Read Aloud Books for Grandparents

Family literacy is one of the biggest ways to bolster a child’s academic success.  Creating a connection between grandparents through books is a very special way to encourage bonding while they are visiting! If you are a grandparent in search of the perfect book to bring on your next visit to the grand-kids house or giving a gift, you have hit the jackpot here. This special post is dedicated to all the grandparents and great grandparents out to spoil their grandchildren… with books! Here is a list of read aloud books for grandparents to enjoy with grandchildren of all ages!

The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster

The first book today is a love song. The kitchen window is where a little girl has her own magical gateway to reach her grandparents.  This story takes you on a voyage of discovering all the joys of childhood.  It is enchanting to ride along to meet this very special Nanna and Poppy! It made me remember all the special times I had with my great grandfather on his lawn chairs eating secret chocolate and hearing old stories. Surely children and adults will find this a wonderful read.

Just Grandpa and Me by Mercer Mayer

The story is about Little Critter and his grandpa who go shopping together for a new suit. I love how Little Critter teaches his Grandpa about escalators and chopsticks. It is so reminiscent of  real life interactions with my own grandparents. We teach them how to use an iPhone or how to print from their computers, but the heartwarming bonds over teaching your elders is very relatable.

Just Grandma and Me by Mercer Mayer

Just like in my own childhood in San Diego, Grandma and Little Critter have a hilarious and fun beach trip. This story is guaranteed to make your child laugh with all the funny mistakes Little Critter makes, like dropping his hot dog in the sand and then washing it off in the ocean). Like any loving grandma, in this story, Grandma cheers for Little Critter even when his superpowers are not quite what he thinks they are. If you love the hilarious antics of Amelia Bedelia, this is also a book for you!

Off to School, Baby Duck! by Amy Hest

This was a favorite this summer with the grandparents since my oldest daughter entered Kindergarten this year. Just like any average Kindergartner, Baby Duck is a little nervous about starting school and Grandpa Duck helps him feel more brave. Grandparents will love reading and talking to their grand kids through all the questions they will have about school about making new friends, how to tie their shoes, and what kids of fun things will happen in their new classroom. This is a great book to read and then go on a special shopping trip for school supplies with Grandpa!

What Grandmas Do Best by Laura Numeroff

Grandmas, just like teachers can do lots of things, but children often think of them like mystical characters. This darling story has you smiling as baby raccoon learns that his Grandma likes to do the same things as he does. They paint together, go on a picnic, and dance like no one is watching. I love watching Grandma become a little more human for little Raccoon, but most of all, build a loving and warm relationship over their shared interests.

 What Grandpas Do Best by Laura Numeroff

An ode and celebration to all the wonderful tricks that Grandpas do. This was an enjoyable book to read as an adult as well.  The unique relationship that this grandpa/grandchild duo has is irresistible. A great way to encourage family dynamics that are blended with gender equality in the care taking of children. 

Cherry Pies and Lullabies by Lynn Reiser

This is heartwarming tale of four generations of women. Their family traditions are cherry pies, quilts, and lullabies. I love this book since in my family, apple pies are the tradition! 🙂 The love is felt as you see each generation make the traditions their own. They are not perfect, just like a real family has flaws, but the lesson in this book is to show unconditional love to each other. Lynn Reiser wrote this spectacular picture book, and if you want more,  she wrote an English-Spanish companion, Tortillas and Lullabies, Tortillas y Cancioncitas.

I Love Saturdays y Domingos by Alma Flor Ada

This bilingual book shares the story of a European- American and Mexican-American multiracial family.  The two sets of grandparents share their traditions with their grandchildren.  But as they do, they learn about each other’s cultural backgrounds.  A phenomenal story about tolerance and how sharing a love for a child can bring families together.  The key in this book to show how to affirm both heritages and bring joy to a child with celebrating all of the family backgrounds.

The Granddaughter Necklace by Sharon Dennis Wyeth

Similar to Cherry Pies and Lullabies, this story weaves through generations of girls. I loved reading this book with my daughter and my mom as it mirrored a lot of our own journey.  This historical story takes you to Ireland and back to Africa, telling the readers about a family’s journey around the world.

