Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School what is your first grader reading?

My (just finished) first grader is reading The Mysterious Benedict Society. He loves the Rainbow Fairies, too.

My rising first grader is in a big Flat Stanley phase right now. He read the second one of those yesterday. He read the first and did a project, writing letters and sending his own Stanleys to people we know around the US. He loves anything with a "project" attached. He has read some Magic Treehouse, but he's not really a fan. He says he wants stories with more adventure and action in them. We ran across some Star Wars comics that he really liked. It was funny to see someone else mention Calvin and Hobbes earlier, he LOVES Calvin and Hobbes. We have 3 or 4 of the books and he's read them all and is re reading.

I think non-fiction might do more to grab him. He likes The Way Things Work. I haven't had much luck finding non-fiction that matches his reading level and his interest level, though. He still is intimidated by books with "too many words and not enough pictures."

Let's see. My 6 year old 1st grader is eclectic.

This summer we selected picture, short chapter books and longer chapter books from the library on a weekly basis because on a whim he could be off the short chapter books and only reading picture books or off picture books and only reading longer chapter books. And for some reason he sometimes would grab one book and ask me to select the rest (don't know what that was about).

We started with Jon Scieszka and read most of his picture books (not the truck town ones) Stinky Cheese Man, and others....read a few time warp trios (short chapter books) and a longer book Spaceheadz (or something like that).

We did a few Beverly Cleary. He liked Henry Higgins and Mouse and the Motorcycle so far. I plan to get more of her books. Generally, I will read the first chapter, we might take turns reading the second chapter and the next thing I know he has finished the book.

I checked out a large stack of Arnold Lobel and Tomie dePaola stuff (picture and short chapter books) that he tore through in 2 days.

He has started on all the Capt. Underpants books and the first Diary of a Wimpy kid and Herbert's Wormhole.

Our read aloud for bedtime is currently Freddy goes to FL.

I am heading to the library tomorrow to get a new stack for him.

Childhood of Famous Americans
Brains Benton
Alvin Fernald
Secret Seven
Mandie
X Bar X Boys
Submarine Boys

My Children are very graphic judgemental. I would suggest going to the books store for one of the newest versions of Childhood of Famous American before suggesting an older version. This is a great series.

If your son likes projects, you might read Library Mouse. That might encourage a little library or books creation.

My first grader read all of the Magic Pony Carousel books in a few days.

Now she's into the Magic Puppy series (which isn't as good imo).

Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows with The Moffats by Eleanor Estes in her queue.

There's also the classics--my son just found a copy of Great Illustrated Classics The Time Machine on our shelf. For about 2-3 days straight he kept darting up to his room to finish it! Thinking about picking up A Journey to the Center of the Earth for him next.

Any recommendations for science fiction/time travel etc.? He's read Franny K Stein, Magic School bus and some Time Warp Trio. I'm not sure what else to get for him he's still in K, so some of the subject matter might be too mature for him which makes it a bit tricky). Thanks!

What about Geronimo Stilton? Bailey School Kids.