Name: ICHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-05T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-07T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Bourbonnais, IL

Tagged: free reading

This topic has 15 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 3 months ago by Esby.

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January 27, 2011 at 3:29 am
baileymom
Member
OK, I have an extensive Library built up…for Girls! And now that I have a reading (well) boy…I’m pretty much at a loss on what to offer him.
He’s 8.5 yrs, and has recently read Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, Trumpet of The Swan, Baby Island, Little House in The Big Woods (which we continually read aloud, so he wasn’t too interested in reading that on his own…but I did catch him ‘narrating’ it to his Big Sister at dinner time), and a few other chapter books. Right now he’s reading a book by Lenski, I think it’s Corn Farm Boy…but I don’t know where to go from here. We will be reading most of the Literature selections from the currriculum guide aloud (or have already).
I would LOVE to get him going on a series, but can’t find anything I feel is appropriate, and he can devour a Magic Tree House in one Quiet Time (nap time for Littles)!
Help! I don’t want his willingness to read to go away because he doesn’t have a good book!
Kathi
January 27, 2011 at 3:42 am
amama5
Participant
Here is a link to a webpage, Books for Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Make Forts All Day:
I haven’t read all of them so I don’t know if they are all CM, but several of the names appear in AO lists, some SCM lists too. (I don’t think Hardy Boys series does though:)
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/files/TB-Resources_0.pdf
January 27, 2011 at 4:24 am
suzukimom
Participant
The Redwall series is great. It is basically a knighthood theme… I’ve only read the first book. There is a fantasy element, in that the characters are animals – in the first book, the main good guys are mice, and the bad guys are rats.
January 27, 2011 at 7:00 am
JoyinIndo
Member
Wow, amama5, what a great resource you linked to, thanks for that!
My son just finished the Narnia series and loved them.

Blessings,
JoyinIndo
January 27, 2011 at 9:58 am
havefaithplease
Member
We were in a similar situation with my 9 yr old ds. I went to the Sonlight website I let him browse through the books there. He picked out two. The Bears on Hemlock Mountain and Matchlock Gun. Both are a bit under his reading level, but I wanted him to just curl up and stay put reading. So I was fine with it. For his literature reading he is currently on the first Narnia book.

Carrie
January 27, 2011 at 11:47 am
nerakr
Participant
I always recommend the Henry Huggins series by Beverly Cleary and Homer Price by Robert McCloskey. Also, has he read Cricket in Times Square and its sequels?
Karen
January 27, 2011 at 1:34 pm
csmamma
Participant
Hi Kathi. This post from last year may be helpful – lots of great book suggestions for boys.
http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/books-for-boys
January 27, 2011 at 2:23 pm
6boys1girl
Participant
Not sure what reading level you’re talking about so just thought I’d list a variety of books my boys have enjoyed at different ages.
Henry Huggins “series” by Cleary
My Side of the Mountain by Craighead George
Narnia series by Lewis
My Father’s Dragon series
A Lion to Guard Us
Matchlock Gun
Sign of the Beaver
Mr. Poppers Penguins
The Moffats by Estes
The Saturdays series and Gone Away Lake series by Enright
Red Sails to Capri
Twenty One Balloons
Carry On Mr Bowditch
Follow My Leader
Childhood of Famous Americans series, esp Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett,…
If I remember correctly, you use Truthquest. She has tons of books listed in her guides and you could probably find some in his interests in there.
If I think of more, I’ll post later.
-Rebecca
January 27, 2011 at 2:36 pm
houseofchaos
Participant
Margeurite Henry’s books are good. Our son especially enjoyed King of the Wind and The White Stallion of Lipizza.

January 27, 2011 at 2:50 pm
suzukimom
Participant
I second Follow My Leader – it is one of my most favorite books from my childhood!
January 27, 2011 at 3:30 pm
pangit
Participant
The Wisdom of Solomon Lapp by Wanda Brunstetter
January 27, 2011 at 5:24 pm
baileymom
Member
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We’re heading to the Library this afternoon to pick some things up.
Kathi
January 27, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Hope
Member
Thank you so much for this! My boys are young but I’ve been working on book lists so we can take them to library or request books on bookmooch.com. That link is great as well as the other suggestions.
January 27, 2011 at 7:07 pm
LindseyD
Participant
My ds (almost 7) is devouring The Boxcar Children. After Book 19, the original author (Gertrude Chandler Warner) no longer writes, and I have heard that those books are pretty twaddly. I think your ds would enjoy them. They’re written on a 2nd-4th grade level and would be appropriate for an adventurous boy!
Blessings,
Lindsey
January 28, 2011 at 5:05 am
baileymom
Member
amama5! what an awesome link, thank you!
…we came home with Matchlock Gun, Henry Huggins, Dear America 1740, and My Father’s Dragon!!!
Kathi
P.S. What do you ladies think of The Mysterious Benedict Society series? (for my DD, 10)