Hi all, I am a bit out of touch and I want to buy a few kids books for 4 boys ages, 5,7,8,and 10 and two girls 4 and 5.
I would appreciate any ideas.
Also I would like to know about black childrens authors if anyone has any personal knowledge.
Thank you XX Jeannine
If you google books for boys 5-9 you will get suggestions. My boys liked Ronald Dahl. Are you in touch with a teacher? She/he could give you titles of the classics like Stig of the Dump.
Have they got the gruffalo? My girls like books by Julia Donaldson and Helen cooper and they are a similar age. Charlie and lola always go down well :)
My favourite book as a kid was My Side of the Mountain, about a boy who runs away from home and goes to live in a tree house, learning survival skills. Probably suit 7-8 upwards.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Side-Mountain-Puffin-Modern-Classics/dp/0142401110
My niece is 4 and at the stage of asking 'why' to absolutely everything, which drives my sister nuts. She bought her a book with loads of questions and answers in it, like "why is the sky blue" and "why do bees buzz", and my niece loves it. Unfortunately cant remember the title!
Jeannine this website may be of help! :)
http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/
Callum has just finished the Harry Potter series, he also reads the three investigator books, has read all the Roald Dahl books, now onto the life and Times of his rugby heroes, he's 11 :)
My grandaughter is 8 and we've just discovered Anne Fine ,she wrote Mrs Doubtfire.Our favourite of the moment is Diary of a Killer Cat and the follow ons.These are only paperbacks and not a long read but are hilairious and lively.We bothenjoy them so if you're in your local bookshop have a quick peek :)
My lad is six, reading well, and is discovering all those stories that feed the imagination :o
I've picked up the first series of 'Astrosaurs', some 'Dennis the Menace', and a set of 'Captain Underpants' for Christmas - he still likes a story at bedtime, we've just started Enid Blytons 'Five on a treasure island' (with nice short chapters) ;D
For littlies-Charlie and Lola series, The Gruffalo, Five Little Fiends, The Alfie stories by Shirley Hughes, The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me picture book by Roald Dahl, Pop Up books are always a hit too.
The two boys of 8 and 10 may enjoy the Alex rider spy series - I think the authors name is Anthony Horowitz. If the 10 year old is a good reader he also may enjoy the Phillip Pullman series-His Dark Materials starts with the book Northern Lights.
the older little girls will probably like Enid Blyton's Amelia Jane series or Dorothy Edwards My Naughty Little Sister series.
Have fun!
I love the idea that you are encouraging reading in children. I know you are not in the UK anymore but maybe the children are? If you would only like the children to buy books you can get book vouchers from http://www.nationalbooktokens.com/. You can order them online and they get to choose what they would like, get them thinking about books?
I have tried long and hard to get my daughter (9) to read for pleasure. I have the complete Famous Five and Secret Seven sets but she is not interested. A neighbour who is a retire(ing) teacher passed on loads of Horrid Henry's and she read them. Her school (in France) has a library and she chose a Jacquelin Wilson book and has not stopped reading it since she picked it up. I am out loop as far as children's reading, and Tray Beaker is not one of my favourite characters but I would rather her read something she chooses than not at all.
Hope you get it sorted.
I agree cocopops! Tracey Beaker not my fav either! J Wilson has written lots of good books without her in them though-I would say don't get complacent that they are all for our girls age group as my mum bought her one that looks the same as all the others but is aimed at teenagers and deals with snogging etc! Swiped and tucked away for a few more years I think!!
I am a massive advocate of reading for children and am a complete bore on the subject. Books, books, wonderrful books... :)
I had a really strange experience with library books bought home (in France). There is a series called 'Lily and Max' which deals with all the issues that children may face. They are rather like a comic book with pictures and text.
Grace chose one about the internet. It was all about being safe as you may see unwanted things - 'pornography'. The illustration had a woman with her legs spread etc... To be honest she was unfazed about it. It gave us an opportunity to talk honestly, but flippin ek talk about being upfront. Personally I prefer this to the over-pc brigade in the UK, but having lived there it for such a long time it was a shock.
