Alrighty!
Today I am goofing off and stepping away from the
mommy blog.
No pictures of my kids
like this one…
And definitely
no silly stories like how Rhett(4) was warned when we bought bright orange shorts that in general orange is not a neutral and he wouldn’t be able to wear it with other bright colors like, for instance, red. ย Oh, and when we bought him two new pairs of crocs it was my intention that he wear two shoes of the same color for a pair. ย I am crazy and un-imaginative that way.
I do NOT have time for that kind of
mommy blogger – ness!
Today I am asking YOU to give me some reading ideas.
Summer is upon me. ย My boys’ last day of school was on Monday.
I need reading suggestions for:
- 2nd grade boy
- 4th grade boy
- their harried 40 year old mother
I just LOVE a good book….and if you don’t read books, but have a good blog recommendation for me,
bring it on.
To thank you for your help, I will be sending a randomly selected comment below to receive a
$50 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble.
All you need to do is
comment with some sort of reading recommendation and you will be entered to win. ย The contest will close 5/18/10.
Easy, peasy.
And now I can get back to following around my children like paparazzi and blogging every word they say…
For the 2nd Grade boy child, may I suggest 777 Great Clean Jokes. This has our 2nd grader rolling in the halls.
For the 4th Grade boy child, may I suggest anything by CS Lewis. Nothing like good old-fashioned science fiction to stir the imagination.
And for the tireless, Mommy-blogger who needs a break from being the paparazzi, I impart to you 1000 Days in Tuscany. I would give you more info than that, like author or whatever, but I think my two munchkins have taken the book and are using it as a Barbie bed somewhere in their room.
Enjoy!
For you, I would suggest Jodi Picoult – shes a great author. I also just finished “look again” by Lisa Scottoline. It was really good!
For your boys, I don’t have any suggestions, my boys are 4 and 20 months so we’re not there yet!
I LOVE books, but I listen to most of them on audio book lately – driving in the car, or just when I’m cleaning in the house! One I recently enjoyed is “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer. Because this book is made up of letters to and from members of a small community it was a gem to get on audio! All the letters are read by different actors, and it is a delightful sweet stirring story- that made me appreciate what it must have been to listen to radio in bygone days! For family entertainment on audio book I would really recommend the Harry Potter series. The man that reads the books is so talented, and makes the story come in alive in a different way then the movies.
For straight adult reading I’ll recommend two books by the same author -Audrey Niffenegger. She wrote “The Time Traveler's Wife” which is very different than the movie made based on it. It had me laughing out loud in public, and crying in public too. A really romantic, love letter to humanity. I also enjoyed her second novel “Her Fearful Symmetry” although it is a very different type of book from the first, a bit more mystery and slice of life book.
Hope some of that helps! I’m looking forward to reading what other people recommend since I need a new audio book soon! ๐
You said the magic words! B&N Gift cards are my weakness. I’d do anything to go to my happy place for FREE! My 9 year old read and loved the Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. My 7 year old devoured all of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Both Hugo and Wimpy Kid are graphic novels, so I think they’re a good fit for boys ๐ I am a sucker for Philippa Gregory and her historical fiction, especially the tudor novels. I’m reading The Other Queen, about Mary Queen of Scots. Have also recently binged on every Lee Child novel starring Jack Reacher in a row! He’s a retired MP who drifts around with his own brand of vigilante justice–a very cool hero, imho.. Happy reading!
I’ve had my 10 year old son in a summer reading group for three years. A few of us Mom’s wanted to keep our kids reading over the summer and thought it would be fun to have a book club for the kids. We pick one book a month, then meet in someones backyard for discussion and a project relating to the story. It’s been a great success and the kids really look forward to it. We start in May with a meeting of book ideas. Everyone shows up, with a list of titles they want to read. Some of our reads have been Andrew Clements Frindle, No Talking and the Report Card. We kept the stories pretty gender neutral, due to the fact that we have both boys and girls in the club. Last summer we started on the 39 Clues series, which has been awesome!
As for Mom, anything by Jodi Picoult and I just finished the Time Travelers Wife and I loved it.
Funny enough I am getting my master’s in literacy so I have a few NEW book recs! Masterpiece by Elise Broach for your boys. Oh it’s such a clever story and mystery taking place in NYC. I’m thinking it may be appropriate for both of them.
For you, I highly recommend The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, it’s historical fiction and one of the most brilliantly written books i’ve ever read!
My almost fourth grader likes the Spiderwick Chronicles, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, graphic novels: Rapunzel’s Revenge and Calamity Jack, and she has been listening to the Percy Jackson series on CD. She also likes Beverly Cleary – forget Ramona for your boys, but maybe they woudl like Henry and Ribsy?
