Oh man, there's nothing like a good book for children. And that book club Elle and I were in was epic for turning her into a more avid reader. There are SO many good books out there! This is a great time for me to think of my favorites because we are working SO hard on reading this year and I need to get some good motivation to get us all going. (Maybe we need to start a family book club...)
My children are not bookworms by any stretch of the imagination and oh how I am working to miraculously change that. It's a continual work in progress.
The books below with the "**" are the ones that have made me cry I love them so much :) (and I wrote more about them back here with other great book ideas in the comments). The others are just on the list for Elle and my Mother/Daughter book club we had a few years ago and I have to confess we did not read them all. All the girls who did loved them though.
Tuck Everlasting
(like that one a lot)
The Penderwicks
(not my favorite)
**The Tale of Despereaux
(one of my favs.)
Fever 1793
Love, Ruby Lavender
(not my favorite)**The Tale of Despereaux
(one of my favs.)Fever 1793
Love, Ruby Lavender
Princess Academy
(a little bit cheesy but the girls loved it)
**Because of Winn-Dixie
(one of the best)
(a little bit cheesy but the girls loved it)**Because of Winn-Dixie
(one of the best)
The Hundred Dresses
(bought it to read with the girls this summer and still haven't done it)
(bought it to read with the girls this summer and still haven't done it)
Rules
(loved the part I read)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
(classic)
**The Tale of Despereaux
(good stuff)
Chasing Vermeer
Savvy
(sure pulled Elle in when she was younger)
(loved the part I read)Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
(classic)**The Tale of Despereaux
(good stuff)Chasing Vermeer
Savvy
(sure pulled Elle in when she was younger)
A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray
(not my fav., but I'm not a huge dog lover so maybe that was my problem)
(not my fav., but I'm not a huge dog lover so maybe that was my problem)
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
(I read this one forever ago and can't remember it)
**Ida B. (I read this one forever ago and can't remember it)
(so, so good...especially if you listen to it as recommended by my amazing-reading-sister, the narrator is awesome)Airman
Out of My Mind
Lily's Crossing
Number the Stars
(interesting and educational)Others I loved reading with Grace: Frindle
, No Talking
(I love Andrew Clements...anything that will keep my kids excited about reading), and we read The Homework Machine
with all the cousins crowded around this summer. Not the most amazing literature, but I thought those were mighty entertaining.I am half way through Understood Betsy
with my girls but we lost the book and I had to re-order it. I can tell this may be my future very favorite adolescent read.Also, Claire and I are deep into Anne of Green Gables
right now (the shortened version) and are loving it. We are planning on a movie night to watch that classic when we're done.Last time I wrote about books for youth someone sent me this great article. Lots of good information in there to motivate kids to start really reading, but even more to kick me into gear being a better reading model (at the end). I love to read, and I'm so grateful for my own book club, but the last six months of craziness have totally hindered my reading. It's on my "plan" for taking the front seat this year.
And my cousin-in-law is the most fabulous reader. She writes all about books over here: mayeverywordtell.blogspot.com
Happy reading! Please add other ideas to get young readers reading and other book suggestions if you have some because Heaven knows I'm certainly not the expert.