Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Recommended Resources Need book recommendations for a 4 yo....

I'd second Flat Stanley. DS, then at the time just turned 5, loved them and read them all pretty much cover to cover in one week.

JB

At that age, Geronimo Stilton is a fun read (as someone already mentioned). So is the Capital Mysteries series by Ron Roy (some kids also like the A to Z Mysteries by the same author). Ruth Gannett Stiles' Dragon books are good. And, the Andrew Lost series by JC Greenburg is good and includes a bit of science too. Also, my kids have enjoyed anything by Kate DiCamillo (from the Mercy Watson easy readers to Because of Winn-Dixie to Tale of Despereaux). HTH

Jigsaw Jones is a great series of early chapter books.

I have to second the Magic Treehouse series. My dd loved them. They have so many that you can tailor them to his specific interests. One other thought is that many classic books have now been made into chapter books. Amelia Bedelia, Arthur, Little House on the Prairie, Hardy Boys etc...

I'd also recommend allowing the child to read any fiction and/or picture book that interests him, with your approval of course. But to increase reading ability, use short nonfiction books.

Also, DD at 4 enjoyed the Minnie & Moo series by Denys Cazet. The are the same level as the Mr. Putter and Tabby books.

We have had a similar problem finding things for our ds. Although he is older than your ds, here are a few selections which I think stretch down to the range you are trying to hit - Good luck!

Great Rhyming one for Halloween or anytime: - Frankenstein makes a sandwich - you and your ds will be ROFL!! (We were, and I don't think it's just because we're odd )

Also, for more poetry fun: Prelutsky's 'Pizza the size of the Sun' and 'It's raining pigs and noodles'. They are silly, silly, silly, and text and pictures are very cool too.

Calvin and Hobbes - you might find your ds sleeping with these - we have bought a few compilations and they are at the library as well. I think they have helped in ds quest to develop his sense of humor.

Riddle books, though I don't have a specific one I can recommend off the top of my head.

I second wholeheartedly Captain Underpants - my ds enjoyed hearing these over and over from ages 4-6 and then re-read them himself many times from 7-8. They are pretty thoughtful, hilarious and very supportive of that 'more imaginitive' child...fun illustrations which break up the text into bite-size chunks.

Throw into the mix Franny K. Stein, Little Girl Mad Scientist - DS loved these as well, nearly as much as C. Underpants.

DS also loved Shel Silverstein; The Missing Piece is a big fav; he still cracks up when he gets to the part which was 'too pointy'. Great simple, funny drawings.

Just curious if he goes for music, and if so, what sorts?

Thanks for all the recommendations. I am hoping that most of these are at our library, they sound right up his alley. He will love the rhyming and silly ones. I never thought of calvin in hobbes, I think DH has some sitting around here somewhere because he loved to read them as a kid.

Yes, DS is very into music. At 2 1/2 - 3 he was really into classical. He still is, but not as obsessed as he was. He likes listening to it and playing it on his electronic piano. We aren't really all that into classical, which is interesting. He started getting into it from baby einstein. Other than that he has a bunch of CD's that he likes that we think are okay as well. For the Kids (1,2,3), sandra boynton, and all sorts of they might be giants ones (no!, here comes the abc's, here comes the 1,2,3's). He likes whatever else we listen to as well. Right now he has been listening to more babyish stuff since his DD is 16 mo, she has a few favorites that he doesn't mind listening to at times.

I agree about the school ones, we have been trying to stay away from some of those but it seem like so many of these books are set in school (I guess because they assume school aged children are reading them). My DS has acted out some in the preschool setting and I don't want to give him any ideas about things that are comical but not so good (ie: letting a hampster out of it's cage or something). I would imagine he wouldn't do the stuff but I am not at all ready to risk it.

Mr. Putter and Tabby are good. DS still reads them. He still likes some of the easier simple stories. They are cute. The cardboard genius and cupcaked crusader look really neat, unfortunately my library doesn't carry them. I will have to check another local library on-line later when I get a chance.

About the movies, DS doesn't really watch them. I am not sure why, maybe we haven't exposed him to many movies. He has his tv shows he watches, and can make it through parts of movies at times, but that's about it. But I think we may start trying different disney movies.

If you're talking music, too, have you discovered "Trout Fishing In America"? http://www.troutmusic.com/

Their songs are the sort that make everyone laugh and sing along, but they're "real" songs, mostly in the folk tradition, not dumbed-down junk. They have a tango (!!!) called "Mine!" that is so funny! Using the "dance of desire" for a song about a toddler just works really, really well: "I know you want it/and I really can't blame you./You'd like to touch it/but if you do/I'll maim you..."

Seriously hilarious! We play their stuff over and over on long car trips.

They also do a fantastic version of "18 Wheels on a Big Rig" by Heywood Banks.