Book to get older kids reading

[Cal]

I've read to our boy almost every night since he was a little guy, and usually books that were above his age level (partially because of my dislike for kiddy books). But now at 10, he does very well in spelling, reading, science, has a good vocabulary and usually gets very good marks on his report card, even though I don't know how much longer he's going to want to be read to every night. We've read a whole long bookshelf of books, but had to recommend the one we're on now, which is recommended for teens I believe; Harris and Me (by Gary Paulsen) takes place around 1950. It's storyline is based on a young boy who is taken from his alcoholic parents in the city and placed with distant relatives on a primitive farm, who have a boy of the same age. So much of the book is actually very funny and pretty much true to life about the sort of mischief two boys can get into. Have to take a break from reading sometimes from laughing too hard!

If you've got a kid in school that's going to have to begrudgingly do a book report, do them a favor and find this one for them. I guarantee they'll like it. Some mild barnyard language in it, but it all takes place in the barnyard as well.

 

[Hanta Yo]

Thanks for the info, Cal. Our daughter is 12, reads HS level books, I think she would just ADORE this one!!! Thanks a million!!!

 

[nr]

We'll try getting this for some of the grandkids.
Our son is rueing the day he bought a kiddie book on the anatomy of the human body for his 6 yr. old. It has no plot. Is a real snore and
unfortunately is his son's absolute FAVORITE book :lol:
His son knows it by heart so his daddy can't even skip over parts without being caught!

This grandson's favorite video is about farm machinery called, "Hey, That's My Hay". All about plows, balers etc.

There's no explaining taste

 

[Cal]

nr, hope you're shoulder's mending well. Keep us updated. We expect a full and rapid recovery from this site's number 1 displaced country gal. :lol:

 

[Faster horses]

Harris and Me, heck it even sounds good. I think I'll get it and read it myself!! Thanks for the tip.

Another great book for young and old is "The Education of Little Tree". Good to read to youngsters and the adults won't get bored with it either.

Yes, nr, how are you? Healing well, I hope!!

 

[Hanta Yo]

Cal,

I admire you for reading to your son. I have done that with my daughter, and she is a smart cookie. Reading is the root for doing well in school - can't read, can't write. If a person can't read, they can't do math, can't do history or any other subject. I admire ANY parent who spends time with their kids, reading, sharing life experiences, doing homework.

nr,
Get that shoulder healed up really soon and you'll be able to play with the "big guys" (just kidding). Hope everything is going well with your shoulder. My spouse broke his when he was 16, nasty scar for it but he's healed up just fine. (Guess I should let my spouse speak for himself)

 

[ranchwife]

Cal....my 9 year old simply loves for me to read to him at night before he goes to bed.....does not matter what it is from "Flint" by louis lamour (happens to be the book he was named after :wink: ), or "Hank the Cowdog" or an historical novel like "The Red Badge of Courage" or "My Brother Sam is Dead"......he is a history buff, if ya couldn't tell Will have to see if i can find this book and get him into it next!! thanks for the suggestion!!!

 

[Cal]

Hey all, it's actually trying to rain here! Went into the Running store in Rapid City today, and naturally couldn't tell the boy "no" regarding the baby chickens they had there. So now we have ten chickens and 1 goose. Maybe should have gotten fryers instead of layers and tried to contract them with Tyson. :wink:

Just got done with our nightly reading, and time to go check on the last of the cows to calf, really looking forward to a little mud for a change.

 

[Brad S]

Cal, you always surprise me; I would have guessed you read The Federalist Papers or Thomas Paine to your son. Thanks for the good suggestion; you're right, good literature inspires good students.

 

[Cal]

Cal, you always surprise me; I would have guessed you read The Federalist Papers or Thomas Paine to your son. Thanks for the good suggestion; you're right, good literature inspires good students.

Hey Brad, how's your young family doing? We read the Federalist Papers several years ago in lieu of Barney and those hideous Teletubbies. (kidding)

 

[Anonymous]

This has been an interesting conversation. Reading seems to perpetuate through the generations. I think it breeds itself really. My mother was a teacher, and I have loved to read anything I can get my hands on, mostly because of her I believe. My kids almost won't go to bed without their nightly books. I wasn't sure The Little House On The Praririe(hope I spelled that right) series was soaking in when I read it recently, but I was later surprised at how much they retain when you think nobody is listening. That is a great set of books for kids.

Would you know where you could get a good version of THE US CONSTITUTION FOR KIDS, Cal? :lol:

Your wit blows me away sometimes Brad S.

