Family Favorite Archives - ResearchParent.com

The Green Ember

Michelle — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:39:16 +0000

I read The Green Ember to my kids for the first time 8 years ago when my now-16 year-old was 8. Since my youngest 2 kids at the time were only 2 and 4, this past year I have decided to re-read the series aloud to them and they are loving it just as much as my older kids did all those years ago. It is a clean, wholesome adventure story with relatable characters, despite being rabbits, who you can’t help but root for.

The Green Ember Details

Title: The Green Ember
Author: S.D. Smith
Publication Year: 2014
Website: https://store.storywarren.com/
Age Group: Late Elementary, Middle School
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Honestly, I cannot believe that I never wrote a review for The Green Ember before given how much our family has enjoyed it. I did included it on the Best Book Series for Fifth Grade and I stand by that recommendation. These days, a lot of what my kids want to read has a very modern feel to it, which is not necessarily bad, but it does include a certain amount of potty humor or a bit of gratuitous sensationality. The Green Ember is nothing like that. It feels almost Narnia-esque in it’s wholesomeness. It is an adventure story, pure and simple, with surprisingly complex characters for a children’s book.

The characters are rabbits. That should be stated up front. However, it doesn’t feel baby-ish. My kids have a real sensitivity to anything that they think is too sentimental or unrealistically idealized. For example, personally, I loved The Vanderbeekers of 141st street, but I’ve never reviewed it on this site, because my older children found the way the kids related to each other to be unbelievable in the kindness and sensitivity that they showed to each other. (Of course, it’s always possible that those fictional children just had better parenting than my real-life kids.) Even though The Green Ember has a similar feeling of innocence and goodness to me, my kids did not react to it in the same negative way. They enjoyed this story and the characters.

I think the biggest strength of The Green Ember is the character development. The best example is that one of the main characters, Pickett, starts the series a bit surly. Granted, he’s just lost his family and is still too young to have much agency, but he deals with his issues the way a sullen, sulky teenager would. He automatically dislikes a perfectly likable character simply because he feels less competent and in control. This makes him a very relatable character to an audience of growing kids who feel like they are constantly being told what to do and just want more independence and to be taken seriously.

We are about to start Book 3 soon, and I am loving re-reading this series with my youngest two kids who don’t remember the first time I read it aloud. If have kids between the ages of about 7 and 12, this could be a lovely bonding experience for you. I’ve found that with all the action and sword-fighting, this series appeals particularly to boys, but there are strong female characters in here as well.

Included on Lists:

Ungifted

Michelle — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 02:21:35 +0000

Now that my older kids are teenagers, I feel like a lot of what we listen to is aimed at young adults to make sure we are capturing everyone’s attention. Ungifted is solidly a wholesome elementary/middle school book and yet everyone is my family loved it. I know I have a winner when I look in the rear view mirror and see my 9 year old and 15 year old laughing at the same time. This is our first book by Gordon Korman and I know we will be checking out more.

Ungifted Details

Title: Ungifted
Author: Gordon Korman
Publication Year: 2012
Website: https://gordonkorman.com/the-books/novels/ungifted
Age Group: Late Elementary, Middle School
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Everyone loves a main character who is not too perfect and Donovan Curtis is a lovable character who probably couldn’t be farther from perfect if he tried. The story begins with humorous hijinks that result in the destruction of the school gym and progresses to him hiding out in the least likely of all places, a school for gifted kids. The books is fast paced and keeps kids engaged with short chapters and multiple perspectives. We listened to the audiobook and while usually my kids don’t love when there are multiple narrators for a single book, they didn’t mind at all with this one.

While we just listened to it as a family, I think this would make a great book for a kids’ book discussion or book club as there are a lot of thought-provoking questions that arise from this book about moral dilemmas, what it means to be “gifted,” and the disadvantages of labels. It really is a very heartwarming book even that somehow manages to not be sentimental. My teens are incredibly averse to anything that comes across as sappy or unrealisitic by their standards, but they enjoyed this book just as much as my elementary kiddos.

Honestly, when I chose this book, I thought it was a standalone book, but I’m happy to discover there’s currently a sequel and a third one in the works. We’re all attached to these characters, so I’m excited to get to learn a little more of their stories.

Included on Lists:

Scythe

Michelle — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:01:00 +0000

It’s been a while since we’ve found a book series that ALL of my kids enjoyed as much as this one. We started this series when they were 8 to 14, but now everyone is a year older. To be honest, the premise of this series is a little gruesome, but as my sensitive child says, “it is NOT creepy.” If your kids liked the Hunger Games, this would make a really good follow-up!

