Lost in Laundry

I just know he wouldn't like Frances Hodgson Burnett

Sunday, April 19, 2009

I need some recommendations.

I know you'll come through for me.

My oldest, Ryan, is almost seven. He really enjoys reading. For a while now he's been reading "chapter books." With a plot! Books that can't be memorized after two readings! Books that don't have a rhyme on every page! Books with NO PICTURES.

The problem is that....well....he's a boy. He likes boy stuff.

I don't know much about classic boy books.

When Lauryn was born, I was so excited to have a girl. Worried about fixing her hair and teaching her to do make-up, since I'm barely adequate at doing my own....but the redeeming thought was, "I have a little girl now! Someday we can read my favorite books together!"

Little House on the Prairie
A Little Princess
Anne of Green Gables
The Secret Garden
Little Women
(I'll spare her The Babysitter's Club. It was just a mis-guided phase I went through. But that Logan was so darn cute. Mary Anne was so lucky.)

All of the above titles are among my favorites, and all of the above titles would bore Ryan to tears.

I know my rambunctious, rowdy boy. Descriptions of beautiful porcelain dolls and long paragraphs about tending to secret gardens are just not going to cut it.

So what books should my seven year old boy and I be enjoying together?

permalink | posted by Starr at 8:20 PM

5 Comments:

Lori had this to say:: Okay, here is a list for you. My son who is 9 loves to read. Here are some of his favorites.

The Boxcar Children by: Gertrude Chandler Warner

The 21 Balloons by: William Pene du Bois

Stuart Little & Charlotte's Web by: E.B. White

Half Magic by: Edward Eager

The Door in the Wall by: Marguerite de Angeli

The Apple and the Arrow by: Mary and Conrad Buff

Phantom Tollbooth by: Norton Juster

Sign of the Beaver by: Elizabeth Geroge Speare

Fudge books by: Judy Blume

Frindle by: Andrew Clements

Ramona books by: Beverly Cleary

Encyclopedia Brown books by: Donald J. Sobol

A Wrinkle in Time by: Madeleine L'Engle

Sam Krupnik Series by: Lois Lowry

A to Z Mysteries by: Ron Roy

The Whipping Boy by: Sid Fleischman

Nim's Island by: Wendy Orr (better than the movie)

George's Marvelous Medicine by: Ronald Dahl

Narnia books by: C.S. Lewis; April 19, 2009 10:01 PM
Starr had this to say:: Awesome Lori!!! Thanks so much! I was thinking of the Narnia books after I posted, wondering if six almost seven is old enough. Those are some of my favorites as well.; April 19, 2009 10:05 PM
Kelly had this to say:: We've been reading the Narnia books to Jonah and he loves them.

Someone just recommended The Trophy Chase Trilogy to us. The first book is called the Legend of the Firefish. Joey and I are going to read the first one together to see if we like them.

Good luck in your quest. I am sure I will be coming to you in a year or so to ask you for your best ideas. Jonah is mostly reading his easy reader books right now, nothing too big for him yet.; April 20, 2009 8:39 AM
Zimms Zoo had this to say:: Pretty much all the books listed on Sonlight's website. You can go there and see what books are listed in each curriculumn.

Also he liked the Magic Tree House. But he prefers non-fiction and loves books on Pompeii.

I checked out a book from the library called "Gotcha reading." and it has a great list of fiction and non-fiction that he really liked.; April 21, 2009 7:50 AM
Vanessa had this to say:: If he likes sports I recommend Matt Christopher books. http://www.mattchristopher.com/books/books.asp
They may be a little outdated - my husband loved these when he was in elementary school - but they would still be good reading and interesting for a boy. I would also suggest the Magic Tree House books.; April 21, 2009 1:31 PM