In Little House in the Big Woods, Pa is scared a couple times. Also Farmer Boy has scary stuff at the beginning. The new teacher bullwhips some teens who were responsible for beating up the previous teacher (who died). I loved all of those books but my son was frightened by the beginning of Farmer Boy so we didn't continue.

This is a sincere warning. I enjoyed the books so much I took my kids' to the real Wilder farmhouse and museum in Upstate NY. We read a children's picture book about Almanzo's birthday instead.

Phantom Tollbooth was funny and challenging to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but skipped over some of the scarier parts for my 6 year old.

Matilda
The Witches
Wizards of Once series
Wonder

Magic Thief

So many good ones up above... also don't miss:
any Shel Silverstein books
The borrowers

Charlottes web ( couldn’t read the part about charlotte without crying though)
Island of the Blue Dolphin
The Time Machine (my 6yo did have a nightmare about morlocks)
BFG
Witches
The Hobbit

Matilda. Charlie and the chocolate Fsctory. mercy Watson.

Cricket in Times Square
The Rescuers

Tales of a 4th grade nothing
Ramona Quimby
Boxcar children (I had to modify as I read, the gender roles are strong due to the age of the book!)
Upside down magic

+1 for Edward Eager

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle - highly recommend

Beverly Cleary
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pippi Longstocking
Princess Tales by Gail Carson Levine
Flat Stanley
Boxcar Children
Encyclopedia Brown
Just-So Stories
Boxcar Children
Ben and Me
McBroom by Sid Fleischman
All of a Kind Family
Frindle
Bunnicula
E.D. Baker
The Secret Garden
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (might be a little scary, but I don’t think it’s as scary as Harry Potter).

The Quiltmaker picture books by Jeff Brumbeau (not chapter books, but significantly more text than an average picture book).

Where the Sidewalk Ends (quirky poetry)

Peter Pan
Alice in Wonderland
Railway Children
Half Magic
Beauty by Robin McKinley

Narnia

Wind in the Willows

Please suggest good read aloud books for my kids. We recently read the first Harry Potter together, and are currently reading the Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I think our next one will be Little House in the Big Woods.

The 6 year old is easily scared and the 9 year old is fine if it’s a little young. They love this time. Would love more recent suggestions as well.