MamaSheep Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Because I'm just mean like that! Dd12 is coming home from ps part-time next week. We really need to work on her reading skills, as she tends to do things like skip big words, or substitute a random word that starts with the same letter. I want something she can read aloud to me while I cook dinner so I can help her focus and correct. (Vicious, vicious mama!) We also need to fix the fact that she thinks she doesn't like to read. The only books I can think of that she's said she actually liked are "Michael Vey" (read aloud to the class by her teacher the year before last, and then she asked me to buy her a copy of her own to read, and she actually did read it--I about fell over) and its sequels (which she read to herself last year, though she said there were parts that didn't make sense because she didn't know what the words were, and she didn't want to stop reading to ask). Also "Janitors", which I cruelly forced her to read during the first quarter of this year because she had to do a book report. She says she likes books where there's always something happening, without draggy boring parts. Also, she gets offended when I ask her to read books that are too "thin" because these are apparently for "little kids". So basically, I need recommendations for books that are written for a 7th grade audience at about a 5th grade level, which have a riveting plot and compelling characters, and which are not super long, but use a biggish font so it makes the book look fatter...lol. What say you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiara.I Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Would "Holes" fit the bill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Island of the blue Dolphins Bunnicula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weintz8 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 My Mom, who is a middle school librarian recommended books by Margaret Petterson Haddix, especially The Shadow Children series, but really most of her books. She said they are middle school books but written at a slightly easier level then many other middle school books and they are very engaging stories. Your a great mom - not a vicious one ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpea3829 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Hmmm....maybe the Guardians of Gahoole series? You might want to screen first...they are pretty violent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpea3829 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Or...Warrior Cats. Oh my word...it really is such a terrible series, but it was very engaging. And it seems like the audience is pre-teen to teen girls. Again, though...there are some parts that are somewhat violent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 Would "Holes" fit the bill? I'm not sure she'd follow all the back and forth in time business...but I'd be there to point it out...hmmm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 We read Guardians of Gahoole for family story time before bed a couple of years back on the recommendation of my niece, who is a few years older than dd. When we got to the end I asked everyone if they'd like me to get the second book, and the unanimous and emphatic vote was NO! We also read the first book of the Warrior Cats series, and while that story was better received, nobody wanted to continue that either. But maybe dd would like it better now that she's a little older. I'll keep that in mind. She's big into wolves right now, if that sparks anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Can you check anything out of the "large print" youth section at your library without your daughter getting offended? I ended up with a large print copy of The Endless Steppe (ordered used, online) and wow, that print is huge to me. It's pretty much unmarked except for an "LP" on the spine where the call number is. Maybe The Hunger Games? Harry Potter? Inkheart? The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making will give her vocabulary and sounding out skills a workout. It's not a difficult read, but there are some advanced vocabulary words sprinkled in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weintz8 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 What about Gary Paulson? He writes lots of books about the wilderness and wolves. His books are geared a little more towards boys, but I LOVED them when I was younger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Seconding Bunnicula. Will give it some thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Harry Potter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 She needs a Kindle! First, no way to tell how thick the book is, lol. But more importantly, you can tap a word you don't know and it will pop up with the definition. It even keeps a running list of words you've looked up, for your own personal vocabulary list! Oh, and for kids whose eyes tend to jump around, you can increase the font to that is less likely to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We read Guardians of Gahoole for family story time before bed a couple of years back on the recommendation of my niece, who is a few years older than dd. When we got to the end I asked everyone if they'd like me to get the second book, and the unanimous and emphatic vote was NO! We also read the first book of the Warrior Cats series, and while that story was better received, nobody wanted to continue that either. But maybe dd would like it better now that she's a little older. I'll keep that in mind. She's big into wolves right now, if that sparks anything. Julie of the Wolves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Can I just suggest that you read it aloud to her after dinner while she cleans up? It is also beneficial for her to hear someone model how to read aloud as well. Plus it would just be a good memory for you as well as you do not have to do the dishes. I vote Harry Potter if it is fresh for her. My middle school lit class loved When You Reach Me. http://www.amazon.com/When-You-Reach-Yearling-Newbery/dp/0375850864/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420210725&sr=1-1&keywords=when+you+reach+me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSinNS Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Percy Jackson? Good sized font, not a hard read, teen-age content (but nothing super-inappropriate). The first one borders on twaddle, but the author finds his voice as the series runs on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (start with Dealing With Dragons) are great fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Wolves of Willoughby Chase? How about a funny memoir--we are loving Funny in Farsi. It is an easy read but it is for teens/adults (dd read it this summer and I am reading it to her this winter--she wanted me to read it and knows I will if she asks me to read it to her). