Book List
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JaysDarlin
- Posts: 548
- Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:34 pm
Book List
Hello all.
Is it just me? I feel like a lot fictional books these days dont have a very high standard of vocabulary.
I was reading Anne of Green Gables the other day, and it has such a high level of vocabulary (as did Anne!).
Which books would be on par to AGG, but for boys?
Ive got a good mind to sit ds down and get him to read AGG, but I dont think he will appriciate the sateen dresses with puffed sleeves.
It would be nice to compile a book list of fictional books with a high level of vocab to prepare for the 11+ .... Any suggestions?
Is it just me? I feel like a lot fictional books these days dont have a very high standard of vocabulary.
I was reading Anne of Green Gables the other day, and it has such a high level of vocabulary (as did Anne!).
Which books would be on par to AGG, but for boys?
Ive got a good mind to sit ds down and get him to read AGG, but I dont think he will appriciate the sateen dresses with puffed sleeves.
It would be nice to compile a book list of fictional books with a high level of vocab to prepare for the 11+ .... Any suggestions?
Hi my 9 year old son loves the Just William books... the words are quite difficult so I often read it to him and once was laughing so much he said I sounded like I was in pain!! They're rather like old fashioned Horrid Henry but with much more challenging vocabularly. He also loves reading the Children's Bible and is picking up some good words from there.
He also enjoys Michael Morpurgo books and the stories are great.
He tried Tom Sawyer but found it a bit too complex and I think as it's older American fiction some of it was quite confusing.
He also loves the Dangerous Book for Boys and factual books on science.
Hope this helps
Clarendon
He also enjoys Michael Morpurgo books and the stories are great.
He tried Tom Sawyer but found it a bit too complex and I think as it's older American fiction some of it was quite confusing.
He also loves the Dangerous Book for Boys and factual books on science.
Hope this helps
Clarendon
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cordismith
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:53 pm
i've heard michael morpurgo recommended so many times i bought a set of his books for my children, unfortunately they must be the only children in the world who don't like him 
dd reads a wide variety of books of all genres, some challenging some easy quick flicks.ds has his favourites that he reads over and over and it's very hard to persuade him to try something new.at the moment he enjoys anthony horowitz mainly,otherwise rereads roald dahl, professor branestawm,the indian in the cupboard and stig of tthe dump.i would like to gently move hm on and out of his comfort zone without putting him off so will be watching this thread with interest for recommendations.
dd reads a wide variety of books of all genres, some challenging some easy quick flicks.ds has his favourites that he reads over and over and it's very hard to persuade him to try something new.at the moment he enjoys anthony horowitz mainly,otherwise rereads roald dahl, professor branestawm,the indian in the cupboard and stig of tthe dump.i would like to gently move hm on and out of his comfort zone without putting him off so will be watching this thread with interest for recommendations.
An absolute favourite my daughter raves about is Skulduggery Pleasant.
The language is certainly richer than the more mundane children's books.
Here's a free sample:
http://www.skulduggerypleasant.co.uk/do ... ULchp3.pdf
The language is certainly richer than the more mundane children's books.
Here's a free sample:
http://www.skulduggerypleasant.co.uk/do ... ULchp3.pdf
Do the Jennings school stories still exist, and Billy Bunter? And what about some good old Enid Blyton - at one time people thought that was "dumbed down" for kids, but if you take a good look at it you find vocabulary that would not now be included in books for the same age of child now.
It does puzzle me how over the generations many words seem to be getting lost! Or am I am an oldie failing to appreciate new words that must have been created along the way?
It does puzzle me how over the generations many words seem to be getting lost! Or am I am an oldie failing to appreciate new words that must have been created along the way?
The Narnia books contain a good range of vocabulary and are not too difficult, but you sometimes find yourself explaining dated terms e.g. when one character calls another a "brick"! 
