Books to read to older children

[Krista G]

I came across a couple of great books this week that I wanted to share with parents of older children.  The first is The Popcorn Book by Tommie dePaola.  It was very interesting and gave a bunch of history about popcorn. I really enjoyed that book. 

The second book I read to my kids years ago and LOVED it.  It is called Pagoo and is the story of a hermit crab.  It describes the life of a crab and its encounters in detail.  My children loved this book.  There were more books by this author but I have not had the opportunity to read them yet.

I would love to hear from anybody else about books they really liked.

[DadDude]

My little boy is a fiend for the Magic Tree House books, lately.  They're very good as first chapter books.  They're very educational and entertaining too.

[GloriaD]

My Daughter loves the Magic Tree House as well, the audio book (found in most libraries) as well as the Research Guide the nonfiction companion books for the same series are very good as well.

Thank you DadDudde for your Charlottes web ppts they are simply fantastic!  Leena loves them.  Thanks a lot.

We are also working with The Story of the World, Susan Wise Bauer (Books and Audio)
and the books from Genevieve Foster, like this one about George Washington
basically all the exciting events that took place during the life time of George Washington
scientist, doctors, inventors, discoveries, kings  etc..

http://www.amazon.com/George-Washingtons-World-Genevieve-Foster/dp/096438034X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264739309&sr=1-1



Gloria

[DadDude]

Yep, my boy loves those ones too.

He hasn't gone in for the nonfiction companion books though, for some reason.

But, weirdly enough, for the last month or so we've been reading almost every night out of these "question and answer" style children's encyclopedias, cover to cover.  First we did one called Wild Wild World about animals, and now we're doing Earth and Space.  I don't quite get why he likes these, but he does.  Mighty Machines is another one.  Mind you, I am not actually recommending these books.  I don't see why they're any better than the Magic Tree House companions, for example, or any number of other nonfiction books in the same genre.  I'm just a bit puzzled why he likes em so much that he asks for them night after night.  I think it's great--he's learning loads.

[Krista G]

I have 5 girls and one boy and my boy is 5 years old.  My kids all love to read.  My girls will read anything.  So the interesting thing, the fact that I am still learning about my boy, is that he is NOT like the girls.  He will not read anything.  He loves Magic Tree House, the companion books and the audios.  He orders these on his own from our local library and always has a collection of MTH in his room. 

We are traveling right now and I took them to the library here to get books to read and he got some mystery book.  When ever I ask him to go read because he seems bored he gives me a hard time.  He read half of the book and returned it yesterday refusing to read the rest.  I have been a bit frustrated with him for that reason but yesterday he found a book on Columbus, on his own, and was reading it last night, on his own.  When we first got here he found a book on animals and was making notes on different facts about animals, again on his own.

I need to remind myself that while he likes fiction when I read it to him, he is motivated to read on his own, only when it is facts and figures.  I am certain that is why your boy likes the books you are reading to him now, DadDude.  It is a strange to me.

Last night I was going to read my 2 year old The Cat in the Hat and Bootise Barker Bites while my son was brushing his teeth and he refused to go unless I waited so he could hear those books.  I thought he had no interest in hearing them, because he would never read them on his own.  I am still learning the difference between boys and girls.  They are definitely different.

[DadDude]

Yeah, I have to admit that he's definitely cooled off to fiction in the last several months.  He really loved Charlotte's Web and Pinocchio, and we did (last year) read quite a few others, but more recently others we've tried have left him cold.

[octaviaorca]

a little while ago i discovered the books by N.E. Bode who wrote Mr. Magorium's Magic Emporium (book is nothing like movie).  there is also The Nobodies, The Somebodies and The Anybodies.  sort of harry potter but less length.  my daughter and i have always read chapter books and these were just small enough to keep her attention and interest but seemed like an awesome read for someone who is just getting into The Magic Tree House stage (which i've also discovered and love too).

[Krista G]

Thanks, Octaviorca, I will look into those books. 