Scythe Details

Title: Scythe
Author: Neal Shusterman
Publication Year: 2016
Website: https://www.storyman.com/arc-of-a-scythe-series/scythe
Age Group: Middle School, High School
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

I am always happy when I find a book series that my kids are excited to listen to. When we get in the car and the first thing they say is, “Can you turn on the story?” I know we’ve found a winner. Honestly, it’s been a while since we foud one like this that everyone was excited about. We’d actually re-listened to a couple Harry Potter books for the third time before I decided to try this. It was an instant success. This story takes place a few hundred years in the future, when technology has advanced to the point that people can survive “splatting” off buildings and an artificial intelligence known as the Thunderhead has taken over caring for humanity.

The one aspect of life that the Thunderhead has NOT taken over is death. Instead there is a group of chosen individuals known as scythes whose job it is to “glean” people in order to prevent the problems of overpopulation. Generally speaking, scythes are honorable and respected. The first book is all about 2 teenagers, a boy and a girl, who become apprentices to see if they have what it takes to be promoted to the scythdom. There is a romance aspect, but it’s not graphic. The concept is gruesome and some of the scenes are bloody, but the level of detail provided is not really disturbing, even to my child who does not like anything having to do with death. Even he says it’s weird that he likes these books, but he really does.

We have finished the first three books and are currently on the last book, though it is really more of a collection of short stories, which we are still enjoying thoroughly. Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t know about this series until now. It is on the Time 100 Best YA Books of All Time, though I think the way I heard of it was through Mary Hanna Wilson’s book club on Outschool. These books are so well written, with interesting charcters and a lot of surprise twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy dystopian futuristic novels, then I think this one will definitely be a winner for you too. If you feel a sense of foreboding doom regarding that rapid development of AI and are prone to anxiety, you may want to sit out this book that was ahead of its time.

Included on Lists:

Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice

Michelle — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 15:56:27 +0000

One of the best decisions I’ve ever made as a parent was to read one-on-one to my kids right before bed, rotating whose day it is to read with me. We sit together in my bed and I read to them for about 15 to 20 minutes. My 10 year-old-and I have been reading this Wilderlore series for about a year now and it is his absolute favorite. I’lI think he even likes it more than Harry Potter, which he loves. l admit, it took me a little while to get into it. However, currently we are on Book 3 and compared to some of the other things I have read recently, I am really enjoying it as well. The story is entertaining and the writing quality is good. Since my son is a Pokemon/fantasy-lover who doesn’t like anything too scary, I can completely understand why he adores this series.

Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice Details

Title: Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice
Author: Amanda Foody
Publication Year: 2022
Website: https://www.amandafoody.com/world-of-wilderlore-1
Age Group: Early Elementary, Mid Elementary, Late Elementary, Middle School
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

As I sit here writing this, my son just walked up and said, “Hey, is that Wilderlore? I really love those books. I’m going to be sad when we finish the last one if the next one hasn’t come out yet.” At the moment, there are 4 books with a 5th book expected to come out in 2025. I think he will be all set for a little while, but he probably will be disappointed when they are done.

The main character of these books is a humble, self-deprecating, yet incredibly talented and hard-working orphan boy named Barclay Thorne. In the first book he is 11 years old, but I believe he gets a year older with each successive books. The world he inhabits is filled with magic and mythical beasts, yet he lives in one of the “Elsewheres,” a place filled with non-magical people (think muggles) who fear all magic and beasts. By accident, Barclay bonds with a beast (think Pokemon) and is expelled from his home. He goes on a journey of self-discovery to learn to accept his magical powers and become a Lore Keeper.

These book are exciting and adventurous, yet not too scary. (This one of my kids in particular is sensitive to anything he thinks *might* be scary.) It is filled with realistic depictions of preteen characters, displaying both positive and negative attributes, yet it remains wholesome and family-friendly. The main character, in particular, is endearing because he remains hard-working and humble despite all of his struggles. I think my 10 year old in particular can relate to him, because he is often in the shadows as a middle child, yet has a strong desire to do what’s right.

My family was lucky to stumble across this series and I hope that the author continues to write more!

Included on Lists:

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Michelle — Fri, 31 May 2024 14:33:49 +0000

My kids absolutely fell in love with the Percy Jackson series a few years back. After that, they were happy to read anything that had Rick Riordan’s name on it. This Tristan Strong series is written by Kwame Mbalia but is “presented” by Rick Riordan and my kids ate it up. If you do audiobooks, the narration on this one is really well done. Every time Gum Baby would make an appearance, my kids would crack up. Just like the Percy Jackson series, the Tristan Strong series is filled with likeable characters, humor, and adventure.

