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We are on Unit 5 of Beyond. During the first four Units, spread over 6 weeks, we actually read two biographies--Helen Keller and Squanto. My DD's narration and retelling skills are quite good and her comprehension of these books was strong. We started King of the Wind this week but it seems to be just wayyyy above her comprehension level, much more difficult than the two we just read. She is interested in it but I find that I have to explain everything. So what else coud I try with her that is really exciting? My library does not have A Lion to Guard Us--that was my next choice. Sword in The Tree sees too boyish. The Twenty-One Balloons doesn't seem too exciting. Other suggestions?

My DD loved sword in the tree.

My daughter also enjoyed Sword in the Tree. 21 Balloons was very good, but slow to start.

The Sword in the Tree is EXCELLENT. My ds could have listened to it in one sitting. I loved it too and didn't find it boy'ish. The main character is a boy, but it's such a good book I don't think that matters. The same way my ds loved Baby Island and that's very much a "girl" book. But, it's well written and exciting, just like Sword in the Tree.

We are in Sword in the Tree right now and my dd9 can't help but listen when I am reading it to my ds6. The both love it! We also found King of the Wind way too hard.

Sarah Whitcher's Story is listed for historical fiction in the boy's pack (definitely for a girl, too). I read that with my dd for the adventure book and then used Little House in the Big woods for historical fiction. The Sarah Whitcher story is very good. That can fit into adventure as well.

We listened to King of the Wind on CD from the library last year and my kids did fully understand what was going on. The 21 Balloons was one of my all-time favorite books as a child, but I was more like 4th grade.

I happened to find A Lion to Guard Us at St. Vinnie's so that's what we are using.

We had the very same problem when DS was at that point. I knew from previewing King of the Wind that it wouldn't do. So I tried 21 Balloons for a few chapters. Failure. I then came to the boards just as you have and some wonderful mamas told me about My Father's Dragon. Excellent, excellent, excellent! It was a perfect choice. Everyone, including my DD and mother, loved the story. So much that we even went to check out the sequels from the library - it's actually a trilogy series. They just loved them. It's one they remember well. Perhaps give that one a go?

alydar wrote:We had the very same problem when DS was at that point. I knew from previewing King of the Wind that it wouldn't do. So I tried 21 Balloons for a few chapters. Failure. I then came to the boards just as you have and some wonderful mamas told me about My Father's Dragon. Excellent, excellent, excellent! It was a perfect choice. Everyone, including my DD and mother, loved the story. So much that we even went to check out the sequels from the library - it's actually a trilogy series. They just loved them. It's one they remember well. Perhaps give that one a go?

I just found My Fatehr's Dragon as a free Kindle download. We don't have a Kindle, but I put the free reading app on my computer. The kids think it's fun to read on the computer