Tatt2mama Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 So I'm sure some variation of this thread exists on here, but I couldn't find it. So I'll ask- what books do you consider "not to be missed" for 4th/5th grades? I'm thinking of putting together a structured lit program for next year, and I'd love to hear what books you all think are the best of the best for that age group. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCB Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 :bigear: I'm thinking about lit for 4th gr too. We're doing early modern history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Island of the Blue Dolphins Bambi The Wind in the Willows The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Treasure Island short stories by Washington Irving - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip van Winkle Understood Betsy Chronicles of Narnia Anne of Green Gables I'm sure I'll come up with more later, or when someone else posts something I forgot, but these were the ones that first came to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I am trying to make my reading lists, too. One book we listened to on CD which I am happy I accidently found at the library was Uncle Remus: The Complete Tales (Julius Lester). Once in the past I had checked out a copy to read to my kids, but I soon gave up on it because I could not make any sense of how to read the dialect. Listening to this CD in which the author (or adaptor of the stories in this case) is reading it himself made the stories come to life. My kids loved Brer Rabbit (as awful as he is!), and we will listen to the sequel soon. :lurk5: The Secret Garden is another one not to miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Here are some that we have loved: poetry...Longfellow is a favorite here...Tennyson Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien The Wheel on the School by Meindert Dejong Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Jester The Good Master by Kate Seredy Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The Arabian Nights Entertainment by Andrew Lang Robin Hood by Roger L. Green The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome Black Beauty by Anna Sewell At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald The Complete Fairy Tales by George MacDonald Faerie Gold: Treasures From the Land of Enchantment by Hunsicker and Lindskoog A Little Princess, Little Lord Fauntleroy or The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 We borrowed a copy of Understood Betsy from the library, but I wish I could find a beautiful copy to buy. It appears the only copy from amazon is a junky reprint. Anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Some of dd's favorites: Tuck Everlasting Caddie Woodlawn From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E Franweiler The View from Saturday The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate The Witch of Blackbird Pond Ben and Me Island of the Blue Dolphins A Mango-Shaped Space A Wrinkle in Time Half Magic Peter Pan Misty of Chincoteague Tom Sawyer and I think this is the perfect age for The Wind in the Willows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 My son adored Hatchet last year. Where The Red Fern Grows was well-loved also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I'm not really a book list person, but of the stuff we've read this year the kids have liked: Island of the Bue Dolphins By the Great Horn Spoon (absolutely loved that one, all of us did!) Blue Willow (one of the sweetest, emotionally deep children's books I've read in a while) All of the Narnia ones The Secret Garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I would draw from the Newberry Award winners. --It is what their peers will be reading --it is generally good lit. --in years to come, they will be considered, "well read" to be familiar with several books from the Newberry family (in the same way that your high schooler will be considered "well read" for having tackled Shakespeare, Dickens, Dosteovsky, and a host of other "classics." --there is satisfaction to see the Newberry Award poster in the library, and mentally tick off, "I've read this one, and this one, and this one...." This also gives kids a framework for how to choose or discern "good lit" from lighter fluff. Hopefully they will adjust this framework to choose "classics" to read as high schoolers or adults, and also to be aware of the NYT Bestseller list and Pulitzer Award Winners as adults. --many have movies to share and discuss after the book is completed: Sounder, Where the Red Fern Grows, Holes. This is a good opportunity to discuss why Hollywood changes some parts of the book for the movie; is the book better than the movie? Did you understand the movie better for reading the book? --ETA: Newberry books should be at the level of your 5th grader or above, so they will introduce ideas and vocabulary that will stretch your child. If your 5th grader is struggling with these books, then they will hopefully push him along to where he is supposed to be. -------------------------------------------------------- I specifically recommend The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. If you have not read this book, read it before you assign/read it with your child. There are a dozen or so characters, and there are clues to keep track of. When I have shared (read aloud) this book with 4th graders, we create a paper list of the characters and a short description of each. On a separate sheet, we write the clues. Using paper to make notes to keep the characters straight is a good strategy to teach kids in preparation for more complex books with many characters they will (or should) encounter in high school or college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Johnny Tremain should also get on the list IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 There was a big thread a couple of years ago on fourth grade must reads that I remember... But I never bookmark threads. Drat. The Indian in the Cupboard is one that occurs to me that wasn't yet mentioned. And I agree that in general, 4th and 5th grade are the years of the Newbery winners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Χά�ων Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 The Rats of Nimh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I agree with reading books from the Newbery list. http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyhonors/newberymedal Booklists are sort of subjective. most people will have some similarities, but you'll also find a lot of differences about what could be considered "not to be missed." Other than digging into some of the Newbery books, here's some others that we have read this year for 4th, as read aloud or free reading. Fantasy classics such as The Hobbit and LOTR, Chronicles of Narnia. We read My Side of the Mountain, Encyclopedia Brown, Tale of Despereaux, Wind in the Willows, Harry Potter series, lots of Roald Dahl, some Neil Gaiman (Coraline and Graveyard Book), The Borrowers, Pippi Longstocking, Mrs Piggle Wiggle, Genevieve Foster's Caesar's World, Time Cat and The Prydain series from Alexander, The Land of Far Beyond, The Family Under the Bridge, Homer Price, A Christmas Carol ...the ones I can remember , some I read, some he read, some were family read alouds. I have mostly Newbery books picked to read next as well as the Little House series. Also don't forget more complex and advanced collections of fairy tales and myths are great at that age as well. We also have been reading from Tales From Shakespeare throughout the years. And lots of poetry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PachiSusan Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Oh my gosh, yes!!!!!! I loved "the Westing Game" as a kid. I think I was I. 6th when I read it. I actually rebought the book 2 years ago and re read it for fun for me!!! Melissa will be reading it this year. I specifically recommend The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. If you have not read this book, read it before you assign/read it with your child. There are a dozen or so characters, and there are clues to keep track of. When I have shared (read aloud) this book with 4th graders, we create a paper list of the characters and a short description of each. On a separate sheet, we write the clues. Using paper to make notes to keep the characters straight is a good strategy to teach kids in preparation for more complex books with many characters they will (or should) encounter in high school or college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Just a note: My quote is the stuff that starts as, "I would draw from the Newberry Award winners." I'm not sure who wrote the history stuff above. --duckens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Just a note: My quote is the stuff that starts as, "I would draw from the Newberry Award winners." I'm not sure who wrote the history stuff above. --duckens I noticed that. I think Susan had multiquoted something and it got messed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I have a tentative list for us for next year - fourth grade. I'm sure I'm going to make changes though. I'm always unsure... It's so funny to get to this new age. Every year, I go, wow, is my kid really ready for such-and-such a book. Some books that are on others' lists we've already read aloud and my kids notoriously hate to reread. Savvy Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM The Book of Three The Cricket in Times Square The One and Only Ivan War Horse Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes Rules Hoot Surviving the Applewhites Dragonwings Bud Not Buddy Island of the Blue Dolphins My kids pick a book a month, so they don't read them all. This year, one kid or the other read all but a couple of the books on my third grade list though. And a few others - for example, Frindle was on the list and let ds pick another Andrew Clements book since he loved it so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PachiSusan Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Just a note: My quote is the stuff that starts as, "I would draw from the Newberry Award winners." I'm not sure who wrote the history stuff above. --duckens LOL - I just saw that. I must have hit multi quote when I was reading a history thread and never posted and had no idea!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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