Kidlit Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 We started The Once and Future King, but I'm not sure I have the stamina for it (nor they the understanding) now. We like meaty chapter books. Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 We are just in the planning stages for Middle Ages for next year for my Ker and 2nd grader. We are using many of the Sonlight books for that time period found here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 We are just in the planning stages for Middle Ages for next year for my Ker and 2nd grader. We are using many of the Sonlight books for that time period found here. Thanks! I always have a longish chapter book going with all our shorter history picture books, etc., and I was drawing a blank. My girls have listened to The Door in the Wall, a book I adore. (I reviewed it in my blog here, if anyone is interested: http://www.hopeisthewordblog.com/2010/04/09/the-door-in-the-wall-by-marguerite-de-angeli/ ) Anyone have a favorite, can't miss pick for the period? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 (edited) We started The Once and Future King, but I'm not sure I have the stamina for it (nor they the understanding) now. We like meaty chapter books. Suggestions? Yikes! Unless you're reading an abridged version, after the first section, Once & Future King, *rapidly* gets very adult -- adultery, seduction, black magic, battles, the whole court becoming very lustful, a nasty scene of hunting and beheading a unicorn ... Below are some suggested substitutes. Enjoy! Warmest regards, Lori D. Read Alouds - Fiction - The Door in the Wall (de Angeli) - Adam of the Road (Gray) - Otto of the Silver Hand (Pyle) - The Canterbury Tales (McCaughrean) -- an abridged retelling Read Alouds - NON Fiction - Brendan the Navigator (Fritz) -- early medieval monk who may have been the first European to discover the New World - Living in Castle Times (Usborne First History series) (Gee) - If You Were There: Medieval Times (Mason) - Usborne Time Traveler (the section on Medieval Europe) Read Alouds for upper elementary ages (gr. 4+) - Farmer Giles of Ham (Tolkien) - Catherine, Called Birdy; The Midwife's Apprentice (Cushman) - Crispin: The Cross of Lead (Avi) - The Great and Terrible Quest (Lovett) - Beorn the Proud (Polland) Picture Books - Illuminations (Hunt) -- beautiful alphabet book showing aspects of medieval life - Marguerite Makes a Book (Robertson) - Saint George and the Dragon (Hodges) - The Christmas Knight (Curry) - Castle Diary (Platt) - The Good Knight Night Book (A Picture Riddle Book) (Engelman & Riggs) - The Knight and the Dragon (Paola) Activities - Dover stained glass coloring book -- Castles; Cathedrals; Heraldric Designs - Knights & Castles: 50 Hands-On Activities to Experience the Middle Ages (Hart, Mantell, Kline) Readers (gr. 2-4) -- NON Fiction - Journey Through History: Middle Ages (gr. 2) -- Gloria Verges - Gargoyles (gr. 2) -- Jennifer Dussling - Joan of Arc (gr. 3-4) -- Shana Corey -- biography - Days of the Knights: A Tale of Castles and Battles (gr. 3-4) -- Christopher Maynard Readers (gr. 2-4) -- Historical Fiction - Sword in the Stone (MacCarone) -- gr. 2 - Viking Adventure (Bulla) -- gr. 2-3 - Eric the Red and Leif the Lucky (Schiller) -- gr. 3 - The Sword in the Tree (Bulla) -- gr. 2-3 - The Minstrel in the Tower (Skurzinsky) -- gr. 2 - The Apple and the Arrow (Buff) -- gr. 3 - Tales of Robin Hood (Allan) -- gr. 3-4 - Robin Hood: Tale of the Great Outlaw Hero (Bull) -- gr. 3-4 Readers (gr. 1-4) -- Silly Fun: - Good Night, Good Knight (Thomas) -- gr. 1-2 - Dragonslayer Academy series (McMullan) -- gr. 3-4 Edited January 5, 2012 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Anyone have a favorite, can't miss pick for the period? Our DSs loved Adam of the Road a read-aloud when they were grades 2 and 3. :) They also loved Farmer Giles of Ham at that age, which is very funny, but also has slightly older language and some Latin names (which is what Tolkien is riffing on for some of the humor), which may be a little bit of a hurdle for young ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 We started The Once and Future King, but I'm not sure I have the stamina for it (nor they the understanding) now. We like meaty chapter books. Suggestions? Easier: The retellings of Arthurian stories Saint George and the Dragon by Hodges/Hyman The Kitchen Knight by Hodges & Hyman Merlin and the Making of the King by Hodges The Making of a Knight (not Hodges) Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady by Hastings These are picture books with some of the loveliest illustrations and good writing. Saint George and the Dragon was worn out by my kids. Harder: The Ledgends of Arthur Trilogy by Rosemary Sutcliff. The Sword and the Circle is the first. Many of these should be available if you have a big library system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Our DSs loved Adam of the Road a read-aloud when they were grades 2 and 3. :) They also loved Farmer Giles of Ham at that age, which is very funny, but also has slightly older language and some Latin names (which is what Tolkien is riffing on for some of the humor), which may be a little bit of a hurdle for young ones. That's funny. I had ds12 read Adam of the Road last year in 5th grade. He is a big reader, reads a lot and is a very good reader. He hated that book more than any he's ever read. So much that once he was more than halfway through