profile

Read-Aloud Revival

Our favorite books about kids in big families, updated 📚

Published 4 months ago • 1 min read

Hey Reader,

There are lots of reasons to love books about kids in big families.

For kids in big families themselves, there is just something special about meeting a character whose family is similar to their own.

For kids who don’t come from big families, books about big families can be an adventure. They tend to have great dynamics, because there’s so much action and so many personalities mixing.

Here are our best books about kids in big families.

A few new favorites from the list:

​Farmhouse​

One of our tippy-top favorites. This gorgeous book, told in one windy sentence that twists and turns, is a delight. If you like big-family stories like Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler or The Seven Silly Eaters by Maryann Hoberman & Marla Frazee, this book is for you!

​Mama Seeton's Whistle​

We love this picture book, featuring Mama and Papa Seeton and their four beloved children who can be wooed home with a whistle for cake. Not enough people know about this book. It's a delight!

​

​The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street​

When their landlord decides he's not going to renew the Vanderbeekers' lease, the five Vanderbeeker kids launch a full-blown mission to change his mind. Highly recommended for kids of all ages. A practically perfect family story that's first in a wonderful series. Meet the author, Karina Yan Glaser, in the RAR Premium on-demand library. Also wonderful on audio.

​

​A Place to Hang the Moon​

This middle-grade novel, set in WWII London and featuring three orphaned siblings, is easily one of the best novels we’ve read in a long while.⁣ There is the English countryside. And tea. And a mischievous boy named Edmund (yes! Edmund!), siblings who work together to get themselves through a rough patch, and a librarian you will fall in love with. ⁣There are bookish references galore. ⁣

⁣Read it aloud to all ages (probably 7+ will enjoy it most). Or just read it yourself! It’s an utter delight.

You know where to find the rest! Head here to see them all and to grab the free printable list.​

xo, The RAR Team

Read-Aloud Revival

For homeschooling mamas who want their whole family to fall in love with books. Join 135,000 email subscribers, and get Sarah Mackenzie's best tips and book recommendations in your inbox each week.

Read more from Read-Aloud Revival

Hi Reader, This spring, I took some of my kids to London and Stratford-upon-Avon. It was "research" for Shakespeare Summer. Obviously. 😏 It was also loads of fun. Wanna see a few pictures? If you haven't heard all the buzz about Shakespeare Summer yet, head here to see what we're so excited about! Give us 6 weeks, and we'll turn your whole family into Shakespeare fans! I can alllllmost guarantee it. 😏 xo, Sarah Mackenzie P. S. Here are a few quick answers to your questions about Shakespeare...

5 days ago • 1 min read

Hi Reader, This week, one of my very favorite authors returns to Read-Aloud Revival! You know him as the author of Sweep, The Night Gardener, The Vanished Kingdom series (Peter Nimble), and The Fabled Stables series. That’s right–Jonathan Auxier is back! This time, we’re talking about the much-awaited conclusion to The Vanished Kingdom series, The War of the Maps. We delve into the guiding questions he explores during the writing process and how each of these questions becomes a doorway for...

12 days ago • 1 min read

Hi Reader, One of my favorite reads of 2024 was The Myth Makers by John Hendrix. This gorgeous graphic novel tells the story of the remarkable friendship between C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I thought I already knew quite a bit about these Inklings, but it turned out there was more to uncover. This week, I’m delighted to share my conversation with John Hendrix. During our chat, we dove into his research and writing process, exploring how the threads of The Myth Makers came together. Jon...

26 days ago • 1 min read