Hi all,
New to the sub. My 3rd grader (per standardized test scores) reads like an average 12th grader. His vocabulary is exceptional and he has excellent comprehension and can follow dense and complex writing styles. Having said that, he is a normal kid and I am fully aware I don't NEED to "challenge" him; he is happy to read simplistic stuff like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, too. I am, however, interested in recommendations for middle-grade (and up) books where the vocab and storylines are more complex than most geared toward elementary schoolers, but where the content would not be too much.
He is comfortable with violence (and so are we, to a point… i.e. Harry Potter, fantasy villains, fine), not upset by "bad words," but won't be interested in anything related to dating/romance, and I wouldn't be OK with anything relating to self-harm. Hoping you guys can suggest some things we could read aloud together or he could read silently. Thanks so much.
by redvelvethater
10 Comments
He sounds like my oldest. At that age he absolutely loved the Green Glass House series by Kate Milford.
Other favorites were The Search for Wondla, by DiTerlizzi; Hatchet by Paulsen; and A Wrinkle in Time by L’Engle.
Is there a specific genre he might lean towards? There is a ton of material out there for him to read. One suggestion is The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. It’s a children’s book that I’m sure you know of, made more challenging by its age a really wonderful adventure. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson would be another one. I might be able to be more specific with what kind of adventures he likes.
The Series of Unfortunate Events books! Higher level vocabulary and a little dark but nothing inappropriate for his age.
Also, maybe Jason Reynolds’ Track series and James Ponti’s City Spies series
John Flanagan,
Sherwood Smith,
Tamora Pierce
Louis L’Amour Down the Long Hills
Julie of the Wolves
Kavik the Wolf Dog
My Side of the Mountain
The Swiss Family Robinson
Hatchet & the sequels
My Friend Flicka,
Where the Red Fern Grows,
Old Yeller,
Sounder
Gentle Ben,
Call of the Wild,
White Fang,
The Dark is Rising series
Johnny Tremain
Bridge to Terabithia
Jacob Have I Loved
Shiloh
Onion John
The Sign of the Beaver
The White Stag
Secret of the Andes
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Rifles for Watie
The Matchlock Gun
The Cay
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Holes
Frightful’s Mountain
Cold River
Jane Lindskold Firekeeper series,
The Red Pony by John Steinbeck
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Comanche of the Seventh by Margaret Carver Leighton
Smoky the Cowhorse
Lassie
Lad, a Dog
The Sight (The Sight, #1) by David Clement-Davies
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
The Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull
Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith
The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr.
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
Science Comics Sharks by Joe Flood
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
El Deafo by CeCe Bell
Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero by Saadia Faruqi
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
Martin & Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers by Celia Perez
Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year by Nina Hamza
Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry
How Do You Burp in Space? By Susan E. Goodman
Packing for Mars for Kids by Mary Roach
Stand Up, Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim
Looking for Bobowicz by Daniel Manus Pinkwater
The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Strangeworlds Travel Agency by LD Lapinkski
It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit by Justin A. Reynolds
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.
My son is an advanced reader as well and really loved the Treasure Hunter series by James Patterson. He started reading them in 3rd grade (he’s in 5th now). Each book takes place on a different continent, then one book is ocean centric and the last book is an adventure on all 7 continents.
There’s a few routes you might consider:
1) read commonly assigned middle school books: Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm spring to mind
2) Perhaps a book after a movie you deem appropriate. You can try Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale or really anything Michael Chriton (I’d go with Timeline or The Great Train Robbery)
3) Non-fiction – OMG, where to begin. OK, I’ll throw one out there: The Astronauts Guide to Life on Earth
4) Random one I read with my son and we both loved: The Book of Boy
The goal is to just keep him reading, so, in as much as is possible: let him be in the driver’s seat for book selection! Great question and best wishes for many cherished hours of reading ahead. You’ll miss it when he’s grown!
Carl Hiaasen’s YA books