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 The One and Only Ivan. It's a recent Newberry winner, perfect for a reluctant older student with strong, universal themes: isolation, friendship, confinement, freedom. In hardback form, it makes the kids feel grown-up; it's 300 pages. However, the pages are not overly dense or packed with text and the language is accessible. There's plenty of science and vocabulary to pull in too: domain, habitat, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayDad Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I second The One and Only Ivan my seven year old loved it. Another great book would be The Invention of Hugo Cabret it is a fantastic book. I bet if you take her to the book store pick up the book and say this looks interesting and have/let her flip through the pages she will want you to buy it. The Princess and The Goblin is also loved by any girl. You can purchase the book or since it is a classic whose copyright is up you can even find it for print on the web. The hard bound book is a great addition to any home library. My girls love it. Have fun mom and daughter time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 :grouphug: This can be very frustrating. I have a few suggestions but also a few questions. Have you ever looked into the possibility that she truly doesn't like to read because it is hard for her to read? Might she have an underlying and undiagnosed learning challenge like dyslexia or stealth dyslexia? Or developmental vision issue? (they do not always show up at all in a visual acuity screening so can remain undiagnosed for years and do not present as standard vision issues). Has she ever had systematic phonics instruction? An evaluation for learning challenges? If she is incredibly bright she may be compensating for learning challenges without realizing it, but may have reached a point where the learning challenges are too much for her to work around. I would honestly be digging deeper to find the cause of her reading struggles. What you are describing sounds a lot like dyslexia. Whether it is or not, her issues may be relatively simple to deal with if you have the right answers. You need better answers for what the issues are. Otherwise you and she could be spinning your wheels and getting more and more frustrated without making a ton of progress. As for books, Divergent might work. Or the Maximum Ride series. FWIW, though, if she does have a learning challenge, just being forced to do tons of read alouds may just make it worse since she isn't hearing correctly read literature and it may just reinforce already acquired bad reading habits without actually addressing whatever the underlying cause of her struggles is. What might help more is a run through of a solid phonics program while she also gets exposure to more advanced books through read alouds and audio books and reads with something like Immersion Reading so she hears the books read fluently and in context while also seeing the words being read highlighted. That way she isn't falling behind in exposure to more advanced grammar/vocabulary/concepts while you address whatever her underlying reading issues may be. Good luck and best wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 The Phantom Tollbooth - funny, word play, clever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess4879 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Because I'm just mean like that! Dd12 is coming home from ps part-time next week. We really need to work on her reading skills, as she tends to do things like skip big words, or substitute a random word that starts with the same letter. I want something she can read aloud to me while I cook dinner so I can help her focus and correct. (Vicious, vicious mama!) Because you are wanting this time to be instructional, I wouldn't do it while you are otherwise engaged. Let her grab one of those books she has read before and enjoyed and have her read it aloud to you. Sit beside her, if she skips a word or guesses, have her go back and read that sentence again. If she guesses/skips a second time, she reads the paragraph again. Third time? She has to read the page again. (I'm a mean Momma! LOL) We started doing this with my word guessing kiddo and it has worked so incredibly well. She hates having to reread sections and she has gotten so much better about taking her time and not guessing. Oh - but before anything else, I'd do a test to see if she has any gaps in her phonics. There are lots online for phonics, comprehension, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 A quick 10 min a day with Dancing Bears will help with the guessing. It's sooooo not fun, but she will live through 10min. We are enjoying The Great Brain. I'd sit with her on the couch. She can use an index card with a notch cut out of the corner to help track. For reading books (vs DB lessons) I have my dc use the flat end to track down the lines. If they stumble/skip, I make them flip the card over to use the notch to uncover one sound at a time. I make the stumbles as "No-big-deal" as possible b/c mine will simply hate the book and reading...and ME (LOL)...if I make it a battle. If I were learning something, I'd detest it if my teacher made it her goal to spoil the experience by requiring perfection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 My first two thoughts were The Wolves of Willoughby Chase or The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles. But some other choices that might be more "grown up" would be Dead Man's Switch and Among the Hidden (this last one is a series, but I have not read beyond the first book yet so I'm hesitant to recommend if I haven't read them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemom Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I started hsing my dd in 