Ideas for reading books
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SunlampVexesEel
- Posts: 1245
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:31 pm
Biggles is a bit hit and miss - perhaps not surprising as there are about 100 books I think and my DS has read at least 20... Try 'The Rescue Flight' if you fancy another go as it has war flying and daring young public school boy types.
I would also recommend Phillip Reeve's Mortal Engines (although not his recent arthur one), Anthony Horrowitz (Alex Rider and Diamond Brothers - the horror ones look scary), Morpurgo - Kensuke's Kingdom, Butterfly Lion, the ones on the Scilly isles. Pullman - try his smaller books such as the Fireworkmakers Daughter, Scarecrow and his Servant etc rather than His Dark Materials (save that for a couple of years, unless fearless). The Cherub books by Muchamore - my son loves these, I haven't read them, and suspect themes might be a bit old for Y5. If you haven't read Wind in the Willows, that's a great classic to read aloud; I read The Hobbit to DS in Y5 too. Don't forget your local library as well as ebay - our tiny one is great and we don't want to lose it.
Happy reading!
DC
I would also recommend Phillip Reeve's Mortal Engines (although not his recent arthur one), Anthony Horrowitz (Alex Rider and Diamond Brothers - the horror ones look scary), Morpurgo - Kensuke's Kingdom, Butterfly Lion, the ones on the Scilly isles. Pullman - try his smaller books such as the Fireworkmakers Daughter, Scarecrow and his Servant etc rather than His Dark Materials (save that for a couple of years, unless fearless). The Cherub books by Muchamore - my son loves these, I haven't read them, and suspect themes might be a bit old for Y5. If you haven't read Wind in the Willows, that's a great classic to read aloud; I read The Hobbit to DS in Y5 too. Don't forget your local library as well as ebay - our tiny one is great and we don't want to lose it.
Happy reading!
DC
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pheasantchick
- Posts: 2439
- Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm
Anthony Horowitz (spelling?) - Alex Rider series - my son got three books for Christmas and loves them.
Previously, he didn't enjoy much fiction, apart from Rob Childs who wrote books about ficitonal football teams.
I was always advised not too worry if they didn't read proper fiction books - as long as they were reading then that should be encouraged. My son will spend as much time looking at the Guiness Book of Records and his Dad's Top Gear magazine as he would reading fiction books.
Also recently, we've all enjoyed me reading The Secret Seven to them ('them' being my two sons).
Previously, he didn't enjoy much fiction, apart from Rob Childs who wrote books about ficitonal football teams.
I was always advised not too worry if they didn't read proper fiction books - as long as they were reading then that should be encouraged. My son will spend as much time looking at the Guiness Book of Records and his Dad's Top Gear magazine as he would reading fiction books.
Also recently, we've all enjoyed me reading The Secret Seven to them ('them' being my two sons).
My DS who's in Y6, but very young for his year group has always been a book worm, but for 6 / 9 months last year we couldn't get him to read any fiction. He was reading football books, G Book of Records, and Horrible Histories etc, but I felt it was time for him to move on as they would not improve his vocab.
Last Easter he discovered the HIVE Series by Mark Walden, which re-introduced him to fiction, since then there has been no stopping him, it become expensive keeping up with his fiction addiction!, but that we're not complaining, as his current teacher is amazed by the improvement in his english work.
He recent reads include
The Shapeshifer Series by Ali Sparkes, the first one is Finding the Fox
Crocodile Tears, the final book in the Alex Rider Series
Power of Five Series, by Antony Horowitz
Anything by Micheal Morpurgo.especailly war based
The Joshua Fles Series, by M G Harris - Didn't see DS at the weekend as he was reading the latest book in the series
The Henderson Boys Series by Robert Muchmore
In the summer he had started to read the Cherub Series by Robert Muchmore, which DS was really enjoying but after a negative amazon review. I stopped him reading them, as I decided they're more suitable for an older child 12+, and my DS was still 9. Just beacuse a child has the skills to read/understand a book it doesn't mean that they're mature enough to cope with the subject matter. I would like a grading system on books similar to films maybe
Last Easter he discovered the HIVE Series by Mark Walden, which re-introduced him to fiction, since then there has been no stopping him, it become expensive keeping up with his fiction addiction!, but that we're not complaining, as his current teacher is amazed by the improvement in his english work.
