We have so many favorite books that it was impossible to fit them all in one post! Here are some more of our favorite chapter books for boys, and here is part 1 if you missed it.

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Aidan enjoys reading books about history, and was excited when some friends of ours introduced us to the Childhood of Famous Americans series. So far, Aidan has read about Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, and Sacagawea, and there are many more in the series! These books are fictionalized biographies, meaning that fictional conversations and details are added to make the stories “come alive.” However, the books are faithful to the historical time period and the person about which they are written.

One benefit of reading good books is that they give kids new ideas for things to play. After reading about Davy Crockett, Aidan was running around in his coonskin cap, all inspired about being a frontiersman. He told me the other day that he would like to be Davy Crockett when he grows up!

Another series in the same vein is the “…If You Grew Up With” series. Aidan received “…If You Grew Up with George Washington” and “If You Lived with the Sioux Indians” from my brother as a birthday gift. We have really enjoyed both of these books! The Sioux Indian book also provided ideas for how to play with Aidan’s Indian figures (which are also Sioux). These books do not tell a story, but instead answer questions about how the person (or people group) lived, worked, and went to school, etc.

What favorite book list is complete without Beverly Cleary? Aidan read Henry and Ribsy as part of his Sonlight curriculum this year, and then read The Mouse and the Motorcycle just for fun. He received two more Henry books for Christmas, and devoured those in days! I especially like the Henry books because I like the boys to read about active kids – kids who go fishing and build clubhouses… come to think of it, I wonder if that is where the clubhouse idea came from? He had just read Henry and the Clubhouse when they started on it! Aidan also wishes that he could have a paper route like Henry!

After watching the new Ramona and Beezus movie, Aidan and I are now reading all of the Ramona books (my copies from the 1980’s!). We’re having a race to see who can read all six of them first – we are tied at 2 1/2 books each!

Lastly, one that we just finished reading as part of our Sonlight curriculum (as a read-aloud) – The Cricket in Times Square. I wasn’t sure if we would like this one or not, but it was well written and very entertaining! The story is about a cricket from Connecticut who finds himself in a subway station in New York City (after inadvertently hitching a ride in a picnic basket!) He becomes the pet of a boy whose family owns a newsstand in the subway station. The cricket brings fame to the unsuccessful newsstand when he begins to play classical music with his chirping! Engaging story and very mild content. And, this was officially the first chapter book that Gresham (age 4) lasted through!

We’ll share more favorite chapter books as we run across them, and I’m planning to post about favorite picture books soon!

What are your favorite children’s books?

Linked to Works for Me Wednesday

6 Comments

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  1. Holly Feb 22, 2011

    Another great list. Thank you for posting!

    Reply
  2. thefarmerfiles Feb 23, 2011

    I remember The Cricket in Times Square when I was little, though I never read it. I remember it as a boy book. ;) I am going to request this at our library. I am sure my older two boys will LOVE this story. They loved Eve Bunting's The Christmas Cricket.....totally different, simple Christmas picture book.

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  3. Sherry Feb 23, 2011

    Love the biographical ones! My son loves those kind of books.

    Wow, I read "The Cricket in Times Square", when I was a child. :)

    Reply
  4. 'Becca Feb 24, 2011

    Thanks for this great list! It gives me some new ideas for my son, who's 6 and just learning to read for himself but loves to hear us read aloud. Right now I'm reading him Tom Sawyer, which is a GREAT book for boys but is somewhat scary (I hadn't read it in years and forgot that Tom and Huck witness a murder!!) and includes boys smoking, sneaking out at night, and other undesirable behaviors--inspires lots of moral reasoning conversations!

    Here are some of our favorite chapter books.

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    1. Sarah Feb 24, 2011

      I'm glad you mentioned that - I was thinking of reading Tom Sawyer with him soon! Maybe we'll save that for when he's older!

      Reply
  5. Chris Shaver Feb 25, 2011

    The Boxcar Kids is missing from that list. Wonderful classic. I can't believe I never read A Cricket on Times Square!

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    1. Sarah Feb 25, 2011

      Oh, we love the Boxcar Children books! They are actually on my first list of chapter books!
      Part 1

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  6. Lori @ The Davidson Den Feb 27, 2011

    I agree with all of these!! My son does Sonlight, too, so we read some of these because of the curriculum. Most enjoyable, I must say!! (We also LOVED Red Sails to Capri!!!) The Abe Lincoln book is similar to another one we read last summer about the Wright Brothers. I recommend that one, too! Very inspiring and interesting story. I'll have to check out your Part 1 now. :)

    (Over from WFMW...)

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