5th. When we started, she hated reading and was behind. Like you-reading became something that we focused on at home. We started with Black Beauty as a read aloud. I bought two books-one for each of us. I would read a page with her following along and then she would read the next page. We eventually stopped reading out loud and I just let her read the book at her pace. It took longer than I would have liked but she finished it and felt encouraged afterwards. She felt the PS did not encourage her to read "harder" books and she did not think she could. She read all four of the Maze Runner series books over the summer and just started another series by the same author. She told me again last night that she now enjoys reading and does not believe that she would feel that way had she stayed in school. She just needed someone to encourage and believe her. So-stick with it and don't feel like the evil Mommy who is forcing her to read. GASP! I would suggest letting her pick the book and read it together for awhile. Make it your special time together rather than her reading to you while you work. Be patient and I promise you will see improvements. Good luck. ETA-We still read alouds but now we read through history or science taking turns with paragraphs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 First off, I'm loving all the suggestions, thanks ladies. Secondly: There is clearly something about reading that is hard for her. When we had her evaluated, the verdict was that she did not have dyslexia, but that she does have a "specific learning disability in the area of written expression". Her eye doctor (specialist) says her eyes are fine, and the audiologist says her auditory processing is normal--or at least, she passes the tests just fine with the cross-brain functioning and all that. But the audiologist also said she could see why I had wanted to get her tested, I wasn't just being paranoid, and she agreed that there may be something a little different going on there that just doesn't register on the tests. But she had no concrete suggestions, as dd's hearing and auditory processing don't seem to be the problem. The special ed lady at the school who holds dd's file agrees that there are some quirky learning things going on, but her position is that dd is very bright, and seems to be able to compensate well for whatever it is that's going on, other than being a little behind with reading and fairly hopeless with spelling. The only phonics instruction she's had that I'm aware of was during 2nd and 3rd grade when I had her at home before. (I asked her 5th grade teacher, who was gushing about what a fantastic spelling program they used, if they were going to be learning any phonograms or syllabication, and I might as well have been speaking French.) We worked through part of level one of All About Spelling, and both her reading and spelling improved. I really think that more phonics instruction will be to her benefit, and I plan on going through AAS with her again, starting with a review of what she learned back then, and moving forward--as soon as I figure out where I've put the dang AAS materials...lol. In the meantime, I did locate my copy of Phonics Pathways (or whatever that book is called), and if I don't find the AAS in the next few days, I'll start with PP. I'm definitely not going to approach this ONLY by having her read to me while I cook, and I really am not going to be mean about the mistakes. I probably won't even point them all out--probably mostly when she sounds like the error has gotten her confused about what's going on in the story, to begin with. I just thought a laid-back fun read-aloud would make for some good mother-daughter time and maybe help her discover that reading can actually be fun, and give her some reading practice in an environment where there was support if she needed it, and she wasn't just cut loose on her own to fend for herself. I will also be sitting with her and reading together during our actual "English class time." For that, we'll be working through the Medieval packet from Homeschool in the Woods, with some supplementary materials. She's interested in learning about medieval history, and that packet includes reading, listening, and a good amount of creative writing (stealthily disguised as history). And we'll do some finding of main points and sub-info, and all that good stuff too. But it's the read-alouds I'm feeling a bit stuck on, so I really appreciate the suggestions. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 We read Guardians of Gahoole for family story time before bed a couple of years back on the recommendation of my niece, who is a few years older than dd. When we got to the end I asked everyone if they'd like me to get the second book, and the unanimous and emphatic vote was NO! We also read the first book of the Warrior Cats series, and while that story was better received, nobody wanted to continue that either. But maybe dd would like it better now that she's a little older. I'll keep that in mind. She's big into wolves right now, if that sparks anything. Wolves of Beyond series by Kathryn Lasky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess4879 Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 First off, I'm loving all the suggestions, thanks ladies. Secondly: There is clearly something about reading that is hard for her. When we had her evaluated, the verdict was that she did not have dyslexia, but that she does have a "specific learning disability in the area of written expression". Her eye doctor (specialist) says her eyes are fine, and the audiologist says her auditory processing is normal--or at least, she passes the tests just fine with the cross-brain functioning and all that. But the audiologist also said she could see why I had wanted to get her tested, I wasn't just being paranoid, and she agreed that there may be something a little different going on there that just doesn't register on the tests. But she had no concrete suggestions, as dd's hearing and auditory processing don't seem to be the problem. The special ed lady at the school who holds dd's file agrees that there are some quirky learning things going on, but her position is that dd is very bright, and seems to be able to compensate well for whatever it is that's going on, other than being a little behind with reading and fairly hopeless with spelling. The only phonics