What are your kids reading? Holiday gift question.

[Mickey'snewestfan]

DS9's favorite thing right now is books on CD. He can spend hours or even a whole day curled up listening to a good fantasy book. Right now he's on the Eragon/Eldest/Brisingr series which he's loving -- last night he listened for 4 hours straight after school until I made him go to sleep, and eagerly waiting for Cornelia Funke's Inkdeath to come out.

Any suggestions on what's next? We try and use the library as much as possible, but their selection isn't always great so I end up buying some too. I'd like to include the first book in a few

I'd also like to get him some books to read himself too. Any suggestions on about a 4th grade reading level -- He's reading the Fire Within series right now, and also like the Magic Shop series (e.g. Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher).

 

[sage10]

First off, have you tried audible.com? We love this site and download a ton of book and then burn them off or download to the ipod. It is around $22 a month for 2 credits, right now bringr is 2 credits, but mostly I chose 1 credit books. We download bunch of James Patterson to ours, but our kids aren't old enough to download yet. They have just started an audible kids as well. Secondly, has he heard the Ariana Kent series? I have not listened to it yet, but I asked on another site for recommendation for Harry Potter follow up, and was given this title. Audible has both of the Ariana Kent series. I was told if you like Harry you will like this series and the author is a 12 year old or so. Good luck in finding a set of books. My niece really enjoys fantasy books and her favorites are the Stephanie Meyers books, not sure of the names, something about twilight. Good to hear that kids still enjoy reading. I love to read and so does dh. My kids have been into books alot too, but they are only 4.

 

[Perditamarie]

I think this will prove to be an interesting thread. I am reading Phantom Tollbooth to my 7 yo now, and am looking forward to getting my hands on JK Rowlings Beedle Bard that comes out in Dec (the book of fables referenced in the last Harry Potter book). I also love the Chronicles of Narnia series, and am torn on this and the Twilight one for nieces at Christmas.

 

[daisyduck123]

My DS10 (5th grade) loves the Captain Underpants series, the Bone Series by Jeff Smith, and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. He loved all of these last year in the 4th grade as well.

 

[dislal]

I just volunteered a week at our schools book fair and we could not keep The Diary of a Wimpy kid books in stock. I think there are three of them in the series, but the third one is kind of a fill in yourself book.

 

[mjantz]

If you have not listened to the Harry Potter series on audio I highly recommend it. Jim Dales voice is wonderful to listen to & really brings it to life. (FYI that he's also the narrator on the TV show 'Pushing Daisies')
We don't listen to many audio books but I checked out 'The Tale of Despereaux' a few months back when I knew we were going to have a few road trips. The kids loved it & DH and I did as well.

For just books in general, My DS loves this series about toads in Australia. There's Toad Rage, Toad Away & Toad Heaven. He also enjoys the 'Weenie' series (Land of the Lawn Weenies, Curse of the Campfire Weenies, Revenge of the Road Weenies). They're collections of short stories. I'll just make a list now because its easier than saying 'also' 20 times!

-Peter & the Starcatchers series
-Diary of a Wimpy Kid
-'Fudge' books by Judy Blume

Hope this helps

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Harry Potter series if he hasn't read/listened to it
Peter and the Starcatchers series - Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

DD9 just finished reading The Phantom Tollbooth and thought it was great. She read the Enchanted Forest Chronicles series by Patricia Wrede last year and also liked Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher. She also read and enjoyed The Hobbit. She also just read A Wrinkle in Time (a Battle of the Books book for this year) and liked it, and she likes the Narnia books.

A Tale of Despereaux (mentioned by the PP) is one of DD9's all time favorite books. She also likes books by Roald Dahl (James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Beverly Cleary (maybe too girlish for your DS?), and EB White (Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, The Trumpet of the Swan)).

She still likes to read Captain Underpants and the Wimpy Kid books (although I don't care for either), but I am glad she has reached a level that we can read books together!

