10 Best Read Alouds for 3rd Grade

There's nothing like starting out the school year with a fabulous read aloud book.  I love it when the kids groan as I finish the chapter for the day or beg me to find extra time to read just a little bit more. There are so many great books out there that it was hard to choose just ten, but for various reasons these are definitely my top ten read alouds for 3rd grade.

	Be a Perfect Person in Just  Three Days! By Stephen Manes	I love to start the school year with this story. It tells the tale of a boy who wants to be perfect.  He goes through various steps to achieve his goal, only to realize in the end that being perfect isn't really so great. It is a great way to start a beginning of the school year discussion on why none of us is perfect.
	The BFG By Roald Dahl	This is one of my all time favorite read alouds, especially if you like to do voices. Roald Dahl does such an excellent job of using figurative language in this book about a girl who gets kidnapped by a friendly giant.
	Charlotte's Web By E.B. White	Nothing beats Charlotte's Web for beautiful imagery.  This classic tale of a spider that saves a pigs life has my students riveted in their seats every year.  I also love to pair it with Stuart Little and work on comparing texts.
	Grace's Letter to  Lincoln By Peter & Connie Roop	This non-fiction story is a fabulous peek into the history of Abraham Lincoln and the slave trade.  It is about a young girl, Grace, who wrote a letter to Lincoln suggesting that he grow a beard.  While it briefly introduces the heavy issue of the slave trade, it does it in an age appropriate way and is not the main focus of the story.
	The Jacket By Andrew Clements	This story is a great opener to a discussion on racism and the assumptions we make about others.  In the story Phil assumes that an African American boy stole his brother's jacket only to discover that he was wrong.
	Helen Keller:  Crusader for the  Blind and Deaf By Stewart & Polly Anne Graff	There are many fabulous stories around about Helen Keller. I appreciate this one for its age appropriate approach.  My kids are always fascinated by Helen's life.
	Bad Kitty vs.  Uncle Murray By Nick Bruel	If you ever just want to laugh with your kids this book is it.  Bad Kitty is hysterical to grownups and kids alike.  Kids also like that it rotates between paragraph and comic book styles of writing.
	Percy Jackson & the Olympians:  The Lightening Thief By Rick Riordan	Percy Jackson will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first chapter book that my then 3rd grade son ever became totally engrossed in.  This epic adventure is a fun way to talk about Greek Myths with a modern twist.
	The Mouse and the Motorcycle By Beverly Cleary	Ralph Mouse finds ways to go on grand adventures even though he never leaves his hotel home.  This book is a great introduction to the fabulous Beverly Cleary and is a book both girls and boys enjoy.
	The Secret School By Avi	Set in 1925, The Secret School is a fascinating snapshot into what life was like for children at that time.  It is a fabulous beginning of the school year read aloud as it tells the story of a group of children that went above and beyond to make sure they could continue their own education.

These are my favorites,  but I'm always looking for a new favorite.  Share your favorite read alouds in the comments below.