Children's Books discussion

My son is 10 years old, and his native language is Spanish. However, he speaks and understands English relatively well, even though it is not his mother tongue. In Spanish, he has read Harry Potter and The Neverending Story. But in English, these books have very complicated language. Could you recommend fiction, adventure, etc., books in English that have a much simpler language level? I am looking for books with interesting plots and stories but written in very simple and accessible English for a child who is not a native English speaker. Thank you very much.

If your son enjoys Harry Potter like fantasies, he might enjoy the Worst Witch series (which is a bit like HP but simpler and for younger readers, but might work nicely for your son to read independently in English).

The Worst Witch (and its sequels)

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom

An evocative, emotional, but also often bravely optimistic verse-novel introduction to Cuban history and especially Cuba's rather violent and devastating struggle for independence, for freedom and sovereignty from Spain, Margarita Engle's The Surrender Tree (which won a Newbery Honour designation in 2009) not only features a lyrically beautiful text, the fact that the author shows the musings, the thoughts and actions of different players in the struggle for independence juxtaposed gives (or rather strives to give) a more balanced, less potentially prejudiced and partisan account. And while most readers' hearts will and also naturally should beat for and be with individuals like Rosa, José and Silvia, the escaping slaves, the peasants who are being displaced, also reading the musings of some of the main antagonists, of the aptly named Lieutenant Death and Spanish officials does give a more uniform and equal presentation, with much important historical background information (as one needs to be aware of and appreciate both sides of a given conflict, of a given historical period in order to understand and comprehend).

The added bonus of an Author's Note personalises the featured, often tragic but always interesting and essential information presented with and by Engle's verses (as her great-grandparents were amongst the Cuban peasants ordered to leave their villages and lands and be forcefully relocated to some of the so-called reconcentration camps). Combined with an extensive historical note, a timeline, and appreciatively, also a list of references for further reading and research, I highly recommend The Surrender Tree to anyone, both young and old, who is interested in the history of Cuba and enjoys verse novels (although with the caveat that while The Surrender Tree is considered and marketed as children's literature, I would not necessarily consider it suitable and even all that easily understandable for readers below the age of at least ten or eleven; and there is no upper limit, as The Surrender Tree is basically also a book that I would strongly and very much recommend and glowingly suggest to interested adults).

Now while The Surrender Tree as an entity, as a presented story is definitely worth a glowing full five star rating for me, the truth and fact that I did originally purchase this book not only to learn about the struggle for Cuban independence (and because I generally much enjoy Margarita Engle's verse novels) but also (and even primarily) to be able to practice my rather rusty Spanish (both the Spanish and the English versions are featured in their entirety in my, in this here edition of The Surrender Tree), that the poems of The Surrender Tree are NOT featured in a dual-language, in a parallel text format is really and truly a bit of a major and annoying disappointment for me (as I keep having to flip back and forth if or rather when I try to read the English in conjunction with and to the Spanish text, and it would be so much more user-friendly and less frustrating to have the English and the Spanish versions appear side by side and not one after the other). And while this annoyance does indeed in NO WAY make me not appreciate and not massively adore and even love The Surrender Tree as a verse novel, as a wonderful introduction to Cuba and Cuban history, the way the Spanish and English sections have been set up, have been featured is still frustrating enough for me to personally now only consider a high three star final rating (five stars for the contents, for the poems themselves, for the supplemental details, but only a grudging two star rating for how the Spanish and English components have been set-up, for the fact that The Surrender Tree is not what I had wanted and expected, is not really a true dual-language format by any stretch of either my imagination or my needs).

In the Fiction Club, for June and July, our topic is graphic novel folklore, mythology and fantasy.

Have found a number of graphic novel fairy tales retellings on Open Library that your son might like and which are short and nicely uncomplicated. So yes, check out the thread (topic).

Graphic novels are super popular with that age group. Also if he likes Harry Potter, try Midnight for Charlie Bone. I read a few and they were poor Harry Potter copycats but also more simple.

Niece #1 loved Compass South

I liked The Dark Hills Divide (The Land of Elyon series). It was similar to Lord of the Rings but the protagonist was a child instead of a Hobbit. I also really liked the Greenglass House books.

Your son might enjoy The Winterhouse Mysteries if the word games aren't too tough.

Eva Ibbotson 3-in-1: Which Witch?, The Secret of Platform 13 & Island of the Aunts all three are similar to Harry Potter and very funny.

My city library caters to a large Spanish speaking population and every year they give awards to the best Latino books. This year's winner for grades 6-8 is Frizzy, which is a graphic novel.

Other nominees your son might like to read (and can consult a Spanish language edition if necessary and possible)

The Supernatural Society
Time Villains
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe
Ghost Squad

I'll see what nephew #2 is reading. He loves magic and while his reading proficiency is higher than his age, his emotional maturity level is young for 10 and he's reading books I enjoyed when I was 8 or 9. So far he has enjoyed The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Borrowers.

I would ask your children's librarian for help.

Alberto wrote: "My son is 10 years old, and his native language is Spanish. However, he speaks and understands English relatively well, even though it is not his mother tongue. In Spanish, he has read Harry Potter..."

You don't mention where you are from, but Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir is a graphic novel that has garnered all kinds of accolades. It was awarded a Newbery Honor this year as well as a Pura Belpre Author Award and a Pura Belpre Illustrator award. I haven't read it, but the synopsis states that it is about a Hispanic family in California traveling to Jalisco, Mexico where the abuelito lives. Reviews say that it is for ages 10-14.