Books Even Busy Boys Will Come Inside For

Look at my muddy sons!  This photo brings back fun memories.  In our family, summertime meant lots of outdoor playtime, swim lessons, and jaunts to the beach.  But we also encouraged trips to the library and summer reading. 

How could books ever compete with sunny days full of bikes and mud??  With choices like the ones below (as promised, I'll be blogging about fun summer reading for the month of June).


Books Even Boys Will Come Inside For...eventually:
The Stories Julian Tells (series) by Ann Cameron. 

I immediately went out and found this book at the library after reading Jim Trelease's summary in his Read Aloud Handbook. "The author takes six short stories involving Julian and his brother and weaves them into a fabric that glows with the mischief, magic, and imagination of childhood. Though centered on commonplace subjects like desserts, gardens, loose teeth, and new neighbors, these stories of family life are written in an uncommon way that will both amuse and touch young listeners." It really engaged our boys' imaginations.


The Great Brain (series) by John D. Fitzgerald. (ages 8-12)

This book was an all time favorite of my oldest son, about the hilarious adventures of an Irish-Catholic family in Mormon Utah in 1896.  Tom - a.k.a. "the Great Brain" - is a 10-year-old genius con man, always interested in making a profit (and always learning a lesson.)


Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and sequel, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl (ages 8-12). 

These books made a huge impact on my oldest son.  Along with Norman Jester's The Phantom Tollbooth, Roald Dahl's books introduced him to imaginative fantasy through quirky humor and fun wordplay. Dahl's books are about childhood justice and delight, full of imagination and the best kind of storytelling. Charlie Bucket lives with his mother and four bedridden grandparents in their one-room home. Charlie wins a trip into the magical, fantastical world of Williy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. A satirical look at want and need, greed and generosity, all remedied through the methods of the eccentric candy maker. Not to be missed!


Maniac McGee, by Jerry Spinelli (ages 9-12). 

This is the story of a 12-year-old runaway boy. As a stranger to the town of Two Mills, he is naively ignorant of the racial divide between the East and West sides of town. He's also unaware that his life will become legend as he performs one amazing feat after another (like running 49 touchdowns in a single game!) You won't believe the miraculous things he does - the most courageous being the healing of the division in the town and the end of the racial prejudice there. Good contemporary fiction.

The Indian in the Cupboard (series), by Lynne Reid Banks. (Ages 8-12) 

Exciting, absorbing, and thought provoking story, alive with magic as two boys discover they can bring their toys to life by putting them in an old medicine cabinet that one of them receives - along with a small plastic Indian - for his birthday. They are faced with the responsibility of this tiny person and the consequences of their actions. Gives new meaning to the phrase, "the dignity of human life".


Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls.

I guarantee your boys won't be able to put this book down! (If you missed it, you can read my past post here). Independent Readers: grades 5 and up. Family Read Aloud: ages 9 and up.

PINK AND PIROUETTES

I love this cute picture book for aspiring ballerinas, and it's a great read aloud! Reminiscent of MADELEINE: in four rows of two, Miss Lina’s eight ballerinas—Christina, Edwina, Sabrina, Justina, Katrina, Bettina, Marina, and Nina—dance to the park, at the zoo, and even while doing their schoolwork. They are one perfect act, but when Miss Lina introduces Regina, a new girl, the group of nine’s steps become a mess. (MISS LINA'S BALLERINA'S by Grace Maccarone, ages 4-8)


Check out the fun trailer:



MORE BOOKS ABOUT BALLET:
Tanya and Emily in a Dance for Two, by Patricia Lee Gauch.

When Tanya, the smallest and wiggliest girl in her ballet class, makes friends with a talented newcomer, they both learn something.

Angelina Ballerina, (series) by Katherine Holabird.

Angelina loves to dance and wants to become a ballerina more than anything else in the world.

Lili on Stage by Rachel Isadora.

Lili is thrilled to be dancing the part of a guest in the party scene of the Nutcracker ballet.

Swan Lake by Lizbeth Zwerger.

A prince's love for a swan queen overcomes an evil sorcerer's spell in this fairy tale adaptation of the classic ballet.

A BOY, A GRANDMOTHER, AND A SCIENCE LESSON!

