Nathan Bransford - The Forums

I'm hyperventilating over here with summer break officially starting next week. I'm trying to put together a summer reading list for my 8 yr old. Her favorite book so far is Gulliver's Travels (she calls her little brother a 'yahoo' when he annoys her)...

Here's what I'm thinking: (I'm open to more suggestions, except Magic Tree House books)

1. Wrinkle in Time
2. Sea of Monsters
3. Lord of the Flies
4. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry


Thanks!

Eight seems a little young for Lord of the Flies. That stuff is disturbing. The Boxcar Children?

abc wrote:Eight seems a little young for Lord of the Flies. That stuff is disturbing.

Thanks, was on the fence about that one... maybe in a few years :)

I would suggest the series "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" by Michael Scott. It's a mythology-based fantasy series that's written for kids but both of my parents, my husband, and myself love it. The new one (#4) was just released today...have my copy right here...resisting the urge to read it all right now!!

I'm in agreement, "Nix" Lord of the flies from that list.

My daughter's loved the series with cats... er, going of memory here but I think its "warrior series" by Erin hunter?

If she likes Gulliver's Travels, she might like "Wide Awake in Dreamland" by John Duel. It has a sort of mystical quality to it.

Also, a personal favorite of mine was The Forgotten Door. I loved the whole concept that a boy on a planet far away could fall through a door and end up on Earth. Or maybe it was a future Earth. I'm not sure it ever clarified exactly where he came from, but it was so cool.

King of the Wind is one of the best horse stories that I recall--and I think I read them all from the Misty series to Black Beauty to all of the Black Stallion books. lol. (my dad used to tease me that the last book in the Black Stallion series was The Black Stallion Goes to the Glue Factory. I would get SO mad when he'd say that. lol.)

Watership Down.

Well, she sounds advanced - so, some of these may be too easy. :) Or she may have read them.

First, I've found one can almost never go wrong with anything that's won the Pulziter (sp?), although books that have won that prize tend to have deeper, sometimes more upsetting themes. Good for discussions though.

Here are some classics I recommend

Anne of Green Gables
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlotte's Web
Little House on the Praire
The Secret Garden/The Little Princess
The Phantom Tollbooth
Little Women
Harriet the Spy
Because of Winn-Dixie
Bridge to Taribetha (Spelling that wrong. Also, very sad.)

If you want YA fantasy with strong female characters challenging role restrictions in a man's world, Tamora Pierce is great for that. The Allana series is good for younger readers.

Hope she has a wonderful summer reading!

Btw - libraries often have lists of recommended books by age - I bet those are on-line, too.

Mira- Thanks! I completely forgot about Charlotte's Web and Little Women... (my faves)

Diva- Nocolas Flamel sounds interesting. Might have to check that one out.

Mcdonald- Forgotten Door- ooh, sounds AWESOME!!

Thanks again!!

I would definitely say The Chronicles of Narnia should be on the list.

I'd also put The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin on the list. It won a Newbury award in 1979 but unless someone told you what year it was out you'd never know, it has this sort of timeless feel to it. It's a super mystery/thriller without violence or overly dark tones or gore. It's about a rich old man who dies and he entangles a bunch of people in a mystery game where the winner will receive his entire inheritance. It's fantastic.

I read Coraline by Neil Gaiman to my step-sister when she was 8.

If she's an advanced reader, which she sounds like she might be, I'd say maybe she's about the right age for The Golden Compass. It might be a little tough for her, but I read it when I was right around that age. I had to look some words up but it wasn't too bad.

All of the Percy Jackson books are favorites of mine.

Holes by Louis Sachar is one of my favorite middle grade books of all time.

Also The Penderwicks is a FANTASTIC story. I believe there are sequels but I have not read them. The first book also has one of the best covers. I just love it. I found it in a used book store without knowing anything about it.

Blubber and the fudge books by Judy Bloom. Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
When she's a bit older, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (won the Newberry this year)

RLS wrote:Blubber and the fudge books by Judy Bloom. Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
When she's a bit older, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (won the Newberry this year)

Loved Blubber!

Thanks!

Looks like you have enough recommendations for several summers!

I'd add Ella Enchanted. I think I was about 8 or 10 when I read it first, and I adored it.

Also I'll second Percy Jackson, Anne of Green Gables (at least the first one), Little Women, Harriet the Spy, and Because of Winn-Dixie.

and i'm third-ing the percy jackson series. my seven year old has read the series twice this summer, and he's head over heels about it.
when i was that age i loved the babysitter's club series.