Ms Whitney’s Summer Reads
Ms. Whitney’s Summer Reads for Children
I hope you enjoy the lists of books and reading ideas. Reading has been such a huge part of my life and I can’t imagine what I would have done as a child without books to show me the world – real and imagined.
My newest book addiction is the Virginia Beach Library online! E-books? E-Magazines? Books on tape? No deadlines to stress over? No lost books? Sign me up! Traveling and bedtime have never been so fun. As a grandmom, I get the books for my grandchildren and then let them read along with the recordings. It can be a great way to get young or reluctant readers excited about books and your dedicated readers will love having a huge library at their fingertips.
I’d love to hear from your children about their reading this summer. They can use this site to respond. Enjoy!
A Much Too Short List of Some of My Favorite Books
The Hobbit (Tolkien) – first, last, and always my favorite book – read it and then follow up with movie night, popcorn, and the movie “The Fellowship of the Ring” – perfect!
Swiss Family Robinson (Wyss) – super read for kids loving survival and adventure tales (this was not so popular in the reading groups this year, 2015, while other years children love it…)
Grimms’ Fairy Tales (Grimm) – unchanged versions only (spend time deciphering message each delivers – important reading skill – (some understanding of the time period & discrimination may be needed) Grimm Fairy Tales & http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm.html
Nightbirds on Nantucket (Aiken)
The Mysterious Benedict Society - Wow! Wonderful series!
Blue Balliett - series of mysteries both boys and girls will enjoy
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Little Princess (AKA Sara Crewe)
Inkheart (Series & movie)
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Geronimo Stilton I love this series and its many spin offs - Geronimo and his friends are mice having huge adventures. The vocabulary is rich and full of cheesy jokes great for anyone, but may be extra appealing to boys (the public library has a lot of them available as e-books.)
Pippi Longstocking (series)
Anne of Green Gables (series) (also available as an amazing video series with Megan Follows – wow!)
The Borrowers (series)
The Littles (series)
The Eye, the Ear, and the Arm
The Hunger Games (preview first)
Hound of the Baskervilles
City of Ember (series)
Water-Buffalo Children (Pearl S. Buck)
Betsy Byars – Herculeah Jones Mysteries & more – I really like her books, especially the Herculeah Jones Mysteries (like Nancy Drew but for younger readers and even more fun)Roald Dahl Books (many also movies) – Witches; Matilda; The BFG; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Enormous Crocodile, The Twits…
Animorphs (series – my daughter loved these easy reads in 2nd & 3rd)
Edgar Eager’s books – perfect for readers too young for Harry Potter
For Animal Lovers:
The Black Stallion – (series) Fury
Brighty of the Canyon Big Red
White Fang The Incredible Journey
Animal Farm Bunnicula
Redwall (series) Watership Down (best for older students)
Dr. Doolittle (series) Rabbit Hill
Rikki Tikki Tavi Just So Stories
Winnie the Pooh (original versions only) Desperaux
Favorite Read Alouds:
Piggie Pie – so much fun to read aloud – voices, singing, pigs, outsmarting the witch
My Little Sister Ate One Hare – super read together, funny – then write your own family version!
Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore - again with the pigs! Fun rhymes & fabulous illustrations
The Paper Bag Princess (Munsch)
Custard the Dragon: http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~keith/poems/Custard.html & other Odgen Nash poems
Multicultural:
Similar versions of our beloved folktales and fairytales are told around the world. Check out the versions from several countries by using the links below as a starting place. What does each version teach you about the culture?
Stories to start with:
Cinderella: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.html & http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/cinder/cinintr.htm
Little Red Riding Hood: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0333.html
Snow White: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0709.html
Sites with resources:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html (online versions of stories available)
http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48493
http://children.camden.rutgers.edu/experts/reading_multicultural_folk-fairy_tales.htm
http://children.camden.rutgers.edu/experts/reading_multicultural_children_books.htm
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folklinks.html#individualstories
· Andersen Fairy Tales, in English or French.
· Animated Tall Tales, featuring the exploits of Paul Bunyan.
· Grimm Fairy Tales, in English or French.
· Internet Public Library: Story Hour, sponsored by the University of Michigan.
Wired for Books: The Kids’ Corner, from Ohio University, features texts, pictures, audio files, and videos of a number of folk and literary tales appropriate for children.
Movie night:
Even if you’ve seen the movie, read the book, it’s almost always better! Then talk about why the movie director may have made each change – is the change for better or worse? Fellowship of the Ring, Holes, The Secret Garden, Horton Hears a Who, The Lorax, (watch the old & new versions of the movie) and Harry Potter books & movies are a great starting place. Check out the huge differences between the book, The Wizard of Oz, and the classic movie. The slippers were not originally ruby red! Then read the whole series of Oz books ! Pinterest has entire boards with fun ideas for themed movie nights.
For Adults and Children: Hoagies Gifted Page Reading Lists:
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/reading_lists.htm
Other Reading Lists for Kids
ALA (American Library Association) & RIF: http://www.udel.edu/ETL/RWN/ReadingLists.html
Boys Read: http://boysread.org/books.html
HAISLN: http://childrensbooks.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=childrensbooks&cdn=parenting&tm=10&gps=214_205_1039_481&f=00&su=p284.13.342.ip_p504.6.342.ip_&tt=3&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.haisln.org/recommendedreadinglists.html
International Reading Association: http://www.reading.org/Resources/Booklists.aspx/
Oprah: http://www.oprah.com/packages/kid-reading-list.html
Ms. Whitney’s Summer Reads for Children
I hope you enjoy the lists of books and reading ideas. Reading has been such a huge part of my life and I can’t imagine what I would have done as a child without books to show me the world – real and imagined.
