The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healey

Why do the princesses always get the story named after them? Think about it....Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rupunzel...there is no fairy tale called  'The Brave Prince Charming'. And why? Because every fairy tale hero is named Prince Charming. And the Princes Charming are quite upset about that, too.  The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is their story.

I read this book aloud to my children (ages 9, 7, and 6) and they LOVED it. It gave me opportunity to do some really fun voices for each of the princesses  - Cinderella, Snow White, Rupunzel and Sleeping Beauty-  and Princes, respectively - Frederick, Duncan, Gustav and Liam -who all have very different personalities; . Each character has been delightfully given a backstory to the fairy tale we know and an evil witch who plans to overthrow all of the kingdoms...unless the Princes Charming can work together. Throw in a giant, some dwarves, a dragon and a host of other adventures and you've got a hilarious romp to Save Your Kingdom. 

Kate DiCamillo - Mercy Watson series

I'll admit it. I love reading books aloud that require using different voices for the characters. Granted, I could do this with any book, but some give me excellent raw material.

Enter in Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson series. Who would have thought a simply-written series of books about a toast-loving pig would have both me and my kids giggling with delight?

Chris Van Dusen's bold, bright renderings of Mercy and the people who love (and hate) her make this series something between a comic and a chapter book.

A Birthday for Cow by Jan Thomas

A Birthday Cake for Cow cracked us all up. Though the illustrations are a bit on the quirky, cartoon side (not my fav), we loved this take of friends making a cake.  At every step Duck pipes up with his idea of what cow would like. The others look at him like he's crazy (and the way I read his voice, so did my kids) but that didn't stop Duck. He's pretty sure he knows what cow wants and so persists until the end--with hilarious results.

Kathi Appelt - Bubba and Beau books

      

Bubba and Beau are best friends. That is the simple premise of Appelt's first in this series of knee-slappin' funny books. 

If you're a reader who doesn't mind taking on a southern accent (or if you naturally have one),  then this is a read-aloud book for you and your kids. My husband got a kick out of this story of a Texas baby and his new pup; and when Daddy laughs while reading, our boys grin from ear to ear.