Thanks to all of you fine colleagues who took the time to respond with your
perspectives and suggestions. I really appreciate this group, your wisdom,
and generosity. Here's the responses:
Robert Newton Peck is good as is Naylor or Danziger. Have you
considered looking at award books (Newbery, King, etc.)?
One thing you might try is doing a search on AR Book Guide (I assume you
have that.) for books that are 6.0 and up with a lower grade interest level.
I'm in a middle school, and I do that for upper level books with a middle
grade interest level since most of my students don't want to read Moby Dick
even if they're able. You might also take a look at the middle grade
interest level books, some will be appropriate for her and others not. You
may have to order books and quizes for some of these books, as the selection
is small and you probably don't have enough of them. You will always have
students who need them, though, so it will be worth the time and expense.
Since you have K-8 in your school, is there some way you can mark your books
with interest levels (UG, MG, LG) so that students, teachers, parents, and
you will all be able to tell at a glance if a book is appropriate?
*******
That's a problem that I have also. I have explained to my parents when they
complain about the AR books that are on 5th or 6th grade reading levels,
that most authors writing today are creating books with the idea that they
might be addressing the "content needs"of high-interest, low-vocabulary
students in high schools. This would result in content areas being
unsuitable for the reading levels of a 6th grader reading at a 9th grade
level. This doesn't solve the problem but it explains why the AR program
(or those like it) may not truly reflect the needs of all students.
Although we have AR in our school, we have recently eliminated students
reading only within a certain level (and there are no prizes for reading.)
In addition, I have tried to create a list of "gifted / talented readers"
books so students and parents have a choice for "harder" books without
encountering books that are inappropriate for their age. For the teachers
who feel that the AR program is necessary for their classes, they can still
assign books for class projects which will result in a grade upon the
completion of the AR test. Although this is a low-level comprehension test,
I believe that many teachers still use the program as a crutch rather than
utilizing creative skills in teaching literature.
My goal is to re-teach students and teachers how to choose materials based
on their own "bibliotherapy needs", personal or career goals, or research
interests, rather than deciding on books based upon the number of points
available or the reading levels. I also point out to my teachers that this
process is important for students to learn because throughout life we all
read a variety of materials that don't match our "appropriate" reading
levels.
As far as book lists for your gifted child, I have tried to use some of the
Prufrock materials and follow some links for gifted and talented students
that give me ideas for books.
Among those are:
GT-World http://www.gtworld.org/gtbook2.htm#teens
Books for Kids
http://www.familyeducation.com/whatworks/item/more/0,2555,1-9220-AZ-MiddleFE
N4FENSchool-Fiction,00.html
Hoagie's Gifted and Talented http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/reading_lists.htm
If you do a Google search for gifted and talented children, you will find a
variety of information (some of which contains booklists).
You need to explain to the mother that reading level and appropriateness are
not the same thing. Some Stephen King books are AR! (Not all that much
higher than sixth grade level, either.) Her child has a higher reading level
than usual for her age, and with that comes a greater responsibility for the
mother (sorry, mom!). It's not a matter of being able to trust AR or not
trust AR. AR evaluates reading level, not appropriateness. Appropriateness
for what? A book at level six might be appropriate for anyone or might be
appropriate for sixth graders or might be appropriate for high schoolers
reading at a sixth grade level. She's wanting to use AR for something it
doesn't--can't--do.
This kind of evaluation for the child is not something that you can do,
either. For example, some parents encourage their kids to read S. E. Hinton
because of the real-life problems there. Some prefer that their kids not
read about that kind of thing because they think it encourages alcohol use,
etc. Some allow fantasy, some call it witchcraft. You get the idea.
There are plenty of good books out there for this intelligent child. Her
mother might find that monitoring her daughter's reading can be a pleasure.
I personally enjoy a lot of YA books. Many of them are better written than
some of the junk that passes for adult books.
My mother had the same problem with me as a child. I don't remember any
problems. If she has any words of wisdom here, I'll pass them on.
Cindy Denning, MLS
Once and future librarian
Collinsville, TX
cynden744@aol.com
Look to the fantasy genre, particularly TA Barron. Nesbit also, the "It"
books and Natalie Babbitt. Good luck!
How about the Oz series by Frank Baum. I believe that at least the first
two, The Wizard of Oz and Return to Oz are AR books at 6 to 8 reading level;
I'm at home and just guessing at these numbers but I do remember being
surpised to see how high the reading level was. There are 14 Oz books
written by Baum.
Susan Fitzgerald
Librarian
West Jr High
DeSoto, Texas
What I tell my teachers and parents is that, even if
she can read at that level, doesn't mean she should.
There are plenty of books on 4th and 5th that she
could read. Has she read the Peg Kehret books? Has
she read the Betty Ren Wright mysteries? Has she read
the Chronicles of Narnia? Korman, Paulsen, Rowling,
Avi. These are, for the most part, good decent
literature for elementary kids. I have a child who
tested 12th grade reading, while she was a 3rd grader.
I didn't go out and buy adult books for her. She is
perfectly happy at the 4th-6th level.
For what its worth.
