We have said goodbye to the age of seven, and in honor of that here are our favorite books for seven year olds!
(and here is favorite books for age 4, favorite books for age 5, and favorite books for age 6.)
- Gentle Ben by Walt Morey- This was perhaps MY personal favorite to have read to them recently. A believable, albeit fictitious, story about a boy and a grizzly bear in rural Alaska. There was learning, adventure, and character development.
- Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne – maybe this was my favorite. We have listened to the audiobook several times, but something about sitting down and reading this witty story brings it to life in a whole new way. It is definitely not a silly children’s book and every adult should indulge in the humor and wit. Reading it to a child is a good excuse.
- The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow by Allen French – we read this one when Judah was 7 and it is a story that has stayed with them. The story unraveled in an unexpected way for me (I hadn’t read the backcover!) and is truly a beautiful book on the middle ages. I wrote more about the book here.
- The Glassblowers Children by Maria Gripe is a beautiful, but dark, fairytale that showcases the bond between parents and children. We read it together and I was sensitive to not leave the book hanging in the tense parts (there are many).
- The Story of John J Audubon by Joan Howard – a lively book about the famed naturalist and artist. Wesley especially loved it and it was a springboard for his love of birds. (Another good one on Audubon’s life is The Boy Who Drew Birds.)
- The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson is a delightfully heartwarming story about a homeless man in Paris and a fatherless family that is struggling. We enjoyed this book as a read aloud.
- Enid Blyton – I have probably mentioned her in booklists of the past but she is a staple and favorite for budding readers! She has many books and series. The Faraway Tree and the Wishing Chair Collection are a favorite of the boys, as is the Adventure series.
- The Journey that Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden – we love the Rey’s work and this beautiful book was a fascinating glimpse into the troubles and trials this couple faced. It was a read aloud and we all enjoyed it immensley.
- Me and Caleb by Franklin Meyer – the boys adored this book so much. That’s the only reason it is on this book list – they absolutely insisted. It wasn’t my favorite, but their reactions to it was pretty fabulous. It’s a funny account of two brothers and their adventures and the boys talk about it frequently (and we read it a year ago!!)
- Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson (books 1 and 2 so far) – I started reading these to the boys (EVERYONE raves about them) and I just couldn’t do it. Paul was interested, so he picked them up and read them to them. The three of them have thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in the series. The story is imaginative and very creative. My struggle was the made up words, and fantasy isn’t my genre of choice. However, as Paul read it there were bits and pieces I enjoyed from it, such as this fabulous quote I shared on instagram –
“Just trust the Maker and … And do like your father would have you do. Do like me and yer ma would have you do. Don’t just follow your heart. Your heart will betray you.” – Andrew Peterson