 

[Minnie M6]

I think this will prove to be an interesting thread. I am reading Phantom Tollbooth to my 7 yo now, and am looking forward to getting my hands on JK Rowlings Beedle Bard that comes out in Dec (the book of fables referenced in the last Harry Potter book). I also love the Chronicles of Narnia series, and am torn on this and the Twilight one for nieces at Christmas.

I'm reading Phantom Tollbooth with my 9 year old DS right now! I'm having a hard time getting into it but he is enjoying it. Unfortunately we have a hard time getting him to read on his own, so I will be watching this thread for more suggestions- the series mentioned already sound interesting. If I could find a series that really catches his attention........He mainly loves non-fiction, and will read his Pokemon manuals over and over.........at least he's reading, but the bookshelves in his room are full of great books that I know he would love, it's just frustrating.

 

[lntsmom]

If he can do Eragon, he isn't reading at a 4th grade level, lol! Based on that fact, here's what I'd suggest:

The Septimus Heap Series. Books 1 - 4 are out now. Think reverse Harry Potter...a little girl who was born a princess is raised by wizards to protect her from the bad guys who are out to get her...and a son from the wizard family is raised apart from them, to be reunited eventually in book 1.

The Molly Moon books. There are 4 of them, I think. They're a bit lighter- Molly is an orphan who learns she has amazing powers. She and her pet pug (and friends) save the world...repeatedly.

The May Bird series. This one is a little darker, but my sons loved them. Many adventures here... Travels to the underworld. May saves both worlds.

The Chronicles of Narnia. Kids really get into these, especially if they read the series straight through.

Spy X series. This is a much easier read than the others. Two kids' mom suddenly disappears and through their adventures trying to find her they realize that neither of their parents were what they seemed.

A Wrinkle In Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly tilting planet...all by Madeline L'Engle. Classic Christian advenure stories. Don't go beyond the 3rd book...the topics get very adult starting in book 4.

The Hatchett series. There are 3 of these. A 12 year old boy is stranded in the wilds of Alaska....

Crispin and the Cross of Lead...there are 3 Crispin books. By Avi. Set in the dark ages. Not happy, but great literature. My son chose to read these a second time.

The Michael Scott books...The Magycian, the Alchemyst, etc. All based around twins and Nicholas Flamel...can they save the world?

p.s. I've read all these...if you can't guess, I'm a middle school reading teacher, lol!

 

[Disney_Angel]

www.storynory.com is always a treat in our home.

Some of the audo books are available on iTunes.

The Tick Tock Turkey series is bound to give a chuckle!

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

If you have not listened to the Harry Potter series on audio I highly recommend it. Jim Dales voice is wonderful to listen to & really brings it to life. (FYI that he's also the narrator on the TV show 'Pushing Daisies')
We don't listen to many audio books but I checked out 'The Tale of Despereaux' a few months back when I knew we were going to have a few road trips. The kids loved it & DH and I did as well.

For just books in general, My DS loves this series about toads in Australia. There's Toad Rage, Toad Away & Toad Heaven. He also enjoys the 'Weenie' series (Land of the Lawn Weenies, Curse of the Campfire Weenies, Revenge of the Road Weenies). They're collections of short stories. I'll just make a list now because its easier than saying 'also' 20 times!

-Peter & the Starcatchers series
-Diary of a Wimpy Kid
-'Fudge' books by Judy Blume

Hope this helps

I second the Harry Potter comment - it's so cool to hear it read by someone with the correct accent! And Jim Dale just blows things away. I could listen to them over and over (though I'm a serious Harry Potter fan). And Desperaux is great, too - I'm a little worried about the movie coming out, since it looked not a whole lot like the book. Have him read the book first! (It is about a mouse, so just a warning if he's into more of an "older" fantasy).

