An essential element in reading aloud is what you choose to read. Some readers are new parents or teachers, and others are veterans to the experience; some are looking for books they remember as a child, and others are seeking new titles. 

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The Read-Aloud Handbook, Eighth Edition, contains an updated treasury of book recommendations curated with an eye for diversity. There are eight categories, and all books are listed alphabetically by title (the author-illustrator index at the end of The Read-Aloud Handbook will also help you locate books).

With each major title, I’ve included a listening level. Thus, when you read “K–2,” that refers to the grade level at which the child could hear and understand the story; it is not the reading level of the book. In the book’s summary section, related titles are sometimes listed.