"This beautifully illustrated picture book evokes the fullness of a New England childhood through descriptions of a single summer day."

—Publishers Weekly

NIGHT OF THE MOONJELLIES by Mark Shasha. This book was inspired by the author's memories of working at his grandmother's hot dog stand by the sea in New London, Connecticut in the 1970s. It features the warm relationship between the main character and his grandmother, along with the hustle and bustle of the busy day at the hot dog stand. Seven-year-old Mark finds "something that felt like jelly" on the beach. After their busy day at work, Gram and Mark take a boat out to sea, where Mark sees an oceanful of shimmering white lights--moonjellies--and returns his to the water.


What exactly are "moonjellies"? Visit Mark Shasha's website to find out.  (Hint:  they're not "jellyfish".)

Many homeschoolers have discovered this story and used it as part of literature-based FIVE IN A ROW cirriculum...look at what this inspired mom did with her kids, while they read and completed activities for NIGHT OF THE MOONJELLIES - click here.

LAUREN CHILD, POST #2

MEET CHARLIE AND LOLA:  "THEY'RE EVERYCHILD"

"I always wanted a brother, although I doubt he would have been as nice as Charlie. I made him seven because it is one of my favorite ages. I never think of Lola as precocious and certainly not brat-ish - she is one of those children who is just very curious and has quite a strong sense of self. Lots of four-year-olds are like her. There is a retro feel to the whole Charlie and Lola world; the subject is simple and always about the tiny things in life. Tiny things, which can seem very big when you are four or seven."

- Lauren Child

Each one of Lauren Child's Charlie and Lola books starts, "I have a little sister, Lola. She is small and very funny" (she's four and she drinks pink milk!) Who can resist that?? According to Child, this sibling pair is "everychild - their stories talk about problems most children can relate to." In each story, we find patient Charlie in the predicament of having to come up with inventive ways of persuading Lola to try new food, go to bed, or see the importance of going to school. The character of Lola is based on a little girl Child observed on a train while she was travelling in Denmark.

If you've read any other Lauren Child books (see yesterday's post), you'll immediately recognize her style: the witty humor and dialogue, mixed media illustrations, and text that wanders across the page.

THE ORIGINAL BOOKS that started it all (be sure not to miss these!):
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato

I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed 

I Am Too Absolutely Small for School

Slightly Invisible, Child's newest "original": This fourth tale was inspired by a boy who asked Child, "Have you ever thought about writing a book where Charlie actually gets annoyed with Lola?", this is the story of Charlie's attempts to play on his own with his friend Marv - and Lola's efforts to engage them.

(My son and daughter, David and Mary, were a lot like Charlie and Lola.  David was definitely patient with his sister, although Mary wasn't quite as energetic or persistent as Lola... when one of them had a friend over - and then permanently when we added Little Brother Jonny into the mix -  they had to adapt to the dynamic that came with being three, like in SLIGHTLY INVISIBLE!)

"Oh," says Lola.  "Would you maybe like to have a tea party instead?"

The four original books by this prolific British children's book author/illustrator were adapted as a cartoon television series in 2005 in Britain.  The episodes (now available on DVD) were also shown on Playhouse Disney here in the U.S. and have been as popular with parents as with their kids. The characters, voiced by children with adorable British accents, are endearing.  Her titles are hilarious...

These Spin-off books are based on scripts and animation from the series (simpler than originals, but still entertaining and fun - 24 pages - click on titles to see cover art and read reviews):
I Am Extremely Absolutely Boiling
I'm Just Not Keen On Spiders
But I Am An Alligator
I've Won, No I've Won, No I've Won
Snow Is My Favorite and My Best
But Excuse Me That Is My Book 
We Honestly Can Look After Your Dog
My Wobbly Tooth Must Not Ever Never Fall Out 
Say Cheese!
I'm Really Ever So Not Well
This Is Actually My Party
I Can Do Anything That's Everything All on My Own
I Want to Be Much More Bigger Like You

The DVD'S of the Charlie and Lola shows from Disney Playhouse can be purchased HERE.

There are also games and other "fun stuff" on the CHARLIE AND LOLA WEBSITE.