thescrappyhomeschooler Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 We attend a book club for kids ages 6-9. They are all fairly strong readers. We've just read Frindle by Andrew Clements, and the next book is Ribsy by Beverly Cleary. I've never read The Phantom Tollbooth, and wondered if it would be appropriate for this age group. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 We attend a book club for kids ages 6-9. They are all fairly strong readers. We've just read Frindle by Andrew Clements, and the next book is Ribsy by Beverly Cleary. I've never read The Phantom Tollbooth, and wondered if it would be appropriate for this age group. Thanks! I never read it as a child, but am reading it as a read aloud to my kids. My DS1 is 8 and an advanced reader for his age. He enjoys The Phantom Tollbooth, but I still have to explain some of the puns and word play to him. He has a big vocabulary and understands a good bit of the humor and wit, but I think a year or two ago that would not have been the case. He might have been able to read it, but much of it would have gone over his head. It is nothing like Ribsy, for example, which he was reading at age 6 or so and comprehending just fine. I think the 8 and 9 year olds might enjoy it, but I think a good bit of it would be over the heads of a 6 or 7 yo. I read things to my children all of the time that are beyond their reading level, but the wit, wordplay, humor, etc. in the PT book really wouldn't be fully appreciated by the youngest children IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinRTX Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I loved this book! I tried reading it as a read aloud to my daughter when she was around 7. She is a very strong reader. The book is full of puns and those puns must be understood to enjoy this book. She could read the words, but did not understand the puns.She hated the book. She read it again at 10 and it is now one of her favorite books. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I loved this book! I tried reading it as a read aloud to my daughter when she was around 7. She is a very strong reader. The book is full of puns and those puns must be understood to enjoy this book. She could read the words, but did not understand the puns.She hated the book. She read it again at 10 and it is now one of her favorite books. Linda I agree. Normally I am fine with my kids not necessarily getting every level of meaning in a book, etc. and reading and appreciating it at a different level when they are younger vs. older, but The PT book really *relies* on those puns and wordplay so heavily that I think it makes it tough to enjoy if one doesn't "get" those parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBlessings Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I read it this year to my ds 10 and dd 11. They were able to get some puns on their own, some I had to point out, some I had to explain before they got. I think six is way to young for this book, but 9 may be fine, preferably with guidance and discussion. This book had us laughing out loud quite a bit. We all loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBlessings Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I think I need to read this book. I love puns. You'll probably love it then. :) It's delightfully light and juvenile while being incredibly clever at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Hmmm. Guess I should think of something else. We have 3-4 girls and 5-7 boys usually. Any ideas? I was thinking maybe The Borrowers, since the Arietty movie is out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 My kids really loved the Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles book. We did it as a read aloud but my then 4 yo could follow along, while my then 7 yo was very interested. It is sometimes hard to find something they both like. That was a fun one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakim Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 IMO "The Borrowers" moves too slowly for most 6/7 year olds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taffnus Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Some of the books Deconstructing Penguins recommends for that age group are: Mr. Popper's Penguins Babe: The Gallant Pig Charlotte's Web Half Magic The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Looks like a great book but the vocab. is outdated and may be a bit difficult for the younger ones) The Enormous Egg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I think The Phantom Tollbooth would be better for somewhat older children. My son is an extremely advanced reader and I didn't let him read it until he was 9 (and even then I was concerned that it was too early). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 (edited) This was the one book that ds's 4th grade class read together that year. It was a G&T magnet class, they all really seemed to get the puns easily. (Their one book in third grade was Frindle -- that teacher was constantly frustrated that she couldn't get enough for the whole class of more than one book. They were ALL strong readers and she would have loved to do 2-3 a semester, at least.) Edited February 25, 2012 by higginszoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisperry Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 chocolate touch or chocolate fever, maybe tie in a bit of chocolate history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 (edited) chocolate touch or chocolate fever, maybe tie in a bit of chocolate history. We did The Chocolate Touch for the first book- in addition to the ones I've already mentioned, we did Baseball Fever, A Dolphin Named Bob, and a Thea Stilton book. My boys have already read Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Enormous Egg, Trumpet of the Swan, and Half Magic, which were all great, but don't want to do them again. Maybe Charlotte's Web. I thought of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler- it was one of my faves as a kid, but I think I was a little older when I read it. Edited February 25, 2012 by thescrappyhomeschooler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBaker Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I read Phantom Tollbooth to my 4 year old son in the fall and he loved it. Some of it went over his head and I definately expect him to reread it himself when he is a bit older but he definately got a lot out of it and enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnrmom Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 The Penderwicks would be perfect for that age group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 The Penderwicks would be perfect for that age group. My boys and I have already read all the Penderwicks books, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4ofus Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 My 7 & 8 year old boys love the Indian in the Cupboard :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwg Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 We are in a book club with the same ages. The Family Under the Bridge and The Hundred Dresses are two that I remember as having a ton of discussion. The Magician's Nephew got my ds interested in the Narnia chronicles. He enjoyed The Castle in the Attic and anything by Roald Daul- The Magic Finger, Fantastic Mr. Fox, has been a hit. Oh! Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is fun. I am enjoying all the discussions. It is our turn to pick soon and I always have trouble b/c my ds is 9 so I worry about picking something that will appeal to both him and the younger kids. Last time I pretty much flunked that :lol: (it was The Knight's Castle by Edward Eager) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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