“My eyes are to words like iron is to magnets”
Books were a very early fascination. Note the special reading glasses!
The above is how my daughter, then seven, described her love of reading to a friend. This was a child that loved books! As a baby she slept with books in her crib, and it was no surprise that she was an early reader who progressed very quickly. She was so enthralled with books that she used to walk and read at the same time!
Before kindergarten, she was heading into middle school level books. I found the titles targeting this level barely appropriate for tweens, let alone a five year old. While I was thrilled that reading came so easily, her fast and furious pace created the difficult problem of finding appropriate books.
So, what is a parent to do? Here are a few strategies for keeping your young reader happily in appropriate reading material.
Make friends with the right librarian. Not all librarians are equal. One local librarian could not think outside of the age box, even when specific levels were requested. If my daughter asked for a book with horses, she would steer her toward the picture book section when My Friend Flika or Black Beauty would have been more appropriate and appreciated. The result was my daughter stopped consulting her. However, we later found a real gem in an assistant librarian who was not only very knowledgeable on age-appropriate content in the Young Adult section, but was down-right enthusiastic about titles she had read for her own enjoyment. My daughter left the library that day with a stack of books and a huge smile. I wrote an appreciative email to her supervisor and from that point on, this librarian was always willing to give some extra assistance.
Stick with the classics. There is a reason they are called classics and have stood the test of time. Not only will the classics provide quality literature, but introducing them early will provide familiarity for when students approach the titles again in high school. I do caution that just because a title is considered a classic does not mean it is appropriate for all ages. Wanna Learn has a useful list of classic literature categorized by recommended ages.
Seek out older titles. New isn’t always better. Let’s face it – some modern titles are simply watered down and downright ridiculous. Titles published pre-1950 often have higher vocabulary with gentler themes. The Freddy Series by Walter R. Brooks is a delightful series written from 1927 to 1958. Trixie Belden, first written by Julie Campbell Tatham, is another older series that will appeal to girls especially. Be cautious of older series that have been rewritten. For example, the books in the Hardy Boys series were extensively revised beginning in 1959 to a simpler style with modified content. Lamplighter Publishing is devoted to finding quality older titles back on the shelves of readers.
A bonus to seeking out classics and older titles is that many of them are available for free. Check The Gutenberg Project and Bartleby for available titles.
Browse your library’s Adult Collection. Some titles for adults are tamer than Young Adult titles, which often have themes of teen angst and content for shock value. Even adult titles with some mature content, such as violence in a murder mystery, may handle it in a less graphic manner that titles intended for teens. Titles such as James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small can provide wholesome and interesting reading for younger readers. The Cat Who series by Lillie Jackson Braun may be an option for the young mystery lover in your household.
Explore non-fiction. Help your child discover non-fiction material as a source of pleasure reading rather than just as research for school studies. Explore cultures, learn crafts, and delve into an interest further. If your child wants stories, have them read real-life stories through biographies. One non-fiction series that both my advanced and struggling reader have enjoyed is the Guinness World Record books that come out every year. They don’t serve any real purpose, but are safe and fun reading.
A great resource for selecting books for gifted readers is Some of My Best Friends Are Books by Judith Wynn Halstead. This guide helps parents select books with characters and issues with which their particular child can identify.
I would like to stress that it is still important to screen reading material as much as possible. Friends and knowledgeable librarians may have different standards or simply not recall material that may be upsetting to you or your reader. Since it is nearly impossible to pre-read every single title for your voracious reader, I’ve included some sites below to serve as a guide.
These strategies will help keep your advanced reader happily, and safely, reading to his or her heart’s content!
Facts on Fiction gives very detailed information on content in seven areas: Positive Elements, Mature Subject Matter, Profanity/Language, Sexual Content, Violence/Illegal Activity, Tobacco/Alcohol/Drugs, Disrespectful/Anti-Social Elements.
The Literate Mother ranks titles in four content areas, though not quite as detailed as Facts on Fiction. It also includes a synopsis and personal comments.
Sneak Peeks with K.E. Weeks is a weekly column written by a personal friend who writes thorough personal reviews and recommendations from the Young Adult section. This week’s column will cover books with gentle themes for advanced readers.
Armadillo was created by a mother and her gifted daughter. Books of all types are recommended, but personal notes are helpful in determining both interest and appropriateness. I found the search feature especially handy.
