From: Kathleen Horning <horning>
Date: Fri, 06 Aug 2004 08:56:13 -0500

Lauren, since you're reaching back into more classic literature, you have probably already tried Beverly Cleary's Beezus and Ramona books. If you haven't, your son might enjoy them. Before my nephew was able to read chapter books on his own, he was wild about The Hamlet Chronicle series by Gregory Maguire that starts with "Seven Spiders Spinning" (and continues with "Six Haunted Hairdos," "Five Alien Elves," "Four Stupid Cupids," "Three Rotten Eggs," and "A Couple of April Fools.") My brother had to read "Seven Spiders Spinning" aloud to his son at least twice, and I know they both enjoyed it a lot.

I also highly recommend novels by Dick King-Smith such as "Martin's Mice" and "Babe the Gallant Pig." (Much better than the movie!) They have a level of humor for the adults, as well as the child. In this vein, I'd also try "I Was a Rat!" by Philip Pullman. Other books you might want to try:

"Scooter" by Vera B. Williams
"The Thumb in the Box" by Ken Roberts
"The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
"Riding Freedom" by Pam Munoz Ryan
"Faith and the Electric Dogs" by Patrick Jennings
"The Jamie and Angus Stories" by Anne Fine

I hope you'll find something among these titles that you'll both like.

KTH



Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706

horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3721 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/


I've been looking for a certain kind of book for my son these past few years, which, along with literary use of language, has a real story with adventure and character development, but that also is appropriate for his developmental age.
Received on Fri 06 Aug 2004 08:56:13 AM CDT