What are 7th grade boys reading? (slightly lower level)

[Cindy B]

I Offered to help my school's guidance counselor and take care of some Christmas needs in our building.

I have a 7th grade boy. I know he reads Pokemon stories and he likes the graphic novel series Bone. He reads at about the 6th grade level.

What would you recommend?

Thanks

 

[VAfamily1998]

Well, my son is in 5th grade, but his teacher has said he reads above grade level so...

He LOVES the "Warriors" series by Erin Hunter. It's about clans of cats and just a little warning, there are some Christian groups that are opposed to the series (of course, I'm not looking to debate or discuss that ) but I just wanted to let you know in case you know this boy/his family are very religious.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref...26&sr=8-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B001H6NITG

Erin Hunter also writes a series about polar bears, called "Seekers"

Another series he is really into is "39 clues" by Rick Riordan. That is the same author that wrote "The Lightning Thief" and that series. I've been trying to get my oldest to read "The Lightning Thief" but right now he's too obsessed with those Warriors cats

 

[minniebeth]

Some of books that are really popular at my kids' school at that grade and level are:
Margaret Peterson Haddix Books, The Shadow Children series, starting with Among the Hidden

Ridley Pearson books, all of them!
The 39 Clues series

Suzanne Collin's trilogy of Hunger Games

The Warriors series books

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

The Lion Boy series by Zizou Corder

There's a ton of great literature for kids this age, this may give you a start. I'm sure others will add more great recommendations!

 

[golfgal]

Well, my son is in 5th grade, but his teacher has said he reads above grade level so...

He LOVES the "Warriors" series by Erin Hunter. It's about clans of cats and just a little warning, there are some Christian groups that are opposed to the series (of course, I'm not looking to debate or discuss that ) but I just wanted to let you know in case you know this boy/his family are very religious.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref...26&sr=8-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B001H6NITG

Erin Hunter also writes a series about polar bears, called "Seekers"

Another series he is really into is "39 clues" by Rick Riordan. That is the same author that wrote "The Lightning Thief" and that series. I've been trying to get my oldest to read "The Lightning Thief" but right now he's too obsessed with those Warriors cats

DS15 liked these books too, he read them in elementary school.

The Charlie Bone books are interesting.

DS18 LOVED the Star Wars books in middle school. They have several different levels from early elementary up to adults (he read them all). The nice thing about these is that there are so many of them that if he likes them, he has enough reading material for a year or more.

In 4th grade the kids read Because of Winn Dixie and really like that. They also liked Hoot and the subsequent books.

DS18 read nothing but Nintendo game books for years. He was having issues in school in 3rd grade so we had him tested for ADD, etc. His reading level tested out at a sophomore in college. We were SHOCKED because at the time he would read NOTHING. His 7th grade teacher turned him on to reading which was wonderful. His junior year in high school his ENGLISH teacher told him to stop reading so much (mainly because he was reading in class when he should have been ).

 

[Magic Mom]

The Alex Rider series is popular (spy novels for tween boys)

Sports books ( boys like books that connect with their life)-Mike Lupica has written several- Heat, Travel Team, Summer Ball.

Manic Magee by Jerry Spinelli

The Maze

Touching Spirit Bear


If he isn't into reading, the key is to find books that are tied to his interests. Don't worry if they aren't classics.

 

[smb6]

The Percy Jackson series and 39 Clues series are both easy reads that my boys really enjoy.....
For something more challenging that my boys really enjoyed- Gone with the Wind (yes they are boys- but loved it) and The Crucible.

 

[mjkacmom]

Ds12 and dd9 both loved the Percy Jackson series, and the Rick Riordan series as well.

 

[Bearvet]

I work in an elementary school library - through 6th grade. I've found a lot of boys who are reluctant readers love graphic novels (like a comic book in book format). Some favorite series are:

Bone (previously mentioned)
One Piece (I think there are 55 books!)
Naruto (also has many books)
Usagi Yojimbo

There are also many popular books that have been made into grahic novels - including The Warriors series mentioned earlier. There are also history books such as Pearl Harbor, and classic books like Sherlock Holmes.

