Reading Aloud in Children’s Ministry

Of all my years in elementary school, few memories are more special than of fourth grade when my teacher read aloud to us after lunch every single day. Every. Single. Day. Placing my weary 10-year-old head on my desk after lunch, I listened as she took my classmates and I to far off lands and into the heads of crazy characters. It was an absolute delight.

I carry on this read-aloud tradition for our closing activity each Sunday in Children’s Church. Armed with a fabulous local library, homeschool families, and my own personal library, I’ve been able to find a children’s book that relates to our weekly theme or point of the day of our Sunday school curriculum. The Read Aloud Revival podcast is a fabulous resource for classics and more recent, developmentally-appropriate read-alouds.

This is a short list of the books I’ve used so far over the last several months:

God wants us to tell the world about Jesus – Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson – Evangelism, Disciples, Missions
God wants what’s best for us – It Could Have Been Worse by A. H. Benjamin & Tim Warnes – Parting of the Red Sea & The Passover
God has a plan for Joseph – My Many Colored Days by Dr. Suess – Joseph and his life of ups and downs
God helps us make things right – Lettuce by Diana Kizlauskas – Jacob & Esau
God promises Sarah a son – Whatever You Grow Up To Be by Karen Kingsbury – Sarah
God keeps His promises – All Things Bright and Beautiful by Cecil Francis Alexander – Abraham
God gives us do-overs – Will You Forgive Me? By Sally Grindley & Penny Dann – Noah’s Ark
God wants us to listen – Listen Buddy by Helen Lester
God wants us to talk to Him – The Lord’s Prayer: Words of Hope and Happiness by Rick Warren – Prayer
God created us for a reason – You’re Here For A Reason by Nancy Tillman; The One, The Only Magnificent Me! By Dan Haseltine, A Porcupine Named Fluffy by Helen Lester – Adam & Eve
God made us and Jesus loves us – Maybe God Is Like That Too by Jennifer Grant, When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner – Fruit of the Spirit, Made in the image of God,
God created the world – This Is The Earth That God Made by Lynn Downey; Let There Be Light by Archbishop Desmond Tutu – Creation
Jesus loves us – I Love You Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt – All things Jesus
Jesus hears us – I’d Know You Anywhere, My Love by Nancy Tillman – Prayer
Jesus shows us how to serve – The Scarecrow’s Dance by Jane Yolen – Mary & Martha
Jesus wants us to be with children – God Loves Me More Than That by Dandi Daley Mackall
Jesus washes His disciple’s feet – Bloom by Doreen Cronin – dirt can be a holy thing
Easter – Easter Love Letters From God by Glenys Nellist – Lent
Easter – The Best Thing About Easter by Christine Harder Tangvald – Lent
Easter – God Gave Us Easter by Lisa Tawn Bergren
New Year’s – There’s Sno Gift Like Jesus by Michael Hupp – Jesus
Epiphany – Humphrey’s First Christmas by Carol Heyer – Wise men and camels
Christmas – Christmas Love Letters From God by Glenys Nellist – Advent
Christmas – Legend Of The Christmas Cookie by Dandi Daley Mackall – Advent
Christmas – The Grumpy Shepherd by Paddie Devon – Advent
Jesus deserves our thanks – The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet by Carmen Agra Deedy – Thanksgiving
Books for children grieving loss – Someday Heaven by Larry Libby, Someone I Love Died by Christine Harder Tangvald
Questions about God “What does God look like?” – Someone Awesome by Larry Libby – concrete thinking kid-friendly answers to all things about God; Tell Me The Stories by Max Lucado; Tell Me The Secrets by Max Lucado