Mensa K-3 reading list - leveled

[SarahW]

So, I followed a link to the Mensa reading list. Some of the books I knew, and some I didn't. But when I was looking it over I noticed that the reading level of the books on that list varied widely.

 

I had the bright idea to organize all the books by age level, and see what the books were at the same time.

 

Well, that took longer than I thought it would. I attached my results to this post, just in case anyone is interested in seeing it.

 

I relied mostly on Scholastic on the rankings, but also Amazon and a few other places. It's arranged by age level by interest, but in brackets I put the Grade Level Equivalent number. The span between age and grade level can be pretty big, but if you are wanting to follow Mensa's rules, you're allowed to read the book aloud to your child or get the book on tape.

 

I have no idea if I'll be trying to follow this myself with my kid, but the exercise did remind me of some books I had read as a kid.

mensa reading list.rtf

[MrsBanjoClown]

Thanks!

[Occasionally]

Thanks! We LOVE the Mensa book lists. There are some really challenging ones in there in the lists for the older kids. In fact, we're headed to the library today to start DS4 on the K-3 list, so perfect timing!

 

My two oldest were ridiculously pleased to get their certificates and T-shirts when they finished their last lists and are eager to move on to the next ones.

[MelAR05]

I saw these lists for the first time last week and saved them for future use. Thank you!

[SarahW]

Thanks! We LOVE the Mensa book lists. There are some really challenging ones in there in the lists for the older kids. In fact, we're headed to the library today to start DS4 on the K-3 list, so perfect timing!

 

My two oldest were ridiculously pleased to get their certificates and T-shirts when they finished their last lists and are eager to move on to the next ones.

 

I usually don't like to follow other people's lists, because I have my own (opinionated) ideas. But most books on the K-3 list look pretty good, the one's I didn't hear of before I scanned the reviews on Amazon and they were all pretty much positive.

 

I don't understand the Judy Bloom one though. I've never read that one specifically, but I really don't understand the need for any of her books. But that book it about being picked on because you're different, yes? So maybe they thought it was good for gifted kids who are a bit "odd"?

 

But it is helpful for me to have a list of good readers. I stand in the Early Readers fiction section at my local library and feel like a complete fool, so then I scurry off to find another book about rockets, lol. My poor kid....

[Occasionally]

 

I usually don't like to follow other people's lists, because I have my own (opinionated) ideas. But most books on the K-3 list look pretty good, the one's I didn't hear of before I scanned the reviews on Amazon and they were all pretty much positive.

 

I don't understand the Judy Bloom one though. I've never read that one specifically, but I really don't understand the need for any of her books. But that book it about being picked on because you're different, yes? So maybe they thought it was good for gifted kids who are a bit "odd"?

 

But it is helpful for me to have a list of good readers. I stand in the Early Readers fiction section at my local library and feel like a complete fool, so then I scurry off to find another book about rockets, lol. My poor kid....

 

I think that particular book is more about being satisfied with who you are, which is worthwhile, IMO. (If I'm remembering the right book, anyway!)

 

I'm with you on being a bit overwhelmed with trying to find "good" books. I have several lists I've been gleaning from, but this is probably the best. I showed our librarian the books, and she was super-impressed, too.

[anabelneri]

We had just started reading from that list after Christmas, and while the list looks good in general, so far the books seem odd & old to me. It's probably just the ones we picked up, but I had to spend a good chunk of time explaining the history of the treatment of bears in the U.S. after one of them. I think we had less interest in the whole list after that. But we'll try again :).

[Greenmama2]

This looks like a good list. One thing though...I don't understand why Winnie the Pooh is listed under 9 & up?

[SarahW]

This looks like a good list. One thing though...I don't understand why Winnie the Pooh is listed under 9 & up?

 

 

Yeah, that's what Scholastic says http://www.scholasti...ss="clear"></p>

 

AR Bookfinder agrees: http://www.arbookfind.com/bookdetail.aspx?q=148&l=EN&slid=355357080

 

If I'm thinking right. a lot of "Winnie-the-Pooh" books are actually edited and simplified versions. This is the original version, so maybe that makes a difference?

 

But I was surprised by a few of the rankings of the books.

[boscopup]

This looks like a good list. One thing though...I don't understand why Winnie the Pooh is listed under 9 & up?

 

 

I was wondering about that too. I think it's perfect for the age 4-6 crowd. My 8 year old will listen in, but it's not as interesting to him as a book more his listening level.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

We have been chipping away at the K-3 list and am just about done. We usually pick 2-3 on the list each time we go to the library. I also have been picking audio books from the next level list so that one is slowly getting chipped away at too. Some I agreed with and others I thought there could have been a better choice.

