Tress Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Background: English is a foreign language for us and my dd10 has been until recently hesistant to read books in English. It took Percy Jackson to get her over the hump :lol:. She has now read all Percy Jackson books and all Harry Potter books (Harry Potter first in Dutch, then in English, which of course makes it easier), but after that we have been stuck. I tried to interest her in other fantasy series, eg. Chrestomanci, but no luck. Last week I gave her 'Number the Stars' and she told me -finally- 'this is a book I like' and she would like to read similar books. So I'm looking for book suggestions at the reading level of 'Number the Stars', which might interest her. (I have a feeling the later Harry Potter / Percy Jackson books are of a higher reading level, but because they are mostly about action, I think she is able to read them without knowing every word, just reading for plot.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_Bear Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Did she read the Kane Chronicles which is by Rick Riordian as well? The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel series by Michael Scott is similar in style. Also, try 39 Clues series (look up the website since each one is written by a different children's author.) Bridge to Terabithia The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Stewart Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 What is it about Number the Stars that we're looking for? Is it the time period or it being historical fiction in general? Is it the sense of fear and the required courage that pervades the story? Is it just the ordinary kid voice that it's told in? When you thrown in that she also enjoyed Percy Jackson, I feel like you could go nearly anywhere with books for her. She may not know herself what she's looking for exactly... Some ideas of things to strew... Island of the Blue Dolphins (historical fiction, courage, independence) Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (short, easy, but historical fiction, very touching and emotional) From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler (strong voice, mystery...) One Crazy Summer (independence, adversity, strong kid voices...) When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (WWII) Red Scarf Girl (more historical adversity) Angel on the Square (more historical adversity) Bridge to Terebithia Walk Two Moons Wonder Sounder (historical fic, adversity) The One and Only Ivan (easy, compelling moral issues) Moving from Percy Jackson, you might try some other fantasy. Maybe some more girl centered fantasy like Ella Enchanted or Talking with Dragons or Tuesdays at the Castle. Or A Wrinkle in Time or some early Tamora Pierce. Or she might like the Underland Chronicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Shannon's very favorite book is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. She has liked all of Farrar's book suggestions,so you can't go wrong there! Wendy Mass was another author Farrar turned us on to, and she loved all those books. She is reading through several fantasy series right now, having finally finished re-reading the HP series for about the 6th time . . . she's enjoying Percy Jackson, the Mysterious Benedict Society, the City of Ember, the Among the Hidden books, and the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. She enjoyed The Giver, also by Lois Lowry, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Thank you, Farrar, for taking the time, especially after my confusing post :lol:. What is it about Number the Stars that we're looking for? Is it the time period or it being historical fiction in general? Is it the sense of fear and the required courage that pervades the story? Is it just the ordinary kid voice that it's told in? When you thrown in that she also enjoyed Percy Jackson, I feel like you could go nearly anywhere with books for her. She may not know herself what she's looking for exactly... Yes, you are right, she doesn't know what she is looking for :D.She has been very difficult to accomodate, every book is either 'boring', 'too old-fashioned', 'not fun', or 'too difficult'. All in quotes, because I'm not really sure those reasons are real. After reading Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, I have trouble believing that 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass is 'too difficult'. I have the distinct impression she is trying to get out of reading English books and she knows my funds aren't unlimited, sigh. I just asked her again about Number the Stars and she indicated that she liked it because it was about WW2 and kids are being couragous. Some ideas of things to strew... Island of the Blue Dolphins (historical fiction, courage, independence)Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (short, easy, but historical fiction, very touching and emotional)From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler (strong voice, mystery...)One Crazy Summer (independence, adversity, strong kid voices...)When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (WWII)Red Scarf Girl (more historical adversity)Angel on the Square (more historical adversity)Bridge to TerebithiaWalk Two MoonsWonderSounder (historical fic, adversity)The One and Only Ivan (easy, compelling moral issues) Thank you very much! Awesome list. Moving from Percy Jackson, you might try some other fantasy. Maybe some more girl centered fantasy like Ella Enchanted or Talking with Dragons or Tuesdays at the Castle. Or A Wrinkle in Time or some early Tamora Pierce. Or she might like the Underland Chronicles. After seeing her enjoy Percy Jackson, I for sure thought I could hook her onto other fantasy series, but that didn't work out so well. I tried Jacquelien West's The Books of Elsewhere, Chrestomanci series, M.T. Andersons's The Game of Sunken Places...those were all rejected, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was because they have very dark covers, because I don't think she actually tried to read them :banghead: . I will keep these titels in reserve! Thanks. BTW, I told her I would ask here for recommendations and then buy those, but that she could not reject these books. Wish me luck :gnorsi: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Thank you, Rose! Shannon's very favorite book is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. She has liked all of Farrar's book suggestions,so you can't go wrong there! Wendy Mass was another author Farrar turned us on to, and she loved all those books. She is reading through several fantasy series right now, having finally finished re-reading the HP series for about the 6th time . . . she's enjoying Percy Jackson, the Mysterious Benedict Society, the City of Ember, the Among the Hidden books, and the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. She enjoyed The Giver, also by Lois Lowry, too. Yeah, that re-reading of HP and Percy Jackson really got on my nerves. Nice series both, of course, but how many times can you re-read them before your mind starts to go to mush :tongue_smilie: . My dd read and liked the Mysterious Benedict Society, but she read those in Dutch. I'm unfamilliar with the other books, but will certainly put them on my list! