Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Recommended Resources Seabiscuit for nine year-old? Other recs?

Yeah, I'm not looking to hit a particular level for the sake of hitting a level. But I think the books he reads are too easy for him. And when I noticed that the Harry Potter books (which he read years ago) are listed at higher levels than any of the books he's read more recently I became more concerned.

I don't put a lot of faith in scores that are generated by the 1000s, but I figured it was a rough guideline.

We have several of the books suggested here already so I'll see how it goes. I will suggest he read one "grownup" book a week and provide him with a bunch to choose form.

Very rough to meaningless (except for things like industrial chapter books), which is why I don't use it anymore. For example, I looked up Maus just now. It's about about the Holocaust and has some pretty heavy ideas in it. It got a score of 3.2 in AR. My six-year-old reads above that level; still, I would definitely NOT hand Maus to her. I could cite other examples, but I think you get the idea....

Just my rambling observations,

Val

Jane, has he read any Rosemary Sutcliff? Her books are really ideal for gifted-reader history buffs--we've read several here, and they are terrific. Also excellent for children's historical fiction are Geoffrey Trease and Cynthia Harnett, and we've enjoyed, too, historicals by Alison Uttley, Barbara Leonie Picard and Penelope Farmer. He might really like Kevin Crossley-Holland's Arthur series--very interesting for those who enjoy both fantasy and history.

There are also lots of terrific books by Farley Mowat that would be of interest to a history lover, some of which are very funny as well.

Not fiction, but I wonder if he'd like Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki Expedition book (forget the exact title--Voyage of the Raft Kon-Tiki, or something?) and Tim Severin's Brendan Voyage--both quite gripping. In re: WWII, I read William Stephenson's Man Called Intrepid at about 9 and loved it--also not fiction, but maybe interesting for him.

Anyway, hope that helps a little....

peace
minnie

Well, it's me again--with a couple of other ideas (mostly non-historical)--my usual suggestions are always old books, but you are not wanting those, so I'm trying to think of some more contemporary ones:

Not contemporary, I'm afraid, but my nine-year-old loves reading PG Wodehouse--would those be of any interest? There are lots and lots of them, with nary a whiff of sex, bad language, or violence.

I agree with aculady about the Earthsea books--deeply moral exploration of what it means to grow up and how to live one's life in a good way.

Another fantasy author he might enjoy is Alan Garner (rather spine-chilling!).

Joan Aiken wrote lots of historical fantasies--pretty good stuff.

CFK's Agatha Christie suggestion is a good one; if he likes mysteries, he might also enjoy the Nero Wolfe series (by Rex Stout) and the Brother Cadfael series (by Ellis Peters). (OHGrandma's grandson was enjoying "The Cat Who..." mysteries recently, I seem to recall...)

Some other ideas: E.L. Konigsburg (maybe The View from Saturday?), Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game, Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising series (too scary for my sensitive lad, but sounds like yours can handle it if he's reading Lord of the Flies), Lloyd Alexander's Westmark trilogy (again, too dark and violent for mine, but maybe OK for yours? my kids have all loved the Prydain series, but they skew quite a bit younger than the Westmark ones). Diana Wynne Jones seems lots of fun (I've only read a couple so far, but they were good).

We love love love David Almond--I'd definitely give those a go (Skellig may be my single favourite children's book ever).

Brian Doyle and Polly Horvath are both excellent writers for middle-school level, with occasionally quite challenging (thematically) material. We've just started the Bookweird series (by Paul Glennon)--it's too early to tell yet, but it looks promising so far.

Hope that helps!

mm

ETA a postscript: a couple of afterthoughts: Bill Richardson's After Hamelin has an interesting premise (what becomes of the one child who is not spirited away by the Pied Piper); my kids enjoyed John Fardell's Seven Professors of the Far North series a lot--they're not classic literature, probably, but they are well-written pageturners with attractive, rather eccentric, characters--worth a try?

The hunger games, though they say are 5th, 6th grade level and are AWESOME, AWESOME books (I've read them all and so have all of my adult friends) however, the theme is very disturbing. I absolutle loved these books but I wouldn't let my 9 year old read them. TOO DISTURBING! Couldn't put them down, but don't let the grade level fool you!

minniemarx - I am not famiiar with your suggestions - will check them out. Thanks!

bh14 - I read the first in the Hunger Games series and thought it was OK for him. He loved it. Then I let him read the other two without previewing. Once I got around to them I regretted giving them to my son. I enjoyed them, though.

I think the Ender's Game series is similar. The books get progressively more 'advanced'.

Right now he's reading A Night to Remember. He's not complaining but he didn't read it in one shot, so he doesn't love it.