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Need book recommendations
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:09 pm
For a 8-10 year old who loves to read and has read a lot. Super smart for the age. Out of ideas. Already read entire Tolkein series just to give an idea on reading level. Read A girl who owns a city. Boxcar kids are too easy and boring.
But most books at this level are too "deep" or require a knowledge of history etc because my kid is young!! Or they are super scary or have inappropriate language/boy and girl talk etc.

(Teacher from this past year kept recommending books way too young or easy. If he flies through the book it is below his level...)
Any suggestions?
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amother
Tan


 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:12 pm
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper (if he read Tolkien he will probably like this series)
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:14 pm
amother Tan wrote:
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper (if he read Tolkien he will probably like this series)


What's it about?
Any inappropriate scenes?
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amother
Tan


 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:18 pm
amother OP wrote:
What's it about?
Any inappropriate scenes?

Nothing inappropriate, no language, no boy/girl stuff, etc.
A couple of the books in the series were Newbury Medal/Honor winners.
Fantasy along the lines of Tolkien books but set during regular modern day life (well, modern when it was published...I think 70s/80s?). Interestingly, the author had Tolkien as a teacher in university way back when, she was clearly influenced by his writing/outlook. Sort of Arthurian legend/good against evil battles. But nothing religious whatsoever. (She also had C.S. Lewis as a teacher.)
I'm always surprised that this series isn't something more frum people are aware of... I read it back in middle school because it was in my BY library.
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scruffy




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:19 pm
amother OP wrote:
What's it about?
Any inappropriate scenes?


It's a good recommendation I can't think about any inappropriate scenes, but there is some avodah zara to be aware of in Greenwitch.

The King Arthur legend does factor in a little, so he might be missing some pieces if he's not familiar with it yet. Still worthwhile.
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scruffy




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:25 pm
The Narnia series would be good, but it does have Christian overtones which will probably go over his head completely.

If he hasn't read them yet, Alice in Wonderland and Alice in the Looking Glass

Tom Sawyer


Last edited by scruffy on Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:29 pm; edited 1 time in total
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avimom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:25 pm
Mr lemoncello series; the Rangers apprentice series (has some kissing in some of the books), the lemonade war series, the candy makers and its sequel...
What kind of books does the child enjoy?
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amother
Tan


 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:26 pm
Some of the Diana Wynne Jones books might be good, too.
Depending on how you feel about books that include magic. The Ogre Downstairs, Charmed Life, The Lives of Christopher Chant, The Magicians of Caprona.
Interestingly, the author was a contemporary of Susan Cooper and was in (Oxford?) university the same time and also had Tolkien and Lewis as professors.
Some of her books are officially YA and have a bit of romance so you may want to stick to the ones I mentioned.
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scruffy




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 6:31 pm
Does he like animal stories?
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amother
Chestnut


 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 7:06 pm
My son is turning 8 and I got him a-z mysteries, magic tree house, cam jansen, tales of a 4th grade nothing, charlie and the chocolate factory, frindle, hardy boys...
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amother
Bronze


 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 8:01 pm
Mysterious Benedict Society
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place
Green Ember series
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seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 8:16 pm
Mysterious Benedict society and Candymakers are fairly light thematically and should be a stimulating enough reading level from what you describe.
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seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 8:19 pm
Jean Fritz I think is the author's name, has a bunch of books about history written in a fun readable way, also good for that level. I think one was called "Can't you make them behave, King George?" Or something like that. I like those.
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seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 8:19 pm
Trying to remember reading level of Ms Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. For some reason that book popped into my head just now.
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 8:27 pm
seeker wrote:
Trying to remember reading level of Ms Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. For some reason that book popped into my head just now.

When I was growing up, it was a 4th grade literature book.
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ittsamother




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 8:44 pm
Omg don't even get me started!

Artemis Fowl is a great series, a lot of heists and clever plots.

The Redwall series by Brian Jacques has enough material to keep him busy for a while, all totally clean.

Henry Reed is also a great series, and the Homer Price books.

They're hard to find in the library but you may be able to find in thrift stores online- Freddy the Pig was a very entertaining series.

Another old series- there was a whole line of books written in the land of Oz, with a mix of familiar and new characters, they're great as well. By Ruth Plumly Thompson (Yes, Plumly! Smile )

Did he read all of the Roald Dahl books?

Others mentioned The Dark is Rising- the same author, Susan Cooper, wrote The Boggart and another book or two in the same series, they were good.

