Uplifting Books for Housebound Children

For parents looking for wholesome, interesting books for their kids, or for those who just want to relax with a good read during this uncertain time, I have listed my top three book recommendations for housebound children, organized by age group.  

The overarching criteria for the books on this list are goodness, beauty, and truth, specifically, as well as respect for faith, marriage and family, and human dignity. The same goes for the illustrations. Children’s books with unaddressed lying or rudeness are not on this list. Many of the books are not “great” literature, but neither are they trash. They are simply well-written, well-illustrated, and interesting. Enjoy!

Ages 2 to 7:

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

Kermit the Hermit by Bill Peet

Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming

Ages 8 to 12:

Five Go to Smuggler’s Top (in the Famous Five series) by Enid Blyton

Little Britches series* by Ralph Moody

Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum

Teens:

The Boys in the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation) by Daniel James Brown

Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival by Joe Simpson

God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew

For additional recommendations of books that delight, inform, and inspire, my 57-paged booklet, A Mother's List of Books, lists suggested titles, alphabetically by author, for a variety of age groups from babies to adults.