lisabees Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Looking to change things up around here by adding more contemporary literature. The setting doesn't need to be in modern times. Looking for 4th-8th grade reading level. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenjenn Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine The Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling - of course The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman Holes - Louis Sachar The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo Breadcrumbs - Anne Ursu (I think probably 6th or 7th at least to appreciate the themes) The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) Looking to change things up around here by adding more contemporary literature. The setting doesn't need to be in modern times. Looking for 4th-8th grade reading level. Thanks! Hunger Games trilogy (The first is very good imho. I have mixed emotions on the others, which grow darker, if possible. The third felt a bit rushed the first time I read it. Mysterious Benedict Society trilogy Thieves of Ostia series Percy Jackson The Devil's Arithmetic Laurence Yep's books set in modern San Francisco (Chinatown Mysteries series, The Case of the Lion Dance is one of them. I think there are three, plus a related title about the daughter of a Chinese American woman who is a housekeeper.) Children of Battleship Row Carolyn Meyer books about English royalty Gail Carson Levine fairy tale reboot stories (Elle Enchanted is one) Shakespeare Stealer and two sequels by Blackwood ETA: Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind by Staples Homeless Bird by Whelan A Time of Angels by Hesse Edited January 10, 2012 by Sebastian (a lady) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Harry Potter books A Single Shard Project Mulberry The Prophecy of the Stones Gathering Blue Crispin, the Cross of Lead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I'd agree with many of the previous titles. I won't retype them all, but here are a few more I didn't see mentioned. Wonderstruck The Candymakers Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Chasing Vermeer I doubt any of them will make the ranks of enduring classics, but dd and I both enjoyed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Inkheart The Invention of Hugo Cabret Harry Potter Tumtum & Nutmeg Ella Enchanted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Harry Potter Percy Jackson Artemis Fowl Theodosia (and the Serpents of Chaos) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 In addition to those already mentioned, I really like the Penderwicks books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 In addition to those already mentioned, I really like the Penderwicks books. Oh yes. Those are some of dd's favorites. Another title: When You Reach Me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I don't think I've repeated too many. Summerland by Michael Chabon anything by Nancy Farmer (the Sea of Trolls trilogy is OK for the middle grades, the rest for a bit older kids) Haroun and the Sea of Stories and sequel by Rushdie Michael Morpurgo Peter Dickenson Garth Nix Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series Skellig and My Name is Mina by Almond Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy M. T. Anderson Philip Reeve (particularly his Mortal Engines Quartet) Walter Moers Grace Lin Daniel Pinkwater Diana Wynne Jones Un Lun Dun by China Miéville Cornish's Monster Blood Tattoo series Tamora Pierce Scott Westerfeld Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series Margaret Mahy Bone by Jeff Smith Neil Gaiman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Hundred Cupboards trilogy Mysterious Benedict Society books Douglas Bond books My dc have also read Harry Potter, Crispin, and the Percy Jackson books, but they don't like those as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Because of Winn-Dixie Tuck Everlasting ( oh, wait, this is 35 years old, lol!) Princess Academy The Redwall books Harry Potter The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasda Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 The Little Britches series, by Ralph Moody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moira in MA Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 A couple of additional titles The Year of Ms Agnes - Kirkpatrick Hall A Year Down Yonder -- Richard Peck A Long Way from Chicago -- Richard Peck HTH ~Moira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 In addition to the authors already mentioned like Kate DiCamillo, Richard Peck, Avi, Brian Selznik, Blue Balliett etc., some writers I think who are making great quality middle grades literature in the last decade include: Karen Cushman Deborah Wiles Kathi Applelt Grace Lin Rita Williams-Garcia Ingrid Law Jennifer Holm Laurie Halse Anderson Cynthia Lord Christopher Paul Curtis Wendy Mass Gloria Whelan There's a lot of great literature for this age group being produced. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 The Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling - of course Anyone else shocked when you do the math and find that the first Harry Potter book came out fifteen years ago?! I didn't hear of them until a couple of years later, though, and read the first couple while pregnant with ds. Breadcrumbs - Anne Ursu (I think probably 6th or 7th at least to appreciate the themes) I like everything else on your list, so I'm definitely going to look for this one, which I haven't heard of before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 Aah - I am so excited. So many authors/books I have never heard of before! I found M.T. Anderson's Whales on Stilts and Shabanu at the used book store. I am enjoying Anderson's book myself! DD will like that for sure. I have also ordered her Tumtum and Nutmeg. I loved Homeless Bird when I read it to ds12; I'll be sure to check out Whelan's other work. Moira, farrar and Sebastian - you each gave me options I didn't know existed. Thank you so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I found M.T. Anderson's Whales on Stilts and Shabanu at the used book store. I am enjoying Anderson's book myself! DD will like that for sure. I'm looking forward to hearing about your hits. :) I adore MT Anderson. This has been posted here before, but here's a fantastic essay of his about the importance of having a message in children's lit entitled On Ideology and Chickens with Blankets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChandlerMom Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon -- I just love the style of this book! DragonRider George's Secret Key to the universe, by Lucy and Stephen Hawking (great blend of science and fiction, first book in a 3 book series) Princess Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 I'm looking forward to hearing about your hits. :) I adore MT Anderson. This has been posted here before, but here's a fantastic essay of his about the importance of having a message in children's lit entitled On Ideology and Chickens with Blankets. Hey Moira, I found that great thread; I remembered participating in it! Here it is. The funny bit is that may favorite parts of his essay today are the same as 2010. And btw, because of your Ramona recommendation, I went ahead and gave Beezus and Ramona to dd8 (I'd always stayed away from her for some reason). She is really enjoying it and so am I! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon -- I just love the style of this book!DragonRider George's Secret Key to the universe, by Lucy and Stephen Hawking (great blend of science and fiction, first book in a 3 book series) Princess Academy DragonRider was well-loved here as an audio book, narrated by Brendan Fraser. I read aloud Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. What a lovely, special book. The other two are waiting for us on the bookshelf! Thank you. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Anything by Shirley Hughes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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