I’d describe The Dark is Rising series as a mix of Tolkein (Lord of the Rings series) and Lloyd Alexander (The Black Caldron series) with difficulty level between the two series. Also, I’d describe it as mix of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, again with difficulty level between the two series. It’s an epic series pitting good versus evil and light against dark with the epicenter around an 11-year-old boy named Will Stanton who is the last of the six “The Old Ones” who are time-travelers and protectors of the world. The time traveling aspect is great because it introduces English history amidst a backdrop Celtic lore.
Category: Reading Lists: Middle Grade
Middle grade chapter books for kids ages 9 through 14 and including 3rd grade books, 4th grade books, 5th grade books, 6th grade books, and 7th grade books.
Use My Library Summer Book List; It’s on Your Shelves!
If you don’t live in Newton, MA, use my list. It’s a great list. It also comes with great resources of websites to keep you learning, reading and having fun. Please see Capability Mom’s post on that! I have to hightail it to the library the next town over to get books for my kids!
35+ Great #OwnVoices Native American Children’s Books
These Native American children’s books help to depict a portion of their story and I would urge you to share these stories with your children so that their stories are not lost and their rich history becomes mainstreamed. It was both an education and a great pleasure for me to find and read these stories include Abernaki, Iroquis, Mohawk, Lakota, Navajo, Cheyenne, Creek, Cherokee, Potowatami, and Sioux Native Americans.
Top 100: Kids’ Favorite Books
This list was compiled by kids and interesting because it’s not so different from the Teacher’s Choice list also compiled by the National Education Association. Great minds think alike! This list was tabulated from an online survey that the National Education Association ran from November 1, 1999 through February 1, 2000.
Top 10: Chapter Books with Activity to Get Boys to Read
Some of my Mom Friends are dreading the summer reading requirements from school because their boys are not reading for pleasure yet. So I put together this list that combines books with a related and fun activity as an incentive for boys to read. Yes, I believe in bribery. It helps get kids over the…
Top 10: Best Interfaith Jewish Children’s Books (ages 3- 16)
In my neighborhood, interfaith Jewish families are not unusual and yet there is a real scarcity of books on this topic. I searched online and then asked my local librarians when my original list wasn’t at my library to come up with this list. I hope you enjoy it as much I did. And I hope children of all faiths can read and discuss some of these books.
Support Your Child’s Passion (and The Dreamer)
Paul Neruda’s childhood is the focal point of Ryan’s fictionalized novel. With regard to passion, Paul’s interest and gift for words was not embraced by his domineering and controlling father. His brother’s gift for classical voice was also rejected by their father in an effort to steer his sons into careers in engineering or medicine.