The History Book Club discussion

For those parents out there looking for age appropriate books and some ideas as to what is good reading material for kids. This thread is for you.

This site seems to be quite good.

Readkiddoread.com

http://www.readkiddoread.com/home#

There are even reading guides and fun ideas while reading some of the books.

Great resource (James Patterson is behind this one)

This is another fun one from Scholastic:

http://www.scholastic.com/readeveryday/

There are even some fun things for adults to fool around with called Bookprints. Here is Bill Gates:

http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.c...

And President's Clinton's

http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.c...

My 8 year old son at the moment is loving by Dav Pilkey
as well as by Jeff Kinney

I love the style of these books and they are an entertaining read I must say.

Marian Wright Edelman:

http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.c...

President George H. W. Bush:

http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.c...

Barbara Bush:

http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.c...

Jim Trelease has traveled around the US talking about reading aloud. I believe he is retired now, but his message is current. Umpteen times, I have given his book to new parents.
Jim Trelease

In the latter 1/3 of the book is what he calls A Treasury of Read Alouds, with books on many subjects, cross-referenced for listening age.

http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/

Both great posts Elizabeth from Alaska and Michael. James Patterson on his site also did some interviews with some of the authors like Kinney.

Jeff Kinney

As a grandparent, and not on the "frontline" so to speak, we don't necessarily get to see what a specific kid likes to read. But I did learn the other day that my 11-year old likes fantasy. Some series are:

C.S. Lewis
Angie Sage

These do look great and of course who does not like the Narnia series.

C.S. Lewis

My granddaughter (she's 3) loves the Dinosaur series.
and others by Jane Yolen

Vicki, those books look like such fun.

I don't know if there are any "age appropriate" history books out there, but I remember many years ago that I read many books in the series called "Landmark Books" on a wide variety of history. I remember reading one on Jean Lafite the pirate who helped Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans and one on D-Day. Is there anything similar today?

by Elizabeth Janeway

John, I tried to cite one of the Landmark books; can you find the citations for the others.

I also found a website which lists all of the landmark titles:

http://www.kidsreads.com/series/serie...

When they were a bit younger, both my children (and me) loved many of the books by Michael Morpurgo.
Some of his books are aimed at fairly young children, others for those older.
Particular favourites were and . I still want to read and , both set in WWI.

Thank you very much Kay; I really hope that other parents add to this thread; because so often folks are looking for ideas as to what their own children might like or even those of our friends and extended family.

Here's some more my 3-year old granddaughter loves.
Tony Ross

I agree Bentley, I was always looking for new ideas to 'hook' my children into reading more, my son especially, and accordingly another suggestion is the Cherub series, by Robert Muchamore (is the first) as these were the only books my teenage son would ever really read and became great favourites. They were ideal for birthday and Christmas presents too as we waited for the next in the series to be released.

Hi Folks

Well my kids are too old for me to be here but here is a link to an article from the August Atlantic Magazine you might find of interest

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/a...

Just for the record, I'm Vince's 'kid' and I am NOT in therapy...

That is too funny Alexis and thanks Vince for the add.

I have a son who is 9 years old, and he enjoys having me read to him at night. Is anyone aware of a good general American History book that would accessible to someone 10 and under?

Ben and Me? by Robert Lawson

I've bought my sons lots of American history books over the years, but they tend to be the ones they read on their own and not have me read out loud. I don't think I can recommend too highly either of these series, but my kids like both the Magic Tree House and Time Warp Trio series and they both deal with history. There's also the Horrible History series which you'd probably have to find used copies on eBay?

Thanks, Craig. My son read by Robert Lawson for school.

I'll definitely check out the Horrible History series. This one looks especially interesting. by Terry Deary

My daughter has gotten into the Dear America series. They are written as diary entries from the character's point of view. She started the series when she was 8 years old.

Very cool, Angela, I might look into this for my niece. Be sure to look at your citation format :-)

Kathryn Lasky

Good picks for audiobooks on your road trip this summer

Best of the Road

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinatio...