The granddaughter in this story teaches a great lesson in empathy. Its heart warming as you read about her standing up for herself for the first time. This refugee story is sure to resonate with so many families.  We watch as she has to leave the country she loves and family she knows to start over in a new country. She finds solace for her homesickness in playing the piano.

The important timeline of the story is focused around passing the family necklace of pearls. This necklace was not important because of it’s monetary value.  However, it’s emotional significance as a precious family heirloom had amazing and wondrous stories about each woman who wore it.

In Grandma’s Arms by Jayne C. Shelton

A board book for younger readers; this book is a classic tale of cuddles.  Grandma takes her child on an adventure of a lifetime, right from the arm of her story book chair.  They go around the world and back.  Truly a perfect book for any child longing for adventure.  

I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak

This board book will be perfect for your youngest readers or a perfect for a newborn gift. The story celebrates a very simple tale of unconditional love. If you buy the book on Amazon, it comes with  a teddy bear just like the one in the book, to go along with the book and further engage your little one.

My Grandfather’s Coat by Jim Aylesworth

If you love folk songs, this book will be a new favorite.   This book celebrates a family heirloom of a beloved coat.  It is passed through four generations.  The rhyming and fun text is sure to have you reading this book many times. The theme of storytelling through generations will pull at your heart strings though. I urge you to bring the tissues for this adorable story. 

Here Comes Grandma! by Janet Lord

Everyone loves when Grandma comes to visit!  It doesn’t matter if she has to ride on a train, ski down a mountain, or pedal a bicycle to get there. Here she comes! This book is great for developing book handling skills. Additionally, with the adorable illustrations and engaging text, this book is a sure favorite. 

Where is Coco Going? by Sloane Tanen

I love the thrill seeking gypsy character of Coco the Chick! She has my heart when I read this story to my daughter. We, too, love going on airplane adventures. Coco the Chick is full of wanderlust! She flies through the sand dunes, goes underwater swimming, and many other amazing experiences. The fun part of the story is that you don’t know where Coco is trying to go in her airplane. Every grandchild will love guessing where Coco will fly to next!

Me With You by Kristy Dempsey

“From tea time to game time, singing or swinging, in the good times and even the grumpy ones, a granddaughter knows her grandpa is always wonderfully himself, and she is wonderfully herself, and together they are unbeatable! A pair beyond compare, a rare and special two!  This book combines simple rhymes and charming illustrations. 

Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas by Cynthia Rylant

This is a wonderful duo of friends series. Henry and Mudge go on one of their adventures to visit Great Grandpa Bill. This story takes place in a retirement home. If you have ever been to one, you know when a grandchild comes to visit, everyone join in the fun. Their adventure helps all Grandpas in the story recapture their youth. The story is delightful.

This series began in the 1980s, so if you love Henry and Mudge as much as I do, there are a huge number of books on many topics for your young reader to relish and delight in.

If you need leveled books, Fountas and Pinnell’s system of Guided Reading has done the Lexile level for many of these books so your child can choose one at their perfect instructional level.

Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman

A surprise awaits these three grandchildren as they follow their grandfather to the attic. They learn their grandpa was a song and dance man complete with a bowler hat, a gold-tipped cane, and tap shoes. This Grandpa reminisces about his days of dancing on the vaudeville stage. He glides across the floor surely to delight any reader. The perfect book to illustrate you are only as old as you feel.  

We hope grandparents all over the world can delight in some of these titles. The inevitable bonding you share with your grandchild as you read is priceless! Click for a FREE PDF list of the books from this post: Read Aloud Books for Grandparents

Use this list to take to the bookstore, library, or pass along to grandparents as book gift ideas for your next celebration! Follow up your story with a special meal by reading Get Kids in the Kitchen: Teach Reading Through Cooking.

For even more read aloud books for grandparents, check out these brand new picture books for grandparents HERE!

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