Asking for book suggestions....

[madmom]

For a week in June my volunteer group is spending a week with school aged kids, having lunch and doing activities in the afternoon. I am trying to come up with a book one of us could read, a chapter or two a day, to last about the whole week. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance

[patrice]

1. age group? . . . The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exuprey

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Little_Prince.html?id=vlr0uqedlWcC

May not be exciting enough for today's kids.

[patrice]

2. Any Dr. Seuss. & There's a whole bunch of Oz books. & All Laura Ingalls Wilder

I refuse to recommend JK Rowling on the grounds that there ARE other young people's authors out there who are at least as worthy as she is.

[Cracklin Charlie]

3. The Red Pony

I don't know how old the kids are, but this classic by John Steinbeck is very good, and not really very long. I also like "A Day No Pigs Would Die", "Black Beauty", and "To Kill a Mockingbird".

[patrice]

4. Any James Fenimore Cooper - Last of the Mohicans etc. & any Mark Twain

[patrice]

5. Truman Capote wrote some AWESOME short stories.

[coalition_unwilling]

6. "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle. Won a

Newberry back when I was kneehigh to a grasshopper. Teaches kids to be subversive in a loving way (and much better writing than the tiresome Harry Potter dreck

[Vanje]

11. Seconded

A Wrinkle in Time

[patrice]

7. Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind - for adolescents & teens.

[pscot]

8. Harry Potter

or The Hunger Games for middle schoolers.

[JohnnyRingo]

9. "The Space Chronicles" by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Perhaps you've seen him on talk shows.

He has a sparkling and humorous personality for an astro-physicist. He possesses the unique talent of relating complex mysteries of the universe in a simple language all people can understand. As an African American he's also a great role model for any child who thinks the gangsta life has appeal.

I gave the ebook to my 10 year old grand daughter, and she loved it. Since "astronaut" used to be a primary goal for any school age child along with fireman, Tyson's work is a fundamental inspiration for them in a future without the space shuttle. Hopefully, schoolchildren have forgiven him for taking away planet status for Pluto

BTW, we've been media trained to say it to soldiers "defending our freedom" in Afghanistan, but I think as an educator you deserve it much more: "Thank you for your service" to our country. You also deserve combat pay.

Here's the Amazon description of The Space Chronicles:

A thought-provoking and humorous collection on NASA and the future of space travel.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a rare breed of astrophysicist, one who can speak as easily and brilliantly with popular audiences as with professional scientists. Now that NASA has put human space flight effectively on hold—with a five- or possibly ten-year delay until the next launch of astronauts from U.S. soil—Tyson’s views on the future of space travel and America’s role in that future are especially timely and urgent.

This book represents the best of Tyson’s commentary, including a candid new introductory essay on NASA and partisan politics, giving us an eye-opening manifesto on the importance of space exploration for America’s economy, security, and morale. Thanks to Tyson’s fresh voice and trademark humor, his insights are as delightful as they are provocative, on topics that range from the missteps that shaped our recent history of space travel to how aliens, if they existed, might go about finding us.

[Proud Public Servant]

10. The Phantom Tollbooth

Extraordinarily wide age appeal.

[canoeist52]

12. Read aloud favorite -

There won't be a dry eye in the group.
http://www.amazon.com/Where-Fern-Grows-Wilson-Rawls/dp/0440412676


Billy, Old Dan and Little Ann -- a Boy and His Two Dogs...

A loving threesome, they ranged the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country. Old Dan had the brawn, Little Ann had the brains -- and Billy had the will to train them to be the finest hunting team in the valley. Glory and victory were coming to them, but sadness waited too. And close by was the strange and wonderful power that's only found...

An exciting tale of love and adventure you'll never forget.

[madmom]

13. Thanks everyone, these are wonderful suggestions. We are not sure yet what

the age range will be, since it's open to all, up to the age of 18, but if we take several we're sure to hit one,lol. Thanks again

[XemaSab]

14. One of the shorter Beverly Cleary books

or Homer Price/Centerburg Tales by Robert McCloskey.

(One of the advantages of Homer Price is that each chapter stands alone, so if you don't get all the way through the book it's not a disaster. The stories are also fun for a wide age range.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Price

[B2G]

15. The Secret Garden

My all time favorite children's books.