I need help .... with some recommendations - Page 3

suki · 12-09-2011, 07:40 PM

Ooo, and I thought of another series you both might enjoy - the Gregor The Overlander series by Suzanne Collins - it's billed as 9 and up, or 4th grade and up, but I would think the content would be fine for a read aloud/together. And the fact that it's a series is good, too.

In a few years, it sounds like she would enjoy the Skullduggery Pleasant series, too, by Derek Landy, but I think she may be a bit young for it still. So, put it on your list for later.

~suki

MsJudy · 12-10-2011, 04:13 AM

More classics:

The Borrowers
The MoominTrolls (lots of books in the series)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Catwings by Ursula LeGuin

Goldbirch · 12-10-2011, 06:17 AM

This thread finally coaxed me out of lurking. Now that I've got my account validated, I see that much of my list has been mentioned. There's a few I haven't seen yet, though:

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, by Patricia C. Wrede. Have read these aloud many, many, many times.

Tatterhood and Other Tales, ed. Ethel Johnston Phelps. (The same editor's highly similar Maid of the North has always struck me as paced for slightly older kids, though there's nothing objectionable in the stories themselves.)

The Door in the Wall

The Hobbit? Even if LOTR is still a long ways away, no harm in getting her hooked young, right?

In the same vein, your daughter might soon be a good age for Terry Pratchett's The Wee Free Men, though probably not the rest of the Tiffany Aching books just yet - I think this is a series that could work well as a once-a-year type gift, as the MC and themes age up.

It's been a long time, but I seem to remember that Lloyd Alexander's Time Cat may have been geared younger than the Prydain Chronicles and so on?

Doesn't particularly fit either the paranormal or mystery element that your daughter is interested in, but possibly Dick King-Smith.

Finally, a couple of classics (which you may well have already hit) that can be fun read-alouds:
Mary Poppins - very different from the movie.

The Jungle Books and some of the Just So Stories

slcboston · 12-10-2011, 07:49 AM

I think she's still too young for the Hobbit, and we had read the Just So stories. But thanks for reminding me that we wanted to read the Jungle Book, too.

Laura J · 12-10-2011, 05:41 PM

We liked the 100 Cupboards series, a little bit scary, but fun. What about The Thief Lord or Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke? We loved the Thief Lord. We listened to the cd twice. The isn't good though. We love Cornelia Funke.

MsJudy · 12-10-2011, 08:33 PM

Yeah, Dragon Rider is much younger than Funke's other books, that's a good one.

I almost forgot my son's fave chapter book series: Kate MacMullan's Dragon Slayer's Apprentice. Dragons galore, but nothing bloody, always hilarious.

Did anybody mention Time Warp Trio or Geronimo Stilton yet?

Laura J · 12-10-2011, 09:33 PM

I forgot, we listened to Dragon Rider. She was awfully wordy in that one. I tried to read it to him at bedtime. We ended up listening to that one too. We listen to a lot of books on cd in the car. Plus, Brandon Frasier did the voice, and he has such a nice voice. The Inkheart series is definetly older. Intense, violent, but such a good story. My son is super sensitive, but we loved those books.

The Thief Lord isn't very violent. Some of the themes are a bit dark.

If she likes dragons, Dragondale or something like that was really fun.

Trish · 12-12-2011, 12:08 PM

Try:

Matilda by Roald Dahl and also James and The Giant Peach

The Secret Garde by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Charlotte's Web by E. B White

Or my books LOL. They are for children aged seven to twelve.

Velvet Ball and The Broken Fairy
Molly Gumnut Rescues a Bandicoot
Star-Crossed Rascals
Rascals Sing at The Opera House

http://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Puddl..._athr_dp_pel_1

Inkblot · 03-15-2012, 08:22 AM

No one's mentioned HARRY POTTER. My son loved having them read aloud at about that age.

As for PIPPI LONGSTOCKING, my daughter adored those books.

Dannica · 03-23-2012, 10:10 AM

I apologize if I'm repeating, but I didn't see anyone mention either books by Beverly Cleary or Amber Brown books (by Paula Danzinger -- not sure if I spelled last name quite right). I love all of those. Can I come and listen too?