instruction she's had that I'm aware of was during 2nd and 3rd grade when I had her at home before. (I asked her 5th grade teacher, who was gushing about what a fantastic spelling program they used, if they were going to be learning any phonograms or syllabication, and I might as well have been speaking French.) We worked through part of level one of All About Spelling, and both her reading and spelling improved. I really think that more phonics instruction will be to her benefit, and I plan on going through AAS with her again, starting with a review of what she learned back then, and moving forward--as soon as I figure out where I've put the dang AAS materials...lol. In the meantime, I did locate my copy of Phonics Pathways (or whatever that book is called), and if I don't find the AAS in the next few days, I'll start with PP. I'm definitely not going to approach this ONLY by having her read to me while I cook, and I really am not going to be mean about the mistakes. I probably won't even point them all out--probably mostly when she sounds like the error has gotten her confused about what's going on in the story, to begin with. I just thought a laid-back fun read-aloud would make for some good mother-daughter time and maybe help her discover that reading can actually be fun, and give her some reading practice in an environment where there was support if she needed it, and she wasn't just cut loose on her own to fend for herself. I will also be sitting with her and reading together during our actual "English class time." For that, we'll be working through the Medieval packet from Homeschool in the Woods, with some supplementary materials. She's interested in learning about medieval history, and that packet includes reading, listening, and a good amount of creative writing (stealthily disguised as history). And we'll do some finding of main points and sub-info, and all that good stuff too. But it's the read-alouds I'm feeling a bit stuck on, so I really appreciate the suggestions. :) What about the newspaper? Or her favorite magazine? Maybe a short article that you could then discuss would work well. I think I need to clarify about my early comment of making my child reread sections, as I think the poster below me views me as quite evil. lol We had this method suggested to us to help stop the word guessing habit with our 11 year old. It's really pretty much what Dancing Bears does - flashing back to a word that is incorrect. She likes to speed through a reading and will quickly make a word fit into what she *thinks* it is without slowing down to actually read the word. For these mistakes only, we make her reread the word. I don't gleefully dance around and make a deal out of it, I just ask her to reread the word. If she makes another error, we reread the sentence. She doesn't like having to slow down, but it has forced her to actually look at the words. It has also improved her comprehension because she's not throwing in random words as she reads. I also don't do this for every reading. This is for about 10 minutes a day when we are doing instructional time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 What about the newspaper? Or her favorite magazine? Maybe a short article that you could then discuss would work well. I think I need to clarify about my early comment of making my child reread sections, as I think the poster below me views me as quite evil. lol We had this method suggested to us to help stop the word guessing habit with our 11 year old. It's really pretty much what Dancing Bears does - flashing back to a word that is incorrect. She likes to speed through a reading and will quickly make a word fit into what she *thinks* it is without slowing down to actually read the word. For these mistakes only, we make her reread the word. I don't gleefully dance around and make a deal out of it, I just ask her to reread the word. If she makes another error, we reread the sentence. She doesn't like having to slow down, but it has forced her to actually look at the words. It has also improved her comprehension because she's not throwing in random words as she reads. I also don't do this for every reading. This is for about 10 minutes a day when we are doing instructional time. Oh, no worries, it's all good. I didn't think you were really being mean anymore than I really meant I was a cruel mama in my first post. Just that kids are sometimes dramatic when they have to do something they don't like...lol. I am glad to hear about different approaches, it gives me more tools to choose from when each seems appropriate to the situation, and I appreciate your input. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Excellent resource: http://www.succeedtoread.com/rr123.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 Well, we had our IEP meeting today, and they've decided that the latest round of test results are such that she no longer qualifies for an IEP. She's not up to grade level, but she's no longer failing badly enough to qualify for extra help. (Wow! Look at that kid run! I guess she doesn't need that prosthetic leg anymore.) She'll only be doing drama, art, and orchestra at school, and she doesn't need accommodations for those, so no big deal, really, for now. And if we decide to put her back in for more academic classes later on, we all agree that she would most likely qualify for a 504 plan, even if she can no longer be on an IEP. So...I guess good news that she's made some measurable progress, and I guess we decided to pull her from her other classes at just the right time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I wish I could think of some good wolf books -- I've read some, but the titles escape me right now! She (and you) might enjoy Waggit's Tale by Peter Howe -- it is told by a dog. Not "great literature" but good storyline and decent sized print. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristi26 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Harry Potter is a fun read- all seven of them. What about The Books of Elsewhere series? I read them myself and found them amusing. I'm also reading The Thief Lord right now. That one is fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Would The Hunger Games trilogy be a good fit? Has Julie of the Wolves been mentioned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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