My newest book addiction is the Virginia Beach Library online! E-books? E-Magazines? Books on tape? No deadlines to stress over? No lost books? Sign me up! Traveling and bedtime have never been so fun. As a grandmom, I get the books for my grandchildren and then let them read along with the recordings. It can be a great way to get young or reluctant readers excited about books and your dedicated readers will love having a huge library at their fingertips.
I’d love to hear from your children about their reading this summer. They can use this site to respond. Enjoy!
A Much Too Short List of Some of My Favorite Books
The Hobbit (Tolkien) – first, last, and always my favorite book – read it and then follow up with movie night, popcorn, and the movie “The Fellowship of the Ring” – perfect!
Swiss Family Robinson (Wyss) – super read for kids loving survival and adventure tales (this was not so popular in the reading groups this year, 2015, while other years children love it…)
Grimms’ Fairy Tales (Grimm) – unchanged versions only (spend time deciphering message each delivers – important reading skill – (some understanding of the time period & discrimination may be needed) Grimm Fairy Tales & http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm.html
Nightbirds on Nantucket (Aiken)
The Mysterious Benedict Society - Wow! Wonderful series!
Blue Balliett - series of mysteries both boys and girls will enjoy
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Little Princess (AKA Sara Crewe)
Inkheart (Series & movie)
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Geronimo Stilton I love this series and its many spin offs - Geronimo and his friends are mice having huge adventures. The vocabulary is rich and full of cheesy jokes great for anyone, but may be extra appealing to boys (the public library has a lot of them available as e-books.)
Pippi Longstocking (series)
Anne of Green Gables (series) (also available as an amazing video series with Megan Follows – wow!)
The Borrowers (series)
The Littles (series)
The Eye, the Ear, and the Arm
The Hunger Games (preview first)
Hound of the Baskervilles
City of Ember (series)
Water-Buffalo Children (Pearl S. Buck)
Betsy Byars – Herculeah Jones Mysteries & more – I really like her books, especially the Herculeah Jones Mysteries (like Nancy Drew but for younger readers and even more fun)Roald Dahl Books (many also movies) – Witches; Matilda; The BFG; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Enormous Crocodile, The Twits…
Animorphs (series – my daughter loved these easy reads in 2nd & 3rd)
Edgar Eager’s books – perfect for readers too young for Harry Potter
For Animal Lovers:
The Black Stallion – (series) Fury
Brighty of the Canyon Big Red
White Fang The Incredible Journey
Animal Farm Bunnicula
Redwall (series) Watership Down (best for older students)
Dr. Doolittle (series) Rabbit Hill
Rikki Tikki Tavi Just So Stories
Winnie the Pooh (original versions only) Desperaux
Favorite Read Alouds:
Piggie Pie – so much fun to read aloud – voices, singing, pigs, outsmarting the witch
My Little Sister Ate One Hare – super read together, funny – then write your own family version!
Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore - again with the pigs! Fun rhymes & fabulous illustrations
The Paper Bag Princess (Munsch)
Custard the Dragon: http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~keith/poems/Custard.html & other Odgen Nash poems
Multicultural:
Similar versions of our beloved folktales and fairytales are told around the world. Check out the versions from several countries by using the links below as a starting place. What does each version teach you about the culture?
Stories to start with:
Cinderella: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.html & http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/cinder/cinintr.htm
Little Red Riding Hood: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0333.html
Snow White: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0709.html
Sites with resources:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html (online versions of stories available)
http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48493
http://children.camden.rutgers.edu/experts/reading_multicultural_folk-fairy_tales.htm
http://children.camden.rutgers.edu/experts/reading_multicultural_children_books.htm
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folklinks.html#individualstories
· Andersen Fairy Tales, in English or French.
· Animated Tall Tales, featuring the exploits of Paul Bunyan.
· Grimm Fairy Tales, in English or French.
· Internet Public Library: Story Hour, sponsored by the University of Michigan.
Wired for Books: The Kids’ Corner, from Ohio University, features texts, pictures, audio files, and videos of a number of folk and literary tales appropriate for children.
Movie night:
Even if you’ve seen the movie, read the book, it’s almost always better! Then talk about why the movie director may have made each change – is the change for better or worse? Fellowship of the Ring, Holes, The Secret Garden, Horton Hears a Who, The Lorax, (watch the old & new versions of the movie) and Harry Potter books & movies are a great starting place. Check out the huge differences between the book, The Wizard of Oz, and the classic movie. The slippers were not originally ruby red! Then read the whole series of Oz books ! Pinterest has entire boards with fun ideas for themed movie nights.
For Adults and Children: Hoagies Gifted Page Reading Lists:
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/reading_lists.htm
Other Reading Lists for Kids
ALA (American Library Association) & RIF: http://www.udel.edu/ETL/RWN/ReadingLists.html
Boys Read: http://boysread.org/books.html
HAISLN: http://childrensbooks.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=childrensbooks&cdn=parenting&tm=10&gps=214_205_1039_481&f=00&su=p284.13.342.ip_p504.6.342.ip_&tt=3&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.haisln.org/recommendedreadinglists.html
International Reading Association: http://www.reading.org/Resources/Booklists.aspx/
Oprah: http://www.oprah.com/packages/kid-reading-list.html