The first two or three Harry Potter books are also quite accessible, but the content grows darker and IMO the actual text is more difficult in the later books. (Not to mention the sheer number of pages!) DS whizzed through the first three, bumbled through Order of the Phoenix and has now come to a standstill part way through Goblet of Fire. Hardly surprising, as these later books seem to be aimed at an older readership in keeping with the ages of the main characters. DS was frustrated at being unable to find something he enjoyed as much as the early HPs but has now fortunately discovered Anthony Horowitz's Alex Ryder series.
The first two or three Harry Potter books are also quite accessible, but the content grows darker and IMO the actual text is more difficult in the later books. (Not to mention the sheer number of pages!) DS whizzed through the first three, bumbled through Order of the Phoenix and has now come to a standstill part way through Goblet of Fire. Hardly surprising, as these later books seem to be aimed at an older readership in keeping with the ages of the main characters. DS was frustrated at being unable to find something he enjoyed as much as the early HPs but has now fortunately discovered Anthony Horowitz's Alex Ryder series.Marylou
I've heard that many children stall on "The Goblet of Fire", I know our son and daughter both did, two years apart. At that point the HP series gets, not to put too fine a point on it, boring. I don't think it's entirely a matter of age.
Our son's reading ability has far outrun his emotional development; I imagine it's the same for many here. With modern fiction it can be difficult to find something intellectually stimulating without it having an emotional element that puts him off the whole book. For example, he didn't like Philip Reeve's "Mortal Engines" - very good in my opinion (love the opening sentence!) but there was too much emotional content. Similarly, he loved John Wyndham's "The Kraken Wakes" but "The Chrysalids" was only "OK" - he was very taken with the subject but there was too much love interest. (Slightly baffling, I wouldn't have thought there was anything to choose between the two in that respect, but then I'm not 10.) "Day of the Triffids" is the obvious one to try next. Conan Doyle's "The Lost World" was another hit but not Sherlock Holmes, so far at least. I've a suspicion RL Stephenson's "Kidnapped" would be a winner but I haven't tried it on him yet.
I'd second the recommendations for the Eoin Colfer and "Alex Rider" books (our son was a bit dubious about "Artemis Fowl" to begin with due to the subject, but I read him the first chapter or two and after that he was hooked.) and for "Swallows and Amazons" and Michael Morpurgo. He also enjoys the "Edge Chronicles" but he had a couple of false starts before acquiring the taste. He tore through the Philip Pulman trilogy in a week but I think he must have skimmed pretty heavily.
Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy is my personal favourite, and in theory should just about scrape by on lack of love interest, but it's way too dark for our son and may well be too old - try before you buy.
Mike
Our son's reading ability has far outrun his emotional development; I imagine it's the same for many here. With modern fiction it can be difficult to find something intellectually stimulating without it having an emotional element that puts him off the whole book. For example, he didn't like Philip Reeve's "Mortal Engines" - very good in my opinion (love the opening sentence!) but there was too much emotional content. Similarly, he loved John Wyndham's "The Kraken Wakes" but "The Chrysalids" was only "OK" - he was very taken with the subject but there was too much love interest. (Slightly baffling, I wouldn't have thought there was anything to choose between the two in that respect, but then I'm not 10.) "Day of the Triffids" is the obvious one to try next. Conan Doyle's "The Lost World" was another hit but not Sherlock Holmes, so far at least. I've a suspicion RL Stephenson's "Kidnapped" would be a winner but I haven't tried it on him yet.
I'd second the recommendations for the Eoin Colfer and "Alex Rider" books (our son was a bit dubious about "Artemis Fowl" to begin with due to the subject, but I read him the first chapter or two and after that he was hooked.) and for "Swallows and Amazons" and Michael Morpurgo. He also enjoys the "Edge Chronicles" but he had a couple of false starts before acquiring the taste. He tore through the Philip Pulman trilogy in a week but I think he must have skimmed pretty heavily.
Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy is my personal favourite, and in theory should just about scrape by on lack of love interest, but it's way too dark for our son and may well be too old - try before you buy.
Mike