ChristineJ · 05-12-2012, 03:16 AM

Let me put in a plug for a Canadian author. K.V. Johansen has a series of fantasy books about Torrie, "the oldest of the old things," a magical creature from an enchanted forest, who goes on adventures with a different human in each book. My son and I devoured them when he was about 7. I can't wait for my 5 year old to be ready for them. They work on so many levels. The fantasy is good, the humor is fantastic. And they're great for reading aloud -- something that, unfortunately, is kind of hard to find in newer books for this age group. These stories also all have strong female characters. They don't need to be read in any particular order. My favorite was Torrie and the Snake Prince.

http://www.amazon.ca/Torrie-Dragonsl.../dp/0981024408

ChristineJ · 05-12-2012, 03:24 AM

I may well wind up posting 15 times in a row as I remember other favorites we were reading a few years ago.

We read a lot of historical fiction, and Janet Lunn (another Canadian author) has some very interesting books covering different time periods. One involves time travel. We also loved several books by Elizabeth George Speare and wish she had written more. The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Sign of the Beaver are both great and take place in the colonial U.S. (the witch one is not supernatural -- it's about a teenage girl who does not fit the social norms of a puritan village and is accused of being a witch)

angeluscado · 05-12-2012, 07:50 PM

A Series of Unfortunate Events, maybe? It's been a while since I've read them and I've only read the first two.

Seconding Matilda as well. That book is one of my favorites of Dahl's.

12-09-2011, 07:40 PM	#51
suki Opinionated Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 3,582	Ooo, and I thought of another series you both might enjoy - the Gregor The Overlander series by Suzanne Collins - it's billed as 9 and up, or 4th grade and up, but I would think the content would be fine for a read aloud/together. And the fact that it's a series is good, too. In a few years, it sounds like she would enjoy the Skullduggery Pleasant series, too, by Derek Landy, but I think she may be a bit young for it still. So, put it on your list for later. ~suki __________________ Don't feed the Trolls! Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads PERSONAL EFFECTS (Candlewick Press, September 2012). Now available! B&N ~ Amazon ~ IndieBound~ Interested in supporting a great indie bookstore (and ordering an autographed copy of Personal Effects at the same time)? Read more here.

12-10-2011, 04:13 AM	#52
MsJudy practical experience, FTW Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: california Posts: 5,673	More classics: The Borrowers The MoominTrolls (lots of books in the series) Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Catwings by Ursula LeGuin __________________ represented by Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency. Most happy.

12-10-2011, 07:49 AM	#54
slcboston word-slinger Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Not Really Here Posts: 38,255	I think she's still too young for the Hobbit, and we had read the Just So stories. But thanks for reminding me that we wanted to read the Jungle Book, too. __________________ “If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?” Out of work? Stop by the AW Special Unemployment Team Password: serenity Fleas • Twits

12-10-2011, 05:41 PM	#55
Laura J practical experience, FTW Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Tampa Posts: 419	We liked the 100 Cupboards series, a little bit scary, but fun. What about The Thief Lord or Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke? We loved the Thief Lord. We listened to the cd twice. The isn't good though. We love Cornelia Funke. __________________ Laura J Innerworks -- MG Magical Realism Revising- 59K- 9K cut out!! 50K The Faery Thief~editing and revising The Charisma Chronicles (working title) 3K Camp NaNoWriMo piece for April

12-10-2011, 08:33 PM	#56
MsJudy practical experience, FTW Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: california Posts: 5,673	Yeah, Dragon Rider is much younger than Funke's other books, that's a good one. I almost forgot my son's fave chapter book series: Kate MacMullan's Dragon Slayer's Apprentice. Dragons galore, but nothing bloody, always hilarious. Did anybody mention Time Warp Trio or Geronimo Stilton yet? __________________ represented by Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency. Most happy.

12-10-2011, 06:17 AM	#53
Goldbirch Shy Fish; Learning About Un-Lurking Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 34	This thread finally coaxed me out of lurking. Now that I've got my account validated, I see that much of my list has been mentioned. There's a few I haven't seen yet, though: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, by Patricia C. Wrede. Have read these aloud many, many, many times. Tatterhood and Other Tales, ed. Ethel Johnston Phelps. (The same editor's highly similar Maid of the North has always struck me as paced for slightly older kids, though there's nothing objectionable in the stories themselves.) The Door in the Wall The Hobbit? Even if LOTR is still a long ways away, no harm in getting her hooked young, right? In the same vein, your daughter might soon be a good age for Terry Pratchett's The Wee Free Men, though probably not the rest of the Tiffany Aching books just yet - I think this is a series that could work well as a once-a-year type gift, as the MC and themes age up. It's been a long time, but I seem to remember that Lloyd Alexander's Time Cat may have been geared younger than the Prydain Chronicles and so on? Doesn't particularly fit either the paranormal or mystery element that your daughter is interested in, but possibly Dick King-Smith. Finally, a couple of classics (which you may well have already hit) that can be fun read-alouds: Mary Poppins - very different from the movie. The Jungle Books and some of the Just So Stories