I loved Tuck Everlasting, and The Search for Delicious, by Natalie Babbit. Try Wonder, and Out of My Mind. The Borrowers series. Caddie Woodlawn. Hans Brinker and The Silver Skates. Tom's Midnight Garden. The Three Investigators series is great if he likes mysteries. Mr. Popper's Penguins. The Black Stallion series. Rowan of Rin series. The Orphan Train Adventures series by Joan Lowery Nixon. Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins (she later wrote The Hunger Games, though those might not be what you're looking for for him.) I hate A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, but plenty of people like it. Henry Huggins and other books by Beverly Cleary- Henry and the Paper Route, Ribsy, Runaway Ralph, Ralph and the Motorcycle... Gordon Korman has a ton of great and funny books, especially those about Bruno and Boots in McGonagall Hall. There are a lot of books by Avi that might be up his alley.

I told you not to get me started! I have so many more to recommend if anyone wants.
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amother
Chestnut


 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 8:46 pm
Check thriftbooks.com for cheap books. Once you start buying, you get rewards and get free books when you get a certain amount of points.
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amother
Bronze


 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 9:07 pm
ittsamother wrote:
Omg don't even get me started!

Artemis Fowl is a great series, a lot of heists and clever plots.

The Redwall series by Brian Jacques has enough material to keep him busy for a while, all totally clean.

Henry Reed is also a great series, and the Homer Price books.

They're hard to find in the library but you may be able to find in thrift stores online- Freddy the Pig was a very entertaining series.

Another old series- there was a whole line of books written in the land of Oz, with a mix of familiar and new characters, they're great as well. By Ruth Plumly Thompson (Yes, Plumly! Smile )

Did he read all of the Roald Dahl books?

Others mentioned The Dark is Rising- the same author, Susan Cooper, wrote The Boggart and another book or two in the same series, they were good.

I loved Tuck Everlasting, and The Search for Delicious, by Natalie Babbit. Try Wonder, and Out of My Mind. The Borrowers series. Caddie Woodlawn. Hans Brinker and The Silver Skates. Tom's Midnight Garden. The Three Investigators series is great if he likes mysteries. Mr. Popper's Penguins. The Black Stallion series. Rowan of Rin series. The Orphan Train Adventures series by Joan Lowery Nixon. Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins (she later wrote The Hunger Games, though those might not be what you're looking for for him.) I hate A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, but plenty of people like it. Henry Huggins and other books by Beverly Cleary- Henry and the Paper Route, Ribsy, Runaway Ralph, Ralph and the Motorcycle... Gordon Korman has a ton of great and funny books, especially those about Bruno and Boots in McGonagall Hall. There are a lot of books by Avi that might be up his alley.

I told you not to get me started! I have so many more to recommend if anyone wants.
I'd love to hear more! Always on the lookout for more clean books for my kids. Most of these we've read, but definitely not all of them. Do you have a GoodReads account, by any chance?
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tigerwife




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 9:31 pm
ittsamother wrote:
Omg don't even get me started!

Artemis Fowl is a great series, a lot of heists and clever plots.

The Redwall series by Brian Jacques has enough material to keep him busy for a while, all totally clean.

Henry Reed is also a great series, and the Homer Price books.

They're hard to find in the library but you may be able to find in thrift stores online- Freddy the Pig was a very entertaining series.

Another old series- there was a whole line of books written in the land of Oz, with a mix of familiar and new characters, they're great as well. By Ruth Plumly Thompson (Yes, Plumly! Smile )

Did he read all of the Roald Dahl books?

Others mentioned The Dark is Rising- the same author, Susan Cooper, wrote The Boggart and another book or two in the same series, they were good.

I loved Tuck Everlasting, and The Search for Delicious, by Natalie Babbit. Try Wonder, and Out of My Mind. The Borrowers series. Caddie Woodlawn. Hans Brinker and The Silver Skates. Tom's Midnight Garden. The Three Investigators series is great if he likes mysteries. Mr. Popper's Penguins. The Black Stallion series. Rowan of Rin series. The Orphan Train Adventures series by Joan Lowery Nixon. Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins (she later wrote The Hunger Games, though those might not be what you're looking for for him.) I hate A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, but plenty of people like it. Henry Huggins and other books by Beverly Cleary- Henry and the Paper Route, Ribsy, Runaway Ralph, Ralph and the Motorcycle... Gordon Korman has a ton of great and funny books, especially those about Bruno and Boots in McGonagall Hall. There are a lot of books by Avi that might be up his alley.

I told you not to get me started! I have so many more to recommend if anyone wants.


You were certainly worth getting started!
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tigerwife




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jun 28 2023, 9:32 pm
What about the Charlie Bone series?
The Lemony Snicket books didn’t end well but the style of writing is so great. I remember learning so much from it.
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