From: toddandmaggie
Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2001 23:49:56 -0400

When my daughter neared the end of kindergarten, she was dying to read "chapter books" but she absolutely could not handle anything more difficult than Magic Treehouse (and they were a stretch). I tried to steer her toward easier books, but she wanted to struggle through them (also Baily Kids, and ABC Mysteries). I found these books bland and unsatisfying, yet in retrospect I think these series books really satisfied a need for her. She knew exactly what she was getting from them--once she got through one, she had faith she could get through the others. Sometimes I'd search for books for her to read to herself that looked about the same reading level, but (in my opinion, not hers) were of higher quality. Frankly, it was difficult. More often than not, I'd miss the mark, and give her something she'd disdain as babyish, or overshoot her abilities and end up reading to her myself. In fact, right now I find myself struggling to come up with even one or two good suggestions of non-series "chapter" books for this early stage of reading. Among the Step Into Reading Series, Step 4, there are a few gems--although the problem with these books is that they look like Henry and Mudge, not Magic Treehouse. I had to do some fast talking to convince my daughter that despite appearances, these qualified as "real" chapter books. A couple of good ones: The Trail of Tears, by Joseph Bruchac, and Barry, the Bravest Saint Bernard, by Lynn Hall. There are others. To me, though, it does seem in general that the quality of the beginning easy reader books (i.e., Henry and Mudge, and old favorites like Frog and Toad and even Dr. Seuss) are superior to those written for kids who are ready for, or want, something heftier. It may simpy be that it is very, very difficult to write great books at this sort of precarious, in?tween level. If anyone out there knows of any, I'd love to hear of them!


Maggie Bokelman toddandmaggie at msn.com
Received on Wed 03 Oct 2001 10:49:56 PM CDT