The Best Books For Your Slightly Older Young Readers

Kids grow up fast, and as parents sometimes we can struggle with the reality of all the things they outgrow. When your young one has made it to grade school and has outgrown their classic children’s books, here are a few more classics that will be a bit more age appropriate.

Matilda by Roald Dahl. While Dahl has a number of timeless classics in his catalogue, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach, Matilda is perhaps the best starting point for young readers. The only one of Dahl’s books to make it to the New York Public Library‘s list of the best children’s books, Matilda tells the tale of a smart and precocious young girl who uses her wits to outsmart the often cruel grown-ups around her.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. Now enjoying a whole new level of success thanks to Disney’s recent adaptation, A Wrinkle in Time has long been a classic, and serves as a fantastic introduction to science fiction and fantasy for younger readers. The winner of the 1963 Newbery Medal, A Wrinkle in Time tells the story of a girl tasked with traveling through space and time to save her scientist father—and the world.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling. What list of classic books for young readers would be complete without Harry Potter? Nothing short of a cultural phenomenon, J. K. Rowling’s story of a young Wizard discovering who he truly is continues to be enjoyed by readers of all ages, and likely will be for many decades to come.

Looking for some family fun? Visit our online library at Readgrad for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.

Why You Should Let Your Kids Fail

It may be tempting to do everything within your power to help your kids succeed, but sometimes it’s important to let them fail too. Here are three reasons why.

It’ll teach them about the consequences of their actions. Were your kids too busy playing video games to study for their math test? It may be tempting to shut off the screen and sit down with them until they’re ready to ace the test, but letting them struggle as a result of their own actions will teach them that those actions have consequences, and they’ll definitely think twice about skipping out on studying the next time a test rolls ‘round.

It’ll show them that a single failure is not the be all end all. When you were learning how to ride a bike odds are you fell a couple of times. But did you quit? Of course not! You got right back on that bike until you could ride it like a pro. Your kids are deserving of the same kind of learning opportunity in all aspects of life, and it’s worth knowing that a single failure is nothing more than a stumbling block, and not an impassable barricade.

It’ll make success that much sweeter. Ask anyone who’s ever failed a driving test once or twice, when you do finally pass it’s almost like the best feeling in the world! Failure is sometimes inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing, it can serve as a sweetener for when hard work finally leads to success.

Looking for some reads for the whole family? Visit our online library at www.readgrad.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.