Silly Books to Read Aloud

This guide differs in two ways from Reid's Read-Alouds: Selections for Children and Teens (2009) and Reid's Read-Alouds 2: Modern Day Classics from C.S. Lewis to Lemony Snicket (2011, both ALA) as it is written more as a guide for parents than for librarians. The books are organized by format: picture books, easy readers, chapter books (fiction), poetry collections, and graphic novels and manga. Some titles date back to 1987, such as Keiko Kasa's Wolf's Chicken Stew, but all of them are still available. Each annotation gives a detailed description of the book and a taste of the kind of humor it employs. It also lists any companion books (which may or may not be in print). No grade or age levels are included. While this isn't vital information when choosing a read-aloud, parents may want, or need, a bit more guidance in selecting an appropriate title. That said, when looking for something fun to read to a child or group of youngsters, this source will be used over and over again.—Renee McGrath, Nassau Library System, NY