and still hated it, I didn't make him finish! He still says it's "the worst book in the world"! Ha! I don't know why! He did read "The Once and Future King" this past summer. Although he didn't LOVE it, he didn't complain. We like this King Arthur book for kids that age. It's a chapter book, but large and beautifully illustrated, and by Michael Morpurgo who I think is a great author. I think he also wrote "War Horse" that's a movie now. http://www.amazon.com/Arthur-High-Britain-Michael-Morpurgo/dp/0152000801/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0 He also wrote two other beautifully illustrated chapter books that my kids love: Beowulf - Michael Morpurgo Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Morpurgo The Green Knight one is definitely for kids, but of course the lady of the castle (and someone's wife!) comes to visit Sir Gawain at night and he's tempted, but it's all about stealing kisses. Nothing beyond that. And honestly I don't think my kids really even got that part much! These are also long chapter books that are nicely illustrated: http://www.amazon.com/Wanderings-Odysseus-Story-Odyssey/dp/1845073606/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325783077&sr=1-2 http://www.amazon.com/Black-Ships-Before-Troy-Story/dp/1845073592/ref=pd_sim_b_1 There's another version of the second one that is just a regular chapter book, but get the large, hardback illustrated one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Yikes! Unless you're reading an abridged version, after the first section, Once & Future King, *rapidly* gets very adult -- adultery, seduction, black magic, battles, the whole court becoming very lustful, a nasty scene of hunting and beheading a unicorn ... Below are some suggested substitutes. Enjoy! Warmest regards, Lori D. Read Alouds - Fiction - The Door in the Wall (de Angeli) - Adam of the Road (Gray) - Otto of the Silver Hand (Pyle) - The Canterbury Tales (McCaughrean) -- an abridged retelling Read Alouds - NON Fiction - Brendan the Navigator (Fritz) -- early medieval monk who may have been the first European to discover the New World - Living in Castle Times (Usborne First History series) (Gee) - If You Were There: Medieval Times (Mason) - Usborne Time Traveler (the section on Medieval Europe) Read Alouds for upper elementary ages (gr. 4+) - Farmer Giles of Ham (Tolkien) - Catherine, Called Birdy; The Midwife's Apprentice (Cushman) - Crispin: The Cross of Lead (Avi) - The Great and Terrible Quest (Lovett) - Beorn the Proud (Polland) Picture Books - Illuminations (Hunt) -- beautiful alphabet book showing aspects of medieval life - Marguerite Makes a Book (Robertson) - Saint George and the Dragon (Hodges) - The Christmas Knight (Curry) - Castle Diary (Platt) - The Good Knight Night Book (A Picture Riddle Book) (Engelman & Riggs) - The Knight and the Dragon (Paola) Activities - Dover stained glass coloring book -- Castles; Cathedrals; Heraldric Designs - Knights & Castles: 50 Hands-On Activities to Experience the Middle Ages (Hart, Mantell, Kline) Readers (gr. 2-4) -- NON Fiction - Journey Through History: Middle Ages (gr. 2) -- Gloria Verges - Gargoyles (gr. 2) -- Jennifer Dussling - Joan of Arc (gr. 3-4) -- Shana Corey -- biography - Days of the Knights: A Tale of Castles and Battles (gr. 3-4) -- Christopher Maynard Readers (gr. 2-4) -- Historical Fiction - Sword in the Stone (MacCarone) -- gr. 2 - Viking Adventure (Bulla) -- gr. 2-3 - Eric the Red and Leif the Lucky (Schiller) -- gr. 3 - The Sword in the Tree (Bulla) -- gr. 2-3 - The Minstrel in the Tower (Skurzinsky) -- gr. 2 - The Apple and the Arrow (Buff) -- gr. 3 - Tales of Robin Hood (Allan) -- gr. 3-4 - Robin Hood: Tale of the Great Outlaw Hero (Bull) -- gr. 3-4 Readers (gr. 1-4) -- Silly Fun: - Good Night, Good Knight (Thomas) -- gr. 1-2 - Dragonslayer Academy series (McMullan) -- gr. 3-4 Thanks for the list, Lori! And yes, I only intended to read The Sword in the Stone. :001_smile: Does anyone remember anything terribly objectionable in that part? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Our DSs loved Adam of the Road a read-aloud when they were grades 2 and 3. :) They also loved Farmer Giles of Ham at that age, which is very funny, but also has slightly older language and some Latin names (which is what Tolkien is riffing on for some of the humor), which may be a little bit of a hurdle for young ones. I was thinking of trying this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 The Sword in the Tree is a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I love The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood and The Making of A Knight by Patrick O'Brien, though we are on Ancients in history so I haven't used them to teach yet. I'll add another vote for Adam of the Road and McCaughrean's Canterbury Tales. The latter has nice color illustrations by Victor Ambrus, good for youngers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingHope Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Sir Knight of the Splendid Way by W.E. Cule is one of my all time favorite books. It is similar to The Pilgrim's Progress. http://www.lamplighterpublishing.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RCSKOTSW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewel7123 Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Listening in..... :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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