Kid books

[Connie]

I'm a sucker for kids books. Can't get enough of 'em. I especially love fantasy such as Fablehaven. Love those books! I recently read some books by Gail Carson Levine that were really fun. I read Fairest, Ella Enchanted, and The Two Princesses of Bamarre (which was easily my favorite of the three). But i also love some of the more classic ones like The Secret Garden, Little Women, or The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

So tell me what kids books you like, either now or when you were a kid. I don't want to pass over any good ones i may have missed.

[lusciouschaos]

The City of Ember series is excellent. I read a ton of Juvenile Literature as my kids are 11 and 12 and we read many of the same books. The Ugglies/Pretties/Specials series is interesting. One of my all time favorites is a book by Wendelin Van Draanen called Flipped. It takes me right back to Junior High--in a good way. There is a series about Septimus Heap that we all loved. Magik, Flyte, Physik and Queste. Bud, Not Buddy is also excellent. Donna Jo Napoli writes some wonderful historical fiction. Stones in Water was very good.

Have fun!!!

Okay, one more, I am reading The Mysterious Benedict Society

[Connie]

The City of Ember series is excellent. I read a ton of Juvenile Literature as my kids are 11 and 12 and we read many of the same books. The Ugglies/Pretties/Specials series is interesting. One of my all time favorites is a book by Wendelin Van Draanen called Flipped. It takes me right back to Junior High--in a good way. There is a series about Septimus Heap that we all loved. Magik, Flyte, Physik and Queste. Bud, Not Buddy is also excellent. Donna Jo Napoli writes some wonderful historical fiction. Stones in Water was very good.

Have fun!!!

Okay, one more, I am reading The Mysterious Benedict Society

Well, i'm glad i asked! I haven't read any of these. Thank you!

[lusciouschaos]

Read Flipped by Van Draanen first. Contemporary but a wonderful story. Okay, you just made me think of another writer I love, Jerry Spinelli. Wrote Maniac McGee, Loser and another favorite Stargirl. One thing I like is that his fiction doesn't wrap up neatly the way some juvenile fiction writers do. There is consequence.

[Connie]

I just finished Flipped (another reason i love kids books, you can read them in practically no time at all). Wow... just, Wow! What a powerful story about looking beyond the outward appearance. I was laughing my head off during the "basket boys." Thank you, thank you for the recommendation.

[lusciouschaos]

So glad you liked it. The book reminds of the type of girl I want my daughter to be. I just thought of another that I read this year and loved, "The Book Thief." Welcome your recommendations as well.

[Connie]

My recommendations, hmmm. Well, there is one book i'm not sure many people are aware of that i really liked. Laddie by Gene Stratton Porter. It is actually based on her own childhood. I thought it was delightful.

[lusciouschaos]

I will check it out.

Thanks,

[Guest]

I'm a Star Wars dweeb. I loved the Jedi Apprentice Series. It is a story of Obi-Wan when he first got assigned to Qui-Gon as his padawan. There's the Jedi Quest series which is Anakin growing up as a padawan under Obi-Wan, but I still like Jedi Apprentice better. It is littered with yoda-wisdom. One of these days, I'm going to go through all 18 books in the series and make small posters of all of those Yoda quotes. They are thought-provoking.

My favorite part of the series is when Qui-Gon fell in love with Tahl and Tahl got captured (encompasses 3 books in the series). It really gives you a good insight into Qui-Gon's character that you don't find in the movies or any of the other "adult" books.

I was very sad when the series ended on Book 18. I did not want it to end so soon...

[Connie]

Just finished Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. It reminds me of that movie A Walk to Remember, which i loved but can't watch cause it's so sad. These stories always remind me of my own story a bit. But why is it always the girl who is the mysterious, intellectual, nonconformist one? With me it was the opposite. Though i'm glad i had a little more courage than poor Leo, though i like that the ending kind of leaves it open a bit to imagine a happy ending.

[lusciouschaos]

There is a sequel. Interesting point about the girl being the non conformist. I guess it makes sense if you look at the impact of women on the whole. Or maybe I am drawn to these stories personally cause I always felt different growing up.

Look forward to more discussion.

[lusciouschaos]

Just remembered, in Jerry Spinelli's other book "Loser," the boy is the non conformist.

[TheyCallMeMom]

My older boys are into the Magic Tree House series.. I havent read them, I should, but they love em. its fantasy meets history I guess.. There is another series I need to look up that they read that is history based as well

I was a Nancy Drew fan as a child, and my oldest loves the Hardy Boys..

[Connie]

Thanks for all the recommendations, i'll be off to get a couple more in the next few days.

Edited April 19, 2012 by Connie

[Connie]

anatess: thanks for the recommendations. I'm not much for Star Wars but my hubby is a bit of a Star Wars dweeb, so i'll let him know about these. He might like to read them.

TheyCallMeMom: I also read the Magic Treehouse books to my kids. They love them but are definitely not my cup of tea. But hey, we moms just gotta keep the kids happy sometimes. It's been a long time since i read Nancy Drew but i always enjoyed them, never cracked the Hardy Boys but have always heard they're good too. I always enjoyed Agatha Christie books as well. I just love a good mystery!

[Connie]

I read Loser by Jerry Spinelli today.

Edited April 19, 2012 by Connie

[Connie]

lusciouschaos: Do you have any thoughts on Stargirl's methods of giving service? The more i think about it, the more fascinated i am with it. I love that she didn't even consider recognition, always doing stuff anonymously. And yet it's slightly disturbing as well, in a Harriet-the-spy, creepy-stalker kinda way. What do you think?

Edited April 19, 2009 by Connie