I wasn't crazy about grahic novels at first, but when I see kids who won't read anything check out 2 books at a time, I changed my tune!

 

[golfgal]

I work in an elementary school library - through 6th grade. I've found a lot of boys who are reluctant readers love graphic novels (like a comic book in book format). Some favorite series are:

Bone (previously mentioned)
One Piece (I think there are 55 books!)
Naruto (also has many books)
Usagi Yojimbo

There are also many popular books that have been made into grahic novels - including The Warriors series mentioned earlier. There are also history books such as Pearl Harbor, and classic books like Sherlock Holmes.

I wasn't crazy about grahic novels at first, but when I see kids who won't read anything check out 2 books at a time, I changed my tune!

I have always said, who cares what they read, as long as they read-heck even reading the cereal box is reading.

 

[vicb]

Yes, along those lines in addition to reg. novel books I always have and still do buy my DS (now 15) comic strip books. He has loved the following for years:

Calvin and Hobbs
Get Fuzzy
Garfield
Foxtrot

I always sort of thought of them as reading magazines, kind of lighter reading. And it is good to have a mix. The older Calvin and Hobbs are usually in the "bargin bin" category.

 

[Tinijocaro]

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It's a trilogy and my ds15, dd13, and ds11 and myself all read it and loved it.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I wasn't crazy about grahic novels at first, but when I see kids who won't read anything check out 2 books at a time, I changed my tune!

They have done a couple professional development sessions for the staff at my school about the benefits of graphic novels. The presenter said that the graphic novels often have vocabulary that is more difficult than typical for the grade level they target, and also that the reader has to use more inference and context clue strategies than typical because there is less text. The reader has to put the pieces of the story together using both the pictures and the text, and that graphic novels are valuable academically in addition to fact that they often motivate reluctant readers.

Graphic novels are not just comic books. Some of the content is very mature; like the graphic novel Maus , which is about the Holocaust. They also have biographies and other content area topics written in graphic novel form. My school has a fantastic library center, and they have really beefed up their graphic novel section since the interest level in it has soared.

OP, a graphic novel for a 7th grade boy might make a great gift. A book I read last year was part of a trilogy; the title is Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. It has an interest level of grades 6-9, but it has a reading level of 4.3 according to Scholastic Book Wizard. The moon gets knocked into an orbit closer to the earth, and it affects all sorts of things and it's a story of survival in standard novel form.

 

[golfgal]

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It's a trilogy and my ds15, dd13, and ds11 and myself all read it and loved it.

These books keep popping up on everyone's suggested reading. I think I will get these for DS15 for Christmas.

 

[Magic Mom]

These books keep popping up on everyone's suggested reading. I think I will get these for DS15 for Christmas.

I loved Hunger Games. I read it before DD11 and now she's hooked too.

 

[SpecialK]

Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer - It's the first in a trilogy that both my boys read in sixth grade. The Pendragon series was a huge hit with my oldest at that age.

 

[brasswillow]

I teach Jr. High and the boys all fought over who would get to read "The Boy's King Arthur" first. They have also been enjoying reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

I was surprised to see one of the boys reading the Little House on the Prairie series, apparently he started with "Farmer Boy" and then was hooked. Another of my students has been pouring over the Magic Tree House books.

 

[JenInVirginia]

My kids loved "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary Schmidt.
Also, "Dear Mr. Henshaw" by Beverly Cleary

 

[Cindy B]

I wound up buying Amulet #1 (another graphic novel series-- ) I know this studdent, I taught him for a few days but I was looking for a graphic novel similar in plot and features.

Looked on our curriculum website (100 Book Challenge) and it was appropriate.

 

[cruisnfamily]

How about Diary of a Wimpy Kid? There's 4 or 5 of them out now.

My son will sit and read the entire book in one day! Love, love, loves these books!