As a fourth-grade teacher, I've really enjoyed doing A Wrinkle in Time with my students, and it usually gets pretty good reviews (it's serious science fiction, though, so be prepared for some far-out ideas). One series that's very popular in my classroom is the Hank Zipzer series. It's not fantasy, but it's a hillarious series of books about a kid with a learning disability and his friends. It's very down-to-earth, and my students say they like it because Hank sounds like a real person. They're co-written by Henry Winkler (yes, the Fonz). I also had a student get hooked on a series last year - I can't remember the name, but it has to do with kids who are children of the Greek gods from ancient mythology. Just a few suggestions!

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

I forgot!! The Kingdom Keepers series - if he's a Disney fan, they're adventure/fantasy books set in Disney! The first one is set in the MK, and the second (just came out this month) is set mostly in the AK, I think. I haven't gotten to that one yet, but the first one (just called Kingdom Keepers) was really good.

 

[Stephres]

As a fourth-grade teacher, I've really enjoyed doing A Wrinkle in Time with my students, and it usually gets pretty good reviews (it's serious science fiction, though, so be prepared for some far-out ideas). One series that's very popular in my classroom is the Hank Zipzer series. It's not fantasy, but it's a hillarious series of books about a kid with a learning disability and his friends. It's very down-to-earth, and my students say they like it because Hank sounds like a real person. They're co-written by Henry Winkler (yes, the Fonz). I also had a student get hooked on a series last year - I can't remember the name, but it has to do with kids who are children of the Greek gods from ancient mythology. Just a few suggestions!

My son and I are reading A Wrinkle in Time together. I had to almost force him to listen at first and now he is hooked! We have been reading a chapter a night. He does not care for the Harry Potter books because they are too scary for him.

My mother gave him a Hank Zipper book too but he hasn't read it yet. He is very hesitant to try new books. He loves the Diary of the Wimpy Kid books but I am trying to get him to read more challenging books. He just finished No More Dead Dogs and liked it once he was sure that it was not actually about dead dogs!

 

[Ellester]

My dd10 loves the "Warriors" series by Erin Hunter. It's all about cats and their "secret" world. I've read them too, she wanted me too. They get a bit formulaic (I think there are like 12 of them now), but very original in concept. The Narnia series, of course, if he hasn't read them.

 

[Keara'sMom]

My dh and dd are reading The Mysterious Benedict Society and the sequel to that (forget the name) and are enjoying it immensely. Another book my dd just adored was The Thief Lord. Oh, and I second The Tale of Despereaux!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

If he can do Eragon, he isn't reading at a 4th grade level, lol! Based on that fact, here's what I'd suggest:!

Just to clarify, he's "doing" Eragon on CD, it's not a book he could actually pick up and read. He can clearly understand things far above his "grade level" but his reading is about on target -- of course this isn't uncommon. I think one of the things that makes him a reluctant "reader" (as opposed to a voracious "listener") is that he's tasted the "good stuff" like Eragon, and Inkheart and so is a little bored by things that are within his reading ability.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! Lots of good ideas here, some of which we've done and some of which we'll have to explore.

 

[DizzyFORDisney]

My son (11) just read Redwall and has declared it his favorite book ever! And he reads a LOT!

My other sons like the HP books of course, Geronimo Stilton, Andrew Lost, Secrets of Droon, Narnia, Wrinkle in Time.

I'll post more later.

 

[Trena]

I also love the Chronicles of Narnia series, and am torn on this and the Twilight one for nieces at Christmas.[/QUOTE]


My DD12 and I just read all 4 of the Twilight books! We loved them! Can't wait for the movie to come out. My DH has just finished the first book and he liked it too.

 

[luvmy3]

My dd 10 just said today that she was asking Santa for a Arthur Spiderwick's field guide (to something) book.

 

[piratemamaof3]

both DS 7 (2nd gr)and 9(4th gr) like all the Magic Tree House books. We have read some of the A-Z mysteries. WE have read some of the Secrets of Droon series