Charlotte Mason Living Books for Preschool & Elementary
In her written works, Charlotte Mason challenges parents to provide their children with a feast for the mind by reading living books to them. In our fifteen years of homeschooling, these have been our favorite living books to read to preschool and elementary children.
What is a living book?
We want our kids to delight in a good story. So, how can you determine if what you are reading is a living book? Here are a few qualities I look for when choosing a living book for our kids.
- A book written as an engaging narrative that the child can easily tell back. (If a child naturally wants to tell back or imagine the story in play, it has successfully captivated his mind.)
- Quality writing rather than cheap, dumbed-down cartoon-style books.
- The content uses vocabulary that is above the child’s speaking level.
- Story captures the child’s imagination with ideas rather than facts.
- The narrative draws the child in to learn about other people, places, and historical events without them realizing they are learning at all.
Our Favorite Charlotte Mason Living Books
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran
Roxaboxen tells the story of Marian finding a deserted place in the neighborhood and making a town out of it. She, her siblings, and later on a few friends, collect old wooden boxes, bits of glass, rocks, and sticks, and make homes for themselves. As they grow up, however, Roxaboxen becomes less and less populated, until one day, adult Marian visits the place, remembering her childhood.
- McLerran, Alice (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 04/13/2004 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)
Christina Katerina and the Box by Patricia Lee Gauch
When Christina’s family gets a new refrigerator, her mother is very pleased. But all Christina cares about is the box, and even more importantly, how she can use it. She turns it into a castle for her and her friend, Fats Watson, to play in. When the box gets knocked over, she uses it for a clubhouse, and so on until the box is so used, it lies flat on the ground, worthless. Her mother is greatly relieved that they can finally throw away the box…but then Fats’ mother gets a new washing machine and dryer!
- Patricia Lee Gauch (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 04/01/2012 (Publication Date) – Astra Young Readers (Publisher)
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
A peddler has had an unprofitable day selling caps he carries on his head. He wanders away from the town, lying down to rest under a tree. When he awakens, his caps are gone. After searching all around the tree, he looks into the tree and sees several monkeys who have each taken one cap. As he tries to make them give his caps back, they imitate his movements, which frustrates him even more. However, in throwing down his own cap in resignation, the monkeys mimic him, and he gets all of his hats back.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Slobodkina, Esphyr (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 03/22/2011 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
A little house lives upon a hill, completely content watching the seasons change and pass all around her. As time goes by, civilization improves. She sees this as a new and exciting change at first, but as more buildings grow closer to her, she becomes scared. The family who once lived in her moves, and roads and businesses close in. Then, a granddaughter of the family who once lived there recognizes the house, and soon, movers come to move the house away. She is in the country again, on a hilltop much like the one she’d first lived on, with the granddaughter’s family living there too.
- Burton, Virginia Lee (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 44 Pages – 04/26/1978 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Harold draws anything into existence using his purple crayon. He gets lost in adventures from getting scared by a dragon to having to make a boat to drawing and eating pies. Deciding he wants to go home and go to bed, he tries to draw his home with the little window in his bedroom. But he just can’t get it right, and ends up making a whole city full of buildings, and buildings full of windows — but none of them are his window. He remembers his window always had the moon in view, and finding this, he makes up his room and falls asleep.
- Hardcover Book
- Johnson, Crockett (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 64 Pages – 09/29/2015 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel, Mary Ann, had been happily cutting through high mountains and straightening hilly roads for years. But soon, new gasoline and electric shovels began to take the place of steam shovels and they are forced out of business. Then they hear that a cellar needs to be dug for the town hall in Popperville. Mike and his steam shovel go to Popperville and tell the men that they can dig the cellar out in a day or it’ll be free; the men agree. Mike and Mary Ann do manage to finish before sunset — but they have not left a way to get out of the cellar. A little boy figures out a way that works for everybody, including Mike Mulligan and Mary Ann.
- Mike stays faithful to his steam shovel. Great read!
- Burton, Virginia Lee (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 10/12/1977 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
In this sweet story, the bunny wants to run away and try all kinds of adventures, but as he tells his mother this, she replies that, “I will come after you for you are my little bunny.” Finally, the bunny decides to stay at home with his mother. The Runaway Bunny is a great addition to the many books that portray spring’s beauty, as well as a mother’s love for her child.
- Brown, Margaret Wise (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 01/24/2017 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)
Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
The four little rabbits were told to be good while their mother went to the market. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail all did as their mother told them — but Peter did exactly the opposite, running to Mr. McGregor’s garden and eating his vegetables. Mr. McGregor almost catches him, but he escapes in the nick of time, and spends a considerable amount of time running from the angry gardener. He learns his lesson when he loses his jacket and shoes, barely making it home in time for supper, and staying in bed.
- We search for any book you like In Chinese, Russian and Spanish Service for Businesses, Individuals, Governments, Universities Any medium you choose, that is available Read, Learn, Research and Enjoy
- Hardcover Book
- Potter, Beatrix (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 72 Pages – 09/16/2002 (Publication Date) – Warne (Publisher)
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
After a long winter, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard search for a place to make their home. They lay and hatch their eggs next to the river. Mrs. Mallard shows the ducklings the city, from the wide river to the bustling streets. But when she tries to take her ducklings across the street, the cars make such a fuss that the policeman, Michael, runs over to help. He and the police stop the traffic so that Mrs. Mallard can continue to proudly show the city to her little ducklings.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- McCloskey, Robert (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 72 Pages – 02/01/1999 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)
Harry the Dirty Dog
Harry hates getting baths! When he hears the bath water running, he takes the scrub brush and buries it in the yard. One day, he runs away and discovers how dirty he really can get. When he comes back home, hungry and tired, his family doesn’t recognize him because of how dirty he is. To show him that he is their dog Harry, he has to succumb to the bathtub.
