I am really desperate to find a good book to read. And so is Little Pencil.
We have had a tradition since the very beginning of his days of reading together in bed before we go to sleep at night. It started in the Newborn Care Unit when he was too small and fragile to be handled. The nursing staff suggested that we read to him because he would recognise our voices from his limited time in utero. As it was really the only thing that we could do that felt at all useful, we grabbed that job with gusto. In his first two months he had heard the whole series of Winnie the Pooh and all the adventures of the Folk of the Faraway courtesy of me. He had also heard many many stories from The Sydney Morning Herald and the New York Post courtesy of his father. Why there were endless copies of The New York post in the Newborn Care Unit is just one of the things that we didn’t understand at the time.
The tradition continued once he left hospital and I can proudly say that 9 years later and we still read with Little Pencil every night. He is a voracious reader and his reading age is well beyond his years. (excuse my bragging, I wont be much longer) His comprehension is also quite remarkable as is his depth of analysis. But therein lies the problem. He reads well, his comprehension is great but he is only 9 years old and he is as mature as, well as a 9 year old boy (that is he’s not very mature at all).
So we have read all the Zac Powers and we have read many, many boy detective stories, we have stumbled upon many great authors and read all their books, we loved The Wimpy Kids Diaries and the stories of the Undy’s family, we have gone through so many Captain Underpants stories that I feel like he is a member of our family, we adored Alex Rider and Harry Potter (although I thought they were a little scary and Mr Pencil did all the honours). We have read so many records in the Guiness series that there are times that I worry we will leak fact records if we are shaken.
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The other day we started to read the adventures of Skullduggery Pleasant, Little Pencil was hooked. And so was I. It is truly awesome when we find a book that we both can’t wait to read. The writing was perfect, the descriptions amazing and watching Little Pencil’s face concentrating on the plot was heavenly. He kept telling me the book was like a movie because he could see every scene in his head. High praise indeed for a child with a penchant for the screen. But then it became ridiculously scary. Like pathetically, unnecessarily violent and just plain sinister and frightening (more so than Harry Potter). I scare easily, I’m the first to admit that, but this was the stuff of which nightmares are made. Little Pencil agreed and so we had to stop reading.
What is it with books for boys? How do we keep their interest without being violent and destructive?
I can put up with the fart jokes and the bum references that crack him up but I want books that keep my child riveted. I want books that make him think and laugh and learn and wonder. And he wants them too. The only difference is I would really appreciate the stories that leave out the senseless violence and aggression. Do they exist?
Go with Victor Kelleher.
Start with Taronga, you simply can’t go wrong there. There are many of his brilliant books and I read them with my eight year old, although after finishing the Wimpy Kid series, he’s reading them on his own now.
I love reading them with him though, as they were my favourite as a “Young Adult”
Enjoy
OMM
Have you tried to read him some classics? While they still might have violence in them, they also carry the test of time, and as you read to him, you will be able to explain all the strange “ye olde” words or references. Not sure if they are age appropriate for a 9 year old, but Huck Finn, Bridge to Terabithia, Last of the Mohicans, Moby Dick & chronicles of Narnia are a few that spring to mind – as well as Rohal Dahl, Morris Glietzman and Paul Jennings
Growing up as a kid I used to love the chose your own adventure books, they were ancient when i was reading them but I spent hours re-reading them over and over again just so I could make sure I covered every ending possible!
Little Pencil gets to read those “choose your own adventure” books on his own because I irritate him by wanting to read every alternative almost simultaneously
How about Lemony Snicket’s, ‘A series of unfortunate events’…although, from memory I cannot recall if they contain any violence.
OR Emily Rodda’s ‘Deltora quest’ series…There are three series, and is a fantasy series about the land of Deltora and the evil Shadow Lord.
Hope I was of some help…I read these when I was about little pencils age.
He LOVES Deltora Quest but I don’t so he reads those alone. Also Beast Quest… Me, I am not so fond of Evil Shadow Lords 🙂
Is he too old for Tashi? For Paul Jennings? My 10 yo son loved both of those series- but (as Actinglikeamama suggests) also enjoyed many “classics”… abridged versions of Robinson Crusoe and Swiss Family Robinson (what is it with Robinsons and getting shipwrecked?), and currently loving The Call of The Wild, about a dog in Alaska (I’m not selling that well).
Readupsidedown suggested Kaspar: Prince of Cats (Michael Morpurgo) for my son, about a cat on the Titanic, and he *inhaled* that. And we also LOVE Tim Winton’s Lockie Leonard series and his kids’ novel”Blue Back”- wonderful book.
