11. The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter, 1902
Project Gutenberg lists it as public domain in the USA, and the text notes it was first published by Frederick Warne in 1902. Peter disobeys his mother, sneaks into Mr. McGregor's garden and barely escapes. It reads aloud in one short sitting and leaves time to talk about what Peter should have done.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for Mr. McGregor's wife put Peter's father in a pie, a line some young listeners find upsetting, so read it first.
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Short fables, each with its moral, in an edition illustrated by Milo Winter and copyrighted in 1919. Project Gutenberg lists it as public domain in the USA. A sub can read one fable, then ask the class to say the lesson in their own words, which fills any spare five minutes.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for Some fables end with an animal being eaten or tricked, so choose the ones that suit your class.
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A. A. Milne's first Pooh book, illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. Project Gutenberg gives the original publication as 1926 and lists the book as public domain in the USA. Each chapter is its own adventure, so one chapter makes a complete read-aloud.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for Only the original 1926 book is public domain here; the later Disney versions are not, so use this text.
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44. The Story of the Three Little Pigs
L. Leslie Brooke
L. Leslie Brooke's picture-book telling of the old folk tale, listed by Project Gutenberg as public domain in the USA. The repeated lines invite the class to join in, which helps with a group that does not know you yet.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for In this old telling the wolf ends up eaten, so preview the ending for young or sensitive listeners.
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55. Johnny Crow's Garden
L. Leslie Brooke, 1903
A rhyming picture book drawn by L. Leslie Brooke; the Gutenberg text gives its first edition as 1903. Animals visit Johnny Crow's garden in short rhyming pairs, so children can guess the next rhyme. Project Gutenberg lists it as public domain in the USA.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for It takes only a few minutes, so pair it with a drawing or a rhyme game to fill a block.
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66. The Velveteen Rabbit
Margery Williams Bianco
Margery Williams's story of a toy rabbit who wants to become real through a child's love. Project Gutenberg lists it as public domain in the USA. It reads aloud in one sitting and leads to an easy talk about favorite toys.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for The boy falls ill and the rabbit is nearly burned, which can upset some children, so read it before class.
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A large collection of nursery rhymes illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright; the Gutenberg text carries the date 1916. Project Gutenberg lists it as public domain in the USA. Rhymes are short, so a sub can read several and let the class say the familiar ones along.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for Some old rhymes have dated or rough lines, so pick from the page rather than reading straight through.
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88. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
L. Frank Baum, 1900
L. Frank Baum's story of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion; the preface in the Gutenberg text is dated Chicago, April 1900. Project Gutenberg lists it as public domain in the USA. Short chapters make it easy to read one in a sub period.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for It is a long book, so a sub reads a single chapter and recaps the story so far.
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99. The Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame
Kenneth Grahame's river-bank story of Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad. Project Gutenberg lists it as public domain in the USA. The early chapters, such as Mole's first boat trip, stand on their own as a read-aloud.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for The language is old and rich, so younger classes may need you to stop and explain words.
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Carlo Collodi's story of the wooden puppet, in Carol Della Chiesa's English translation. Project Gutenberg lists it as public domain in the USA. Chapters are short and end on a problem, which keeps an older class listening.
Free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Watch for It is darker than the film versions children know, so preview the chapter you pick.
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