I have not been following this thread that closely, but I did want to mention that our DS6 (who is completely fascinated with chess at the moment) is in love with "Through the Looking Glass". DW suggested it to DS because the chess game plays a major part of the book. I have not read it myself, but it's part of the Alice in Wonderland books. At any rate, DS is really enjoying it to the point of laughing out loud.

Just thought I'd mention it.

JB

Oh, isn't it great? This has been one of Harpo's most beloved books for the last three years--he's read it over and over. I'm so glad your son is loving it! Isn't it fun when they find something that just speaks to them?

A very good chess-related book for adults is "The Flanders Panel" by Arturo Perez-Reverte.

peace
minnie

PS--JBDad, has your son read Norton Juster's "Phantom Tollbooth" or "The Dot and the Line"? Both fun books for math-loving little ones...

"Warrior Scarlet" by Rosemary Sutcliff (1957; repr. Farrar Straus Giroux 1994; 207 pp., black and white illustrations) was a terrific read. It's the coming-of-age story of Drem, a boy in Bronze Age Britain; he has only one usable arm, which obviously has profound implications in a hunting culture. He has both failures and successes, very movingly told, as he grows to manhood; the author skilfully weaves much historical detail into the story.

Harpo (8) enjoyed it on his own; it also made an exciting read-aloud for Groucho (6) and Chico (4). I gather from various sources that some of Sutcliff's other books are more suitable for teens (this is the first one we've read; we're a few chapters into Eagle of the Ninth now), but this one was just fine for elementary-aged children.

At the risk of sounding sexist, I think it might grab boys more than girls (though I suppose you never know); gender roles are very starkly delineated, as you might expect, and there is only one female character of much importance to the story.

peace
minnie

somehow I missed this post! I'll check out those books for DS.

JB

I would include "The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure by Hans Magnus Enzensberger" and also "Sideways Arithmetic From Wayside School" by Louis Sachar for those with interest in Math.

Something fun for Halloween, or anytime - Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich

Great book of poems that are really funny and clever; most can be sung or are reminiscent of familiar tunes. Written for 6-8yr olds, these had the entire family really laughing! And the illustrations are excellent, too.

I am working on updating my at home library for my gifted DS9. We get most of the everday reading stories from the libary. I'm looking to build more on reference books like math dictionary, enclopedia of animals, ect. I was thinking some of you homeschoolers could give some of your top essentials. I thinking of putting together a box for Xmas. My son has lots of interests-science, math, nature, space, sports, inventions, legos, art, animals, parks, how it is made, how it works, ect.

He may be too old for these, possibly, but we like having a selection of the DK Eyewitness books on the shelves; they're nice for an initial survey of a topic, and the pictures are terrific--but the books aren't great for kids craving real depth in a subject.

The Kingfisher Encyclopedias (of Geography, History, Science, etc.) are also nice to have around.

You can't go wrong with a really good atlas or two, I'd say.

David Macaulay books are always good (The Way Things Work, The Way We Work, Cathedral, City, Pyramid, Mill, etc. etc.). In a similar vein is Bill Slavin's "Transformations: How Ordinary Things are Made."

There are lots of nice art history series for kids: Colleen Carroll's "How Artists See" (animals, heroes, families, etc.--there are twelve of them, I think); the old Metropolitan Museum series of "What Makes a ____ a _____" (Degas, Renoir, etc.--ten all told, I believe); the "Art Fraud Scandal" and "Art Auction Detective" books (there's one more, whose name slips my mind right this minute); Two Can Press has a history through art series that is only three books so far: Knights and Castles, Transportation, and Trails West.

Maybe a couple of fun magazine subscriptions, too? My kids like the science mags "Yes" and "Know", and I am tempted by "Dig" and "Kayak," too.

Anyway, just a couple of ideas for now...

peace
minnie

PS Another thing we've found really invaluable is a series of field guides for our region: trees, rocks, plants, insects, seashore life, pond life, birds, etc. These are heavily used--they were a good investment!

Just wanted to post that the next Wimpy Kid book is coming out Oct. 12th, for kids who like this series (my ds9 has loved it from the beginning, lots of silly pictures, and apparently really speaks to the 2nd-5th grade crowd).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810983...5HCJZ1880JPDJN8


Don't want to get the thread off the topic of good reference books, that is a great question, onthegomom. I am curious to see more recommendations.

So far, we enjoy a set of encyclopedias and the monthly National Geographic. (Ds was gifted with a life subscription by an uncle, a great gift!)

Ds is more of a fiction guy, however, so dramatic-facty books are more appealing at the moment, such as any of the 'Guiness World Record' books, and well-illustrated books like Minnie mentions on how stuff works, such as castles. Books with cut-aways and cross sections, too. I think there are many good books if you google on 'cross-sections', the ones from DK are very cool.
Various Cross Section books

Lastly, we have just ordered this reference on race car engineering:
Race Car Engineering & Mechanics

My DS9 is just crazy for the whimpy kid books. write more write more!!!!!!!