- Zion, Gene (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 01/24/2006 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)
The Empty Pot by Demi
In this folktale, a little boy learns how hard it is to make honest choices, especially when you’re all alone, but his integrity is greatly rewarded. This story has a surprise ending that will keep your little ones on the edge of their seats until the last page!
- Demi (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 09/15/1996 (Publication Date) – Square Fish (Publisher)
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
Swimmy lives in a colony of red fish. But he is different from the others; he is faster and is all black. One day, his colony is eaten up by a big tuna fish. Only Swimmy survived. When he finds another colony of little red fish, he creates a way for them to work together to chase the big fish away.
- Lionni, Leo (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 01/17/2017 (Publication Date) – Dragonfly Books (Publisher)
Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
As three hungry soldiers are marching along a road to a village, all they can think about is how tired and famished they are. But the villagers, upon seeing the weary soldiers, worry that they will eat all their food. So they hide it and give the soldiers none when they ask. The soldiers come up with a clever way of feeding the entire community by making stone soup, and everybody shares in preparing it and joining in the feast.
- Brown, Marcia (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 08/01/1997 (Publication Date) – Aladdin (Publisher)
The Mitten by Jan Brett
When Nicki asks for mittens from his grandma, she makes them for him, but not before she warns him not to lose them. But the next day Nicki goes out in the snow and loses a mitten. A mole finds it and creeps inside. Soon, more animals join, and the mitten stretches bigger. When a bear squeezes in the mitten, a mouse settles on his nose. He sneezes, releasing them all from the mitten, and when Nicki finds his mitten later, he shows his grandma how he kept both of them, while she is left wondering why one is so much bigger.
- We search for any book you like In Chinese, Russian and Spanish Service for Businesses, Individuals, Governments, Universities Any medium you choose, that is available Read, Learn, Research and Enjoy
- Hardcover Book
- Brett, Jan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 10/05/2009 (Publication Date) – G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
The Cow Who Fell In The Canal by Phyllis Krasilovsky
Hendrika the plump cow has never gone past the house or the windmill. Instead, she gives milk to her master, Mr. Hofstra. But one day while grazing, she falls into the canal! As she floats downriver, the townspeople stare and laugh until two boys pull her to shore and she walks along the town until Mr. Hofstra sees her and takes her home. But she doesn’t mind, now that she has finally seen the town.
- Hardcover Book
- PHYLLIS KRASILOVSKY (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 38 Pages – 10/17/1997 (Publication Date) – EGMONT UK LIMITED (Publisher)
Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne
Katy is the only kangaroo among her friends who doesn’t have a pocket for her son Freddy. As she sees how all the other animals carry their babies, she decides she must find a way to give herself a pocket, so she goes to the city and finds an unexpected solution that’s better than she originally wanted. Katy No Pocket is one of our favorite children’s books.
- Payne, Emmy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 12/01/1973 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
One of our favorite books! As a young girl, Miss Rumphius dreams of going to places far away as her grandfather once did. She travels the world from the city to great tropical islands, but is not satisfied. When she was young, her grandfather told her that to travel the world was an accomplishment not as great nor as important as “making the world beautiful”. Follow Miss Rumphius in this perfect book as she makes the world beautiful by throwing lupine seeds all about the town. In the next spring season the seeds grow into an amazing array of spring beauty.
- Cooney, Barbara (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 11/06/1985 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)
Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag
This is a fun book for young children, with simple, readable sentences for kids, as an old man and his wife live a quaint life out in the prairie. They wish to have a pet, and soon the man endeavors to find them a beautiful cat. But his plans change when he finds so many beautiful, happy cats, and can’t pick just one.
- Gág, Wanda (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 10/05/2006 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Corduroy is a small bear in a toy shop. When he hears he’s lost a button, he must go find it after the shop closes. When a police inspector finds him and puts him back with the other toys, the girl who told him his button was missing comes to buy him and takes him home to live with her.
- Freeman, Don (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 09/04/2008 (Publication Date) – Viking Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
Ox Cart Man by Donald Hall
The ox cart man packs up everything he and his family harvested over the year and walks with his ox and cart to the village to sell their products. As he sells everything, including his ox and cart, he buys the things their household needs for winter.
- Donald Hall (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 10/27/1983 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)
The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
As a train carrying numerous dolls and toys for children breaks down, the toys must find a train that will take them to the children on the other side of the mountain. This is a great picture book that teaches kids to persevere.
- The story of the blue locomotive who exemplifies the power of positive thinking
- Author: Watty Piper
- 48 pages
- Hardcover Book
- Watty Piper (Author)
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Sal and her mother are out picking fresh blueberries to can for the winter. Sal sits among the bushes and eats the berries while her mother picks them. A mother bear and her cub come to pick berries just like Sal and her mother. As they pick and eat the berries, both Sal and the cub get lost and mixed up about where they are and who their mother is.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- McCloskey, Robert (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 64 Pages – 09/30/1976 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)
What books would you add to this list?
Do you want to “spread the feast” for your child? The key is to enjoy good books together! Find a cozy spot in your home, snuggle with your child, and read your favorite stack of books together.
What books would you add to this list? Comment below and keep the conversation going!
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