I'm late to this thread, and the discussion has already been so good - so, I'll just add that I like to read the Classics aloud to the boys, since they are generally harder. But, that left me feeling bad about missing the boys' selections. So, one day at the bookstore, as I was gazing at the multitude of books wondering how I could pick some great free reading books for my boys, I realized I could just get the boy pack from the guide below for them to read on their own. Ever since then, I've just put that pack under their bed (and I've even added some from the girl pack that weren't "too girly"

) and let them read it at their leisure. It's been the easiest way to choose free reading books, and a real time saver for me as they get older and I don't have time to preread everything. I trust HOD's book choices for our family. Anyway, just something to consider along with all of these other great ideas.
In Christ,
Julie