[LM_NET] HIT: ELEM: High reading level books for young readers

[Charlotte Lesser <clesser@MRSD.ORG>]

Many MANY thanks to everybody who sent me suggestions & responses to my post.   
Here's the original post:

I'm sure this is a scenario many of us have faced - younger student (4th grade in 
this instance) with a very high reading level (8th +) who has read everything you 
have in your library.  Parent comes asking for "safe" older/adult titles that they 
can read.

So, has anybody created a list of YA titles or even adult titles that aren't too 
mature in subject matter - you know, "drugs, s*x & rock n roll"   ;-)    The family 
is willing to go to the public library but was asking for suggestions.  The child 
really isn't interested in the "classics" (Twain, Dickens, Alcott, Eyre etc).  We 
went to the Lexile & AR sites, but only got a very limited list.
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Here are the responses:

google the term "gentle reads" - a lot of libraries are using that term  or there's 
an ALA list of "Books That Won't Make You Blush.", designed just for your need. 
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/popularpaperback/06ppya.cfm
http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/reading/yablush.html
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ltstmpl.asp?url=/content/libraries/teensite/summerreading2006books.asp

http://www.radfordpl.org/library/youth/Good%20Reads.html
http://plymouthlibrary.org/gentlereads.htm
http://sachem.suffolk.lib.ny.us/advisor/advisorgentle.htm

If you do an internet search with that phrase in quotes, you'll find not only the 
original list, but lists that other libraries have compiled.
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We have many that are enjoying the classics through Graphic Novels. Some of them 
have even read the true classic because of the spark created by the Graphic Novel.  
StoneArch has great Graphic Novels!
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I don't have a list, but what immediately popped to mind were Garth Nix's Keys to 
the Kingdom series, and Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series - my 
nephew is in much the same position, and these are the two I'm considering for his 
Christmas present
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I can give you some recommendations from my own personal readings, if the student 
likes sci-fi/fantasy:

The Ender series by Orson Scott Card
Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey (most of them at least)  (caution:  
Charlotte's aside... I have read this series and there is definitely s*x in them!!)
Some of David Weber's books
Mercedes Lackey's books, particularly the Valdemar series
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have you tried suggesting award winning titles - newbery, etc. may be at an adult 
level but reading widely at his own age level is one option
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Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

Al Capone does my shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Flipped by Wendelin van Draanen

No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
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I have faced this scenario several times and I always suggest fantasy and science 
fiction. For instance, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy would be 
perfect. Also, The Martian Chronicles, Have Spacesuit Will Travel, The Illustrated 
Man, Watership Down, Diane Duane's Wizard series, John Christopher's Tripod series 
- all would be challenging without exposing the youngster to the more mature themes 
s/he's not ready for.

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What about some of the great classics?
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many of the Agatha Christie mysteries are not graphic at all- crimes may be 
committed for love, but love is only called that -there is no further description 
of "love." another series like that is the "CAT WHO " series- life in a small town- 
passions and other sins,but only hinted at, never descibed. on the other hand, I 
wonder what the student watches on T.V. Nearly every crime show on these days turns 
my stomach, with the graphic sex and violence,so I retreat with these mysteries of 
life in a calmer time.

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When my daughter read Diary of Ann Frank in 3rd grade I started her on the Brian 
Jaques Redwall series then she moved on to Anne McCaffrey
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What about the "Anne of Green Gables" by L.M. Montgomery? (Kind of a"girl book," so 
it may not work if your reader is a boy, but if it does there's eight books in the 
series, then books about Anne's children,etc.)  Uglies by Scott Westerfield is the 
first in a sci-fi/alternate future series where everybody gets plastic surgery when 
the turn 16.  I loved this series, but I didn't read it with "parent eyes," so I 
can't promise there's nothing objectionable in it., although I don't remember 
anything.  Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey is another sci-fi one that I like that's a 
longer novel, and it's a series too.
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You might look at Biographies. I am doing an inventory of AR books and I am finding 
many upper level (6+) in genreal biographies and esp President Biography series.

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Some of these may actually be in a lot of k-5 libraries already (I have all of them 
but Twilight in mine), but they seem to have crossover appeal to middle school AND 
high school.  I started out in a high school and transferred to elementary and have 
been surprised at some of the crossover.

The Dragon and . . .   series by Timothy Zahn    It's clean YA sci fi.
Eragon & Eldest by Paolini
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (if the family is ok with the later Harry Potter books, 
they will probably be ok with this one)
Inkheart by Funke
Uglies, Pretties, and Specials (Trilogy) by Westerfeld(YA sci fi)
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My middle school students enjoy the following authors:

Anthony Horowitz            Walter Dean Myers
Clive Cussler                    Christopher Paolini
Rick Riordan                    Garth Nix
James Patterson              Cornelia Funke
Brian Selznick

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Happy Thanksgiving to all!



Charlotte

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Charlotte Lesser
Director of Elementary Library Services
Monadnock Regional School District
600 Old Homestead Hwy
Swanzey, NH 03446
(603) 352-6955 x384
clesser@mrsd.org<mailto:clesser@mrsd.org>
on the web:  www.mrsd.org/~library<http://www.mrsd.org/~library>
Blog: http://blog.mrsd.org/Library/default.aspx

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