6 books Bill and Melinda Gates read to their kids

Considering all the support the Gates Foundation gives to literacy initiatives around the world, it comes as little surprise that Bill and Melinda Gates embrace the benefits of reading at home with their kids, too.

"One great thing about reading with your kids is that you don't ever have to stop," Melinda, a mother of three, tells NPR. "I've been reading to them since the day they were born, and I still share books with them today, even though our oldest is in college."

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, reading aloud to your children and talking about pictures and words in age-appropriate books can strengthen language skills, literacy development, and parent-child relationships.

What's more, a study conducted this year by a number of pediatricians shows children with more home-reading exposure have greater activity in the parts of the brain that help with mental imagery and narrative comprehension.

So what are the best books to read to your kids?

As part of its Storybook Project, NPR asked a number of authors, actors, politicians, philanthropists, scientists, and musicians to reveal their all-time favorite books they've read to their kids. It's a great resource for parents hoping to prime their kids for success, as well as adults who want to revisit the lessons of their childhood.

The Gates' favorites offer touching lessons about life and love. "Ultimately, sharing stories is a way to connect with other people, and that's what I love about reading with Jennifer, Phoebe, and Rory: It's a magical way for us to connect with each other," Gates says.

For more favorite books, head to NPR's ongoing Storybook Project.