Rivka Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 I posted a thread last week complaining about the tendency among classical homeschoolers to only assign elderly books and to dismiss recent fiction as "twaddle." The discussion was fascinating, and many people had great recommendations for contemporary children's books and authors. I went through the thread and other recommended resources and pulled together a list of 20 modern children's books which might partake of the "classics" nature. I have not read all of these books myself and can't guarantee their excellence or appropriateness. My criteria were: 1. Published since 1990. 2. Highly regarded for the literary quality of the prose and/or enduring themes, and not just for a compelling plot. 3. Marketed as a children's book, rather than YA. I left off the Harry Potter series and other blockbuster fiction on the basis of Criterion #2. It doesn't mean that I don't think Harry Potter will be an enduring classic, because I do; I just don't think it has the kind of great prose quality which would lead someone to assign it as literature. Books below about a third or fourth grade reading level didn't make it onto the list either, because although there are some great, worthwhile series for younger readers, readability (rather than literary excellence) seems to be their main focus. RL = Grade-based reading level from the Scholastic Book Wizard. GL = Grade level from a couple of different sources; based on expected interest level rather than decoding difficulty. 2006 Toys Go Out. Emily Jenkins. 144p, RL 4.0, GL 1-4 1990 The Water Horse. Dick King-Smith. 128p, RL 5.2, GL 3-5 1994 The Daydreamer. Ian McEwan. 106p, RL 5.8, GL 3-5 1997 Ella Enchanted. Gail Carson Levine. 288p, RL 5.1, GL 3-5 2004 The Tale of Despereaux. Kate DiCamillo. 272p, RL 4.8, GL 3-5 2006 The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Kate DiCamillo. 228p, RL 4.5, GL 3-5 2007 The Penderwicks. Jeanne Birdsall. 272p, RL 4.8, GL 3-5 2010 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Grace Lin. 304p, RL 5.4, GL 3-5 1990 Haroun and the Sea of Stories. Salman Rushdie. 224p, GL 4-7 2002 The Kite Fighters. Linda Sue Park. 144p, RL 6.3, GL 4-7 2004 Chasing Vermeer. Blue Balliett. 304p, RL 5.6, GL 4-8 2007 The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Brian Selznick. 533p, RL 5.2, GL 4-7 2008 Savvy. Ingrid Law. 352p, RL 8.5, GL 4-7. 2010 Moon Over Manifest. Clare Vanderpool. 368p, RL 5.3, GL 4-8 1990 True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Avi. 240p, RL 6.9, GL 6-8 1998 Holes. Louis Sachar. 272p, RL 5.2, GL 6-8 2002 The Wanderer. Sharon Creech. 320 p, RL 5.3, GL 6-8 2002 Crispin: The Cross of Lead. Avi. 320p, RL 6.1, GL 6-8 2002 Summerland. Michael Chabon. 512p, RL 7.2, GL 6-8 2004 Pictures of Hollis Woods. Patricia Reilly Giff. 176p, RL 4.5, GL 5-8 I would really, really love to see other people put together their own lists, and for this to be the start of a conversation. I'd also love to hear from people who have read more of these books than I have. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satori Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 (edited) I've been working on a list this summer with the help of many here. Just sort it by Year and weed out any Interest Levels 3 and 4, as well as Harry Potter/Percy Jackson (which I added for popular culture reasons). http://satorismiles.com/childrens-book-list/sortable/ Inside Out and Back Again Thanhha Lai 2011 2 Okay For Now Gary D. Schmidt 2011 2 Young Fredle Cynthia Voigt 2011 2 Moon Over Manifest Clare Vanderpool 2010 2 One Crazy Summer Rita Williams-Garcia 2010 3 Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, The * Jacqueline Kelly 2009 3 When You Reach Me Rebecca Stead 2009 2 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Grace Lin 2009 2 Graveyard Book, The Neil Gaiman 2008 3 Savvy (sequel - Scumble) Ingrid Law 2008 3 Underneath, The * Kathi Appelt 2008 3 Willoughbys, The Lois Lowry 2008 2 George's Secret Key to the Universe (1 of 2) Lucy & Stephen Hawking 2007 2 Igraine the Brave Cornelia Funke 2007 2 Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Brian Selznick 2007 2 Mysterious Benedict Society, The (series) Trenton Lee Stewart 2007 2 Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Kate