dancingmama Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I'm looking towards summer and am pulling together books for my fifth grade son to read. He struggles with reading but wants to read and has agreed to read at least one book a week at his reading level to work on fluency. If you had to choose 10 books for a fifth grade boy to read that was in the 3/4 level, what would you choose? He prefers funny (bad kitty) or adventure type books (like 39 clues). He is also interested in earth science, space, and ancient history. He does not do well with graphic novels. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizlatorre Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 My son is a struggling reader as well. We had good luck with Magic Tree House - he read the whole series. The early series is more 2-3rd grade, but as the series continues, it gets tougher. He just started the Boxcar Children and is liking that so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I personally think "building fluency" is not the time for high literature, so I wouldn't make a preset list of great books. I would just keep him reading those 39 Clues type things and save the meaty stuff for the school year. In that vein... light, fluency building, summer reading series... Deltora Quest Wimpy Kid Origami Yoda Big Nate (there are comics and novels that are more like the Wimpy Kid style books) Artsy Fartsy series Guardians of Ga'Hoole Spiderwick Wayside School series Series of Unfortunate Events If it has to be more literary, then I'd maybe do some Roald Dahl, maybe Mouse and the Motorcycle, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Phantom Tollbooth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingmama Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 I was considering the Magic Treehouse books. I've read all of them to him but that was years ago. He might enjoy or at least tolerate reading them to himself again. Boxcar is a good idea. I've been considering picking up a set anyway. I know I have Wayside somewhere so that might work, too. Big Nate and Wimpy Kid just did not work for him. He'll flip through and read here and there but he struggled with them. :( I haven't heard of some of these others. I will have to look them up. Thanks for the ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeAndTheBoys Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I'm looking towards summer and am pulling together books for my fifth grade son to read. He struggles with reading but wants to read and has agreed to read at least one book a week at his reading level to work on fluency. If you had to choose 10 books for a fifth grade boy to read that was in the 3/4 level, what would you choose? He prefers funny (bad kitty) or adventure type books (like 39 clues). He is also interested in earth science, space, and ancient history. He does not do well with graphic novels. Thanks Not at all literary, but my finishing-4th grader who isn't a big reader likes choose-your-own adventure books. Also Magic Treehouse. I bought some of these "I Survived!" books and am hoping he'll read them this summer: http://www.scholastic.com/isurvived/ Geronimo Stilton And he really likes nonfiction animal books--I've let it go somewhat and realized that if he's reading adult-level field guides & reference books about reptiles and mammals, that DOES count as reading--we've started hitting thrift shops a lot and he has a huge library of nature books. Maybe you can do a similar thing with his science interests-- although I still try to have him reading a fiction book regularly. He rarely picks them up for fun reading though-- Betsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingmama Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Yay! He read a Magic Treehouse book just now! (Interestingly enough, while listening to me read The Hobbit!?). And just ran off to find another. Thanks for the suggestion. Oh, he loves the I Survived! Books and has read all of those (multiple times). I also have a few Geronimo Stilton books I'll throw at him. Thanks for the idea! He loves non-fiction but he really needs practice with reading fiction for comprehension. He reads non-fiction on his own. That's not work for him. Haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The Black Lagoon Chapter books are that level and pretty funny but short. Other ideas are Magic School Bus chapter books, Droon, The Wayside stories books, The Fudge series, Ribsy, The Mouse and the Motorcycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingmama Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'll give them a go. Thanks so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanabug Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Not sure what level these would be at, but what about books by Bill Wallace? They were some of my favorites. A Dog Called Kitty Trapped in Death Cave Ferrets in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge Snot Stew Some other ideas:Encyclopedia Brown How to Eat Fried Worms Bunnicula and The Celery Stalks at Midnight The Indian in the Cupboard Lana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Deltora Quest was a lot of fun. Not sure of the grade level, but it should be manageable at a 3rd/4th grade level and those books are fun! Puzzles, action, mystery and adventure! Just what you need in a summer series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilaclady Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I find some kids might like comic books like Calvin and Hobbes and tintin. I usually get the huge volumes from the library Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingmama Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Thanks for all the ideas. I'll get him a nice little stack. Perhaps I can convince him to read more than one a week with all these good ideas. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheApprentice Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Books my son enjoyed: American Chiller Series Castle in the Attic Doctor Dolittle Trumpet of the Swan Shiloh Where the Red Fern Grows Cricket in Time Square Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 My son is in the exact same boat. The books I found that were on his reading level but still held high interest Encyclopedia Brown The Droon series Franny K Stein Series I survived books Edited to add a huge thumbs up to The Wayside school series of 3 books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingmama Posted May 17, 2014 Author Share Posted May 17, 2014 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Have you tried my multi syllable work? When reading at a high level is easier, it makes it more fun to read. You should be able to work through the whole thing in a few hours. http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/WellTaughtPhonicsStudent.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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