 

[Brad S]

Cal, thanks for asking about my kids. When you mentioned reading to your son, it sure reminds me of home. I can scarcly come home, tired, sore, and filthy, and my 2 year old Hanna Grace or 3 year old Callie Dalton will start bringing me books to read. I usually catch a quick shower and read several books. My son, Cl;ayton Wyatt is 6 now, and reads well, but he crowds in whenever I start to read. My oldest is Paigy( age 7); I worry about her getting displaced by the young heathens. I don't know where Paige gets her genetic code, but I'm pretty suspicous her momma was jumpin the fence. I llike to let Paigy stay up later than the wild bunch so she still gets some personal attention. Paigy likes to read the Bible with me, and her understanding is amazing. My newborn is Reagan Valentine, and she is doing great. She was born with a lesser developed foot, but its catching up nicely. My wife, Michelle, does an amazing job attending to the important stuff and identifying the unimportant stuff.

 

[Faster horses]

Well, Brad, sounds like everyone in your family has a good deal going. Good for you, for knowing the important stuff as well as your wife knowing it too. It is easy to tell, you are a proud papa!!

I have felt for a long time in this wonderful country of ours, that the word success is defined wrong in that it seems to mean, Money and Power. To me, to say a man is successful man means he is a good husband and father.

I bet you are very successful!!!!

 

[nr]

the word success is defined wrong in that it seems to mean, Money and Power. To me, to say a man is successful man means he is a good husband and father.

Faster Horses, I couldn't agree more and wish that could be part of the schools' curriculum. And ditto for Wives and Mothers.

P.S. to those who asked: the shoulder is improving though not ready to haul myself up on a horse yet unless it's a carpenters.

 

[Jinglebob]

nr

Just so happens, I have a real gentle carpenters horse for sale! Are you interested? :wink: :lol: :lol:

 

[nr]

Mebbey. Jus' so it's no leather-mouthed one.

 

[Jinglebob]

:shock: :? :???: :wink: :lol:

 

[Cal]

This has been an interesting conversation. Reading seems to perpetuate through the generations. I think it breeds itself really. My mother was a teacher, and I have loved to read anything I can get my hands on, mostly because of her I believe. My kids almost won't go to bed without their nightly books. I wasn't sure The Little House On The Praririe(hope I spelled that right) series was soaking in when I read it recently, but I was later surprised at how much they retain when you think nobody is listening. That is a great set of books for kids.

Would you know where you could get a good version of THE US CONSTITUTION FOR KIDS, Cal? :lol:

Your wit blows me away sometimes Brad S.

Jake, check out this download and printable version, and maybe go to this sites home page and scout around:
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/explore/TheU.S.Constitution/PrinttheConstitution.shtml

Talking about Little House on the Prairie, I read every one of those books to our boy too. Sometimes to make him laugh, I'd change something around to make it sound absurd or funny if it struck me as I was reading. Wish I could remember a fer'instance.

 

[Cal]

Cal, thanks for asking about my kids. When you mentioned reading to your son, it sure reminds me of home. I can scarcly come home, tired, sore, and filthy, and my 2 year old Hanna Grace or 3 year old Callie Dalton will start bringing me books to read. I usually catch a quick shower and read several books. My son, Cl;ayton Wyatt is 6 now, and reads well, but he crowds in whenever I start to read. My oldest is Paigy( age 7); I worry about her getting displaced by the young heathens. I don't know where Paige gets her genetic code, but I'm pretty suspicous her momma was jumpin the fence. I llike to let Paigy stay up later than the wild bunch so she still gets some personal attention. Paigy likes to read the Bible with me, and her understanding is amazing. My newborn is Reagan Valentine, and she is doing great. She was born with a lesser developed foot, but its catching up nicely. My wife, Michelle, does an amazing job attending to the important stuff and identifying the unimportant stuff.

Brad, let us know if you got a black eye over that "fence jumping" comment. LOL You and your wife picked some pretty cool names, but I especially like the name Reagan Valentine. Our boy has the same name as a little town west of Valentine, (and no, it isn't "Kilgore") Cody.

 

[nr]

Cal, thanks for asking about my kids. When you mentioned reading to your son, it sure reminds me of home. I can scarcly come home, tired, sore, and filthy, and my 2 year old Hanna Grace or 3 year old Callie Dalton will start bringing me books to read. I usually catch a quick shower and read several books. My son, Cl;ayton Wyatt is 6 now, and reads well, but he crowds in whenever I start to read. My oldest is Paigy( age 7); I worry about her getting displaced by the young heathens. I don't know where Paige gets her genetic code, but I'm pretty suspicous her momma was jumpin the fence. I llike to let Paigy stay up later than the wild bunch so she still gets some personal attention. Paigy likes to read the Bible with me, and her understanding is amazing. My newborn is Reagan Valentine, and she is doing great. She was born with a lesser developed foot, but its catching up nicely. My wife, Michelle, does an amazing job attending to the important stuff and identifying the unimportant stuff.

Brad S- those are all interesting names. But what is Paigy's middle name?

Brad, let us know if you got a black eye over that "fence jumping" comment. LOL You and your wife picked some pretty cool names, but I especially like the name Reagan Valentine. Our boy has the same name as a little town west of Valentine, (and no, it isn't "Kilgore") Cody.