DiCamillo 2006 2 Rules Cynthia Lord 2006 2 Toys Go Out (series) Emily Jenkins 2006 1 Lightning Thief, The (Percy Jackson series) Rick Riordan 2005 2 Penderwicks, The (series) Jeanne Birdsall 2005 2 Al Capone Does My Shirts (sequel - Al Capone Shines My Shoes) Gennifer Choldenko 2004 3 Chasing Vermeer (series 1/3) Blue Balliett 2004 3 Kira-Kira * Cynthia Kadohata 2004 4 Sea of Trolls, The (trilogy) Nancy Farmer 2004 3 Capture, The (Guardians of Ga'hoole series) Kathryn Lasky 2003 2 Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles, book 1/5) Suzanne Collins 2003 2 Inkheart Cornelia Funke 2003 3 Spiderwick Chronicles, The Holly Spider 2003 2 Tale of Desperaux, The Kate DiCamillo 2003 2 Wee Free Men, The (Discworld series) Terry Pratchett 2003 3 Coraline Neil Gaiman 2002 2 Crispin: Cross of Lead (sequel - At the Edge of the World) Avi 2002 3 Hoot Carl Hiassen 2002 3 House of the Scorpion, The * Nancy Farmer 2002 3 Pictures of Hollis Woods Patricia Reilly Giff 2002 2 Summerland Michael Chabon 2002 2 Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents Terry Pratchett 2001 3 Single Shard, A Linda Sue Park 2001 2 Because of Winn-Dixie Kate DiCamillo 2000 2 Doll People, The (series) Ann M. Martin 2000 2 Esperanza Rising Pam Muñoz Ryan 2000 3 Fever 1793 * Laurie Halse Anderson 2000 3 Kite Fighters, The Linda Sue Park 2000 2 Matilda Bone Karen Cushman 2000 2 Thief Lord Cornelia Funke 2000 2 Wanderer, The Sharon Creech 2000 2 Birchbark House, The Louis Erdrich 1999 2 Bud, Not Buddy Christopher Paul Curtis 1999 2 Kensuke's Kingdom Michael Morpurgo 1999 3 Nim's Island Wendy Orr 1999 1 Holes * Louis Sachar 1998 3 Skellig * David Almond 1998 3 Dragon Rider Cornelia Funke 1997 2 Ella Enchanted Gail Carson Levine 1997 2 Lily's Crossing Patricia Reilly Giff 1997 2 Out of the Dust * Karen Hesse 1997 3 Wringer Jerry Spinelli 1997 2 Frindle Andrew Clements 1996 2 Girl Named Disaster, A Nancy Farmer 1996 2 Lost Years of Merlin, The (series) * T. A. Barron 1996 3 Moorchild, The Eloise McGraw 1996 2 View from Saturday, The E. L. Konigsburg 1996 3 Golden Compass, The (series) Philip Pullman 1995 3 Poppy (series) Avi 1995 2 Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 Christopher Paul Curtis 1995 2 Catherine, Called Birdy * Karen Cushman 1994 3 Ear, the Eye and the Arm, The Nancy Farmer 1994 3 Secret of Platform 13, The Eva Ibbotson 1994 3 Walk Two Moons Sharon Creech 1994 2 Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of 'The Iliad' Rosemary Sutcliff 1993 2 Giver, The * (trilogy 1 of 3) Lois Lowry 1993 3 Missing May Cynthia Rylant 1992 2 Midwife's Apprentice, The * Karen Cushman 1991 3 Shiloh (series 1/3) Phyllis Reynolds Naylor 1991 1 Dealing With Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles series) Patricia C. Wrede 1990 2 Esio Trot Roald Dahl 1990 1 Haroun and the Sea of Stories Salman Rushdie 1990 2 Maniac Magee * Jerry Spinelli 1990 3 True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, The * Avi 1990 3 Water Horse, The Dick King-Smith 1990 2 Number the Stars * Lois Lowry 1989 3 Edited August 24, 2011 by Satori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenjenn Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Some that come to mind... 1990 Number the Stars Lois Lowry (Grades 4-8) 1991+ All American Girl Historical Fiction (Grades 2-6) 2008 The Graveyard Book Neil Gaiman (Grades 6+) Say what you will, I think the Harry Potter series will go down in history as children's classic literature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satori Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 I would've listed Number the Stars, but the copyright was 1989 (It won the Newbery Medal in 1990 though). Has anyone read Lois Lowry's book The Willoughys from 2008? It is a parody on "old-fashioned" children's books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuovonne Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Has anyone read Lois Lowry's book The Willoughys from 2008? It is a parody on "old-fashioned" children's books. It is quite funny and follows its formula quite wonderfully. Strangely enough, I ended up reading it just before reading "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase," which has absolutely nothing to do with