He recent reads include
The Shapeshifer Series by Ali Sparkes, the first one is Finding the Fox
Crocodile Tears, the final book in the Alex Rider Series
Power of Five Series, by Antony Horowitz
Anything by Micheal Morpurgo.especailly war based
The Joshua Fles Series, by M G Harris - Didn't see DS at the weekend as he was reading the latest book in the series
The Henderson Boys Series by Robert Muchmore
In the summer he had started to read the Cherub Series by Robert Muchmore, which DS was really enjoying but after a negative amazon review. I stopped him reading them, as I decided they're more suitable for an older child 12+, and my DS was still 9. Just beacuse a child has the skills to read/understand a book it doesn't mean that they're mature enough to cope with the subject matter. I would like a grading system on books similar to films maybe
I think some sort of age suitability would be a great idea especially for children with reading ages a year or more above their actual age. As you say, reading the words is one thing but dealing with the context is completely different. I have noticed in some of the "book club" leaflets that come home from school the books are grouped into broad bands 7+, 9+ etc. DS1 started reading the Cherub books in the summer (he had just turned 11), and to be fair the librarian suggested I read them first but I just never got round to it. I was shocked to see them in the 13+ section of the latest "book club" leaflet.Ally wrote:In the summer he had started to read the Cherub Series by Robert Muchmore, which DS was really enjoying but after a negative amazon review. I stopped him reading them, as I decided they're more suitable for an older child 12+, and my DS was still 9. Just beacuse a child has the skills to read/understand a book it doesn't mean that they're mature enough to cope with the subject matter. I would like a grading system on books similar to films maybe
My DD is still a bookworm at 16 and enjoys Alex Rider, Eragon and other fantasy adventure-style books as well as those more aimed at girls. A (male) friend of hers recently suggested the series "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series by Rick Riordan which is great fun - think an American Harry Potter crossed with Greek mythology (I think there's a film on the way soon...)
I'm really glad that someone thinks the same about the Cherub books, and that there should be some grade/suitability level for all books You can't really pre-read all your DC's books for suitability. The problem is that most book shops have no skilled members of staff, if you're buying on-line from somewhere such as amazon then you can use the reviews as a guide.
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Sassie'sDad
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:36 pm
- Location: Rugby
I would recommend books written and illustrated by Watkins-Pitchford also known as "BB". There are Tales of the Little Grey Men etc and Brendon Chase (my all time favorite) with a wealth of natural history and perfect black and white woodcut illustrations.
My other choice would b Le Grand Meaulnes, Alain-Fournier. ...François the narrator of the book is the son of M. Seurel who is the director of the school in a small village in the Sologne, a countryside of lakes and sandy forests. After arriving in class, Augustin Meaulnes, who has led a distressed life, soon disappears. He returns to an escapade he had which was an incredible and magical costume party where he met the girl of his dreams, Yvonne de Galais.Various English translations are available. While there have been different translations of the title, such as The Lost Domain and The Wanderer, modern translations usually do not translate the title.t is quite enchanting.
My other choice would b Le Grand Meaulnes, Alain-Fournier. ...François the narrator of the book is the son of M. Seurel who is the director of the school in a small village in the Sologne, a countryside of lakes and sandy forests. After arriving in class, Augustin Meaulnes, who has led a distressed life, soon disappears. He returns to an escapade he had which was an incredible and magical costume party where he met the girl of his dreams, Yvonne de Galais.Various English translations are available. While there have been different translations of the title, such as The Lost Domain and The Wanderer, modern translations usually do not translate the title.t is quite enchanting.
