Sunshine Mama Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I'm looking to add to my reading list for the fall. Here is what I have so far.....could you please let me know if you think any of my choices are not appropriate for a 1st grader. We tried to read Little House in the Big Woods last fall and never made it past the first chapter because my ds (then 5) struggled with comprehension. He's a smart kid, reading at a 2-3rd grade level but is such a perfectionist that he finds it hard to accept that he might not understand EVERYTHING. I'd like to re-try it again this coming fall. So please critique my list and add your favorites! Thanks. Little House in the Big Woods Stuart Little Mr Popper's Penguins The Original Winnie the Pooh books Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Wizard of Oz Billy and Blaze Thornton Burgess animal stories Grandma's Attic books Just So Stories My Father's Dragon Beatrix Potter Series Homer Price Henry Huggins The Littles Encylcopedia Brown Nate the Great Aesop for Children Blue Fairy Book (Andrew Lang) Detectives in Togas Red Fairy Book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Looks great! You've listed a lot of books my younger crowd thoroughly enjoyed. You might want to scan through the Andrew Lang books ahead of time, some of those fairytales can be a little scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I personally strongly prefer Trumpet of the Swan (and Charlotte, of course!) over Stuart Little. My son also did not get enthusiastic about Little House, until I found the audiobooks at our library. Somehow, car listening, where there is not choice in the matter (LOL) worked better. After the first book, he and my fifth grader were totally captivated and we are RA through the entire series. Being boys they especially like Farmer Boy, but really, they liked them all. I wonder if a first grader can fully appreciate Henry Huggins and Homer Price. I adore these, but the characters are a bit older, and they are bothered by pesky younger Ramona, etc. Just a thought. Re: Andrew Lang books-yes, they can be scary, but my 6 yo has loved them. He told me he wishes someone had thought of putting all of them together into one huge Rainbow Fairy Book (as it turns out, I think someone has!). He's not a particularly sensitive child though. Aesop is a biggie here too. We've read many versions . Another thought-William Steig books. My own personal fave is Brave Irene, but there are many and they are all wonderful in their own way, IMO. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. Many have subtle moral lessons. Dominic, a chapter book, is huge with my boys. We've read it many times. Finally, we are working on Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin. Short stories, many with a historical connection, many from ancient history. I edit on the fly occasionally, but they are a bit of "cultural literacy". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Looks good to me, alot of your books are ones that we are planning on reading! Hope you have a great year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Here is my 6 year old's review of your list :grouphug: {- she likes that smile, LOL LOVED Little House in the Big Woods The Littles Stuart Little Mr Popper's Penguins My Father's Dragon Henry Huggins Grandma's Attic books Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Billy and Blaze Nate the Great Just So Stories Aesop for Children SORT OF Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Thornton Burgess animal stories - but did like the bird stories Wizard of Oz - stopped reading - too scary The Original Winnie the Pooh books - though my 5 year old loves them DID NOT READ (usually for scary content) Blue Fairy Book (Andrew Lang) Detectives in Togas (will do with TOG 1 next year) Red Fairy Book Encylcopedia Brown - saving for her to read on her own Homer Price - haven't gotten to it yet Read younger - Beatrix Potter Series Books she likes and thinks you should read: Clementine series Lots of Nate the Great Boxcar Children CL Nature Readers My Friend and I - picture Book Milly, Molly, Mandy Betsy-Tacy + B is for Betsey + + means "you can find them at the library" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Mine loved (& so did I) Charlotte's Web. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I agree about Charlotte Web over Stuart Little. I would also add - Cricket In Times Square, Ginger Pye, Red Sails to Capri, and The Twenty-One Balloons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southmetromom Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 ...I like Charlotte's Web and Trumpet of the Swan (both of these we both read and listened to on tape -- excellent). You also might consider Paddington Bear -- his series (Michael Bond). We also read Michael Bond's books about the guinea pig, Olga da Polga. Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mosaicmind Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Just a thought, but you might check out different curriculum sites, such as SL and MFW and see what their book suggestions are. There is also Paula's Archives site, which has lots of books suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 but here is what I have planned so far: Little House in the Big Woods Pagoo (Holling C. Holling) Mary Poppins (we are actually starting it now because she wanted to) Peter Pan (audiobook version) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (DD is very excited for this) Charlotte's Web The Just So Stories Wind in the Willows (audiobook version) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe The Magician's Nephew These we have already read, but I wouldn't flinch at reading them again: Winnie-the-Pooh The House at Pooh Corner My Father's Dragon (all three) Aesop Ringtail (Alice Crew Gall) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Mama Posted May 2, 2008 Author Share Posted May 2, 2008 Thanks ladies! I like the idea of getting the Little House audio cds first for ds to listen to. And I've already added all your book suggestions to my list. Any more suggestions???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 Mine loved Charlotte's Web too, but ds 6 became a vegetarian for a long while after that . . . so if you have a sensitive child who hasn't made connections about where food really comes from . . . you might want to be cautious about this one. I ran into the same issue when I first read Little House in the Big Woods to him , in the opening chapter where they slaughter a pig. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthouseacademy Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 I am reading The Indian in the Cupboard right now. My kids are loving it. There is a lot of advanced vocabulary though so I am glad I have waited towards the end of 1st grade to start it- but my 4 yr old listens most of the time and I stop to explain what some of the words mean. Reid has such beautiful images painted with words though. I just finished Homer Price. My son didn't like Just So Stories. We also read Stuart Little. I tried Mrs. Piggle Wiggle because I remember it from when I was little and loved her but my children started misbehaving in order to imitate the poor behavior of some of the children in the book so we stopped reading the books :( too bad. Of course Nate the Great and Aesop are favorites here too. We also read The Boxcar Children. My children thought that book was so so. I have also been pulling out selections of poems and stories from The Moral Compass and The Book of Virtues because so many are so great and they are often short for a nice break in the middle of our school day. I also often pull copywork from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn E Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 Kate DiCamillo!!!!!!! We have LOVED her books. I am currently reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and I read over 70 pages YESTERDAY because neither of us could stop once a chapter ended. We have also read and loved The Tale of Despereaux. We have but have not yet read Because of Winn Dixie and The Tiger Rising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Mom Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 We also love Kate DiCamillo. We just finished Tale of Despereaux...a fun book to read aloud. We enjoyed Because of Winn Dixie too. We have been reading the Burgess Bird Book this year and, as a result, my son has really become interested in birds. My all time favorite is Trumpet of the Swans (my kids love it too). Others: Paddle to the Sea My Father's Dragon series Have you looked at Amblesideonline.org? Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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