it, but has a similar name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 I have not read all of these books, but I would agree that books by Neil Gaiman, Christopher Paul Curtis and Kate DiCamillo among other listed have definite literary value. In fact, I think they are better written than many adult best sellers. However, I don't think Rick Riordian is in the same class. My kids love his series, they are great fun, but the writing is pretty pedestrian. There just isn't the depth of nuance or character development or level of fine tuned detail or craft of writing there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enough Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Nothing to add here- I value and encourage the reading of old and new books alike- but this had me rolling: elderly books :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEGway Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus (2010) It might be marketed as YA instead of children's, but I would put it at 4th-6th grade reading/content level. (I think. :) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 I found "elderly books" funny too lol. Going to use some of the suggestions in this thread though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfdozen Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 My favorite from the list has to be The Tale of Despereaux. I had a friend who worked as a manager for Barnes and Noble and she got a free hardcover advance copy, signed by Kate DiCamillo, at one of their company conventions. My daughter and I both devoured it over the weekend. The next time I saw my friend I told her it was sure to win the Newbery. What a shame the movie is almost nothing like the book. I thought "Rules" was wonderful, because it accurately portrayed what it is like to be the sibling of an autistic child. (I'm the mom to an awesome autie.) And Chasing Vermeer, The Wright 3, and The Calder Game all held my attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 My favorite from the list has to be The Tale of Despereaux. I had a friend who worked as a manager for Barnes and Noble and she got a free hardcover advance copy, signed by Kate DiCamillo, at one of their company conventions. My daughter and I both devoured it over the weekend. The next time I saw my friend I told her it was sure to win the Newbery. What a shame the movie is almost nothing like the book.I thought "Rules" was wonderful, because it accurately portrayed what it is like to be the sibling of an autistic child. (I'm the mom to an awesome autie.) And Chasing Vermeer, The Wright 3, and The Calder Game all held my attention. Yes another vote for Blue Balliett's Chasing Vermeer (the best of the series). Excellent book along the lines of The Westing Game. Also more of the books by E.L. Konigsburg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Not technically for children, nor is it fiction, but I will always recommend the recently published Little Heathens (by Mildred Armstrong Kalish) as a great followup to the Little House and Little Britches books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 I LOVED the Penderwicks. Both of them. Very good family tale, yes, some sadness, a bit of hard life, but in such a way that you wouldn't wail, "Death, despair!". Reading Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson and it's going in my choices, too. I'm another that thinks Harry will be a classic. The Tale of Despereaux is another must read in our house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Thanks for these lists! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anabelneri Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 We're slowly starting to read more modern fiction, but it's taking a while to sort it out. We loved "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon"... it's really quite wonderful. Thanks for the great lists! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexa Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 (edited) ALA Newberrys or Notable books are always a good place to start! DS5 loves the Mysterious Benedict Society books. Edited August 25, 2011 by Alexa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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