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky Details

Title: Tristan Strong Punches a Whole in the Sky
Author: Kwame Mbalia
Publication Year: 2019
Website: https://www.kwamembalia.com/
Age Group: Early Elementary, Mid Elementary, Late Elementary
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Honestly, books like this is what I love most about homeschooling. First my kids read the Percy Jackson series and got SO into Greek mythology. They wanted to expand their learning beyond the books and learn more about Greek gods and goddesses. Then we followed Percy Jackson up with this series and my kids got to dive into African mythology and folklore, dipping into history as well. Kids don’t even know they are learning. They are just enjoying a fun, fast-paced, exciting story with memorable characters, but in reality they are creating mental hooks that they will be able to hang later learning on. My oldest listened to this series when he was in 5th and 6th grade, but even now that he is in high school, he remembers the tales and they help weave together all his knowledge.

Like I mentioned before, if your family does audiobooks, this is one that I recommend listening to because the narrator is so memorable. It’s been at least 3 years since we listened to this one and I honestly don’t think I will ever forget this particular voice. If you are going on a long car trip, this would be a perfect audiobook to take a long for the ride, because it is appealing to preschoolers who will enjoy the fun voices all the way up to teenagers and adults who will appreciate the engaging story.

Included on Lists:

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy

Michelle — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:26:18 +0000

So many kids are obsessed with these books and it’s easy to understand why. Adventure, prophesies, DRAGONS. One aspect of these books that makes them so appealing is that even though the main characters are all dragons, they all have thoughts, emotions, and struggles that are very relatable. It’s been a couple of years since we listened to these, but we made it through at least 10 and none of my kids ever got tired of them.

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy Details

Title: Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy
Author: Tui T. Sutherland
Publication Year: 2013
Website: https://tuibooks.com/wings-of-fire/
Age Group: Early Elementary, Mid Elementary, Late Elementary
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

The best part of this book series is that there are so many of them. It may not be the highest quality literature, but sometimes you just want kids to get excited about a good long book series, because it means that they will read for long stretches at a time. I think this series could be it for many kids! The content is appealing to kids of all ages, but the reading level is later elementary. We listened to these books in the car, which made them accessible and enjoyable to my first grader through my middle schooler.

I listened to the first couple as well and enjoyed them too. They are filled with adventure and intriguing fantastical settings. The character development is surprisingly good for a series that seems like it is mass-produced. The relationships between the characters are believable. Eventually, I did start to tune them out as my kids listened in the car, but they went through nearly 10 before they stopped immediately requesting the next in the series.

I should mention that this series also comes in graphic novel versions as well, which is a plus! I’ve checked a couple of them out from the library. I think it helps that my kids already knew the story, but even my dyslexic child in third and fourth grade seemed to enjoy reading these. (I think it may just be me, but I typically find graphic novels confusing! Which panel am I supposed to go to next? ) Despite my lack of comprehension, I think turning these books into graphic novels was a brilliant decision, because it makes these appealing books accessible to even more kids.

Included on Lists:

The Lion of Mars

Michelle — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 14:35:52 +0000

It’s not often that I find a book with some sentimentality that my kids actually enjoy. They are a little too silly and sacastic for their own good. However, this one was a winner with my four kids. I am catching up on books we’ve read in the past couple years, so when we read this one, my kids ages were probably 5 through 13. It’s target audience is probably mid elementary, but even my teenager enjoyed it.

The Lion of Mars Details

Title: The Lion of Mars
Author: Jennifer L. Holm
Publication Year: 2021
Website: https://www.jenniferholm.com/
Age Group: Early Elementary, Mid Elementary, Late Elementary, Middle School
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

This story takes place on Mars, far in the future when different Earth countries have established their own individual colonies. The main character is an 11 year old boy named Bell who is extremely relatable (as are all the characters in the book). The plot features numerous adventures, twists, and climactic moments including a virus that affects only the adults, leaving the kids to save the day. There is enough excitement in this story that it really does appeal to all ages.

There may have been some parts that went over the head of my little one, but overall the plot was straightforward enough that he still really enjoyed it. There was also enough humor that my teen was not bored. There was enough substance that it did not feel like just fluff to me as the parent. I don’t mind at all when my kids enjoy books just for fun. However, it is always nice when books slip in some real life situations that make my kids think and empathize. The main character is this book has to deal with the death of a loved on and feelings of fear and loneliness. All of this is treated so gracefully that the children listening do not feel like they are being patronized. This book has such wide appeal that I think it is worth putting in the hands of every child.

Included on Lists:

Amari and the Night Brothers

Michelle — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 03:30:40 +0000

If your kids enjoy the Harry Potter or Percy Jackson series, they will almost certainly love Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston. I have 3 boys and one girl, and I love when I can find a book with a female protagonist that my boys can get into as much as my girl! We have had several family flops over the years (like Keeper of the Lost Cities, which my daugher loved and my oldest son couldn’t stand), but Amari wasn’t one of them. We are so excited for the next book to come out this summer!