12-10-2011, 09:33 PM	#57
Laura J practical experience, FTW Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Tampa Posts: 419	I forgot, we listened to Dragon Rider. She was awfully wordy in that one. I tried to read it to him at bedtime. We ended up listening to that one too. We listen to a lot of books on cd in the car. Plus, Brandon Frasier did the voice, and he has such a nice voice. The Inkheart series is definetly older. Intense, violent, but such a good story. My son is super sensitive, but we loved those books. The Thief Lord isn't very violent. Some of the themes are a bit dark. If she likes dragons, Dragondale or something like that was really fun. __________________ Laura J Innerworks -- MG Magical Realism Revising- 59K- 9K cut out!! 50K The Faery Thief~editing and revising The Charisma Chronicles (working title) 3K Camp NaNoWriMo piece for April

12-12-2011, 12:08 PM	#58
Trish practical experience, FTW Join Date: May 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,103	Try: Matilda by Roald Dahl and also James and The Giant Peach The Secret Garde by Frances Hodgson Burnett Charlotte's Web by E. B White Or my books LOL. They are for children aged seven to twelve. Velvet Ball and The Broken Fairy Molly Gumnut Rescues a Bandicoot Star-Crossed Rascals Rascals Sing at The Opera House http://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Puddl..._athr_dp_pel_1 __________________ My blog: http://trish-mollygumnut.blogspot.com/ http://childrens-books-author-p-puddle.com/ The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar, and familiar things new. JOHNSON

03-15-2012, 08:22 AM	#59
Inkblot New kid, be gentle! Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 327	No one's mentioned HARRY POTTER. My son loved having them read aloud at about that age. As for PIPPI LONGSTOCKING, my daughter adored those books.

03-23-2012, 10:10 AM	#60
Dannica figuring it all out Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Catskill Mountains Posts: 71	I apologize if I'm repeating, but I didn't see anyone mention either books by Beverly Cleary or Amber Brown books (by Paula Danzinger -- not sure if I spelled last name quite right). I love all of those. Can I come and listen too? __________________ Make Love to Your Food: Wicked New Ways for Women to Lose Weight Kindle File Formating Info

05-12-2012, 03:16 AM	#61
ChristineJ New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: May 2012 Location: Eastern Canada Posts: 36	Let me put in a plug for a Canadian author. K.V. Johansen has a series of fantasy books about Torrie, "the oldest of the old things," a magical creature from an enchanted forest, who goes on adventures with a different human in each book. My son and I devoured them when he was about 7. I can't wait for my 5 year old to be ready for them. They work on so many levels. The fantasy is good, the humor is fantastic. And they're great for reading aloud -- something that, unfortunately, is kind of hard to find in newer books for this age group. These stories also all have strong female characters. They don't need to be read in any particular order. My favorite was Torrie and the Snake Prince. http://www.amazon.ca/Torrie-Dragonsl.../dp/0981024408

05-12-2012, 03:24 AM	#62
ChristineJ New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: May 2012 Location: Eastern Canada Posts: 36	I may well wind up posting 15 times in a row as I remember other favorites we were reading a few years ago. We read a lot of historical fiction, and Janet Lunn (another Canadian author) has some very interesting books covering different time periods. One involves time travel. We also loved several books by Elizabeth George Speare and wish she had written more. The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Sign of the Beaver are both great and take place in the colonial U.S. (the witch one is not supernatural -- it's about a teenage girl who does not fit the social norms of a puritan village and is accused of being a witch)

05-12-2012, 07:50 PM	#63
angeluscado practical experience, FTW Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 204	A Series of Unfortunate Events, maybe? It's been a while since I've read them and I've only read the first two. Seconding Matilda as well. That book is one of my favorites of Dahl's. __________________ Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead. - Gene Fowler I haz a twitter Even though I don't tweet, just follow people... I blog... kinda

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