[FairProspects]

I think it is a good list, but nothing you can't also find elsewhere. We've read every single book in the 7 and under categories from other lists, and most of the books in the 8+ lists. I can see how it is helpful if one finds the other lists overwhelming, but personally I think the Memoria Press lists and some of the others are better.

[SarahW]

I think it is a good list, but nothing you can't also find elsewhere. We've read every single book in the 7 and under categories from other lists, and most of the books in the 8+ lists. I can see how it is helpful if one finds the other lists overwhelming, but personally I think the Memoria Press lists and some of the others are better.

 

My general impression is that it's a good mix of old with new and various "ethnic" stories. But I thought some things were missing that I've noticed on other lists, but not sure if I can make a full side-by-side comparison.

 

I scanned through the other grades, and the high school one looks pretty good, very extensive with some "hidden gems" in it (like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), so that makes me trust that they have a good idea what they're doing.

 

But no one who makes these lists could have read every book, or were objective about the books they read, so I'm sure every list depends on personal opinion to a certain degree.

 

Which is why I'm non-committal about following other people's lists. :)

 

But there's a t-shirt and certificate at stake here! Will that motivate my kid enough? :p

[SarahW]

 

I think that particular book is more about being satisfied with who you are, which is worthwhile, IMO. (If I'm remembering the right book, anyway!)

 

 

 

I think I've figured out what my problem with Judy Blume is.

 

I find her stories too didactic. Character X struggles with problem Y and the correct response is Z.

 

The reader is supposed to apply the lesson by analogy, "He accepted he had freckles, so I should accept my mole." But the response could instead just be "He accepted his freckles, but my mole is worse, and the kids teasing me are nastier."

 

The lesson of accepting yourself is better taught, imo, by reference to- oh, I don't know - a Dragon. The dragon accepts himself in some way, so the reader is able to internalize the principle, and then apply it however it effects them personally without being caught up in unnecessary details.

 

Maybe I've read "On Fairy Stories" too much. :laugh:

[Greenmama2]

Yeah, that's what Scholastic says http://www.scholasti...ss="clear"></p>

 

AR Bookfinder agrees: http://www.arbookfin...&slid=355357080

 

If I'm thinking right. a lot of "Winnie-the-Pooh" books are actually edited and simplified versions. This is the original version, so maybe that makes a difference?

 

But I was surprised by a few of the rankings of the books.

Hmmm. We started reading the originals to my DD at 20 months but she has always been a bibliophile. My DS is really enjoying them now at 3.5 and I would have thought that was the right level for a read aloud. Disney book versions are banned in our house although both children have enjoyed the odd Disney Pooh movie between 2 and 5ish.

 

Just checked the Scholastic link - it does say interest level 4-7. It's reading level that is 9-12.

[SarahW]

Hmmm. We started reading the originals to my DD at 20 months but she has always been a bibliophile. My DS is really enjoying them now at 3.5 and I would have thought that was the right level for a read aloud. Disney book versions are banned in our house although both children have enjoyed the odd Disney Pooh movie between 2 and 5ish.

 

Just checked the Scholastic link - it does say interest level 4-7. It's reading level that is 9-12.

 

Yes. I think I always listed the books by the second age range, but now I'm not sure.

 

It's far from an scientific study!

 

But I'm trying to figure out the GLE of 4.6. I think this number is calculated by a computer program, and I think Winnie the Pooh has some "different" syntax and then there's the made-up words, so that would push the number higher.

[MeganW]

This looks like a good list. One thing though...I don't understand why Winnie the Pooh is listed under 9 & up?

 

 

Ever tried to read it out loud?  I think it is the hardest thing I have ever attempted to read out loud to my kids.  To yourself?  No problem, but out loud?  Impossible.  I think it is that book is the reason I started buying audio books!

[Korrale]

Yes! Reading Winnie the Pooh aloud was tough for me also. No idea why? I have ready the odyssey aloud to kids. It just doesn't flow so naturally off the tongue.

 

I had the same idea as the OP. When my son started on this list I sat down and figured out all their Lexile Scores so that we could read them in difficulty order. We are mostly all the way through the list. But we read other things on the side as his reading level catches up to some of the longer novels.

[Kathryn]

I've never understood why so many people had a problem with Pooh as a read-aloud. So far, the only books I've given up on reading aloud and resorted to audio books are Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass, Lord of the Rings trilogy, and now Wind in the Willows.

 

Does anybody know what happened to the OP? She hasn't been around since the summer.

[chelsmm]

I didn't mind reading Alice in Wonderland aloud- but Harry Potter put me over the edge!  I made it through the first three and then discovered Jim Dale  :)