sagira Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 My DS will be turning 12 in early September. Although he enjoyed Books 1-6, he hasn't finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yet as he said it was too emotional for him. I appreciate that he knows his limits and that he feels comfortable letting me know. This is my Literature read-aloud list for this year. We pause and discuss, and once a week I ask questions. It looks very short as we have lots of historical fiction and nonfiction he's reading as well. Also, we may not get through all the books, but we still have 7th grade ;) The Bronze Bow The Eagle of the Ninth My Side of the Mountain The Giver Lord of the Flies and more formal literary analysis using Classical Conditioning and other resources The Hunger Games When we get to the Middle Ages (using K12 History Odyssey and Dorothy Miller's Romans and Middle Ages): King Arthur by Lancelyn Green Lord of the Rings Canterbury Tales Robin Hood by Lancelyn Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Well, if he found Deathly Hallows too intense, you might want to re-think Lord of the Flies and Hunger Games. I wouldn't do either of those with my dd12, and she has read all the HP books, multiple times. The Giver is pretty intense, too, but less so than the other two. What is your goal with those books? There may be some gentler choices that would meet your goals. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas_mom Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Bronze Bow is too intense for my ds. I read it and decided to do something else. You may want to pre-read Bronze Bow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I think some kids find Deathly Hallows intense more because of the long term emotional attachment to the characters than any sensitivity. I think 12 is a good age for Hunger Games and The Giver... if you think he can handle them. But I agree with the above that there are other choices if you think he's going to find them too overwhelming in violence and theme. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 That's a lot of serious action. Unless you're reading the McCaughrean retelling I'd drop Canterbury Tales in a heartbeat. That was a slog for my 10th grader last year, who is well accustomed to Great Book literature courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I think Hunger Games would be okay. My kids didn't get NEARLY as attached to those characters as they did the HP kids. HP practically became a part of the family. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Ok, I'll confess that my prejudice to Hunger Games has more to do with the fact that I think it's terribly written more than the intensity of the story . . . and I do think the 3rd book in the series is very dark, even by the series' standards, and not very satisfying. I know that's not on the list, but my dd always wants to finish series. She's asked me about Hunger Games and I tell her she can read it if she wants but I don't think it's that great, myself. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Ok, I'll confess that my prejudice to Hunger Games has more to do with the fact that I think it's terribly written more than the intensity of the story . . . and I do think the 3rd book in the series is very dark, even by the series' standards, and not very satisfying. I know that's not on the list, but my dd always wants to finish series. She's asked me about Hunger Games and I tell her she can read it if she wants but I don't think it's that great, myself. Oh I agree with you. But I never made it through the first book myself. I couldn't take the writing anymore. :tongue_smilie: If you saw the first movie, as it opens the camera is jolty and never seems to be pointed the right way. That's pretty much what I felt like reading the book. :ack2: My fairly well-read teens enjoyed it though. *shrug* 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Make that another vote for dropping Lord of the Flies. The others are probably ok, but that book is disturbing, IMO. I also don't consider The Hunger Games to be good literature. I'd let him read it in his free time, if he wants, but wouldn't assign it for school. He might be better off with something like The Children of Odin or The Yearling. The Chronicles of Prydain or A Wizard of Earthsea might fit your theme better than Hunger Games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 Thank you for the great advice, Mamas! I remember I read Lord of the Flies in high school and I've never forgotten it. I'll double check on Bronze Bow and modify the Literature selections tomorrow. Goodnight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 Oh yes, and The Canterbury Tales are by Geraldine McCaughrean, not the original one by Chaucer! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 That sounds good! I might also add The White Company by Arthur Conan Doyle, just because it was my son's favorite. ;) http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93063.The_White_Company 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 All that I am familiar with (even perhaps My Side of the Mountain) sound too intense for a kid who found HP too emotional and intense. How about for more "classic" kids literature the Prydain Chronicles, The Phantom Tollbooth, Gulliver's Travels ... for more recent popular kid's fiction: Ranger's Apprentice series, Hoot 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 As a sensitive guy, my ds would not have liked The Giver, The Lord of the Flies, or The Hunger Games in 7th grade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bocky Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Have you already read the Hobbit? If not, then maybe read it before/instead of Lord of the Rings. My dd 11 loves LoTR from having it read aloud and the movies, but has bogged down several times reading the Two Towers. Another medieval-type book she loves that you might consider is Brian Jacques Redwall. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Have you already read the Hobbit? If not, then maybe read it before/instead of Lord of the Rings. My dd 11 loves LoTR from having it read aloud and the movies, but has bogged down several times reading the Two Towers. Another medieval-type book she loves that you might consider is Brian Jacques Redwall. Agreed. My dd read The Hobbit and Fellowship at 11-12, but then bogged down in The Two Towers. I'm sure she'll come back to it at some point, but she already made clear that she just wants to read it, *not* "study" it. 'Nuff said. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 I think some kids find Deathly Hallows intense more because of the long term emotional attachment to the characters than any sensitivity. I think 12 is a good age for Hunger Games and The Giver... if you think he can handle them. But I agree with the above that there are other choices if you think he's going to find them too overwhelming in violence and theme. I agree, Farrar. Ds has been getting attached to these characters. They're like extended family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 My DS will be turning 12 in early September. Although he enjoyed Books 1-6, he hasn't finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yet as he said it was too emotional for him. I appreciate that he knows his limits and that he feels comfortable letting me know. This is my Literature read-aloud list for this year. We pause and discuss, and once a week I ask questions. It looks very short as we have lots of historical fiction and nonfiction he's reading as well. Also, we may not get through all the books, but we still have 7th grade ;) The Bronze Bow -- This is one of my all-time favorites! The Eagle of the Ninth My Side of the Mountain -- I couldn't get into this one at all... The Giver -- If he got through most of Harry Potter, he will probably be fine with this. I would pre-read it though. Lord of the Flies and more formal literary analysis using Classical Conditioning and other resources -- I vote for too intense. The Hunger Games When we get to the Middle Ages (using K12 History Odyssey and Dorothy Miller's Romans and Middle Ages): King Arthur by Lancelyn Green Lord of the Rings -- I also would read the Hobbit first Canterbury Tales Robin Hood by Lancelyn Green I commented above in blue about the books that I remember. A lot of the Newbery books are good for this age. I'm planning to use a lot of these for my 7th grader this year: The 21 Balloons King of the Wind Amos Fortune Secret of the Andes A Wrinkle in Time I, Juan de Pareja From the Mixed of Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! The Witch of Blackbird Pond Li-Lun, Lad of Courage The Apple and the Arrow The Golden Fleece The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle Dragonwings The Good Master The Wheel on the School The Westing Game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I don't consider The Hunger Games literature. The Canterbury Tales is a solid mid high school read. I would not include it in a 7th grade lit line-up. I would also wait a year on Lord of the Flies. Keep it for 8th grade. How about Animal Farm? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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