wendyroo Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 My 5 year old has severe anxiety...diagnosed, being treated, but still very debilitating. I have always struggled to find read-aloud books that he can tolerate. For reference, here are some books that were too scary: Curious George Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs The Very Hungry Caterpillar (he doesn't like that the caterpillar gets sick from eating the foods) The Little Engine that Could Blueberries for Sal And more than 75% of all other books we own or see at the library I had pretty much given up on finding fiction novels (he does slightly better with non-fiction) until I picked up Anne of Green Gables and started reading that to him. He liked it. I think because it is so slow and spends so much time describing the path of brooks and the type of lace curtains, etc. I skipped a few short parts that would have led to full on panic attacks, but skipping them did not overly detract from the rest of the story. Now we are reaching the end and I am desperate to find something else to read that is equally "boring". Slow, quaint, VERY little conflict. He likes animals stories, but Thornton Burgess stories are too scary. Winnie the Pooh is too scary. Normal kindergarten fare like James and the Giant Peach and Charlotte's Web are WAY too scary. Can you think of anything that might fit the bill? Thanks, Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Well, Anne has a ton of follow on books! I will think about other genres, consider this mainly a bump for you. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Except there is death at the end of Anne of Green Gables - and that might be traumatic! (Can't think of anything boring enough for you right now.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Old Bear and Friends by Jane Hissey Cobble Street Cousins The Cats of Cuckoo Square the young kids' books by Shirley Hughes Frog and Toad are Friendsif he liked Anne, then yes, some of the other Anne books. Avonlea and the Island would prob be ok.and maybe Swallows and Amazons? (except Peter Duck - that's a pirate story...I also think if you find something he likes, it's ok to read that again and again ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 More Lucy Maud Montgomery books. Betsy-Tacy series Many books from Beverly Cleary (there might be a few issues with ones such as Dear Mr. Henshaw) And on the picture books, Miss Rumphius <3 <3 this book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 First of all hugs, that sounds tough to deal with. What are some of the things that happen that he finds scary? Is it conflict, failure, getting in trouble? Are there any tv shows or movies he likes? Knowing types of things that trigger the anxiety may help us help you find good books. Have you tried James Herriots Treasury for Children? I don't think it's boring but maybe it wouldn't be too scary. My 6 year old suggests books my Dick King-Smith. But he said in Pigs Might Fly at first the pig can't swim which your son may find scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 All-of-a-Kind Family and the sequels. Sweet books, great description, but nothing really happens:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 How about Math Start books? They have very innocuous storylines and are focused on teaching math concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MD Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Some might consider it a girls' book, but my young boys loved it, too..."The Milly Molly Mandy Storybook". *yawn* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted September 19, 2014 Author Share Posted September 19, 2014 Except there is death at the end of Anne of Green Gables - and that might be traumatic! (Can't think of anything boring enough for you right now.) He actually doesn't care about death. He doesn't understand why people find it sad or scary...it is other people's emotions surrounding the death that he can't deal with. At the beginning of that chapter, I just stated matter of factly who had died and then skipped past all the mourning. He was actually much more concerned about the hair dying than the actual dying. Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 All-of-a-Kind Family and the sequels. Sweet books, great description, but nothing really happens:) +1 to this, except for the book where Charlie hits his head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishes Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Maybe try Carolyn Haywood Books. The author wrote them in the 40's and they're mostly about daily life. I think once and awhile the kids get in trouble, I remember in "Two Plus Two is Four" the little boy eats his dad's pear, and is scolded. Since Ann gets in a lot more trouble than that, it should be okay? She wrote over 40 books and "Betsy" and Eddie" have several books apiece. They're all on Amazon which has more of a description. Here's a few titles: B is for Betsy Betsy and Billy Two Plus Two is Four Little Eddie Here's a Penny C is for Cupcake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Mr Putter and Tabby Stories tend to be very sweet for kidddos this age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 I wonder... It seems like the books that were too scary all had fantastical elements. Yet something real like a death is okay? Maybe you don't need boring books, you just need everyday life and everyday kids books... How about The Saturdays? The each have adventures, but pretty simple ones. The second book is even more tame after they move to the country. About the scariest thing is a bicycle ride with a character that can't figure out how to break. In that same vein, All-of-a-Kind Family or even The Penderwicks, though there's more tension and anger in The Penderwicks, so maybe not that one. How about everyday kid stories that are more contemporary? Andrew Clements has a bunch like Frindle. Or what about the Stink series? Stink only really has adorable things happen to him. What about the Ramona books? Nothing terrible happens to Ramona... well, mean babysitters and teachers and tensions with other kids. But