There’s been enough interest in this idea that I’m posting my list for everyone who wants a poke at it. It is, of course, a highly subjective list based on books we have in the house or in the library, and based on my gut feeling for books for this 12 year-0ld boy. I’ve starred the books Tias chose.
zombie babies eat your brains
If you’re looking for a resource that can help you determine a book’s reading level and interest level, I’ve just discovered Book Wizard. It also has the Book Alike feature that allows you look for similar books and even set the difficulty level up or down from that book.
The links are to GoodReads.
These first three are Usborne books because I have never found better books to entice my kids when they lacked confidence.
- The Cricket in Times Square*
- Farmer Boy
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (it was originally meant to be the Borrowers, but I couldn’t find it on the day)
- Harry Potter
- The Rescuers
- Dark Life (originally meant to be the Narnia book but I had to use it earlier, and besides, I feel that the non-Potter choices are pretty much there for decoration. Who knows…he could surprise me.)
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December 2, 2011 at 8:00 am
hopewellmomschoolagain
The dreaded Accelerated Reader test thingy tells you the so-called Grade Level….
Great Choices!!! Frindle might be one to consider–it helped my reluctant reader conquer the dictionary.
Usborne has great stuff!!
December 2, 2011 at 11:14 am
celticcaston
That a boy, Roald Dahl was my favourite growing up! I can’t wait for T to be able to read them too.
December 2, 2011 at 3:03 pm
momco3
I love this idea. Have you looked at Holes (good story, very short chapters, which drew in my reluctant reader) and Hoot?
December 5, 2011 at 12:09 pm
Ann
Thanks, Sarah, for the list and for the great idea. I’m compiling our list over the next week or so. We read The Seven Professors of the Far North and the sequel, The Flight of the Silver Turtle as read alouds a few years ago with my older son…they are going on my younger’s list for sure. We’ve also enjoyed the Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians series–a bit of snark, but fun stories for boys, especially.