This company has some really interesting looking books http://www.mini-iq.co.uk/acatalog/key_stage_1.html (http://www.mini-iq.co.uk/acatalog/key_stage_1.html)
The lookalikes ones looked good in real life - one was for 3+ and theres an older one at 7+
There's a cute one for the little girls where you choose the way the story goes 'once upon a time' on this page http://www.mini-iq.co.uk/acatalog/pre-school.html (http://www.mini-iq.co.uk/acatalog/pre-school.html)
i'm thinking of getting the picture atlas or 'the story of everything' for my little boy
QuoteI would like to know about black childrens authors if anyone has any personal knowledge
Sorry I find this unacceptable.
How would you feel if I asked for white childrens authors?
Quote from: macmac on December 13, 2009, 10:15:44
My grandaughter is 8 and we've just discovered Anne Fine ,she wrote Mrs Doubtfire.Our favourite of the moment is Diary of a Killer Cat and the follow ons.These are only paperbacks and not a long read but are hilairious and lively.We bothenjoy them so if you're in your local bookshop have a quick peek :)
Diary of a Killer Cat is the most hilarious book ever. PMSL just thinking about it. ;D
Quote from: Digeroo on December 13, 2009, 21:26:21
QuoteI would like to know about black childrens authors if anyone has any personal knowledge
Sorry I find this unacceptable.
How would you feel if I asked for white childrens authors?
I didn't understand the question to be honest. Totally baffled here.
G x
I have no particular knowledge of black authors writing for children but I found this website which gives some information:
http://www.best-childrens-books.com/african-american-childrens-books.html (http://www.best-childrens-books.com/african-american-childrens-books.html).
I find it quite had to choose books as presents, especially for children: you don't know what they've read or what their current interests are. I usually end up buying my grandchildren amazon electronic gift tokens so they can choose for themselves. Some might say it's a cop-out but they're happy with it and so am I.
Sorry I find this unacceptable.
How would you feel if I asked for white childrens authors?
[/quote]
Surely the same as if a man asked for recommended women authors or vica versa
There was a time, way back when, when men wrote all or the majority of books, thankfully this has changed because women needed to reflect their own experiences and become represented in literature.
Imagine being a child but all of the images and stories you see are of adult people or animals or aliens and you aren't represented/reflected at all.
Equal but different
Nicely expressed Levi
Jeannine - I heard a programme the other day talking about the best kids books of the year, and as I don't have any young kids to buy for didn't pay too much attention, but they did talk about the lack of books that crossed the Atlantic (both ways). Now they were talking about American and British authors. So not sure if some of the British authors do as well your side of the pond or not, but then no mention was made of Canadian authors!
Sorry I can't be of much help - I'm sure what ever you choose will be appreciated :)
1066
For 8 yr + boys look at Beast quest series, Fantastic and has got a non reader boy totally hooked. Horrid Henry, Try Enid Blyton, not PC but still a good story moving on, Try the Adventure series, Island of Adventure, Castle of Adventure etc. for 9 - 11 yr olds. The current girls books are way too pink for me all about fairies and animals and absolutely no story. Jackqui Wilson is excellent but she write s for all 3 age groups so look at what you are buying, a teenage book will involve teen pregnancy, rubbish parenting and good ness knows what else, Beware. Look at Anne Fine, fabulous stories for all age groups, and one of my favourite authors Geraldine McCaughrean, got one of my children totally hooked on the Canterbury Tales, went from her viersion to the original in 2 years ! Ask your local bookshop, they should know their stock but if they start recommending beauticul coloured covers leave them and go somewhere else. There are so many fantastic books for children at the moment you are absolutely spoiled for choice. Look at Phillip Pullman but not eh Dark Materials series, he does other books for younger children like the Fireworkmakers Daughter and the rest of that series, more suitable for 8 - 11 yr olds and still thought provoking. Dark Materials are for teen readers. Look at Eoin Colfer, absolutely brilliant stories. I'll stop now or I will go on all night.
Try the Primate Puzzle by Oliver Nash - good read (even for grown up children aged 57 !!!!) plus all the money goes to Gt Ormond Street Hospital. Purchase books through a website called Just Giving
My Grand-daughter, aged 4, has enjoyed a very old Paddington Bear picture book (belonged to her uncle), very old fashioned but great fun. She also loves a book by Pippa Goodheart called "You Choose", packed full of illustrations with lots to talk about on each page. We both have a lot of fun with "The Smartest Giant in Town" (same author as the "Gruffalo"), especially when we sing the giant's song together.