Common Sense Media is a popular site with detailed movie reviews. I recently discovered they also have a book review section.
Focus on the Family is a well-known Christian organization that serves families and parents. While the book review section on the website is limited, reviews also include worldview content not covered on other sites.
About Heidi Pair
I have one of these! She’s been reading novels since she was 7
That being said, once in awhile she will enjoy a good Dr. Seuss book still. Thanks for the book ideas!
Good suggestions! I had the same issue with my oldest child. It was hard to find chapter books that were at the interest level of a four year old. We like the older books, too. The Beverly Cleary books were some of her favorites at that age.
This is a great article. Finding appropriate reading material for my 8-year-old daughter is indeed challenging, as her reading level far exceeds her emotional maturity. She’s enjoyed many of the older classics.
This is timely for me as well, with a daughter who read The Last Battle by CS Lewis at 6… I was SO grateful to discover the ebooks over at Yesterday’s Classics (www.mainlesson.com for the free online versions) and the purchase of a Kobo last year – without it I think Chaeli would be going nuts this year!!
Great post!
Shannon
Great suggestions! I would add that biograhpies are a wonderful catagory of books. Good biographies provide lots of history. They also illustrate good character qualities and the rewards of a life well lived, as well as bad/poor character traits and their consequences. If they are well written, they are a good source of vocabulary as well. Older biographies are often the best, because they’ve not been revised to reflect current politically-correct pilosophy and humanism. Be aware that all books reflect the bias of its author, so just because a book is a biography, doesn’t mean that its good. In our 26 years of homeschooling, I worked to get our children “hooked” on biographies early on. They now have many heroes from the past in their lives as a result of the counsel they received from good biographies.
I have a boy who began reading chapter books in the first grade. We began homeschooling him that year because the school was a waste of his time. Now he is reading up to a 9th grade level, he is nine-years-old. I’ve been using a reading level assessment formula to know specificly what level he is reading at so I can give him reading material that will expand his reading skills rather than delay it with books below his level. Although he reads easy books as well, just not all the time. I believe giving him a strong reading curriculum will only benefit him later on. I think we have a huge advantage at home to know exactly where the child’s abilities are and to customize the literature to expand those abilities. I suppose I am a strong reader as well, I usually finish most books the same day I begin reading them. The public school nearly bored me to tears with textbooks. I didn’t come out of that situation very well. I also found it interesting this year that I assessed a textbook that is about 100 years old at a ninth grade reading level. It was a child’s first history book, and would have been read by elementary students of that time. Gives one a new perspective on public school’s modern reading curricula doesn’t it? I taught my child phonics within weeks, not months, and not years.
Kimberly – You brought up a good point. Advanced readers still enjoy reading material well below their reading level, so don’t discourage those titles! I still enjoy a good Dr. Seuss book myself.
Debbie – Great suggestion! Both of my kids went through a Beverly Cleary stage.
Susan – Thanks for stopping in! I’m glad you found the article helpful.
Shannon – I wish the Kindle had been around when my oldest was younger. She would have loved to carry around a 1000 books at once!
Cindy – Absolutely, biographies are a great choice. Thanks for the reminder that every book has the bias of the author. That is a good thing to keep in mind when selecting titles.
Tori – Yes, that is interesting! Have you seen the 8th grade exam from 1895 was circulating on the Internet a few years back. Here is a copy: http://www.barefootsworld.net/1895finalexam.html
Just a note that there is question of whether or not this exam was actually intended for 8th graders and not teacher applicants. http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/a/1895exam.htm It is an interesting read regardless!
A very timely post! My 7, almost 8, year old daughter is now in an unfamiliar territory for me. She is a voracious reader and I am having a difficult time helping her choose books that are appropriate.
Thank you so much for the tips and links. They are going to be very handy for me, as well as my daughter.
Sue
Thank you for the article and resources. My daughter used to sleep with books in her crib, too! They line all the sides. She is 4 now, 5 in July. In January, she started reading. I had no plans to push her – the Charlotte Mason method appeals to me. But she started, and by early April, she was reading Little House on the Prairie. She is now reading Anne of Green Gables – reading the chapters in the morning that I read to her at bedtime the night before. Having just decided to homeschool last summer, I am terrified.
Really, though, I know it’s going to require more thought and preparation on my part to keep up with her. Thank you for all the suggestions here. (And, yes, she still loves her story books!)