{
  "id": 3587387,
  "title": "Beyond Harry Potter: five books you can enjoy together as a whole family",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/beyond-harry-potter-five-books-you-can-enjoy-together-as-a-whole",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-26T20:13:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Conversation AU",
    "slug": "the-conversation-au",
    "url": "https://theconversation.com/beyond-harry-potter-five-books-you-can-enjoy-together-as-a-whole-family-290160"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Storytime with children can boost literacy skills and communication abilities. Research indicates that kids continue to enjoy being read to well into their adult years. While classics like Harry Potter are popular, finding family-friendly stories can be difficult. Parents often rely on books they enjoyed in their youth, potentially overlooking recent publications. Storytime remains beneficial even for older children who have learned to read independently. Research suggests that parents who read with their older children continue to help build their confidence and reading skills. Furthermore, sharing stories can foster a positive attitude towards reading and strengthen family bonds. When choosing books for family reading, it's helpful to seek out diverse-voice titles. Exposure to characters from different backgrounds enhances empathy and understanding of others. Book series are also advantageous, as characters and themes evolve over multiple installments, aligning with children's growth and life stages. Here are some family-friendly book recommendations:\n\n1. Black Cockatoo by Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler Magabala Books: This trilogy follows Mia, an Aboriginal girl/woman, as she grows from age 13 to 25, navigating adolescence, family, and community while connecting with her totem, the dirran black cockatoo. The richly developed series won several awards and can be enjoyed over several years as teens mature.\n\n2. The Wolf Girl series by Anh Do (Allen & Unwin): This thrilling adventure series features Gwen, a girl separated from her family in the wild, who forms a bond with a lost pack of animals and embarks on a quest to reunite with her family. The series explores themes of loyalty, teamwork, and resilience and has 15 books published to date.\n\n3. The Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend (Hachette Australia): A fantasy series aimed at older primary school children and young teens, The Nevermoor series centers on Morrigan Crow, a cursed child who finds herself in the magical city of Nevermoor. The first book won numerous awards upon its 2017 release and four more books are planned for publication.\n\n4. Ubby's Underdogs series by Brenton E McKenna (Magabala Books): Set in the 1940s, this series follows Ubby, his friends, and their group of misfits as they face challenges and adventures. The stories offer a glimpse into Australian history and showcase the power of friendship and determination.",
  "summary": "Parents might default to books they loved when they were younger. But this means families may be missing out on some great stories published more recently.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
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        "title": "Prince Harry and family arrive back in Britain, U.K. media reports",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/prince-harry-and-family-arrive-back-in-britain-u-k-media-reports",
        "published": "2026-08-26T16:13:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "KahawaTungu",
        "title": "Prince Harry and Meghan land in UK days after announcing move",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/prince-harry-and-meghan-land-in-uk-days-after-announcing-move",
        "published": "2026-08-26T16:21:24.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}