that's what I mean, would he find that scary or would that be okay? See, in picture books, there's the visual element and the vast majority of them have a really fantasy element - talking animals, crazy events, etc. Once you get into chapter books, there's no visuals and there are a lot more average kids doing average things, with just regular every day tensions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Mr Putter and Tabby Stories tend to be very sweet for kidddos this age. Oh yes! And Poppleton too, though that has talking animals, which, maybe they're a problem? Cobblestreet Cousins, mentioned above is another good suggestion by Rylant at a slightly higher level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted September 19, 2014 Author Share Posted September 19, 2014 Thank you for all the suggestions. I will definitely be looking into them...and pre-reading them...and marking the really scary parts that need to be skipped. :001_rolleyes: Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Mr Poppers Penguins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indian summer Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Milly-Molly-Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Mr Poppers Penguins? I thought about this, too. But would the flooding-of-the-basement be scary? I thought there were some "tense" moments & some conflict over the penguins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Well, as long as you are pre-reading, what about The Toothpaste Millionaire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted September 19, 2014 Author Share Posted September 19, 2014 I wonder... It seems like the books that were too scary all had fantastical elements. Yet something real like a death is okay? Maybe you don't need boring books, you just need everyday life and everyday kids books... How about The Saturdays? The each have adventures, but pretty simple ones. The second book is even more tame after they move to the country. About the scariest thing is a bicycle ride with a character that can't figure out how to break. In that same vein, All-of-a-Kind Family or even The Penderwicks, though there's more tension and anger in The Penderwicks, so maybe not that one. How about everyday kid stories that are more contemporary? Andrew Clements has a bunch like Frindle. Or what about the Stink series? Stink only really has adorable things happen to him. What about the Ramona books? Nothing terrible happens to Ramona... well, mean babysitters and teachers and tensions with other kids. But that's what I mean, would he find that scary or would that be okay? See, in picture books, there's the visual element and the vast majority of them have a really fantasy element - talking animals, crazy events, etc. Once you get into chapter books, there's no visuals and there are a lot more average kids doing average things, with just regular every day tensions. His therapist thinks the main problems are conflict, emotion and suspense. When you put it that way, it becomes obvious why the vast majority of books upset him. He doesn't mind talking animals at all, as long as what they are saying is calm and unemotional (he can deal with about half of the Frog and Toad stories). A mean babysitter or teacher, though, would cause him to panic. He can't deal with average, everyday tensions - the one time he watched Caillou he left the room sobbing when the show started foreshadowing that it was going to rain on their picnic. Too suspenseful and out of control. I think he likes Anne of Green Gables, because the negative emotions are very muted. Even when Anne gets in trouble, Marilla's reactions are fairly calm...or, at least, I can read them that way. Some of the major conflicts (Anne yelling at Mrs. Lynde, Gilbert teasing Anne, the girls getting in trouble for jumping on the bed), though, I had to paraphrase and tone down. I expect I will have to do that with almost any book, but it makes it easier if there are a limited number of conflicts I have to work around and if they are not integral to the story. Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Hmm... taking Robert Mcloskey as an example if "Blueberrries for Sal" was to stressful with its issues of separartion. I would try "Time of Wonder" next... the storm scene is the only conflict. Then you could try "One Morning in Maine" where the only conflict is the lost tooth. "Make Way for Ducklings" is probably on par with "One Morning in Maine". "Homer Price" is right out... IF Pooh is too stressful you, then you basically need books that just have narrative descriptions. Sometimes after exciting read alouds, DS7 has liked to be read botany guides and other nature guides. At a younger age he would often request to be read to about flowers after a overstimulating read aloud. Maybe something like that could help...This is a really tough one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Hmm...you could start a sci fi thread with a similar title to draw in sci fi fans...I wonder if there are any Star Trek novels written from the nice logical perspective of Spock, or sci fi that focuses on science and not conflict? Some of the sci fi that bores me might be a great fit, I'm thinking, but I quit books that bore me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Five Little Peppers and how they grew. Little Women. My son has a low level of what you describe -- suspense being too much. He leaves in the midst of even kids movies like Cars because he can't handle certain parts. But then he will come back. I am not 100% certain but he "skips ahead" in reading books to make sure they come out okay. Then goes back to read once assured. (or maybe not? I better figure this out for sure) He loves poetry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Now we are reaching the end and I am desperate to find something else to read that is equally "boring". Slow, quaint, VERY little conflict. He likes animals stories, but Thornton Burgess stories are too scary. Winnie the Pooh is too scary. Normal kindergarten fare like James and the Giant Peach and Charlotte's Web are WAY too scary. Can you think of anything that might fit the