When talking to other moms it seems we never fail to mention what our kids are reading. Some of us have voracious readers and some reluctant, but we all want our kids to read. So, we share titles and authors that our offspring latch onto.I firmly believe that every child can be a reader, after any learning issues are cared for and they've found a book/subject/author that makes their heart sing. As parents it's our job to facilitate this process. We cannot give up on this with our children or expect the school system to do this for us. I have a child who has been at both ends of the learning curve with reading. In 2nd grade we found out the princess has Irlen Syndrome. Before treatment she could barely read and was in the lowest reading group at school. Four years later she tests at college level and flies through books. Her disability was treated AND she found The Littles series which opened the door to a love of literature for her.
In an effort to help kids and parents ferret out great books, the princess and I went through her stacks to come up with titles and authors that may make your child's heart sing too. Most of these are great for boys or girls in grades 4-7. Please remember that what's fine in our house may not be OK in your's and vice versa. Sci fi, mystery and fantasy involving fairies, witches, magic, & mythology are our faves. We don't go beyond a simple kiss or crush in literature or watch PG-13 movies. TV stars, Hannah Montana etc., are not seen as role models around here either, in fact the television is seldom on.
Please feel free to add your child's or your own childhood favorites in the comments. Without further yammering- some books and/or authors...
- Anne Ursu The Shadow Thieves and The Siren Song
- Laura Ruby The Wall And The Wing and The Chaos King
- Cornelia Funke The Dragon Rider and (older kids) Inkspell trilogy
- Jeanne Birdsall (girls) The Penderwick series
- Susan Runholt (girls) The Third Lucretia
- Thomas L. Blair The Sabatini Prophecy
- Yann Martel Life Of Pi
- E. D. Baker (girls) The Frog Princess series and Wings
- Rick Riordan Percy Jackson series and 39 clues 1st in a new series of various authors
- Kristen Miller (girls) Kiki Strike series
- Nancy Farmer Sea Of Trolls and Land Of The Silver Apples
- Jeanne DuPrau The City Of Ember series
- Elizabeth Kay The Divide series
- Chris D'Lacey Fire Star series
- All DK Eyewitness books are awesome
- Janet Lee Carey (girls) Dragon's Keep
- Edith Pattou (girls) East
- Meg Cabot (older girls) Princess Diaries
- Patricia C. Wrede (girls) Enchanted Forest Chronicles series of 4 books
- Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell Muddle Earth
- All Zilpha Keatly Snyder books
- All Bruce Coville books
- All Judy Blume books written for kids (girls)
- Ann Hodgman The House Of A Million Pets
- All Gail Carson Levine books (some for older, some for younger girls)
- Gillian Summers (girls) The Tree Shepard's Daughter and Into the Wildewood
- All Eva Ibbotson books
- John Vornholt The Troll series of 3 books
- Caroline B. Cooney The Face On The Milk Carton (older kids)
- Norton Juster The Phantom Tollbooth
- Joseph Helgerson Horns And Wrinkles
- Mette Ivie Harrison Mirs, Mirror (girls)
- Clare B. Dunkle The Hollow Kingdom (girls)
- All Blue Balliett books
- Jenny Nimmo Charlie Bone series