Hopefully there’s something to go on with 🙂 Good on you for reading every night. Best gift you can give a child. xxx
Done Tashi and all of Paul Jennings so I like the way you think ..
Going to try the Tim Winton. Little Pencil does so love a series
As some of the others have said, it sounds like Little Pencil would enjoy some of the classics. I’ve just been reading Treasure Island – a fantastic story. When I was his age, I was reading lots of Roald Dahl, The Secret Garden (although that might be a bit girly?), things like that – and my best childhood memories are of sitting with my Mum reading before bed. I’ve done the same with my little girl since she was born too. Love it.
Just thought of a couple of others he might like –
The ‘Quizzical’ series by Leanne Davidson (I wrote about it here – http://kids-book-review.blogspot.com/2010/06/review-puzzle-palace.html – and if you buy them from Leanne’s website, she’d probably sign them for him as well. Tell her that Megan from Kids Book Review sent you.)
If Little Pencil loves words and reading, he might also like ‘The Word Spy’ – http://kids-book-review.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-word-spy.html
John Grisham has a new book out aimed at ages 9+. I reviewed it and wasn’t convinced it was suitable for that age group, but it depends on the individual kid – http://kids-book-review.blogspot.com/2010/06/review-theodore-boone-kid-lawyer.html
There are two others that I’ve got here waiting for review, both new releases that look fantastic (haven’t read them yet though) – Henry Hoey Hobson by Christine Bongers (out in July) and Grimsdon by Deborah Abela (out in August). They both look really good, without being silly or violent.
Brilliant
Thank you
One more and then I’ll stop hassling you. This shows how slow my brain is at the moment (I blame my two ear infections), because this is the book I only just finished reading:
Mosquito Advertising by Kate Hunter.
Brilliant book for ages 9+.
You never hassle me.
Mosquito Advertising is already at the top of my list. Even if it’s for me not Little Pencil 🙂
I have just got a book from the “The 39 Clues” series for a friend of ours who is turning 10 today. A friend of mine from my book club has raved about the series for her son who is a similar age. She reads them too and loves them 🙂
Little Pencil once swindled me into buying those for the cards you collected with them…. will look into that again xx
I have just read Open by Andre Agassi at lot more in it than you expect really enjoyed the whole book way beyong expectations !
I too wanted to mention Roald Dahl, I remember loving ‘Danny, Champion of the World many years ago. And now (I haven’t read him) but I keep hearing the nameLemony Snicket. What about the (again, I have not read them) but the Artemis Fowl (sp?) series…any joy there? Hope these are appropriate, good luck Pencils. 🙂
Roald Dahl are fabulous books to read to children, full of humour and adventure.
I have seen the Lemony Snicket book ‘A series of unfortunate events’ (I think that was the title) as a movie but have not read them.
My nephews loved reading Artemis Fowl also.
Good luck and happy reading:)
Had a little problem with Danny and the pheasant hunting. Did I mention that I am a huge softy and I rather like pheasants…. xx
Hey Lana, my son is 9 also and likes the Samauri Kid series by Sandy Fussell, also worth ordering online is the American Encyclopedia Brown series. Written in the 60s, it’s a great set of mysteries that get sorted out by the 12 year old son of the town police chief. A little dated maybe but heaps of fun. I’ve liked this post – it’s tough to find fart-free books for boys. Cheers, Kate
Cool thanks. We read an out of little out of date mystery series (the A-Z Mysteries) a while back that we LOVED. I will look into both of those – but not until I have finished reading Mosquito Advertising
Wish I could have read this post about 11 years ago. So many great books – unfortunately my youngest had potential to be a great reader but suddenly stopped. Hasn’t read a book for about 5 years now 🙁 So sad. I’m hoping one day he picks them up again.
Master 8 suggests ‘The Key to Rondo’ also by Emily Rodda. Me, I loved ‘Watership Down’ and ‘The Unlikely Ones’ (although you’d only likely find it on Amazon now). Nancy Drew might not be to his taste, can’t get Master 8 on board with me there!!
I skimmed the other comments and I see a few people mentioned Lemony Snicket. Have you read those?? I thought they were wonderful.
lots of books I thought of have already been mentioned but there are a gazillion Doctor Who paperbacks which boys seem to enjoy and the violence is there to progress the plot and is not explicit
One favourite (bring tissues) is February Dragon by Colin Thiele
Also John Christopher’s trilogies the Weathermonger is one and the Tripods another
Madeleine L’Engle A Wrinkle in time and also 4 lovely books about the Austins
And out of print now but a real find if your library can get them are Antonia Forest childrens books about the Marlowes