We are rapidly approaching the end of George Selden’s “Cricket Series”. And my son, who is a precocious 7 yr old, has enjoyed them a lot! I also have a complilation of several of Margery Sharp’s “Miss Bianca” series. We will start that one soon.
However, I haven’t kept up as much with children’s books in the last 10 years as I did when my Mom and I were involved in RIF and the local library. So recommend me YOUR favorite books for the 7 to 10 year old age group.
P.S. Nothing against you “Harry Potter” fans but he has zero interest in the books at this point. I have read them but he says “Later Mom.”
I’d recommend The Great Brain series. I loved these as a kid, my boys loved them too. Tons of fun, particularly for a fellow denizen behind the Zion curtain.
Chinaberry is a great source for books that have either fallen by the wayside due to commercialism or have come back into print recently. Their reviews on the books are excellent, IMHO.
Some of the books I have in my pile to be read for my kids that appeal to me:
I also cannot recommend more ( from chinaberry) the audio tapes read by Jim Weiss.
From young kids stuff on up, he does a wonderful interpretation of some classics ( robin hood, 3 musketeers, Knights of the Round Table) that tones down the violence and gore.
Gordan Korman’s books were absolutely hilarious when I was younger and still amuse me now. I like his older stuff better than the newer. I Want to Go Home!, his Bruno and Boots series and No Coins Please would probably be appropriate for that age range. Possibly some of his other stuff.
Also, Diana Wynne Jones’ Chrestomanci series might work… or they may be a bit too mature, I’m not very good at judging these things. Either way, she’s one of the best YA fantasy writers out there.
Casting my mind back to the hours I spent browsing in the children’s section, there’s also Louis Sachar and his Wayside school stories… strange stuff, but good.
Also, there’s this series that I remember very clearly, but the title/author has completely slipped my mind. It was a very funny series, about this strange family. They were all over-achievers and were obsesssed with having “strings in their bows.” One of the kids played violin, one was a photographer (I think) etc. The father was a writer. The youngest kid, our protagonist, had a dog. There was also a very… strong-minded grandmother and a devil-child, Daisy. They were an EXTREMELY funny bunch of books and I highly recommend them. If anyone has any idea what I’m talking about, a reminder would be great… I need to re-read them.
Another fairly mature book that might work is Megan Whalen Turner’s “The Thief.” It’s a Newberry honor book, extremely well-written, and an entertaining and action-packed read.
Twickster I have most of the Joan Aiken Alternative England Series. We are going to get to them. Soon as he gets pass the “that’s about GIRLS Mom!” stage:D
I have considered Bunnicula. I have never read it so it would be a first time treat for us both! SHIRLEY!!! I had FORGOTTEN about “The Door in the Wall”! I loved that one whenI first read it. I will have to put it on our list.
I don’t think he has the attention span for Kipling yet. But soon as he does I will introduce him to “Rikki tikki tavi” and company.
Odd that the “Great Brain” series had slipped my mind… considering the big discussion we had here about it earlier this summer. That’s one that should be right up Bear’s alley
THANKS EVERYONE!
Great suggestions… keep them coming!
I was a little older than your son when I first read it, but The Adventures of Ulysses won’t be over his head, and it’s a book I still reread from time to time (along with The Odyssey) some twenty odd years later.
Gordon Korman! Yes! Edward Eager, good, if he likes that sort of thing. Dick King-Smith does some great animal-based stuff.
I read to my brother for years. We did Ruth Chew’s witch books, Walter Brooks’ Freddy the Pig books (rather outdated, but worth a look), and even Trixie Belden and Anne of Green Gables. (He didn’t care if the books were about girls.) The first book we read together was No Flying in the House, by Betty Brock. I still have a soft spot for that one. (Found my own copy at a library sale, later)
Oh! Another I just thought of–Out of the Bug Jar, by Kathleen Thomas. It’s about a boy who catches a tooth fairy. The tooth fairy’s name is Marvin (he’s from Duluth, of course, where else would a tooth fairy be from?)
The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek, by Evelyn Sibley Lampman. She also wrote City Under the Back Steps, which is about a brother and sister who get shrunk and spend some time in and anthill.
I love Joan Aiken’s books about Mortimer the raven. They’re just so weird. Great read-alouds, too. I read them to my roommate in college.
“Charlotte’s Web” is still one of my top five favorite books of all time (I’m 40, with a B.A. in Literature)! I highly recommend all the E.B. White books: the aforementioned, “Stuart Little” (which is so much better than the movie!!) and “The Trumpet of the Swan.”
I’d also suggest the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engel.
Also, if he likes Miss Bianca, he’ll love the “Redwall” series by Brian Jacques!
