book suggestions?
by Kerry
I need some fresh book ideas for my {soon to be} thirteen year old daughter
and my oldest son – age ten.
Hope is an old soul who loooooooves to read. Anything from ancient classics to new-on-the-scene. She can roll with any of it.
Robert, on the other hand, needs something to catch his attention in a big way. Once he starts reading he’s fine. But sometimes motivating him is tricky. He’s my constant thinker/creative mind.
Thank you, friends!!
hi, saying hello from tuesday prayer link – praying for you and all areas of need in your life! stay blessed!
kelly
Hi Kelly… That’s so nice of you, thank you!
Hi Kerry! Has Robert read any of the Redwall series? For Hope…that almost sounds harder! I thought of Meindert de Jong if she’s an “old soul.” :) If she’ll read anything, she should read through the Newbery Awards! I’d love to do that myself someday…
Thanks, Katie!! I was hoping you’d offer some suggestions – I’ve checked into several by deJong and they look great!
I don’t know your daughter but my daughter at that age kind of wanted a bit of romance(!!gasp!) so I did enroll in the Heartsong Presents Christian books that came four every six weeks or so for about $12 s/h incl. She also liked books on what she wanted to be when she grew up–textbooks–which she did not choose to become but she liked reading college textbooks on blood spatter and then books on her hobby–pigeons!!! Yes that book we borrowed as it was expensive. So maybe those might help(?). My step grandsons at ten liked the choose your own ending books as did my nephew years ago. Amazon(?) they are fun as you can change the story and read the book a few ways. Also, when I did summer school with ten year olds, boys and girls, I kept issues of Zoo magazine and other ones…oh dear…I forget…but they were informative yet had good pictures too. National Wildlife Federation and National Geographic have them for kids. For my kids I’d leave them on the table and they would eat a snack and read the magazines. I also found the boys very interested in these big books of Animals of North America. Also big books about the national parks of the USA. And books on say drums with a drum pad included. These are often reasonable at the sale section of Barnes and Noble. I also found that there is a Bible in a comic book format that was appealing to a ten year old boy. Another book was on rocks and their types. Tom Sawyer was big but Huck Finn is actually not really a kid book.
Last but not least let them explore the library. With all on computers a book in hand is not as common for this generation. It’s fun to go. And it’s free!
Great ideas, Gwen!
Yes, my son loves Nat’l Geo and gets the kids magazine (thanks to g-ma!)… And he has that Bible you mentioned -I just won it in a giveaway!! Saving it for Easter for him : ) We really miss our libraries from our last state. They were awesome. The ones where we’re at now don’t even compare. I’m going to try to psyche out some different area libraries. Luckily we can download books onto the kindle, which is wonderful. If anyone tells you of some good series books, let me know. We’ve done quite a bit but you never know – maybe you’ll hear one recommended that we haven’t happended to read yet!
All great tips, thanks so much!
I’m not too familiar with young adult books but have you read the Book Thief? I’m actually surprised this was categorized as young adult since it didn’t seem kiddy to me, but it is by far one of my favorite books, but it’s pretty dark since it’s set in WWII.
I have not heard of this. Thanks for the info!
our son (10) is reading through the chronicles of narnia series. he is currently on book three. in the past he liked the *my life as a ….* series by bill myers. they are christian books with a moral message which is great. he also loved *misty of chincoteague* and other horse books by marguerite henry. interestingly enough, over the summer he was desperate and read some of this sisters beverly cleary books (henry, henry and the paper route etc) as well as pippi longstocking. he thought that one was funny.
other favorites include:
*the trumpet of the swan* by e.b. white
*no talking*, *frindle* and others by andrew clements
*my side of the mountain*
*the great turkey walk*
*tim tebow – through my eyes*
anything from national geographic/discovery kids about animals
my girls are younger so you have my on that one. i know robin jones gunn writes some christian teen fiction so does beverly lewis, but i have not read any of those and would not recommend something i had not read. i remember reading classics like black beauty, heidi, and little women but i do not remember at what age.
i will have to check back and see what others post since mine do like to read! oh, clicked over from you comment on another blog… anytime i see a book suggestion link i have to check it out!
Oh, thank you so much, Sandi! We’ve (they’ve) read many of those you mentioned – I’ll be checking out others you suggested though!! Thanks bunches
(and I do the same thing… Wish I’d bookmarked those posts a little better!)