bill? DS never had this level of anxiety but before we resolved his sleep disorder, we often needed something calming for the *long* glide path to sleep. One thing that worked well for us was narrations about our own childhoods. Another especially helpful thing was guided visualizations... relax, now I'm going to tell you about going on a train trip... the train is bumpity, bumping along in to the sunset, the trees are passing along outside, they are slowly blurring as we speed by, it is getting darker and darker,the engine is clicking along, etc,etc... all very calm on the glide path to sleep. Nature books that describe either physiology or the beauty of nature also worked. Finding things that describe the beauty of nature w/o conflict is a huge challenge... as you well know since the Burgess books have not worked. On another tack, sometime things that engaged his logical mind but not his emotional mind helped. So nonfiction could calm him. "You Can Count on Monsters" or Dan Green's "The Elements" have often helped calm anxiety. ETA: What about poetry. Robert Frost has been popular with my kids... lots of imagery, not much conflict... find a good anthology and see what appeals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIE! Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Henry and Mudge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 How about some nice non-fiction? Maybe some interesting books on space or trees would be a good change of pace. Have you considered just making stories up together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 For poetry -- You could try Shel Silverstein. That is what my son is reading currently Robert Louis Stevenson is not as funny, but good quality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 For poetry -- You could try Shel Silverstein. That is what my son is reading currently Robert Louis Stevenson is not as funny, but good quality That is a great summary. However, often humor involves setting up a tension that the OP might want to avoid. RLS's "Child's Garden of Verse" has lots of impressionistic poems with little to no conflict. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 If he likes repetition and illustrations and Robert Frost works out, I love this illustrated version of Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening: http://www.amazon.com/Stopping-By-Woods-Snowy-Evening/dp/0525467343/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411160801&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=robert+frost+illustrate+book+children Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konglish Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 The Relatives Came--Cynthia Rylant Pancakes, Pancakes--Eric Carle The Tree Lady--H. Joseph Hopkins (a biography of Kate Sessions, who planted the majority of the trees in San Diego) My daughter, the resident Thornton Burgess expert, says The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver are not scary (I have not read). I'm listening to the All-of-a-Kind Family audiobook right now, and it does seem pretty dull. :) Best of luck to you! I hope you can find some great books he will enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 For poetry -- You could try Shel Silverstein. That is what my son is reading currently Robert Louis Stevenson is not as funny, but good quality That is a great summary. However, often humor involves setting up a tension that the OP might want to avoid. RLS's "Child's Garden of Verse" has lots of impressionistic poems with little to no conflict. I agree. I wouldn't suggest Shel Silverstein. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 The Saturdays is nice and episodic, though I wouldn't say it's totally devoid of tension. The third book in the series, Then There Were Five, involves a boy who's mistreated that the Melendys eventually take in. His cruel guardian also dies in a house fire, FYI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishes Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 I think The Five Little Peppers would be upsetting. They're good kids but they react with anguish a lot. When Polly gets scarlet finger and hurts here eyes, she cries and nearly "destroys" her eyes, Joel almost dies during that too, Phronsie gets kidnapped by the organ grinder and almost gets run down by a carriage in the city. In later books in the series Joel is shot, robbers come into the King's house, there's a train wreck, another break-in of the King's house... As I write more I find that there was actually a LOT going on in this series! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Milly-Molly-Mandy This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Lots of good suggestions, I will add: My Father's Dragon series Toys Go Out, Toys Dance Party Berenstain Bears series (may need to preread since series covers some scary things, but Mama Bear explains the world very well to her cubs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 If he likes repetition and illustrations and Robert Frost works out, I love this illustrated version of Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening: http://www.amazon.com/Stopping-By-Woods-Snowy-Evening/dp/0525467343/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411160801&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=robert+frost+illustrate+book+children We own this and it is a lovely book. DS5's favorite is this collection of "Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost" http://www.amazon.com/Poetry-Young-People-Robert-Frost/dp/1402754752 In addition to the usual favorites, he also really likes both "Birches" and "A Prayer in Spring"... The entire "Poetry for Young People" series is nicely curated and illustrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Maybe The Cabin Faced West? Brambly Hedge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 We own this and it is a lovely book. DS5's favorite is this collection of "Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost" http://www.amazon.com/Poetry-Young-People-Robert-Frost/dp/1402754752 In addition to the usual favorites, he also really likes both "Birches" and "A Prayer in Spring"... The entire "Poetry for Young People" series is nicely curated and illustrated. That looks like a nice edition. I love Birches, it is in my top 3 Frost poems. I have a complete volume of Frost, but the illustrated ones are good for reading to children, my complete volume is for adults and is not illustrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 These are books that I recall as being pretty gentle, but it's been awhile since I read some of them personally. Milly-Molly-Mandy Twig The Teddy Robinson Storybook Raggedy Ann Stories Pickle-Chiffon Pie We Help Mommy (and pretty much all of Eloise Wilkin's other books) Biscuit's Storybook Collection Around the Year (and most other books by Elsa Beskow) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I think The Five Little Peppers would be upsetting. They're good kids but they react with anguish a lot. When Polly gets scarlet finger and hurts here eyes, she cries and nearly "destroys" her eyes, Joel almost dies during that too, Phronsie gets kidnapped by the organ grinder and almost gets run down by a carriage in the city. In later books in the series Joel is shot, robbers come into the King's house, there's a train wreck, another break-in of the King's house... As I write more I find that there was actually a LOT going on in this series! LOL - I was just going to suggest that book because it has to be, hands down, the most boring book I've ever read. Well, actually we listened to it on tape. It was soooo boring, I think I may have gone into a coma. But you might be right about there being melodrama... that didn't make it any less boring for me, but it sounds like it still might upset OP's son... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Here are some of the least suspenseful books we've got: The Gossie and Gertie books by Olivier Dunrea Maisy Mouse books Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree Kitten's First Full Moon George and Martha books - these are short chapter books (5 stories in each) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 :grouphug: I think this is the first time anyone has wanted a boring book on purpose! I totally understand and do feel for your son, but the title in isolation is kind of funny. I will try to think of more boring, drama free books for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 What about the Bobsey Twins or Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. Mrs Piggle Wiggle has children dealing with issues but usually in a low conflict and unemotional way. Or maybe Harold and the Purple Crayon? Some of those can get pretty long and Harold can solve any problem with his crayon. Or Trumpet of the Swan? Louis is pretty calm. There's one part where his father has a dramatic near death experience, but it turns out well and you could skip over the tense part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rose Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Little house in the big woods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue daisy Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I was also going to suggest Little House in the Big Woods. There are a couple of scary chapters when Pa is talking about animals in the woods, but I think you could totally skip those. Many of the other chapters are simple descriptions of the way they lived their lives. Many of the Margaret Wise Brown books are simple narratives. We have a poetry collection by her called Mouse of My Heart that we've enjoyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirstenhill Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Maybe you've already tried this, but because I personally don't like too much of certain kinds of tension (like, I would never want to be caught off guard by a book or movie ending really sadly or a main character dying), I somewhat often read a full description on Wikipedia (or imdb in the case of movies). I enjoy the book/movie/tv show so much more after I know what kind of ending it has. I wonder, OP, if you gave your son an account of the tension/action in the book ahead of time, if he would have a better time enjoying the book after that. We've enjoyed a lot of the books mentioned already, so I am not sure I can think of any more lower-tension books to add! I guess I will second the suggestion of the Betsy Tacy books. They are very sweet and the small amount of "mischief" they get into is pretty low tension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeAndTheBoys Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Milly Molly Mandy. We had to read that in Sonlight Core PreK and NOTHING happened to those kids. Dull. Dull. Dull. I really like the Carolyn Haywood books--the "Betsy" series, and there are "Eddie" books and other ones. They were written between the 1930s and 1960s, I think; very mellow and calm. Also, Lamplighter publishing has some dull books too--I got suckered into buying some at a homeschool convention--they are reprints of old books, beautiful bindings. ANd it's nice to have some "solid characters" and all that--but they are not highly exciting, nothing much happens. And if you look at the titles, you can search for many of them free on Google Books. B--- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I wish I knew the name of the book that Dh still makes fun of. Years ago I had a book out from the library about a cow. It was a calm book about the daily life of a cow. Dh couldn't stand it because it was so boring. He changed the text to be (It was similiar to this in content, just more poetic) The cow chewed and chewed and chewed. The cow stood and stood and stood. The cow walked and walked and walked. The cow pooed and pooed and pooed. (He added this bit) Repeat the above a few times with slight variations The cow went home. This actually is the life of a cow. That cracks me up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 FYI in Betsy-Tacy, a baby sibling dies in the first book, if I remember correctly. Since your ds isn't bothered so much by death, this might be ok, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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