GAhhh!
Laura N.
**Comments are on now…yes I’m possibly the worlds biggest goober. I will share the book suggestions, as requested by the lovely Christina who had to send an email…since the comments weren’t on!**
Mike, our oldest, has recently begun middle school. “Middle school” is a new invention, I think. We called it “junior high” back in the day. Whatever you might call it, 6th grade boys are 6th grade boys. When I worked with the same ages in church youth groups, the boys liked to wear the same clothes for days on end. Monday evening, I informed Mike that he was not to wear the pair of pants he had on again because they smelled like baaaad BO.
“What’s BO?”
“Body odor dude and it’s not pretty.”
“But, I wash.”
“It doesn’t matter. If you wear the same clothes day after day, they’re going to start to smell. That’s not a good way to make friends, trust me!”
“oh…”
But that’s not all the fun and excitement. As I was going through his book bag Friday afternoon trying to ascertain if he had homework, I discovered two books based on the Charmed TV series. There were pretty girls on the cover. 6th grade boys.
“Mike, where did you get these books?” I thought maybe he had borrowed them from his older sister (at his mom’s house).
“My language arts teacher gave them to me.”
“Language arts. What is that? English?”
“Yeah.”
“And your teacher gave you these books?”
“Yeah, she had them on a shelf and we are supposed to pick something to read.”
“Oh…well you’re not reading these…”
Not because of the possibly questionable content they might contain, but because they are based on a TV show. When there is a world of great literature out there directed at kids Mike’s age, why would you offer him books based on a TV show? I’m not of the mind that reading anything is good. Junk in, junk out, in my opinion. Why not give the child something that might challenge him a little…give his brain some food for growing up. Am I crazy? I don’t think so.
I gave him a selection of books from my bookshelf and he picked the last Harry Potter which he had nearly finished by the end of the weekend. There might be debate as to whether Harry Potter is great literature, but for sweet Pete’s sake, it ain’t based on a freaking TV show!! If anyone out there has suggestions for books for Mike, PLEASE let me know.
He’s fairly devoured the Redwall series if that helps. I’m also looking at this page, which came up on my home school list: http://garlicpress.com/cgi-bin/shop_gp.cgi?product=LITERATURE
Comments are open…
God bless.
Post with suggestions coming soon…I promise!!
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Reader Comments (4)
We've just begun Middle School here with Xavy too. We had it too, but our class was the first graduating class, so clearly it was a new concept.
Anyway, books based on Charmed. Lovely. Xavy is reading something called "The Edge Chronicles" I think. I usually read what he's reading (as opposed to Ced who reads so much and sci-fi, so I'm never up to speed with him) but not gotten to this one yet.
And, sigh. We have strategically placed deodorant around the house, but often I send people to the shower who are smelling. Urgh.
Yes, I searched Amazon, that is what he's reading.
Remember, just a few short years ago, when you would take their feet and kiss them and give them rasberrys? Ain't no way my 10 year olds feet are going any where NEAR my face.......
He's a toughy to get reading fiction. He will sit and study an atlas all day though.... Last year he read Treasure Island and Huck Finn (because we made him). WHile he said he liked them, he wasn't doing hand springs like I do when I read great stuff like that!
Like right now, I am reading Flannery O'Conner again. What is it about her stuff, that makes me so happy, even though the stories are so sad?
Well, some obvious ideas:
Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, which have talking animals much like the Redwall series.
Jacques has written other books for children outside of the Redwall series.
Madeleine L'Engle, of course.
I enjoyed reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH at that age. Immensely.
George Orwell. Yes, I read him in sixth grade. I was precocious, though.
The Lemony Snicket books (although those may be regarded as somewhat beneath his age)
The His Dark Materials trilogy by Pullman is currently being made into movies, starting with the Golden Compass. There are some great points for discussion here: Pullman is often compared and contrasted with C. S. Lewis. They wrote fantasy that is generally regarded as juvenile (though this is really a reflection of the fact that the protagonists are young). However, his worldview is completely dissimilar to Lewis's.
The Harry Potter books, of course, as you've already noted.
If you visit a local independent bookstore (ie, Atomic Books or similar, not Borders or Barnes and Noble), those who work in the juvenile section should be able to assist in your quest. Most of them would share your desire to steer your step-son away from cheap novelizations of television programs.