I already wrote about our American History read-aloud books. The ones below were selected to match up with Connecting with History Volume 3 (mid-11th century through the end of the 17th century).
This year, First Son was in third grade and First Daughter was in kindergarten. Second Daughter (age four) and Second Son (age two) were often around at read-aloud time as well.
Adventures of Robin Hood (Classic Starts) adapted by John Burrows from Howard Pyle's original - First Son could have read this himself, but I knew the girls would enjoy it as well. I don't know how it compares to the original (since I've never read it myself), but we all enjoyed this book and it's appropriate for all ages.
Alfred of Wessex by Frank Morriss should have been first on our list, but I forgot about it. I own this for my Kindle and thought First Son would enjoy the exciting story of the king who fought off the Viking invaders, but he and the girls were all ready for it to end before we finished it. (This book is not listed in the Connecting with History syllabus.)
Saint Thomas Aquinas for Children and the Childlike by Maritain Raissa is a nice introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas for children, touching on much of his intellectual work. First Son could have read the words, but he understood it much better because I read it aloud and we could talk about it a little.
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli is one of my very favorite books. It's a wonderful book to read for early medieval England, but it's also a marvelous story of courage and perseverance all on its own. We listened to this one on an audio CD from the library and the children all enjoyed it immensely. Highly recommended anytime.
Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray is another one of my very favorite books. Separated from his father and his sweet dog, Adam is courageous and resourceful. He learns patience, perseverance, dedication, and how many wonderful people there are in the world to help a young man on his way. This is truly one of those historical fiction novels that are always worthy of being read, aloud or independently.
Madeleine Takes Command by Ethel Brill is the story of a young Canadian woman who takes command of her family's manor when it is under attack by Iroquois. It's recommended for the Logic level, but I owned it and thought it would be alright to read it aloud. It fostered some interesting discussions and the children were thrilled with the exciting story. The chapters were short enough to keep them eager for more.
With the exception of Alfred of Wessex, all of these books can be purchased from RC History, along with Connecting with History Volume Three.
The links above are affiliate links, but I received nothing in exchange for writing these reviews. I purchased all of the books above, and Connecting with History Volume Three.