Source: USA Today

Using audiobooks to boost your child’s literacy

http://nbclatino.com/2013/03/06/using...

Source: NBC Latino

Keep Kids Reading All Summer Long

http://www.parade.com/13782/jmarquez/...

Source: Parade

Avi Avi Is always good. You really should check it out. Also Bentley is totally right audiobooks are great for kids to help them read. Kids can comprehend things hey hear much faster than they can learn how to read them. With audiobooks I was able to read works by Charles Dickens Charles Dickenswhen I was 10 and I believe that helped me develop a love of English and History that has shaped my entire life. My son (18 months) listens to the Disney stories on tape every night as he goes to sleep and loves it. I would recommend using audiobooks to any parent.

Thanks, Leslie, I should have my son listen to a audio book for bedtime.

Don't forget to add the author link for the citation:

Avi

Charles Dickens

Bryan wrote:

Don't forget to add the author link for the citation:


I think I fixed it. Did I get it right this time? You guys are as bad as my history professors in college :) heheh. This will take some practice, but it's worth it to get to talk about history again.

By Jove! I think she's got it (...Professor Higgins)

I discovered a new book-reading resource for my children today (sort of like Goodreads, but much more kid-friendly and really just geared to the high school-or lower level - probably even middle school or elementary school level more than high school, actually).

Anyway, it's called Biblionasium and the web site to access it is http://www.biblionasium.com Anyone who is trying to find ways to encourage their children to read more might want to check it out. (they give out reading awards, let you set family challenges, have your children log their reading in a colorful manner with animated avatars, etc.)

I will check it out

I think I would be more impressed if they chose a kid spokesperson who could speak more clearly. The girl was old enough to speak better than that. What a mistake for them. I could not understand half of what she said.

To me it looks like it is more for elementary school or maybe up through grade 7 tops.

Yes, I turned off the audio intro clips as I also found their spokeskids tough to understand. That's probably an accurate target age range as our society does a better job (IMHO) of getting kids at that age range to read than say the 13-18 to age range. By that age, many children lose whatever desire they had to read and become more into their phones and social networking.

Camelia, do you think she would prefer U.S. history or other areas of the world?

Here is a pretty good list on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

You cannot go wrong with the American Library Association young adult award winners:
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/nonfiction

I'd like to recommend a couple of really cute picture books I recently read to my granddaughter.

by Gemma Merino (no photo)
by Gemma Merino (no photo)

The pictures are really cute and I liked the stories, which are both about animals who don't quite fit in, but find a way to celebrate their uniqueness. I'm looking forward to more stories by this author.

Here's some more picture book recommendations. Great stories and pictures.

by Juliette MacIver (no photo)
by Paul Meisel
by Alex T. Smith (no photo)

Thank you very much Vicki - these are great

Setting Boundaries® with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents

by Allison Bottke

Synopsis:

This important and compassionate new book from the creator of the successful God Allows U-Turns series will help parents and grandparents of the many adult children who continue to make life painful for their loved ones.

Writing from firsthand experience, Allison identifies the lies that kept her, and ultimately her son in bondage―and how she overcame them. Additional real life stories from other parents are woven through the text.

A tough–love book to help readers cope with dysfunctional adult children, Setting Boundaries® with Your Adult Children will empower families by offering hope and healing through S.A.N.I.T.Y.―a six–step program to help parents regain control in their homes and in their lives.

S = STOP Enabling, STOP Blaming Yourself, and STOP the Flow of Money
A = Assemble a Support Group
N = Nip Excuses in the Bud
I = Implement Rules/Boundaries
T = Trust Your Instincts
Y = Yield Everything to God

Foreword by Carol Kent (When I Lay My Isaac Down)

And Now We Have Everything: On Motherhood Before I Was Ready

by Meaghan O'Connell

Synopsis:

Operating Instructions for the Millennial set: a fiercely honest account of becoming a mother before feeling like a grown up.