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Did she read the Kane Chronicles which is by Rick Riordian as well? No, not yet. We have them in the house, but she says she only wants books with Percy in them. Does Percy make any suprise appearances in the Kane Chronicles? The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel series by Michael Scott is similar in style. Also, try 39 Clues series (look up the website since each one is written by a different children's author.) Bridge to Terabithia The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Stewart Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper Thanks for the list. She has read Narnia and Benedict Society in Dutch, but the other books I will put on the list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 You know, I didn't suggest Wendy Mass because I do sort of think her books are a slightly higher reading level, even if the interest level is right (she's one of my first 10-13 yo girl suggestions). (Though I'm not sure what the lexile or RL things would say). So maybe 11 Birthdays is a bit harder in some way? My boys have been book picky too. At one point, one of my boys wanted only talking animal books... but rejected Redwall, Poppy, Cricket in Times Square, and several others in that vein... Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 You know, I didn't suggest Wendy Mass because I do sort of think her books are a slightly higher reading level, even if the interest level is right (she's one of my first 10-13 yo girl suggestions). (Though I'm not sure what the lexile or RL things would say). So maybe 11 Birthdays is a bit harder in some way? Really?! Okay, so maybe she was telling the truth about 11 Birthdays. That's good to know. Up untill recently my dd10 was always very cooperative, reasonable etc, but we have been having a lot of tween drama the last 6 months, so when you go -in one morning- from a big battle about Latin (because she has to think, for a change, and she doesn't like that) to a big drama at Math (AoPS, because - again- she doesn't like not being able to solve everything in 2 seconds flat) to whining that 11 Birthdays is 'too difficult', I kinda shrugged it off as tween-hormone-stuff. But maybe not. My boys have been book picky too. At one point, one of my boys wanted only talking animal books... but rejected Redwall, Poppy, Cricket in Times Square, and several others in that vein... Sigh. :lol: Yeah, that is how I've been feeling, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Thank you, Rose! Yeah, that re-reading of HP and Percy Jackson really got on my nerves. Nice series both, of course, but how many times can you re-read them before your mind starts to go to mush :tongue_smilie: . My dd read and liked the Mysterious Benedict Society, but she read those in Dutch. I'm unfamilliar with the other books, but will certainly put them on my list! Thanks. :lol: I finally stopped fighting it and just decided to embrace it - so I've incorporated "literary" discussion of HP into our fantasy lit study! If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I kinda shrugged it off as tween-hormone-stuff. Well, tween hormone stuff is always a possibility too. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 :lol: I finally stopped fighting it and just decided to embrace it - so I've incorporated "literary" discussion of HP into our fantasy lit study! If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! We are going to do Lost Tools of Writing after our summer break and she has already lined up several questions from Harry Potter to write about :001_rolleyes: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dewdropfairy Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Another book I read around the same time as I read Number the Stars was The Endless Steppe. I liked them both. It's also about WWII, though from a different vantage point (a girl and her family being exiled to Siberia). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_Bear Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Nope. No Percy Jackson. Completely different universe since it revolves around Egyptian mythology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 Another book I read around the same time as I read Number the Stars was The Endless Steppe. I liked them both. It's also about WWII, though from a different vantage point (a girl and her family being exiled to Siberia). Thank you, I'm putting it on the list! Nope. No Percy Jackson. Completely different universe since it revolves around Egyptian mythology. Too bad. I will encourage her to read the books, though. I mean, same writer, should be good, too, right? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candicane Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 If she's into WW2, How about The Upstairs Room or Behind the Bedroom Wall? There's this great selection here of books in a similar line to Number The Stars that you might be interested in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 If she's into WW2, How about The Upstairs Room or Behind the Bedroom Wall? There's this great selection here of books in a similar line to Number The Stars that you might be interested in. Thank you! I never thought of using Good Reads like that, brilliant idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candicane Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I had some more ideas after last night, ha. There's this topic ( it may be a bit over your child's level but she may continue to have this interest at a later age ) which covers an array of movies and books from the Nazi / WW2 time period. The posts from Elaine at the beginning are the best and most in-depth. For kids being courageous: The Fault in Our Stars (if she enjoys it you can take her to the movie which just came out) Out of the Dust (it's a book set in a journal/diary style about a young tom-boy girl set in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl years). If she really enjoys series: The Boxcar Children (it'd be an easy read for her since the words aren't overly complicated but she might consider it below her level) Nancy Drew series Hardy Boy series Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events (not too dark) Lord of the Rings (along the lines of Potter/Percy style of fantasy but a great story as well) You might also take a look at the A Mighty Girl book list. It's an array of books about girls, so maybe your girl will be interested in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 Thanks, Candicane, I appreciate you giving it so much thought! Yesterday, my dd selected 6 books from the list I made and I have great hopes that she will enjoy them. Now we will have to wait for the books to arrive, Bookdepository isn't quick... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lieutenant Stranger Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I personally just adore From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler and I know my kids did, too. (I also loved Number the Stars!) The Upstairs Room is good, but a little slow at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 I personally just adore From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler and I know my kids did, too. (I also loved Number the Stars!) The Upstairs Room is good, but a little slow at times. Thanks! I happen to already own From the Mixed Up Files, so we can start with that, while waiting for the other books. Great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.