Amari and the Night Brothers Details

Title: Amari and the Night Brothers
Author: B.B. Alston
Publication Year: 2021
Website: https://www.bbalston.com/
Age Group: Mid Elementary, Late Elementary, Middle School
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

I’ll be honest…there are many kid’s books that I tend to tune out when we’re listening to them in the car (Wings of Fire, the Warriors books…). My kids love them, but they just don’t hold my attention. Amari and the Night Brothers, however, held me just as captivated as my kids. There is magic, enchanting characters, danger, adventure…I was hooked too! We found ourselves happy to have places to go so that we would have more opportunities to listen!

The plot is fast-paced and filled with action. The main character, 13-year-old Amari Peters, is likable, spirited, and relatable. If exposing your kids to diverse characters and authors is important to you, this book checks all the boxes, but, honestly, this is just a bonus. Amari and the Night Brothers is a winner in kid appeal no matter the category. My kids (who were ages 7 to 13 at the time we listened to it) were so excited when they found out there was a sequel. We quickly devoured that too. Now they are looking forward to the third installment this summer!

Included on Lists:

Julieta and the Diamond Enigma

Michelle — Sat, 13 May 2023 13:22:07 +0000

This was such a fun book with a lot of cultural references that are fun to explore. Everyone from my 6-year-old up to my 13-year-old and I enjoyed it, which is a rare occurrence nowadays. A mystery, a spunky heroine, excitement, suspense…I have no problem unequivocally recommending this book to families. The target audience is probably 3rd or 4th grade, but the story itself has wide appeal.

Julieta and the Diamond Enigma Details

Title: Julieta and the Diamond Enigma
Author: Luisana Duarte Armendariz
Publication Year: 2020
Website: luisanaduartearmendariz.com
Age Group: Early Elementary, Mid Elementary, Late Elementary
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

We choose this book as one of our family read-alouds for the year because it was on Brave Writer’s 2021-2022 Dart book list for ages 8-10. We have a high success rate with their book choices. Recently it has been getting harder, because I try to use the same book with all my kids from the first grader to the teenager. However, this one was hands-down a winner. All of my kids were entranced and found the narrator, Julieta, to be delightful, relatable, and funny.

There are so many educational aspects of this book that are perfect avenues for deeper exploration, but kids won’t even notice. The author speaks Spanish, so there are several Spanish phrases seamlessly woven into the story as well as some French. The reader gets glimpses of several landmarks in France such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. A fun activity to go along with this book is to use Google Earth to take a virtual visit to these locations. Numerous works of art are mentioned which are fun to explore. There are even several elements of Greek mythology that my Percy Jackson-loving kids particularly enjoyed.

Overall, this is a fun, wholesome adventure mystery with an endearing and appealing main character. I hope your kids will find this story as entertaining as we did!

Included on Lists:

Echo Mountain

Michelle — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 02:10:42 +0000

It has been a long time since I have read a young adult novel that I found as impactful and moving as Echo Mountain. This is the story of 12-year-old Ellie whose family moves to the mountains of Maine to survive the wilderness on their own during the Great Depression. There is a loyal and clever dog, a mysterious and delightful hag, and of course, our capable and confident heroine. Historical fiction is not always my kids’ favorite, but all of them, from the 6 to 13-year-old enjoyed this book.

Echo Mountain Details

Title: Echo Mountain
Author: Lauren Wolk
Publication Year: 2020
Website: www.laurenwolk.com
Age Group: Early Elementary, Mid Elementary, Late Elementary, Middle School
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Honestly, if I had not been the Brave Writer coach leading the book club for Echo Mountain, I might have passed this one up. From the description, it did not seem like something ALL of my kids would enjoy. I thought the little one would be bored and the oldest would just be critical. However, the moment I read it so that I could lead my book club, I could not wait to turn around and share it with my kids. I knew they would enjoy it and they did.

The book revolves around the family’s difficulties caused by the Great Depression. The dad is in a coma due to an accident that we only learn more about as the book goes on. There is an injury in this book that is described in stomach-turning detail. I would not say that this is a “funny” book in any way. However, Ellie is such a strong, vibrant character, and several of her decisions throughout the story made my kids laugh out loud. It is nearly impossible not to fall in love with Ellie and her little brother.

If you’re looking for a fun, touching, heartwarming-but-not-in-a-sappy-way read-aloud for a family with kids of lots of different ages, this is it!

Included on Lists:

Family Favorite Archives - ResearchParent.com

The Green Ember

The Green Ember Details

Related Links:

Ungifted

Ungifted Details

Related Links:

Scythe

Scythe Details

Related Links:

Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice

Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice Details

Related Links:

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky Details

Related Links:

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy Details

Related Links:

The Lion of Mars

The Lion of Mars Details

Related Links:

Amari and the Night Brothers

Amari and the Night Brothers Details

Related Links:

Julieta and the Diamond Enigma

Julieta and the Diamond Enigma Details

Related Links:

Echo Mountain

Echo Mountain Details

Related Links: