alabasterflask Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I am hoping someone can give me a recommendation for a series (or long individual title) to read aloud as a family over the summer with my two boys (6 & 7.5). I am up to my eyeballs in resources for literature choices - I just want some more specific advice from a real person :) We just finished Five Children and It - and loved it. We read The Chronicles of Narnia last summer and we read The Hobbit at the begining of the year. We also enjoyed Farmer Boy, Ginger Pye, and Pinky Pye. I want something that will last all summer. I can't wait to hear your suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda S in TX Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 My boys love Tuckets Travels. We used it as a read aloud when they were younger (5 and 7.5), but oldest ds (now 9) is reading it alone right now. This is a series of five books, but the link is for an all-in-one volume book. We have the all-in-one. http://www.amazon.com/Tuckets-Travels-Francis-Adventures-1847-1849/dp/0440419670/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244050461&sr=8-1 Melinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Boxcar Children is unisex; my son is halfway through his first one already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Christian...The Sugar Creek Gang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnbacademy Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Books written by Will Hobbs (describe the Yukon Gold Rush days): Jasons Gold, Down the Yukon, Far North Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Based on your list...what about Half Magic and the three books after it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 If you loved Five Children and It, have you tried The Railway Children? Same author, no fantasy element, but we've loved it even more than her fantasy works. It's just delightful. Have you read any Meindert DeJong? "Shadrach" is my favorite, but he's written a number of great things. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is unisex and delightful fun. Mr. Popper's Penguins? Winnie the Pooh. Someone mentioned Half Magic, and I'll happily second that series. Swallows and Amazons is another wonderful series... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamapjama Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 My son loved Mr. Popper's Penguins Wizard of Oz and is completely enjoying My Side of the Mountain and the Far Side of the Mountain. I am loving those too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 We read Summer of the Monkeys last summer. Others my boys, especially, have enjoyed: Swiss Family Robinson, Sign of the Beaver, & Dr. Dolittle. They also really liked Wizard of Oz, though they had to read that on their own because I didn't want to read it to them. (Bad movie experience when I was little....) yvonne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 some individual titles The Twenty-One Balloons (William Pene du Bois) Andy Buckram's Tin Men (Carol Ryrie Brink) The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler (that may be a little old for them, depends on the kid) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I'll ditto Meindert DeJong (Wheel on the School, House of Sixty Fathers, Dirk's Dog Bello...), The Railway Children, books by Edward Eager (Half Magic, Knight's Castle, The Time Garden...), and the Swallows and Amazons series. My top recommendation for a read-aloud series with young boys would be Little Britches (and subsequent titles) by Ralph Moody. Extraordinary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 my son (age 7) is crazy about The Great Brain series. Defnintely not something that girls can't enjoy, too (especially Mom--I love it, and would have when I was little, too). He begs to hear it every night before bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 My boys like Pippi Longstocking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulubelle Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 We've had great success with the Boxcar Children Series. My boys are just 5 and 6.5. We finished Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh (they loved it!) Also, very much enjoyed the Phantom Tollbooth and Where the Red Fern Grow. I read one and a half of the Hardy Boys mystery - I think it may be too much to keep track of though at this age. They liked it, but not loved it. Great Brain, the Cicket in Time Square, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and the first 4 Encyclopedia Brown's are on the mantle piece! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabasterflask Posted June 4, 2009 Author Share Posted June 4, 2009 Awesome - thank you ladies! We are flying through Mr. Poppers Penguins - looks like I have approx. 2.5 days to do some shopping :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I am hoping someone can give me a recommendation for a series (or long individual title) to read aloud as a family over the summer with my two boys (6 & 7.5). Like another poster mentioned, these are fantastic books, and you *must* read more than just the first one. Without risking any spoilers, when you finish the first one you will want to pick up book two the very next day and start reading it, if not the very same day! However, I would wait another year or two before starting these. I would not spoil such fantastic stories by reading them with your guys this year. There are many deeper lessons that might not really sink in at their age, unless they are particularly mature, empathic, or very industrious/entreprenuerial. I would wait until you are ready to up the bar on having your eldest take responsibility for work, habits, and self-motivation. At that point, RM will be a wonderful role model in a funny and charming, non-preachy way. OTOH, if your family is in a position where you need your kids to see a role model for industry, self-reliance, finding many ways to generate a variety of income streams, etc., then book 2 would be a marvelous read for you! hth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonria Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 If you like fantasy, the Deltora Quest books (by Emily Rodda) are good. We read them a few years ago. There are three series, the first has 8 books, the second has 3 and the third has 4 books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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