Get your holiday BOOKed
Sure, I’d love to write a blog post with 10 recommended holiday reads and a word cap of 300 words. Easy peasy, I said. So, here stands 10 (plus 68) recommended holiday reads to bring laughs, love, adventure and empathy. There’s something for everyone (K-12)!
Here are some tips (potentially helpful for parents and boring for kids) to help you select and source suitable books:
Common sense media (CSM) age recommendations and Lexile reading levels are listed alongside books, when available. CSM offer a great guide for parents to quickly screen books (and films, shows and games) with detailed content warnings. CSM age recommendations are based on appropriateness of content, whereas Lexile is based on reading ability. Readers beware – CSM give detailed spoilers! Ask a grown up to screen the books for you because spoilers are THE WORST.
Free access to books is at your fingertips. Utilise your MBC and public libraries. Sign up online for membership with the State Library of Western Australia here and have an eBook or audiobook on your device in two minutes flat. Fancy that! Also, explore picture book “read alouds” on author sites and YouTube. There are tons of great finds just sitting there, all lonely, and waiting for you.
And now, to the books!
Start with Tabby McTat by Julia Donaldson
… or The Smartest Giant in Town. Or Room on the Broom. Start with those three, then Stick Man – which is the best. Apart from The Gruffalo, which is also the best. But then, The Ugly Five is next level. Don’t miss Zog. Obviously. And Superworm! Donaldson can be counted on to bring positive messages, whilst rhyming. The singing bits *must* be sung.
Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers
Age 5+ | Lexile 630L
This wildly underrated picture book is a household staple. Just buy this one. There’s a short story for each letter of the alphabet. Read five alphabet letters each night, in order or at random. Brace yourselves for J and K. Hilarious. Jeffers is a picture book genius.
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
Age 4+ | Lexile 230L
If you enjoy humour on the dark side, Jon Klassen can’t be beat. If you’re more amused than horrified, the ‘Hat Trilogy’ continues with This Is Not My Hat and We Found a Hat. Beautifully simplistic and proper laugh out loud funny.
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Age 4+ | Lexile 560L
The Lorax would have to rate as one of the most influential, and certainly charming, environmental cautionary tales of all time. Yeah, Dr Suess!
The I Survived Series by Lauren Tarshis
Age 7+ | Lexile 500-800L
Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Survival
A gripping introduction to historical fiction, popular with both primary and senior students. There are 22 chapter books in the series, covering tragic events such as The Sinking of the Titanic, Attacks of September 11, Shark Attacks and the Japanese Tsunami. War based titles, such as The Nazi Invasion, would suit older readers.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Age 8+ | Lexile 790-940L
Genres: Fantasy, Christian Fiction
A must read series. The end. Aslan, forever!
Note though: the language is old school. They’re perfect read-one-chapter-together-each-night kind of books. Maybe skip The Magician’s Nephew (prequel) and cut straight to the good stuff – The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad
Lexile 720L
Genres: Historical Fiction, War, Survival, Family
I’ve often wondered how Hitler persuaded his people to go along with it all. This emotional journey, from the unique perspective of an 11-year-old German girl, gives some insight into that tension and of the hardships many German children faced as victims of war. A courageous story of survival and the power of sibling love.
Holes by Louis Sachar
Age 10+ | Lexile 660L
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Adventure, Classics, Humour
Stanley, 14, is booted off to a boys’ detention centre to dig holes. Not keen to invest in a book about holes? Just give it 5 pages. Holey Moley!
The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan
Age 11+ | Lexile 700-900L
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure
The 13 novels in this epic series accrue over 400,000 five star reviews on goodreads. Set in a medieval world, with battles, clever strategies, cunning plots and inspiring characters bound to keep you staying up late for one more chapter.
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Age 13+ | Lexile 790-870L
Genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Retellings
If your heart races at the thought of twisted tales, and you’re interested in mixing that up with some dystopian sci-fi, you’re in for a treat with Cinder’s cyborg Cinderella and friends. I had to push through the first few chapters, but then, oh my stars. A marvellous series for teens.
Dr. Seuss paperbacks are levelled according to their back cover colours, with yellow backs being the most advanced for fluent readers. Read these 14 yellow backs during the term break, visit the primary library on the first week back, pass a quiz, then score a certificate, a high five from an excited library lady, PLUS (I know… what more could you possibly want?) go in the draw for a Seussy prize pack.
All these books are available on Apple’s Dr. Seuss Treasury App – which is free for 7 days. Can you read 14 books in 7 days? What’s that you say? Yes, too easy. Why are you setting us such an EASY challenge, Mrs Power?! Good to hear. Get at it.
So, there we have it. Ten Seventy-eight recommended reads, just scraping into the 300 431 word cap. Thanks for hanging in there. If you read any of these gems, please make our day and pop by the Primary or Senior libraries to chat about them with us.
If you read them all, I might give you a million dollars.
Fine print: I 100% won’t be giving you a million dollars, but just think how much smarter you’d be after reading all those books! You know you want to.
Happy reading!
Louise Power | Primary School Library Officer
