Colleagues:
I received a number of responses regarding my “target” post (immediately
below). Thank you to EVERYONE who replied. I got many suggestions for
titles, but really no websites except Accelerated Reader, in which we do
not participate. Anyway, thanks again! This is great food for thought,
and the teacher and I will be utilizing the info this year!
Original Question:
I have a teacher with a child in her second grade room next year who is
a precocious reader (approx. 5th grade reading level), and who enjoys
reading. His mom is very involved, but is VERY concerned that he not
just pick up a higher-reading-level book but to pick one up with
"appropriate" topics for his age. At the end of first grade he was
plowing through Hardy Boys books (1 every other day), just as an
example. So, my question--
What books do you think are of an upper-elementary reading level, but
with topics appropriate for a second-grader. (No sex, not much
violence). I have a few ideas, but I'll need more at the rate he goes
through books!
Or better yet, some websites that might have lists of titles in that
category-- that's actually what the teacher requested.
Answers:
============================
Suggest using Kathleen Odean's Great Books for Boys as a bibliographic
resource. It lists nearly 600 titles for age appropriateness in all
areas - fiction, nonfiction, biography, poetry, etc. especially for
boys.
- Ruth Jean Shaw
============================
I always rely upon authors to get kids going. Some great, dependable
authors that would be good for this boy are:
Richard Peck
Andrew Clements
Betsy Byars
Katherine Patterson (sometimes bad language)
Brian Jacques
Avi
Laurence Yep
Anna Myers
Jane Yolen
Mary Jane Auch
Patricia MacLachlan
Dan Gutman
I'm sure there are plenty of others that I have missed. I would suggest
teaching the family to use your online catalog and do some searches to
find groups or lists of books to go through. This student doesn't need
to read at the top of his game all the time with everything. There is
also so much non-fiction and biography that would be excellent reading
as well. Grade school is the time to enjoy "children's" fiction instead
of always choosing high-level classics that adults often enjoy too.
- Lisa Hunt
============================
Any of the Andrew Clements books would be good.
-Donna Ford
============================
If you use Accelerated Reader or Enterprise the Reading Level and the
Interest Level are listed.
-Melissa Balcom
============================
I would suggest the Magic Tree House series (probably too easy) and
books by Bill Wallace (4th and 5th grade reading level). Yes, I'm sure
this is a very challenging problem. My feeling is "just because he can
read it doesn't mean he should"---I'm concerned, as you are, about the
subject matter of those higher level books. How about some of the
classics? Good luck!
-Stephanie Porter
============================
Hi there,
I have gotten similar requests over the years and you can't go wrong
with "going back in time." I have never had a reader doing this in
second grade, but it does pop up around third and above.
You look at a genre that the student likes and then their readability
level and you pull all those books in that genre & at that level with
the copyright dates only from 1965 or earlier to avoid topics that may
be too mature for a second grader.
Good literature is timeless and will be appropriate for younger ones
because a "modern" mindset hasn't written it. You end up with books
that have children who aren't defiant to adults or left with horrific
parents they have to overcome and this helps in setting up the story to
be a wholesome experience.
Some examples of books and authors:
The Secret Garden
Edward Eager: Half Magic Books
E. Nesbit fantasies
Lloyd Alexander
Madeline L'Engle
Marguerite Henry
Bill Wallace
Sterling North
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Norton Juster
Julie Andrews Edwards
Lawrence Yep
Patricia Wrede
E. B. White
Tor SMy three oldest children are like this. I didn't limit them too much -
my third child read the 5th Harry Potter book at this age - BUT here are
some choices that may be less offensive to the mom: The Chronicles of
Narnia, Beverly Cleary's books, Judy Blume's series beginning with Tale
of a 4th grade Nothing (but watch out for the one that talks about Santa
Claus, he may still believe), Gregor the Overlander series, Andrew
Clements' books, Ian Whybrow's Little Wolf books, Hank the Cow Dog
books. I think Peg Kehret's books are too intense for such a young
reader, but there are many other popular books that would be fine. It is
a blessing to have young readers like this. He may be able to help you
choose materials for your media center in the future.
-Helene Achgill
============================
My summer reading list has been our state junior high books for this
year. I've read 19 of 20 and can recommend a few that might be good for
second grade, but even so some of them have lower reading levels anyway.
Gideon the Cutpurse by Linda Buckley-Archer
The Lambkins
Airball: My Life in Briefs by Lisa Harkrader
Heat by Mike Lupica
Shackleton's Stowaway by Victoria McKernan
Out of Patience by Brian Meehl
Home and Other Big Fat Lies by Jill Wolfson
La Linea by Ann Jaramillo
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass
Some others from the elementary list that are higher level are:
Ghost Fever by Joe Hayes
Firegirl by Tony Abbot
Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix (plus any of her Hidden
Children series)
Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata
The Ghost's Grave by Peg Kehret
Outside and Inside Mummies by Sandra Markle (nonfiction)
Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley
The Earth Dragon by Laurence Yep
- Jeri Calcote
============================
Hank the cowdog. Matt Christopher books, Betsy Byars, Beverly cleary.
Marvin readpost series. Jon S??????? Stinkie Cheese man
-Shirley Patrick
============================
I wish you the best of luck. I have a student since Pre-K now going to
first that can read on a 6th grade level and understands everything he
reads. I got him hooked on nonfiction and biographies. He first
started reading Junie B. Jones and other books of that sort. Now he has
a big interest in dinosaurs, cars to name a few. I felt that if he
balanced it out with nonfiction he would enjoy reading more. It works.
-Sandra Jackson
============================
Feel free to share my video booktalk website with your advanced readers.
http://www.bookwink.com
- Sonja Cole
============================
The AR people are actually very good at doing this. The online version
where you can type in reading/age level is here at renlearn.com.
http://www.renlearn.com/store/quiz_advanced.asp?c=MA+25:53:8+7002/01/8
- Charlotte Nance
============================
I too had the same problem when teaching GT and now as a librarian I am
wracking my brains for the books I recommended to my students and
parents. Some of them are:
The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley (a bit outdated but good
nonetheless)
The Nancy Drew series
The Borrowers series
Dr. Dolittle series
Almost anything by Seymour Simon
The Eyewitness books - all levels
That is all I can think of at this moment. If I come across more, I'll
let you know!
-Christine Rayl
============================
What about Gary Paulson or Gordan Korman?
-Vdotson
============================
Why not the children's classics? Wind in the Willows, The Velveteen
Rabbit, Farmer Boy, Winnie the Pooh, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,
books by Roald Dahl, E. B. White, Beverley Cleary.. .
also, there are so many picture books that are difficult for the
average second grader to read as well as oodles of nonfiction. What a
lucky little boy. In cases like his, I think it's always more important
for the child to read what is age appropriate and interesting than to
get too hung up on reading level.
-Nancy Kershner
============================
Hank the Cowdog comes to mind. Charlie Bone series
-Janice Bryant
Carin W. Barwick
Library Media Specialist
Geneseo Elementary School
Geneseo, NY 14454
Cbarwick@geneseo.k12.ny.us
"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall."
— Roald Dahl in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
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