Last summer I bought 45 books which were devoured in the first few weeks. The children are AVID readers and keeping up can be problematic at times. They are using their hour quiet time to read through their history books to get a head start on the crusades for next term. I’ll share those at a later date, in my crusades posts. They also read for an hour or so before bedtime and for the same in the morning if they’re up early enough. I asked around, and whilst I’m not that keen on them reading books from the same author (last summer all 45 books were from different authors), I am running out of options. Gary is beginning to tell everyone that the reason we’re trying to pay off our mortgage is so we can buy a small holding to house our books! So without further ado here are the books our children are reading this summer:
Redwall series: All three of my older children enjoy this series, of which they already had read a few. I managed to get the rest of the series for 1p a piece from Amazon.
Love Comes Softly Series: These are a set of Prairie tales, about one family’s journey to make a life out on the prairie. They have a very strong Christian message, celebrating life, loyalty and love. My girls had already read a few of the series so I bought the rest second-hand from Amazon. They were delighted!
The Sherlock Files: Sherlock’s young relatives discover a notebook containing mysteries he was unable to crack. This series chronicles their efforts to solve the mysteries themselves. Last summer the children read book 1 in this four book series and had loved it, so this summer I bought the next three. These are easy read books, L10 quite literally couldn’t put them down and finished them the day we got them!
The Rani Adventures: This set of books was recommended to us. I believe it is autobiographical about the author’s life in the jungles of Peru. They look so good, I’m fairly certain they will find their way into my bath time reading!
With all their Crusader reading as well as Little House rereads, I’m hopeful we’ll have enough to keep them busy over the summer. If anyone has any great books to recommend, please feel free to, I’d be ever so grateful!
Wow! Honestly sounds like our apartment. For my teen anyway. I only have two children so the load is lighter…I have some fantastic ideas for you: …first, remember we don’t have a ‘PC’ they take up lots of space and hydro, until last nite ;( we HAD a laptop and 3 hand held Apple devices: 2– ipad2’s Less Space, an expensive start up maybe $600-800 (these were all I got from the separation) anyways here’s the benefits now. Handheld basically means less space take up. From our convos of the past your home is smaller (we live in 2bd best apt so understood). These would be perfect. Our day cares have JUST been facilitated with these as well. Other options are the blackberry play ook and the ipad minim which might just cap out at around $600. Inside them is a wonder world of storage and learning. Each one can store tens of thousands of BOOKS!!!! FREE books, series books, on line books, etc! This is why we had invested in the first place. My daughter eats a good, full, expensive history book, AN AFTERNOON a day! They were an option when purchased…now, if they’re out of the question here’s what we do (now): go to the library. Our children’s membership can take out 50 books at a time. We go once a month and its perfect timing for LO to be bored. Check the library for $0.25 tables, ask them when if they will have a Book Sale!?! Join their website: ours has links to free on line reading books, some with verbal for youngsters and some self reading!!! Also, for the older ones try this please, you WON’T be disappointed: StoryBird.com !!kids adults can illustrate, write, share or just enjoy the reads of others created books from their website. FREE to JOIN! Also, ask your local doctors office (obviously need a wipe down but we’ve down it!) for any of their resources for free books, some community centers give away BOXES AND BOXES of Books Free each month becuz there’s an overwhelming donation of them. AND last here they’re called Food Banks–a place where any family can go with children, for food donations, but, they do often get books donations or will know where to get them. Call them first. And actually, your local churches too XOXOX hope this opens up a whole new world of books to you all xox loves and hugs jeanine
Our library is fantastic for book sales. My husband has been trying to convince me of the benefits of a kindle but I really do think I’d miss the pages of a book too much. I rather like being surrounded by books, they are very comforting!
Yes i Totally agree! We got the ipad when my teen was 12 becuz she liked it then. It really was a novelty thing though. NOW, even She prefers a real book and im back to spending upwards of $20.00 each book ;( at our library, the good books are always out
Some of my children have been really avid readers too. Redwall has been very popular here.
“Lord of the forest” by BB is the history of a Sussex oak tree and brings together history, natural history and some beautiful illustrations. I think it is out of print but I brought our copy, second hand on Amazon, for very little. An excellent book.
Douglas Bond’s Crown and Covenant series appeals to boys-I’ve only seen the first three. His Mr Pipes books are also worth reading although there are a few mistakes about English culture.
Piet Prins books aren’t very easy to get hold of here but are ideal for boys. Let me know if you would like to borrow the Sentinel series about the Second World War.
G.A. Henty books are available on line. We’ve found that the first few books are appreciated but then interest drops as the plots tend to be quite similar. Still, a few might be worth reading.
Old classics like “The silver sword” and “Heidi” but I suspect that they have read these.
Happy reading!
I’m saving the crown and covenant books for when we study that period, but I had forgotten about Mr Pipes. Thank you for the reminder! All ours enjoy a good Henty but I’ve never heard of Piet Prins. I shall have to have a look on Amazon and see if I can get some. Thank you so much for the offer to lend me some, you are very generous!
I’ve just had a look and there are loads. Which ones would you recommend?
We haven’t read all the Piet Prins but have enjoyed the Shadow series which is based in the Netherlands in the Second World War and the Struggle for Freedom series set against the backdrop of the Spanish occupation of the Netherlands.
Thanks Sarah, we’ll check those out!
You guys will love the Rani series. You are so fortunate to have good readers.
I flicked through the Rani series and I think I’m going to enjoy the way he writes in particular. I might have to sneak in a read before the children do!
Tiger likes to go through an entire series or follow an author through. This year’s “craze” has been Edith Nesbit, Roald Dahl, C.S. Lewis, and Anthony Horowitz. He’s starting on Arthur Conan Doyle. Hope that helps.
Happy summer reading!
They’ve read all those authors apart from Horowitz. I thought he wrote for tv? I hadn’t realised he wrote books as well (Duh!) Which ones do you recommend?
Tiger really enjoyed his Myths and Legends series and The Diamond Brothers (detectives) series.
The Love Comes Softly series is wonderful. I will have to try the Sherlock Files for my boys.
I read Love comes Softly when I first became a Christian nearly 20 years ago. It was one set of books I wanted to share with the girls and I’m so pleased they like them as much as I do!
I tend to find an author and read ALL of their books, so I’m puzzling over not wanting to do too many from an author. My shelves are full of Dianna Wynne Jones books right now, I’ve been slowly getting all her books.
And I quite understand loving the feel of real books, but I also love my Nook, it’s been great for travel because I can take my library with me……
When I was a child I got hooked onto Enid Blyton and only read those until I was about 13 when my teacher and mum weaned me onto Judy Blume.. Whilst I have always been an avid reader, it has only been since adulthood that I enjoy a variety of authors and writing styles. I wanted my children to be exposed to as many different writing styles as possible so they would not get stuck on one particular style or genre. Just learning from my own mistakes, I guess!
Some great ideas in your post and the comments – thank you, Claire!