Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Children's book recommendations?

[Nearly] 4 year old girl:

Likes: Flowers, princesses, fairies, hearts, butterflies...you know, sugar and spice and everything nice.

Reading style:
She likes to read to herself aloud. She can read nearly any word, but her attention span is more age appropriate. If a page has too many words, she has difficulty following the lines properly on her own (but that doesn't mean she wants help, she makes this clear)

6 year old boy:

Likes: Adventure, outer space, Star Wars, Legos, Magic Treehouse books...generally, snips and snails and puppy dog tails.

Reading style:
He loves to read chapter books to himself. He can read through a Magic Treehouse book in a few hours, which makes me think perhaps we need to bump the difficulty up a bit. He is an avid reader. Print that is small might be a deterrent, making it appear to be too difficult.

What would you recommend?

28 comments:

InTheFastLane said...

Check out this site for LOTS of books: http://www.justonemorebook.com/

Dash - who is now nine = loved the Jack Sparrow series, they might be a little old for Bub, might he might like the challenge.

I haven't had a little girl in sooo long, someone else might have better girl recommendations. Although ALL my kids love Shel Siverstein's goofy poem books (A light in the Attic...)

Mom of 3 in Mass said...

For the Girl ( as I have three, this all my life entails - Hehe!) - a great story she can read out loud especially at bedtime is Russell The Sheep this is still very popular in my house despite the fact that they know it by heart. It's cute and funny and very easy to read. Pinkalicious is another favorite - little harder, but all about the sugar and spice and everything nice. The 108th Sheep is another great bedtime story and fairly easy to read.

Christine said...

for Kaytar: http://www.corneliafunke.de/en/books/read-56.html

excellent read

for Bubtar: B recommends: Time Spies series and she said dragon rider and ghost hunters (also by Funke) are great.

good luck!

katy said...

For Bubtar: How about Judy Blume's "Fudge" books?

Can't help you with Kaytar, as I know NOTHING about little girls!!

Woman in a Window said...

My son and daughter are loving Ripley's believe it or not books. They're totally gobbling them up, although the text is a little thick in places. Me, I'm almost regretting getting it for them. Most of those 'hings are totally disgusting!

As for younger books, we just do yard sales and library sales and load up on lots to choose from.

S said...

for BubTar:

The Time Warp Trio series (Jon Scieszka)

Geronimo Stilton series (Scholastic)

Sideways School series (Louis Sachar)

S said...

Sorry, meant Wayside School series (Louis Sachar)

and Marvin Redpost series (also Louis Sachar)

kayerj said...

Princess Emma Series and The Spiderwick Chronicles will be loved by both

painted maypole said...

MQ's favorite books of late are Olivia forms a band (not too many words on a page) and Pinkalicious.

S said...

Forgot to write that Seven just finished Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. He's into some of the Dahl books -- Charlie, of course, and James and the Giant Peach as well.

Anonymous said...

You've probably seen the Texas 2x2 list I've put on my blog - it's great! For age 2 to grade 2 ... http://www.txla.org/groups/crt/2X2intro.htm

Some of Lainey's favorites are Duck and Goose by Tad Hills, Looking for a Moose by Phyllis Root, Ballet Kitty by Bernette Ford, Pinkalicious ... she's also loving I Spy books. Mark takes her to check out 15 books a week from the library, so lately she's had rotating favorites.

I'm no help on the older boy stuff though!

Shel said...

I have girls and they love the Fancy Nancy books, If You Give a Pig a Pancake (and the other If You Give books) They also like the How Does a Dinosaur ...books. We're into series at our house. I also reccommend the Box Car Children books for Bubtar. I am a girl and so may not have a finger on the pulse of boys but they were popular when I was a kid. I would start with the originals by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Someone has written a few dozen more in the series but I don't know how good they are.

Sheila @ Dr Cason.org said...

Dude- I can't comment. I'm just soaking up the recs by the others.

mamatulip said...

I really have no idea what to recommend for Bub-Tar, but Julia LOVES the Fancy Nancy books... maybe K might too?

Hannah said...

Sophie loves the Rainbow Magic Fairy books written by Daisy Meadows. They are chapter books but they have large print and lots of pictures. There is a kitten one that she may be drawn to! There are about 70 in the series so far!

Anonymous said...

Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude is a book told from both a girl's and boy's point of view. The girl tells the story of a princess, with ponies, then the boy butts in and has a cool motorcycle dude roar in to battle a monster. It has great pictures, and is great to read out loud. It is by Kevin O'Malley

Girlplustwo said...

hi babe, i've missed you.

i read a really cool book to M recently called Gracie for President.

natalie said...

I was reading the comments and saw that Mom of 3 in Mass recommended Pinkalicious. That is M's FAVORITE story right now. She, of course, can't read it to herself verbatim, but she LOVES to pretend read it and have it read to her. I think KayTar would really like it.

I wonder if BubTar would like Captain Underpants? My kids at school don't read it, so I don't know how hard it is, but I know some kids LOVE it. My boys are NOT into chapter books yet.

natalie said...

Sideways series: GREAT idea. didn't even think of that!!!! Another one: The Boxcar Children. he might like for you to read those aloud to him.

Anonymous said...

"What do you do with a kangaroo?" by Mercer Mayer....best girl book EVER! Get K to find the cat on each page..that was my favorite as a little girl. :)

Janet said...

Both my kids loved the Junie B. Jones chapter books.

My boy devoured Captain Underpants. Not the most literary achievement but funny as all get-out. Perfect for my not-so-enthusiastic reader.

Beck said...

For your little guy - the Nate The Great books, Geronimo Stilton and the Henry Higgins books.

For your lil' gal: the Mr. Putter and Tabby books are a lot of fun. Has she read the Little Bear and Frances books, too?

Christine said...

ok--dying to know what you chose so far....

Anonymous said...

Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle - about what it means to be yourself.

Encyclopedia Brown books, Goosebumps series, Choose Your Own Adventure books

J. said...

phoebe gilman - all of her book have strong female lead characters, well all except one that I can think of, they are all great. Barbra Reid and Eugnie Fernandes are freat as well and I really like their art.

Chapter books - Andre Clements os good, Frindle is a good one to start with. The Mouse and Motorcycle series. Enid Blyton has a number of great series fo mystery books, The fantastic four is one and the secret seven is another. There are lots of other great ones out there but it seems you have lots of great ideas here

KC said...

for kaytar: we're loving "Doctor Ted." It's funny too.

NOT BAMBI.

Run ANC said...

OO! I loved Encyclopedia Brown! And the Choose your own Adventure books!

I'm not helpful at all. (I do remember really liking Amelia Bedelia and Pippi Longstocking, though - is that too old for Kaytar?)

Anonymous said...

For BubTar, the Fudge books by Judy Blume. No, this is not "Are you there, God". The first book is called "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing", and it's about a boy with a really annoying little brother named Fudge, who's always getting into messes. I was always an advanced reader for my age, and these books were recommended to my mum to keep me busy without exposing me to anything inappropriate.

For KayTar, The Paper Bag Princess... and anything else by Robert Munsch. My personal fave is Thomas's Snowsuit.