. With so many great selections for children and young adults, there really isn’t the time or need for them to read poorly written or inappropriate books.
Good Books to read for kids
There has been a great deal of focus recently on the explicit or inappropriate books available to students in schools. Again, it was necessary to expose authors, publishers, and activist librarians seeking to corrupt our children; however, there are thousands of beautifully written children's books that should be the focus instead. Here is a list of some of our favorite good books to read for kids.
Pre-K and Early Elementary
- The Children’s Book of Virtues by William Bennett
- Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
- Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter
- Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes
- Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
- The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
- The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
- The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen
- Aesop’s Fables
- The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
Elementary
- Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
- Classic Myths to Read Aloud by William F. Russell
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
- Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
- Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
- The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
- Stuart Little by E.B. White
- The Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber
- Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
- Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Intermediate
- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
- My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
- Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
- Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
- Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
- The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
- Misty of Chincoteague Island, Marguerite Henry
- Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Middle School
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
- The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
- Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
- The Canterbury Tales by Geraldine McCaughrean
High School
- All Quiet on the Western Front Erich Maria Remarque
- The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
- Moby Dick by Herman Melville
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra
- The Odyssey by Homer
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Links for more comprehensive lists
- http://www.clcawards.org/Best-Children-s-Literature-of-All-Time.html
- https://www.naplesclassical.org/academics/summer-reading
- https://logosclassicalacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/LCA-Reading-List.pdf
- http://www.jecanashville.org/literature-list/
- Liberty Common Reading List
- https://k12.hillsdale.edu/getmedia/84355dd1-7257-4cec-b848-5fe17bfed7b6/K12-Sample-Book-List-9-22.pdf
- https://twitter.com/RightBooks4Kids
- https://www.bfbooks.com/
- https://greatbattlesforboys.
com/
Recommended Publishers
RECOMMENDED PUBLISHERS-THE GOOD BOOK CHALLENGE
Tuttle Twins Books
Jam Jam Books
Big Sky Life Books
https://bushelandpeckbooks.com/
Chicken Scratch Books
Heroes of Liberty
Brave Books (use coupon code "FREEDOMINEDUCATION" for a special discount at checkout!)
https://greatbattlesforboys.com/
Freedom in Education's Good Book Challenge
Get started bringing a Liberty Story Hour to your local library
Community story time with beautifully written books read to elementary & middle school aged children and a related activity provided. Great for parents, grandparents or organized groups to read to children at the public library, school library, churches or community centers and parks. Use our list of good books to read for kids and the resources below to get started bringing a Liberty Story Hour to your library.
Request permission to hold a Liberty Story Reading Hour
Book list to encourage library purchasing
Liberty Story Hour Books & Associated Curriculum
Purchase Heroes of Liberty Books here
Did You Know?
5,800 K-12 Schools were gifted books containing Sexually Explicit or Concerning Ideological Content.
Help Us Counter The Efforts Of Organizations Determined To Fill Libraries With Sexually Explicit Material