There's no better feeling than giggling with your children over a good book. If you're looking for new fun books to read to your kids, you're in luck. Take our suggestions and pick one (or more!) of these timeless titles to get the good times going in your home.
Why Should Parents Read Books Aloud to Their Kids?
Reading books aloud to your children is more than a fun bedtime ritual—it's proven to increase vocabulary, encourage reading comprehension, and foster important listening skills. Whether you love audiobooks and listen to the same story repeatedly or pick a different fun book to read to your kid each night, this simple addition to your daily routine is a game changer for your child's learning.
Qualities that Make a Book Fun to Read to Your Kids:
- Multiple characters with distinguishable silly voices
- Absurd problems that need solving
- Relatable settings
- Valuable lessons and morals
- Interesting topics
10 Books to Read Aloud As a Family
When you’re buying your July book releases, add one of these tried-and-true children’s titles to find your next fun book to read to your kids:
1. Escargot written by Dashka Slater and illustrated by Sydney Hanson
If you're looking for an interactive book for kids ages 4-6, you'll love reading about the adorable snail's hilarious adventures in the first of a fun series, Escargot. Escargot is a cute and whimsical French snail with two goals: to be your favorite animal and to eat the tasty salad waiting at the end of the book. There's only one problem: the salad has carrots—and Escargot hates those! With a little encouragement from you and your little ones, this little picky eater will maybe, just maybe, learn to try new foods.
2. We Don't Eat Our Classmates: A Penelope Rex Book by Ryan T. Higgins
With sassy and clever dialogue, brightly colored characters, and a hidden lesson about boundaries waiting at the end of this prehistoric-themed kids' book, We Don't Eat Our Classmates is a favorite for families everywhere. Meet Penelope Rex, an adorable young dinosaur who can't wait to meet her classmates. She can't wait to make friends! But that's easier said than done … and they seem oh-so-delicious!
Other Fun Books to Read to Your Kids in the Penelope Rex Series:
3. I Don't Want to Be a Frog written by Dev Petty and illustrated by Mike Bolt
Every kid struggles with self-acceptance at one point or another—and Frog is no different. He doesn't want to be a slimy, wet frog; in fact, he'd rather be anything else! When a hungry wolf who hates eating frogs comes to town, our feisty main character and his heard-it-all-before father are forced to have a lighthearted dialogue about what it means to love yourself. I Don't Want to be a Frog will have young readers identifying with the headstrong frog's desire to be something different, all while laughing at his hilarious schemes and wishes.
4. Bedtime for Mommy written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Any parent will tell you that getting your children to sleep is an uphill battle—but kids don't quite get it! In Bedtime for Mommy, the classic bedtime routine is flipped on its head as a little girl has to put both Mommy and Daddy to bed, complete with all the classic pushback we know so well. We recommend involving your children in reading aloud as you whine and put on your best kid impression to ensure endless giggles between you and your kiddos before bed.
5. Almost Everybody Farts by Marty Kelley
Farts are funny: it's a universal truth, especially for kids. In Almost Everybody Farts, each new page reveals a new and increasingly ridiculous character, from dancers to dragons and everything in between, who all admit they fart. That is, everyone except one: Mom! Indulge in a little potty humor that will have your kids rolling on the floor with laughter as they try to figure out if you're lying.
6. Unicorn Day written by Diana Murray and Luke Flowers
With dazzling, vibrant, glittery characters and a heartfelt message of friendship and inclusivity, Unicorn Day will delight the entire family. It's the unicorn's favorite day of the year! But, as they set up their signature rainbows, tasty cupcakes, and fluttering butterflies, they realize there's an imposter among them. Will they learn to welcome the outlier and continue the party? Reading this fun book to your kids is the only way to find out.
7. The Fish with the Deep Sea Smile written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Henry Fisher
From the same author who brought you the beloved book Goodnight Moon comes The Fish with the Deep Sea Smile, a new picture book kids ages 2-6 will love. Flip through colorful pages for an educational and calming tale featuring different underwater creatures as a father and his children go fishing around in search of the fish with a deep sea smile. (Don’t forget to get your tickle pinchers out when you get to the “terrible claws”!)
8. The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
From the mind of B.J. Novak, famous for comedic endeavors like The Office, comes one of the most innovative and irresistibly silly children's books the genre has ever seen. The Book with No Pictures is exactly that: pictureless. That means everything on the page MUST be read aloud—whether that's a ridiculous song about eating a breakfast of ants or saying increasingly weird words like "BLUURF." Soon enough, you and your kids will be bent over giggling at how absurd you sound—and who doesn't love that?
9. Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
It's time for the little red chicken's bedtime story! But there's one problem—she can't help but interrupt Papa to save the hapless characters of her favorite fairytales. With colorful and cozy illustrations and a charming, passionate main character, you and your kids will love adding Interrupting Chicken to your fun read-aloud book rotation.
10. The Wicked Big Toddlah by Kevin Hawkes
Toddie is not your average Maine-born baby—and by that, we mean not your average size! He's huge in a Clifford the Big Red Dog kind of way. That means huge diapers, huge baby teeth, and huge bathtime in the ocean. In The Wicked Big Toddlah, you and your kid can read through all of the important stages of a baby's first year—with a few minor twists, of course. Bonus points if you read it in the classic East Coast accent!
How Can Kids Benefit from Audiobooks?
Audiobooks are a fun and interactive way to enjoy any title, regardless of age. Audiobooks can help soothe during high emotions, increase overall memory recall, improve focus, and grow a child's vocabulary. Yoto Players are a kid-friendly audiobook option for enjoying fun books when you can't read to your children.
Everyone remembers their favorite books from childhood! Choose one of these fun books to read to your kids and bond over a silly yet surprisingly meaningful children's story as a family.
