Need Additional Reading Recommendations
Need Additional Reading Recommendations
Hi! My 9 year old son loves to read and has read and re-read all of our prior school books and other books we own. I'm planning a trip to the library and have got several good options from the Sample Book Ideas list. However, I was curious about some of the classics such as Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, The Call of the Wild, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn/Tom Sawyer, Gulliver's Travels, etc. I want to avoid twaddle and any inappropriate content so I thought I would check on the board first for recommendations. My son is a fast reader and doesn't mind long books; he is bored with The Boxcar Children, Encyclopedia Brown series, Nate the Great, Cam Jensen, etc. I would appreciate any input on the books listed above as well as any other suggestions for avid boy readers...thanks!
Jamie
*Mom to Ds 14, Dd 12, Dd 10, and Ds 5
*Enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, DITHOR, CTC, RtoR, Rev2Rev & MTMM
*Mom to Ds 14, Dd 12, Dd 10, and Ds 5
*Enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, DITHOR, CTC, RtoR, Rev2Rev & MTMM
Re: Need Additional Reading Recommendations
HOD's sample book list for DITHOR is a wonderful resource to draw from for choosing free reading books! 
I also like to get whatever Storytime book sets we did not use (as there are often 3 choices of sets and only one set is used) or the extensions of the guides younger than our dc's guide they are using for free reading material for our sons. Another thing I like to do is look up the authors of the DITHOR books we have used, and find free reading books this way, as many of the authors have other books or the books we read in DITHOR are part of a series. So, all of these ways I have found free reading books with HOD's help and been so happy with the results!
As far as the books you'd mentioned above, they are excellent, but some of the topics are quite mature for 9 yo dc..
For our 9 yo ds, we are letting him read "The Great Illustrated Classics" instead. They are abridged, but in general do a nice job of sticking very close to the storyline without including too mature content for young readers. The Max and Liz books are wonderful, though they are longer and of a higher reading level - they would fit in the adventure or humor genre. The Max Elliott Anderson books are also gems full of adventure, as are the Chuck Black books (though if your ds is sensitive, you may not want to have him read Chuck Black yet). If ds likes biographies, the Patria press books are wonderful, and there are many to choose from (just be sure not to use the ones HOD does, so you can save those to go with the guides' plans). The My Father's Dragon series is wonderful for fantasy and is listed on the Sample Book Ideas list. I hope this can give you a starting place!
In Christ,
Julie
I also like to get whatever Storytime book sets we did not use (as there are often 3 choices of sets and only one set is used) or the extensions of the guides younger than our dc's guide they are using for free reading material for our sons. Another thing I like to do is look up the authors of the DITHOR books we have used, and find free reading books this way, as many of the authors have other books or the books we read in DITHOR are part of a series. So, all of these ways I have found free reading books with HOD's help and been so happy with the results! As far as the books you'd mentioned above, they are excellent, but some of the topics are quite mature for 9 yo dc..
For our 9 yo ds, we are letting him read "The Great Illustrated Classics" instead. They are abridged, but in general do a nice job of sticking very close to the storyline without including too mature content for young readers. The Max and Liz books are wonderful, though they are longer and of a higher reading level - they would fit in the adventure or humor genre. The Max Elliott Anderson books are also gems full of adventure, as are the Chuck Black books (though if your ds is sensitive, you may not want to have him read Chuck Black yet). If ds likes biographies, the Patria press books are wonderful, and there are many to choose from (just be sure not to use the ones HOD does, so you can save those to go with the guides' plans). The My Father's Dragon series is wonderful for fantasy and is listed on the Sample Book Ideas list. I hope this can give you a starting place! In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Re: Need Additional Reading Recommendations
Thank you for taking the time to reply, Julie! We made it to the library and were able to find several from the Sample Book List and other sets we didn't use as part of our school so I'll start with those. The Great Illustrated Classics look exactly like what I was looking for but, unfortunately, our library doesn't have them or many of the others you mentioned. I haven't heard of the Max & Liz books before but they look excellent too, my ds would love them...too bad we don't have an unlimited budget for books! Our library did have the Chuck Black books so I may try those next. Are they similar to Narnia or Lord of the Rings books? He has read the Narnia books and recently we read The Hobbit aloud as a family and since then he has read it again alone and loved it. We are waiting a bit on the Lord of the Rings though. He does enjoy the Patria Press biographies and they are available at our library so that helps. Thanks again for the suggestions, at least I have a list ready when we can invest in more books! 
Jamie
*Mom to Ds 14, Dd 12, Dd 10, and Ds 5
*Enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, DITHOR, CTC, RtoR, Rev2Rev & MTMM
*Mom to Ds 14, Dd 12, Dd 10, and Ds 5
*Enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, DITHOR, CTC, RtoR, Rev2Rev & MTMM
Re: Need Additional Reading Recommendations
We buy a few as we we can too, and have built our personal library that way. We also give books for Easter, b-days, Valentine's Day, stocking stuffers, etc., and encourage grandparents, aunts, uncles, to feel free to do so too. I admit it is easier because I have all boys - it would be harder to have to have both boys and girls! The Chuck Black books are allegorical and have strong Christian ties. We have loved them! Yes, I would say they are similar to the books you'd mentioned, though at a younger reading level - but the content makes them mature. Our boys have LOVED them! HTH!
In Christ,
Julie
I admit it is easier because I have all boys - it would be harder to have to have both boys and girls! The Chuck Black books are allegorical and have strong Christian ties. We have loved them! Yes, I would say they are similar to the books you'd mentioned, though at a younger reading level - but the content makes them mature. Our boys have LOVED them! HTH!In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Re: Need Additional Reading Recommendations
Thanks for asking about this Jamie. I got some new ideas for books for my ds now too.
Patty in NC
b/g twins '02 Rev2Rev 2014/15
previously enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, RTR
******
Nisi Dominus Frusta (Without God, frustration)
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1
b/g twins '02 Rev2Rev 2014/15
previously enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, RTR
******
Nisi Dominus Frusta (Without God, frustration)
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1