Sue
How about using Titlewave.com set to a 3-6 grade interest level and 6.0-8.9
grade readng level? But be careful to add genre and review limiters (without
them I got a list of 2500 titles). Limiting with Fiction and Publisher's
hardcovers and Sewn Bindings cut it to 411. Using only Sewn bindings lowered
it to 49. But the most obvious books are the "classics" from the nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries.
Dorothy Tissair
For students at a higher reading level, I always suggest Bristish
authors. Their use of language is so wonderful and much more complex than
most other authors...(my personal opinion, here!). I would suggest Diane
Wynne Jones, Pullman, Peter Dickinson...but, the new one by Chabon,
Summerland is quite hefty and fun!
*********
Not sure if it is an AR book but a book I like
that I read in 6th (but could have read earlier) is
Queenie Peevey (I forget the author at the moment)
One possibility is to go use mysteries from the golden age, especially
British
one. Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh--good writing, good
stories, no graphic violence or sex.
Also, books written for children before television took over seem to be more
densley written. Little Women, Old Fashioned Girl by Alcott, The Secret
Garden by
Burnett. Rosemary Sutcliff wrote historicla fiction that is still well
thought of
today. All of the protagonists are boys, but I liked them.
Classic science fiction could be another option.
Off hand I don't - however, I do tell the younger students that I do have
upper level books for my upper level students which would not be in my
library if the school were split - elementary-middle school. Sometimes a
student will check out a book beyound her years in content - I will warn her
- and usually the next morning it is brought back in with - I didn't like
it. Of course, she didn't - the content was way beyond her.
You might try Sharom Creech such as The Wanderer, Bloomability, etc. Mature
but content not questionable. Adventure - Sunwing and Silverwing; books by
Will Hobbs.
I think appropriateness will be the most difficult - my daughter read
Watership Down in 5th or 6th grade but I think it may be too much for a 9
year old although we do have some reading Lord of the Rings here (I don't
own the series but parents are buying it.)
I'd like to suggest you separate the young adult materials from the elem.
level books, either by placing YA stickers on the spines, or shelving them
in a separate area, or both. I, too, am in a K-8 school and have the same
problem, with many advanced level readers that aren't ready for the subject
matter of these books. Now I'm trying to decide whether to shelve these
books with the rest of the 6th grade level AR books, or with the YA books.
Science fiction/fantasy are NORMALLY a "safe" place to steer these readers:
The enchanted forest series by Patricia Wrede (Calling on Dragons etc.) are
great!!!
Lloyd Alexander has a good series.
Narnia bks by C. S. Lewis are popular.
Indian in the Cupboard bk.s by Lynne Reid Banks.
Castle in the Attic and the sequel, by Elizateth Winthrop.
a Series of Unfortunate Events books are EXTREMELY popular.
Redwall series by Brain Jacques. I got those in elem. and they are VERY
popular--as they are in middle school
bk.s by J.R.R. Tolkien are VERY popular now, due to the movies
Dragon bk.s by Anne McCaffrey are GOOD!!
Golden Compass bk.s by Philip Pullman
Dragon's Bait by Vivian Belde
series about Merlin's lost years. by T.A.Barron (I'm reading Lost Years of
Merlin right now; the series is VERY Popular in middle school, so far, it
would be fine for elem.)
Anastasia books by Lois Lowry are popular.
Great Brain books by John Fitzgerald
Cat Who..... by Lillian Jackson Braun these are ADULT mysteries, -- the main
character occasionaly goes into another room (away from the 2 Siamese) with a
female character; but nothing is really described. I have them in middle
school and wish AR would make tests for the rest of her books. I love them
and have them in middle school
some Nancy Drew are higher level reading levels
Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
Peg Kehret's books are good and "safe", some are higher reading levels
don't forget "classics" like: Secret Garden by Frances Burnett,
20,000 leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne,
Agatha Christie's mysteries,
White Fang, & others by London, Jack
Rascal by Sterling North (non-fiction, so I have to work to remember to
recommend that one)
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Louisa May Alcott's books
others--especially if you do NOT have the New ATOS Reading Levels
1. "The Classics" : Black Beauty, Swiss Family Robinson, Winnie the Pooh,
Heidi...
2. The Series: American Girls, Time Warp Trio, Betsy-Tacy, L'Engle's
Wrinkle in Time & sequels, Narnia
3. Nonfiction of interest
You might want to check out my web site
http://www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/mediaweb/elem/read/ar/Ar.htm
Some media specialists in my county made a list of high level books that
would be appropriate for elementary students. The levels are based on
the ATOS leveling system.
I love most of the books by Gary Paulsen and think he is quite
appropriate and wonderful. Also, several of the books by Phyllis
Reynolds Naylor would be appropriate especially ones like Beetles,
Lightly Toasted. If the child likes love stories that are of a
Christian nature, the Janet Oke series are good. Also, Joan Lowry Nixon
has a series called the Orphan Train Adventures that begins with A
Family Apart, A Place to Belong, Caught in the Act, In The Face of
Danger, and has two or so other titles that I can't remember right now.
Cormier is tough to comprehend for even sixth graders as his theme of evil
needs some discussion. Tenderness is also about a stalker which also can be
frightening. Robert Newton Peck is good as is Naylor or Danziger. Have you
considered looking at award books (Newbery, King, etc.)?
Mary Ann Shisler, Library Media Specialist
Onondaga Nation School
Nedrow, NY 13120
shislerma@aol.com
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