If you would like a book about Christmas, I thoroughly recommend "Mary's first Christmas" by Walter Wangerin. The illustrations are superb, and the book gives a very different perspectective on the Christmas story (Mary tells the story of his birth to the child Jesus, as a series of bed-time stories. ) I started reading it to Ella at the weekend, and she loved it, although I think an older child would get even more out of it.
Wow! Thank you all so much for the super response, you have given me tons of ideas and links , I am so very grateful to you all. Years ago I used to always buy books at Christmas for children and had sort of got out of the habit, with all your help I hope to put that right this year.
Digeroo.. no I wouldn't be offended as I would presume there was a good wholesome reason for the request. Without going into too much detail, which would be inappropriate here,I need to find an author who can relate to a child from a mixed marriage that is surrounded by books which only have white children in them and it is causing him a problem.
Thank you all again.
XX Jeannine
Try here for mixed race childrens books. http://www.intermix.org.uk/books/Books_child.asp
Have been looking at childrens books for my niece recently and they all seem so much more gender stereotyped than they used to be. I used to love action-adventure stories, but now they are all filed under boys stuff. And dont get me started on toys.... my neice's favorite toy is a pink vacuum cleaner [Aunty beats head against wall]
I like to go into the children's section and have a mooch and choose what I find appeals to me.Sadly my youngest Grandchild only wants to know Thomas The Tank at the mo,I am an expert on Thomas and his mates now ;D
When I was a kid I loved Enid and found her books a world away from my inner city surroundings.I loved that.Then the experts told us that people should only have books that related to the kids .I never wanted that.I could live inner city everyday.I wanted my books to tell me about something else. :)
Later on in childhood discovered the old children's writer Malcolm Saville,loved his books,went to Hay one year and found out that there was Malcolm Saville Society,joined up quick.We have an AGM weekend every year and explore the locations of his books and eat lots of food and generally enjoy ourselves,my fave location is Rye.
Thank you all again!! With all your help I have managed very easily to get 6 books from Amazon CA and they will be delivered in time for Christmas. Your ideas gave me some wonderful starting points plus I almost bought myself some Enid Blyton after the prompts(still might) I remember well reading those as a child and felt very nostalgic but needed more time to decide.
I really am very grateful to you all. I am unable to physically Christmas shop for more than an hour or so it was a feel good day when I completed the order.
You are a good bunch you know XX Jeannine
Oops forgot to tell you what I got!!
Where the Wild Things are.. bang on right for the child I bought it for.
In The Night Kitchen, again a super story set in a bakers, absolutely right as most of the family run bakeries!!
Stellaluna for my darling little friend who loves bats and birds.
The New Way Things Work, for the potential scientist in our crowd.
For my two mixed race grandchildren I bought
Please Puppy Please, a story about a new puppy .It is perfect as I bought a much wanted poodle puppy for the family to replace an older who had passed away. The smallest boy has bonded very close to the puppy but gets very exasperated when it misbehaves.
For the older boy I bought He Has The Whole World In His Hands a rather nice book that will fit this child to a tee.
The illustrations in both of the above are very appropriate for them.
Thanks yet again XX Jeannine
sounds like a perfect selection Jeanine, but I think the greatest gift these children will receive is the care you have taken to get them something just right for each one of them- they are so blessed to have you in their lives!
I have ordered from Amazon some "Let's read and find out science" books for my grandchildren, stage 2 for the four year old and stage 2 for the seven year old.
My granddaughter, who will be 5 in January, is very observant and always asking questions. When she was with me a couple of weeks back she was watching the news. A man, who was doing a favour for his mate, hit a woman over the head with an iron bar and threw her in the canal. Fortunately another man came along and rescued her. Then came the questions: "Nannie, what's an iron bar? The lady didn't die did she. Is she all right now? Is murder the same as dying?" and finally "Nannie, what's it like in prison?"
I am sure she will benefit from the books I have bought her which are about the lives of butterflies and frogs. The third is "What lives in a shell".