I’m a 5th grade teacher of ALL boys. While your children are younger than that age group, I think I’ve got a couple good recommendations. A-Z Mystery books would be fun for the 4th grader. The same characters are in each of the books (A-Z, just like the title suggests) and the go through little mysteries that they, of course, always solve in the end. If you’re OK with books on CD, The Lightning Thief is wonderful. The person that reads is easy to listen to and I haven’t met a boy (or girl) that didn’t enjoy the book. Don’t forget about some classics like James and the Giant Peach! 2nd grade: Magic Tree House is fun and there are great picture books like The Important Book or the Frog and Toad series.
๐ Enjoy the summer!
I have nieces and nephews and godchildren in every age range imaginable, and I love taking them to the bookstore, I could probably go on an on so I’ll narrow it down to three choices for each!
2nd grade boy:
1) Could You? Would You? by Trudy White (Kane/Miller, 2007).
This wonderful book allows children to imagine the things they would do if they could. This is a story everyone can relate to, no matter his or her background. 89 pages
2)Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog
by Pamela S. Turner, illustrated by Yan Nascimbene (Houghton Mifflin, 2004).
Based on a true story, this touching tale pays tribute to a dog named Hachiko, who waited for nearly 10 years at a Tokyo train station for his master, who never returned. Also tells about the bronze statue in Shibuya Station in Japan and the festival that is held every April, honoring this incredible canine
3)The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (My personal fave!)
by C.S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes (HarperCollins Children’s Books, 1950).
Classic fantasy story for kids. Parents need to know that the plot and writing, although superior, are somewhat dated, and the art is small and simplistic. The language is simple but precise, and the main characters act valiantly to help save Narnia from the White Queen’s enchantment (though one is initially caught under her sway). Contains bits of British culture and Christian allegory. 208 pages.
Read the complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher’s Recommended Reading Level: Ages 9-12, Read Aloud: 8-10, Read Alone: 10+.
4th grade boy
(1) Crickwing <-My nephew read this one a little younger than the suggested age/grade, he loved it, bugs go over big with boys!
by Janell Cannon (Voyager Books, 2005).
This is the story of an unfortunate cockroach named Crickwing, called this because of a twisted wing earned when fleeing a predator. Crickwing finds he has a talent for food presentation: He is a food sculptor! He builds his creations out of roots, leaves and petals, and then eats them…when he can. Crickwing is constantly thwarted by lizards, ocelots and food-stealing monkeys. As he watches thousands of busy leaf-cutting ants, he wonders, "Why isn't anyone bothering these little twerps?" Thus, a bully is born. Crickwing harasses the ants until their Queen orders him to be captured and offered as a sacrifice to the army ants. Luckily, kind leaf-cutters set him free, and he redeems himself by using his special talents to rid the leaf-cutters of the army ants once and for all. Cannon's illustrations are lush and invigorating, guaranteed to enrapture the most reluctant reader.
(2) Shiloh <-By the way, my niece liked this one too, she took it after her brother finished it!
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Simon and Schuster, 1991).
Nothing is simple in this taut, unforgettable drama. Kids love this edge-of-the-seat story of a boy going up against a really scary mean man to protect an abused dog. 144 pages. Newbery Medal Award.
(3) The Boy Who Painted Dragons <-I have such a love of Asian art and design, I couldn't resist adding this one to the list
by Demi (Simon & Schuster, 2007).
Author/artist Demi has created another stunningly illustrated children's book, The Boy Who Painted Dragons. It's the story of Ping, a talented young boy who secretly fears the dragons whose images he paints. As he attempts to hide his fear, he covers every possible surface with brilliant golden dragons. When asked why he paints them, Ping lies and says, "Because I love dragons! … He is the spirit of life. He is the secret force in nature." The book reads like an ancient folktale, carrying timeless spiritual messages about inner strength and facing one's fears. It also puts a literal spin on the expression "pearls of wisdom" โ the dragons live in heaven and collect pearls carved with words such as "Seek your heart," or "Dare to be great." Demi's gold-tinged illustrations are dramatically beautiful, combining paint and ink with Chinese silk brocade.
mom (ah last but not least!)
(1) Living Oprah by Robyn Okrant. I found the premise fascinating and the book doesnt disappoint, I could never imagine living my life 100% mandated by someone else's suggestions daily. Even after reading the book, I couldn't imagine participating in this kind of project but it was a fun read. It leaves you wondering if the author's husband has a brother, because finding a man that patient with that kind of sense of humor seems more like a fairytale than reality! LOL
(2) I'm in the middle of Achieve Anything in Just One Year
(3) My favorite and a year to year *re-read* 'Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort of Joy' by Sarah Ban Breathnach
oh and my blog has a monthly book club which returns in June, Living Oprah is actually the title that will be reviewed & given away! LOL
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly
http://ascendingbutterfly.blogspot.com
Just read “Look Again” by Lisa Scottoline and it was AWESOME!!! I second the Jodi Picoult rec. Have read all of them…if you read too many in a row, they can seem formulaic (big word!) but they are very enjoyable.
For the kids, Magic Tree House, Berenstain Bears, and Capt. Underpants were big hits in my 2nd grade classroom.
I can’t believe your kids are out of school! When do they start? July???