Meaghan O'Connell always felt totally alienated by the cutesy, sanctimonious, sentimental tone of most writing about motherhood. After getting accidentally pregnant in her twenties, she realized that the book she needed--a brutally honest, agenda-less take on the emotional and existential impact of motherhood--didn't exist. So she decided to write it herself.

And Now We Have Everything is O'Connell's brave exploration of transitioning into motherhood as a fledgling young adult. With her dark humor and hair-trigger B.S. detector, O'Connell addresses the pervasive imposter syndrome that comes with unplanned pregnancy, the second adolescence of a changing postpartum body, the problem of sex post-baby, the weird push to make "mom friends," and the fascinating strangeness of stepping into a new, not-yet-comfortable identity.

Most unforgettably, O'Connell brings us into the delivery room as no writer has before, rendering childbirth in all its feverish gore and glory, and shattering the fantasies of a "magical" or "natural" experience that warp our expectations and erode maternal self-esteem.

Channeling fears and anxieties that are, shockingly, still taboo and often unspoken, And Now We Have Everything is an unflinchingly frank, funny, and intimate motherhood story for our times, about needing to have a baby in order to stop being one yourself.

The Value Tales

(no image) Teachers Resource Guide: The Value of Tales by Spencer Johnson

by Spencer Johnson

Synopsis:

Value Tales are written for children and are based on true events in the lives of real men/women from various countries and different historical times, illustrating how timeless values can help anyone living in any culture.

They present real-life role models in a fun way that encourage children to choose the timeless values they want for themselves, and to discover how they can be happier and more successful too - just like the stories' heroes and heroines from history.

Younger children, who are just beginning to form their values, enjoy having the books read to them.

Older children who are choosing their own values, like to read the tales on their own.

1. Addams, Jane - Friendship
2. Anderson, Hans Christian - Fantasy
3. Appleseed, Johnny - Love
4. Beethoven - Giving
5. Bell, Alexander Graham - Discipline
6. Bly, Nellie - Fairness
7. Bunche, Ralph - Responsibility
8. Cochise - Truth and Trust
9. Columbus, Christopher - Curiosity
10. Confucius - Honesty
11. Cook, Captain - Boldness
12. Curie, Marie - Learning
13. Dickens, Charles - Imagination
14. Edison, Thomas - Creativity
15. Fox, Terry - Facing a Challenge
16. Franklin, Benjamin - Saving
17. Fry, Elizabeth - Kindness
18. Jefferson, Thomas - Foresight
19. Keller, Helen - Determination
20. Lincoln, Abraham - Respect
21. Mayo Brothers - Sharing
22. Mead, Margaret - Understanding
23. Pasteur, Louis - Believing in Yourself
24. Robinson, Jackie - Courage
25. Rogers, Will - Humor
26. Roosevelt, Eleanor - Caring
27. Sacagawea - Adventure
28. Schweitzer, Albert - Dedication
29. Tubman, Harriet - Helping
30. Wright Brothers - Patience
HTF:
31. Churchill, Winston - Leadership
32. Leger, Paul - Charity
33. Nightingale, Florence - Compassion
Scarce:
34. Ashe, Arthur - Dignity
35. Ball, Lucille - Laughter
36. Chavez, Cesar - Conviction
37. Henson, Jim - Imagination
38. Landon, Michael - Positive Attitude
39. Mother Teresa - Humility
Rare:
40. Rudolph, Wilma - Overcoming Adversity
41. Richard, Maurice - Tenacity

The Value of Courage: The Tale of Jackie Robinson (The New ValueTales Series, Volume 4)

by M.D. Spencer Johnson (no photo)

Synopsis:

This fictional tale is about Jackie Robinson, a real peson who lied in California and New York in the 20th century. The events in this story really happened, and show how useful the value of courage can be. 11 1/2" X 9" hardcover book with 64 high quality vibrant color pages.

