As a homeschooling family, we read a lot of really great books, so it was hard to narrow down our favorites from last year. My favorite part of our homeschool day is snuggling under a blanket on the couch, traveling to a new land through the words of well-written books. Most of these are books we chose to read outside of our regular curriculum, but two were part of our Literature selections through A Gentle Feast.
My daughters helped me compile this list, so every book listed below is Elementary-Kid Approved. Here they are, our the best kids chapter books we read in 2021 (in no particular order):
Peacemaker by Joseph Bruchac — In November, my book club chose this to read even though it was Kid Lit because we were short on time. We met for our regular Ladies’ Night, but we also read it to our kids and planned our first ever “Kids’ Edition” of book club. I was blown away by the insights and questions a group of 7-11 year olds had over this story. This book tells the story of the Peacemaker and the Iroquois Nation and is an important read for understanding a little known piece of American history.
The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling — Written by the author of the famous Harry Potter, this is a sweet story of a little boy who loses his favorite toy and the adventures he goes on to try to get him back. We listened to this as an audiobook on our very long road trip to Georgia, and it made us feel all the feels. It reminded me a little of The Velveteen Rabbit—one of my favorite books as a kid (and even now). I laughed; I cried; I will add it to my list of favorite Christmas Books to read every year.
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk—I found this book when searching for chapter books about Cape Cod before our summer vacation. It is a fascinating tale of a baby who is set out to sea in 1913, and discovered by a fisherman, who raises her on Elizabeth Island. As the girl gets older, she begins to wonder about her family and she goes off on an adventure to see what she can find. For older elementary readers, this is a lovely book about what it means to love.
The Vanderbeekers Make A Wish by Karina Van Glaser—Truth be told, I haven’t read this latest installment of the Vanderbeekers series, but my daughters assure me it is the best one yet. It’s all about Papa’s 40th birthday, and I really should add it to the top of my TBR pile. I adore The Vanderbeekers, and I’m sure this one is no exception.
Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr — I will recommend this book over and over again. About a boy and girl in Norway, it’s a book that had our entire family laughing out loud. I will warn you that my favorite part of the book is also the saddest, but it is the most beautiful portrayal of death I’ve ever read in a piece of children’s literature. I don’t want to tell you anymore, because I want you to read it. It was, quite possibly, the best book I read in 2021.
The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood—This was a Literature selection for my 4th grader this fall, and we loved every minute of it. We learned about the Plague, about Shakespeare and Hamlet, and about early 17th century London. I love a good historical fiction book that makes you want to learn more. We read this together at the same time that I was reading Hamnet for book club, so that made it a little extra fun.
Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan—Based on a true story, this is a brilliant adventure story about Norwegian children who sneak past Nazis to hide nine million dollars worth of gold at the beginning of World War II. I highly recommend reading it snuggled up by the fire during these cold months of winter.
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr—Another Literature selection for my oldest, this is a heart-wrenching book about a young girl who dies of leukemia caused by radiation poisoning from the bombing of Hiroshima. It’s a story of hope, courage, and resilience; and one that sparked a lot of dialogue about the ethics of war and what it feels like to lose someone we love.
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz—My oldest chose this book off the library shelves, read it in less than 24 hours, and then demanded I read it. We had a great conversation about why books are banned, why I will let them read any book they choose, and which books to add to our reading lists. Any book that makes her love reading is a favorite of mine.
Winnie’s Great War by Lindsay Mattick & Josh Greenhut —We listened to this audiobook on a road trip last summer and I couldn’t hold back the tears at the end. This is the sweetest, most adorable novel based on the true story of Winnie the Bear (inspiration for Winnie the Pooh) and I just want to read it over and over again.
Did you have any favorite kids’ chapter books from 2021?
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