Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion "stuck" in a book series

Oh, I obsessively read Susan Cooper, Tolkein and Madeleine L'Engle. I just wasn't that into sci fi, though. Never really 'got' the Hitchhiker's Guide (published in my teens-- I liked the radio play, just not the books), which my DD is obsessive about. I did not do much RPG as a teen. I can't say that my activities would necessarily count as 'productive' during those years, either, and in retrospect I think that RPG would have been an infinitely better/safer/more appropriate activity. :ahem: So considering some of the alternatives, there are worse things.

DD's version of fantasy literature is really distinct from mine, though we both like the genre a lot. Mine is time-slip memes and paranormal and hers is complete alternate worlds and sentient animals. By the way-- Doctor Who is a lurking obsession for pretty much anyone with this set of interests. Just noting that.

High fantasy lit is pretty sparse territory with kids until they are about 14yo; lots of dark stuff, lots of sexual content once you stray from Tolkein, Madeleine L'Engle (which is really more sci-fi, IMO), the obvious Harry Potter, and Susan Cooper.

Harry Potter is a VERY big deal at our house, so yes, I think that there is often a lot of overlap. I think that Hermione really sucks in GT girls once they see the first movie, but not always. DD is Fluer Delacour. All my friends say so. Hagrid's line in HP IV about her not being just some "fairy princess" just cracks me up. INDEED.

Some books that should grab kids just... don't. For whatever reason, or no particular reason at all. My DD, for example, should have really been obsessed by Redwall. Her response to it was instead, "Meh." Nothing else had the immersive, interactive play value of the Warriors books. Something about them is broadly appealing and very approachable for kids.

My DD did not read Watership Down until she was about ten, ultramarina. I, too, felt that the book would have exceeded her emotional readiness until then. She also didn't read Jonothan Livingston Seagull until about that time.

My older one insisted on reading all 46 Magic Treehouse books, in order, when he was in first grade. so we bought them online and he read them all. He's read those Rick Riordan books, Percy Jackson, in third grade, and now he's reading other things that he's written, now that he is in 4th grade (they are listed as being 6th-8th grade level).
Perhaps fortunately, my now second grader has refused to read the Magic Treehouse! So he's reading some Bailey School Kids, which are at a 4.5 grade level.
I agree that esp. younger kids like the repetition. My older one really got alot of confidence out of reading all of those books.

I loved that book when I was a kid. I read it several times

I got my DS hooked on Warriors when he was in first grade. He's now in third and is just this week re-reading the Super Editions. I also reached a point where I was desperate to find a replacement, and I got all excited when our librarians posted a "If you like Warriors, you'll like..." note in the Erin Hunter section of our library, but none of those other books stuck like Warriors has. DS and his male friends who are into the series all like cats, so that's part of it, but there's also something about the Clans that appeals to boys. DS talks about the different clans the way he talks about different Pokemon or Skylander "types." At this point, I figure, as long as it's interesting to him, he must be getting something out of it.

Done that!

If your dd's all about the female characters, Shannon Hale is a good choice. And "Alex and the Ironic Gentleman" by Adrienne Kress was a favorite here (Alex is a girl, ftr).
Dd14 loved Warriors, was bored by Redwall. Tolkein is jokingly referred to here as "Walkin', walkin'", because it seems like that's all they ever do. She's currently into Shakespeare, go figure.
And fwiw, ds14 spent a good bit of the summer playing World of Warcraft in between online math classes, music lessons and band camp (yes, he is that big a geek). He hasn't touched his account since school started and suggested yesterday I delete it. While RPGs can be a big time-suck, so can anything, if you're bored enough. Like...mmm...internet message boards.

Yes, but you generally don't skip all of your classes and stay up for 24 hours in a row only to crash the next day because of internet message boards.

Computer games/RPG games are excellent reality avoidance tools if you don't like reality.

Eh. My experience has been that addictive personalities will find an addiction wherever it's available. And if you want to see reality avoidance via internet forums, just hit the average "Moms of Toddlers" boards.