Literature Questions

Misty, if you want some great living books for a seventh grader who loves all that, try some Louis L’amour books.  They have tons of outdoor survival, gun safety, animal care, camping, hunting, history, character, geography, American Indian tribes and their different chracteristics, and such woven into them.  The settings vary, most are set in the Old West, although some involve the Middle Ages, one an Air Force Pilot shot down over Cold War Russia, one is the start of the Sackett family saga where the “hero” of the stories finds Roman treasure buried in 1700 England and uses it to immigrate to America where he surrounds himself with smart men of different nations and they learn to survive and get along with the Native Americans.  They are full of information that Louis L’amour learned by doing…going to sea, riding the West, cowboy, etc… He recommends all kinds of books to read in all of them to help us further our own education by using the characters to introduce them to us. There are no sex scenes (an occasional not nasty or dirty inference is rarely used), once in a while the h-word is used, but rarely.  The main character treats all others with respect, but as in real life, ocaassionally crosses paths with others who don’t.  (ie -Indians and Mexicans) but again, not over-graphically. That is one reason that I like them – it helps teach strength of character.  They do have a few gun battles, but even those are not graphically described, or whatever.  I think that it would be okay for a 7th grader – after all, it was the Old West and those things were common.  I read them then, and I still read them now.  I didn’t realize why I enjoyed them so much until CM methods came into my life, and I realized that they really are living books.  =)

Your fourth grader might enjoy the Henry Reed books by Keith Robertson.  Henry is goes to live in Princeton with his aunt and uncle every summer while his dad is assigned to Italy as an ambassador (or something along those lines).  Anyway, he goes to Princeton (the town) where he finds a friend, they start a business and have some adventures like going on vacation and learning how to pan for gold. He probably would also very much enjoy the Homer Price books by Robert McCloskey which are fun priceless looks at small town USA in the 1950’s from an adventurous boy’s point of view.  Another series we enjoyed about young boys was about Rupert Piper books by Ethelyn M. Parkinson.  Rupert has to have an operation and stays in the hospital overnight, where he meets Hugh.  Hugh has just survived a tragic accident that leaves him orphaned, hospitalized, and sent to live with his aunt Laura whom he doesn’t really know.  Rupert and Hugh become friends, and with 3 other other boys have adventures – they are fun!  The boys learn about birds and birdwatching in one chapter, about helping to raise money for the hospital, etc, but always in ways that they didn’t factor into their plans, which add to the enjoyment.  It is also told from a boy’s point of view.  There are no graphic descriptions of accidents or surgeries in here.  Danny Dunn books by Jay Williams were fun to read when I was younger too.  I have collected all of these books over the years from garage sales and library sales, since reading them when I was younger.  Our library has a few of them. I don’t know how available these are to you, but even my 4th girl is enjoying them.

Second grade books are some that I am working on – although we enjoy some of the easier “chapter” books by Syd Hoff and others that build confidence, look big, and are fun.  Frog and Toad are also fun ones, and I think on the lists somewhere that I have printed.   =)  HTH

Have you read Sam Campbell?  He writes about time out in the woods and the animals he is with/raises.

Some titles are Too Much Salt and Pepper, Freckles, A Tippy Canoe and Canada Too, and many more I can’t think of at the moment.