One of the reasons why I think my dad is the best dad in the world is that he's always reading books aloud to me and my siblings. He's very good at it, and I've met some of my favourite books that way. One of my favourite things to do with my family is to sit around our living room on dark evenings while my dad reads some exciting book. I have also been reading aloud to other people ever since I learned to read, and I enjoy it immensely.

I think that reading aloud is important, for a couple of reasons. One  is that I've found I can sometimes enjoy a book more when I read it aloud. Maybe hearing the words, instead of just seeing them, helps me understand them better. Reading aloud can also be a good way to strengthen relationships. For example, before my family moved, my next-door neighbor was a non-Christian widow in her eighties. I became her friend by reading books to her, and that provided an opportunity for my whole family to serve and witness to her. Books, like most things, are best when shared, and reading aloud gives us an opportunity to share them.

So how's this for a summer project: Pick a friend or family member that you see regularly, and start reading a book to them. It can be especially fun to do this with your younger siblings (or children, if there are any parents reading this blog). Not all great books make great read-alouds, though, so choose carefully. Here are some read-alouds that my family has enjoyed over the years. Hopefully you'll enjoy them as well.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - Obviously.

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - Obviously, again; although I found it rather embarrassing to try to do Gollum's voice.

The Brethren by H. Rider Haggard - An exciting adventure in the time of the Crusades. My dad read two other great Haggard books to us, but this was our favourite.

The Cat of Bubastes by G.A. Henty - My second favourite Henty book. VERY slow at the beginning - I would recommend skipping the chapters about the Egyptian methods of hunting - but the pace really picks up after that.

The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne - I suppose I should say this is for the younger kids, but I think I enjoyed reading it more than my four-year-old sister enjoyed hearing it. It's hilarious, sweet, extremely well-written, and gives some rather profound insights into human nature. Definitely a classic.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - A must-read for young girls. Much better than the movie, naturally.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate diCamillo - A beautiful fairy-tale type of book. Most of Kate diCamillo's books make good read-alouds, but this is my favourite. She's so good at making a story funny and sad at the same time. This book is INFINITELY better than the movie.

Piccadilly Jim by P.G. Wodehouse - The funniest book I've ever read, as I believe I explained in my review last year. Wodehouse was a genius.

The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse - Our most recent read-aloud. Perhaps not quite as funny as Piccadilly Jim, but it still had us gasping for breath a couple of times. Ah, how I love British humour.

The Penderwicks and The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall - These are both wonderful books. They're a huge hit among ten-year-old girls, but my brothers enjoyed them too (they just don't want to admit it). There's some silly nonsense about crushes and dating in both of them, but nothing "offensive"; their virtues outweigh their faults.

Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson - A great survival adventure based on Homer's Odyssey. In my opinion, N.D. Wilson is simply the greatest living writer on earth. Is it a trend among amazing writers to use their first initials in their names?

The 100 Cupboards trilogy by N.D. Wilson - An amazing fantasy trilogy. The third book, Chestnut King, hasn't come out yet, but I'm sure it'll be worth recommending. As for the other two, 100 Cupboards and Dandelion Fire, you can read my ravings about them elsewhere. For now, I'll sum up in two words: Read them!

My dad has also read some non-fiction books to us, such as The Cross-Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney and A Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. Those are great books, too, but younger kids might have a hard time sitting through them.

I hope these suggestions were helpful. Have fun reading!