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids

by Kim John Payne

Synopsis:

Today’s busier, faster, supersized society is waging an undeclared war . . . on childhood. As the pace of life accelerates to hyperspeed–with too much stuff, too many choices, and too little time–children feel the pressure. They can become anxious, have trouble with friends and school, or even be diagnosed with behavioral problems. Now, in defense of the extraordinary power of less, internationally renowned family consultant Kim John Payne helps parents reclaim for their children the space and freedom that all kids need, allowing their children’s attention to focus and their individuality to flourish.

Based on Payne’s twenty year’s experience successfully counseling busy families, Simplicity Parenting teaches parents how to worry and hover less–and how to enjoy more. For those who want to slow their children’s lives down but don’t know where to start, Payne offers both inspiration and a blueprint for change.

• Streamline your home environment. The average child has more than 150 toys. Here are tips for reducing the amount of toys, books, and clutter–as well as the lights, sounds, and general sensory overload that crowd the space young imaginations need in order to grow.

• Establish rhythms and rituals. Predictability (routines) and transparency (knowing the day’s plan) are soothing pressure valves for children. Here are ways to ease daily tensions, create battle-free mealtimes and bedtimes, and tell if your child is overwhelmed.

• Schedule a break in the schedule. Too many activities may limit children’s ability to motivate and direct themselves. Learn how to establish intervals of calm in your child’s daily torrent of constant doing–and familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of organized sports and other “enrichment” activities.

• Scale back on media and parental involvement. Back out of hyperparenting by managing your children’s “screen time” to limit the endless and sometimes scary deluge of information and stimulation.

Parental hovering is really about anxiety; by doing less and trusting more, parents can create a sanctuary that nurtures children’s identity, well-being, and resiliency as they grow–slowly–into themselves. A manifesto for protecting the grace of childhood, Simplicity Parenting is an eloquent guide to bringing new rhythms to bear on the lifelong art of parenting.

Hyper Education: Why Good Schools, Good Grades, and Good Behavior Are Not Enough

by Pawan Dhingra (no photo)

Synopsis:

Pawan Dhingra‘s new book Hyper Education: Why Good Schools, Good Grades, and Good Behavior Are Not Enough (NYU Press, 2020) is an up-close evaluation of the competitive nature of the United States education system and the extra-curricular and co-curricular activities associated with them. Dhingra reveals the subculture of high-achievement in education and after-school learning centers, spelling bees, and math competitions that have spawned as a result of a competitive markets in higher education and in life. This world is one in which immigrant families compete with Americans to be intellectually high-achieving and expect their children to invest countless hours in studying and testing in order to gain an upper-hand in the believed meritocracy of American public education. This is a world where enrichment centers, like Kumon, are able to capitalize and make profitable gains from parents who enroll their children as early as three years of age. There are even families and teachers who avoid after-school academics that are getting swept up in the competitive nature of this subculture called hyper education.

Dr. Dhingra draws from more than 100 in-depth interviews with teachers, tutors, principals, children, and parents for this study. He delves into the narratives that parents of elementary and junior high school provide about this phenomenon and examines the roles played by schools, families, and communities. He moves beyond the “Tiger Mom” caricature that is often given to Asian American and white families who practice hyper education and asks if it makes sense.

This book provides a behind-the-scenes look at hyper education from parents who have their children participate in Scripps National Spelling Bee, math competitions, and other national competitions, as well as after school learning centers. Dr. Dhingra shows that parents observe an increasingly competitive market for higher education and perceive good schools, good grades, and good behavior to not be enough for their high-achieving students.

Pawan Dhingra, Ph.D. is a Professor of American Studies at Amherst College.

Podcast: https://dcs.megaphone.fm/LIT404816288...
Interviewer: Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He earned his doctoral degree in Public Policy and Public Administration from Walden University. He researches place and the process of place making as it is presented in everyday social interactions.

Source: NBN