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Thank you for your kind thoughts.

I'm thinking maybe he has escaped a little too much in books and wants to focus on something else more. Maybe he is ready to deal with his feelings more. I'm not really sure what's up. It's just a bit shocking because he would usally get upset if he didn't have library books.

I do have a worry that I'm not sure is valid. Maybe he feels too smart and doesn't want to read. In the begginning of 2nd Grade it was like getting hit with a brick when we realized he already knew everything. Then he slowed down alot on the nonfiction. Maybe this was just a change in interest. Not sure.

We do read together at bedtime frequently. Sometimes we just talk.

In our house, Percy Jackson series was the big breakthrough for DS and reading. He also loved the Mysterious Benedict Society books and recently read the three Name of This Book is Secret books. He's currently enjoying a couple of silly little books we picked up today: Flawed Dogs and Zoobreak. I don't claim any literary benefit other than fun - he loves Flawed Dogs (short - about 200 pages; unfortunately, he'll be done with it soon).

DS went to the library today and checked out 5 books. I quess it's all ok.

If DS can handle heroines, I suggest "Wolves of Willoughby Chase" series by Joan Aiken. The second and third are "Black Hearts at Battersea" (with male hero) and "Nightbirds on Nantucket".

The books are set in an imaginary time when Bonnie Prince Charlie sits on the throne of England, but the Hanoverian pretender Prince George plots his return. As English history buffs know, this is the exact opposite of what really happened.

DD8, the tomboy, is reading "Little Men" by LMA, as I told her it was full of fun stuff like boys burning down their school and fighting.

We went to the library today and DS checked out a dozen books which is fine but they are what he has read many times. It really does not matter to me if he rereads if he is content. He expressed some disappointment yet he has not been interested in any help, suggestions or effort. It's like he is stuck.

He started doing more multiplication in school and he was feeling slow at it. I worked thru the easier levels on Timez attack and let him know this was avaliable if he wants some practice at some point. He said ok I'll do it, like I forced him. Then was happy he was buzzing thru the levels.

I have this feeling about school's lack of challenge discouraging him and feeling stuck like it's not good to go forward. I want to tell him forget about school limits just be true to you. I'm looking to get him in another school next year. I wonder how to encourage him when school is just not meeting his needs. I think he is still thirsty for learning but maybe stuck and discouraged. He has always valued learning. It may be confusing that the school is not letting him use his time well.

DS 8 liked the zillion Warriors books and is now reading Hunger Games (it has a sequel Catching Fire--I read the first and it was great). I also really enjoyed the Margaret Haddix (Among the Hidden, Among the Imposters, etc.) series. DS 11 read Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen last year and enjoyed those.

My oldest DS is my real book worm. At a garage sale he picked up a biography about the guy who started McDonalds. I thought it was strange but he read it immediately and then started reading biographies of other innovators/magnets. Maybe some non-fiction will help inspire him, if you (or he) can find something that interests him.

My DD reads "worthy" books in fits and spurts. Last summer, she conquered Lord of the Flies and The Good Earth among other more age appropriate titles.

She goes weeks at a time re-reading Babysitters Club and Ramona and not wanting to even look at anything new. We were in this rut up until quite recently.

Then her relatives gave her "book money" for Christmas and she bought:

Sabriel
Artemis Fowl
Just So Stories
Life of Pi
Mysterious Benedict Society
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Dragonflight (Anne McCaffery)
and....

Exploring the Quantum - a graduate level physics text which was glossy and purple. (She actually did read the introduction and giggled at "naked quantum" - she also asked her friend's dad who is a university physics prof to help her with it!)

So I guess we're in a non-Babysitter's cycle right now. And thank goodness for used bookstores (I know we should be a library family but for several poor reasons - we are bad at that).

DS9 has been declining with level and contentment of reading since Sept. Despite very gentle suggestions this had gotten to the point that he was only checking out a Pokenmon book from the library a week. He checked out 10-15 books a week last year. (He is actually reading a good amount every day - that's not my issue.)

Well, finally a break through! At least I think so, time will tell.

DD6 is reading Hodges Burrnett's, A little Princess 6 grade level, and DS found out. He said she not reading that!!!! I said yes she is and she is enjoying it. He once again stated, It's not my fault I can't find any above level books. I gave my standard reply that's not true let me know if you need help finding some books.

Finally!!!! This week I was at the library and pulled out a book and he said he would try it!!!!! and he likes it!!!! It's called Cosmic for ages 7-12 and it's 3" thick. I'm so happy but keep that all low key except here today. I want this to be about him. not about pleasing me.

I think DD had something to do with this. This little girl has some amazing effects on our family sometime.

DS9 read the Percy Jackson series in two weeks and loved it...me too!

He has moved on to the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz which is about a young boy secret agent spy. Very cool.

Next up is the James Patterson series Maximum Ride. None of these seem to be on the AR list so I can't find their levels, but his teacher suggested them all.

We gravitate towards series as well. When my kids like something they tend to want to stick with it rather than try something new, and since my older son reads so fast it's more practical to get a series rather than a single book.

Other than Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, my DS8 has enjoyed the Little House series and the Chronicles of Narnia.

He has also enjoyed the History of the World series, which he goes back to periodically. My DS7 has recently gotten into Percy Jackson and also enjoys Roald Dahl, but he doesn't read as voraciously so keeping him supplied hasn't been an issue.

Sterling Point Books has some interesting titles. My DS8 has read D-Day, the Deadly Hunt (about the Bismark), Pearl Harbor Attack, Alexander the Great, and one more about the guy Indian Jones was based on.

DS8 also enjoyed the first two City of Ember books, but he didn't love them and I think the books push a "from each according to their ability, to each according to their need" philosophy that I can do without.

I tried reading White Fang to them, but it didn't go over well. I loved Jack London when I was a little older - I think it will have to wait.

The Tom Swift series was recommended to be by a friend, but my kids haven't read any of them yet. I think it's nice to go back and read older books. I'm also thinking about trying out some adult/young adult older science fiction. I tried Ender's Game a while ago, but it was another no go.

This is a good thread.