I just started to read the Little House books to my boy.  I know they are more geared towards girls, and I have already read the first one to my girls, but I thought my son would like to see what life was like in the big woods.  He is really enjoying it.  Life was definitely different back then and it is neat to expose our children to a time without power, refrigerators, stores...

It is interesting to read the Little House on the Prairie books because they are based on true events.  We learn how Pa made his bullets and how Ma made cheese and butter and syrup.  We get to hear the stories about the wild animals they had encounters with.  I definitely recommend these books as well.

[octaviaorca]

i think Little House is perfect for any kid but it seems funny that there aren't more books like the Little House series from a boy's perspective.  it would seems like the perfect subject matter for them. if anyone knows about any i would love to check them out. 

tomie has other books that make for good beginner books too that are centered around more war time america for a boy's view.  he's a local author here so i've read more tomie books than i know what to do with!  our whole library is filled with them.  he does seem to mix a great sense of history into each book.

after a quick amazon check this book looks kind of cool...
http://www.amazon.com/Abernathy-Boys-L-J-Hunt/dp/0064409538/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265067840&sr=1-5
and the other suggested readings might fit the bill.

would anyone else spend a million dollars at amazon (i know, i know...local booksellers are better)? aiy. if only i could win the lottery.

[DadDude]

I just started to read the Little House books to my boy.  I know they are more geared towards girls, and I have already read the first one to my girls, but I thought my son would like to see what life was like in the big woods.  He is really enjoying it.  Life was definitely different back then and it is neat to expose our children to a time without power, refrigerators, stores...

It is interesting to read the Little House on the Prairie books because they are based on true events.  We learn how Pa made his bullets and how Ma made cheese and butter and syrup.  We get to hear the stories about the wild animals they had encounters with.  I definitely recommend these books as well.

I agree, my little guy liked Little House in the Big Woods quite a bit.

i think Little House is perfect for any kid but it seems funny that there aren't more books like the Little House series from a boy's perspective.  it would seems like the perfect subject matter for them. if anyone knows about any i would love to check them out. 

Well, we're into ch. 2 of Farmer Boy just now.  He hasn't given up on it yet.  Definitely mostly about a boy!  So far, so good!

Collodi's Adventures of Pinocchio greatly appeals to the naughty little boy sensibility.  Mine was totally engaged with it, even though it had quite a few big words that I had to explain.

If you're looking for a book about pre-20th century life starring a boy, an easy version of Treasure Island might work, or The Bears on Hemlock Mountain--just ordered this, haven't tried it out yet.  Looks easy, got many good reviews.  Old Yeller too but it might be a bit advanced.

[DadDude]

Update: we read "The Bears on Hemlock Mountain."  It was pretty good (very short, you can do it in one or two sittings), definitely about a little boy in a 19th century setting.

We're about 1/4 way through "Farmer Boy" right now.  It's a long one--300+ pages.  But it's very good and has kept my boy's interest.

We're also almost done with "The Trumpet of the Swan" by E. B. White.  Every bit as good as E. B. White's "Stuart Little," almost as good as "Charlotte's Web."  Personally, I like "Trumpet" the best of the three.

We discovered an Usborne edition of Dickens novels called "Illustrated Stories from Dickens."  If you'd have asked me whether my three-year-old would like simplified versions of "Bleak House" and various others, I would have said "Of course not."  But something about this book seems to be special, at least for Henry.  The stories are very well adapted, and there are pictures on almost every page in the book.  So it's almost like a picture book, except that it's not.  Anyway, highly recommended.

[Krista G]

We finished up Farmer Boy a few weeks ago.  We really enjoyed that book.  We are planning on starting the next in the series but we are just finishing up The Lightening Thief.  My older kids 14 and younger love this book.  They beg to sit and read it.  So from 14 down to 5 they are enjoying it.   I plan to reward them with the movie when we finish, although I already saw the  movie and there are so many differences that they aren't even excited to see it anymore.  I love it when my kids are excited about a book.  They will wake up early just so we can read.  That is how they feel about The Lightening Thief.  We are going to read the whole series.  They are learning some great Greek Mythology because of the book.

Has anyone read Kildee House?  That is also in our book pile.

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