Many books being put out right now that are geared towards older children and young adults alike are filled with magic, dating, the "parents are stupid" mentality, animal-human morphism (evolution, anyone?), bad language... shall I go on?It is for this reason that my mother has searched high and low for wholesome and moral books, and even has made one of our storage rooms into a library to hold them all. To make sure the things she's bringing in are consistent with our family values, every book or series that she isn't familiar with, or isn't sure about, is first quickly run by Dad. If he thinks it might be good, it is then given to me. I read it, tell Mom my opinion, and it either goes into it's correct place in our library, or off to some needy person on Paperback Swap. This system seems to work for us, and has resulted in about six full-to-the-brim book cases of good books!
We have recommended books and gleaned from other's searches with about every family with children we have gotten to know. It's been a large blessing, and of course it's always fun to discuss a book you've read with someone else who has read it too. So, I've decided to share with you our favorites for all different ages. I've put them in categories according to approximate ages I think they're good for, for reading on your own, but play around with it a little. Many of the preteen/teen books are great as read alouds.
Children
The Boxcar Children Series by Gertrude Chalendar Warner. About the adventures of a sibling group of four.
The Cam Jansen Series by David A. Alder. All mysteries in which a girl with a photographic memory ("Cam") solves.
The Dear America series put out by Scholastic. Fictional "diaries" of young girls in different times in America's history.
Her Magesty, Grace Jones by Jane Langton. I read this one out loud to Creative Genius who thought it was absolutely hilarious.
Clancy's Cabin by Margaret Mahy. About some siblings who get to "live" in a cabin on their own for a bit.
All books by Beverley Cleary. I used to looove these! Funny books mostly about a few different children all in the same neighborhood.
Childhood of Famous Americans published by Aladdin Books. A series about, well, famous Americans.
The Moody Family Series by Sarah Maxwell. Very encouraging books about a conservative family's every day life. Great for the whole family!
Preteen/Teen
The American Adventure Series published by Barbour. Many different Christian mini series about different families "way back when".
Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff. About a young girl living in the US during WW2 who learns to look at her life in a different way.
The Reel Kids Adventures by Dave Gusaveson. A series about a few missionary kids who travel around the world making videos.
The Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene and the Hardy Boy Mysteries by Franklin W. Dixon. These are ones that I've often found myself still reading at midnight! Warning: Nancy and the Hardy Boys do go on occasional dates with friends, but they are usually with other couples and there is never any infatuation talked about whatsoever, kissing, etc.
The Mandie Books by Lois Gladys Leppard. All about a Christian girl in the early 1900's.
The Cooper Kids Adventure Series by Frank Peretti. Christian mysteries that are always very interesting!
The historical character books put out by American Girl. This is a large series consisting of books about girls in the seventeen to nineteen hundreds. However, since American Girl was bought by Disney, they have put out a couple of new series which you might have to read over before putting them up for free taking (be on the lookout for feminism, etc.)
The Sugar Creek Gang series by Paul Hutchens. About a group of boys and their adventures. My eleven year old brother loves these.
Follow My Leader by James B. Garfield. A book about a boy and his transition to life not being able to see, after being blinded by a firework.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. I read this book a few months ago and found it very interesting. About a girl who gets left behind on an island by herself.
Christian Heroes: Then and Now put out by Youth With a Mission. A large series about the lives of "heroes" of our faith.
Wait For Me, Watch for Me, Eula Bee by Patricia Beatty. I cried at this book when I read it a while back! About a boy and his sister who are captured by Indians.
The Royal Diary Series published by Scholastic. You've got to kind of filter through these, as some are a bit inappropriate, but are mostly good fictional diaries "written by" young ladies who were all royal in some way or another. I really enjoyed these for a long time. I've read all the ones I could find!
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Now, as you can see I'm a bit starved on high reading level, but also appropriate books. I need some thoughts on this! Anyone have any good book recommendations for young adults? I'd love to hear them! Hopefully the books I've shared will help your family. :)
11 comments:
Thank you for posting this! It was truly interesting to read! I've heard of most of the books that you've mentioned...I, even as a teen, still enjoy the Dear America journals. :) I would like to make a couple comments on the American Girl books, though. The American Girl company has started supporting abortion. Every dollar that you pay to them for anything from their company, goes toward abortion clinics. So, I would advise that if you DO want to read their books, to borrow them from the library - if at all. I just thought you'd like to know that. Also, did you hear that The Hardy Boys books were written by Carolyn Keene as well...but that she used a different pen name so that they would sell better? I don't know how much of that is true, but I heard it from a girl that I know. Okay...this turned out to be more than just a "thought"! :) Thanks again for putting this posting up!
God bless,
~Miss Raquel
You must have really done a lot of work for this post. I know that many moms are on the look out for new books to read or give their children to read. I think I'll link up! :)
I personally enjoy Jane Austen. They have helped shape my understanding of a gentleman, although you have to make sure that you don't become overly romantic while you're reading. Charles Dickens is also generally a good bet: I'm reading his book Little Dorrit at the moment. You've probably read So Much More. Another good one is the Peacemaker: Student Edition. It helps you bring peace to your conflicts.
Also Elsie Dinsmore! Jordan Loves these! Thanks for posting these!
Theresa~ Ohhh yes. Elsie is one of my favorites!
Raquel~ No, I don't think I heard about AG supporting abortion. Thanks for the heads up! We have found most of ours at second hand stores, almost all of them in the form they were in when published by the Pleasant Company (my personal favorite way they were written), but we'll keep your thought in mind. Thank you!
Did you know that Carolyn Keene isn't even a person? It's a pen name for many different authors. I'm not sure if that's the same with the Hardy Boys, but I'm guessing so. :)
Serenity
I know how hard it is to find books for young children, especially young ladies. Have you read any books from the Anabaptist Bookstore? They are mostly Mennonite type books, but you certainly don't have to worry about taboo subjects. We have several. You would probably only have to explain doctrinal teachings, as theirs may differ from yours.
http://www.anabaptistbooks.com/cgi-bin/bkstore/perlshop.cgi
Jane Austen is a must. I just read St. Elmo, really good. All Gene Stratton-Porter books. A blog that I read that has alot of good sugestions in Young Ladies Christian Fellowship. Enjoy!
Do you like biographies? I recommend "Evidence Not Seen" by Darlene Deibler Rose.
Wow! I have read bunches of these! (Cam Jansen, Royal Diaries and American Adventure, American Diaries, Boxcar Children, Mandie, the Moody Family series (those are the best!), the older American Girl books (hmm, didn't know they were bought out by Disney, no wonder their look has changed!), Christian heroes then and now (those are great!)....I used to read all of those! =:D
I wanted to thank you for the interview you did on the Botkin sisters! You really asked some great questions from them! I greatly enjoyed it and when I do my review on their DVD "The Return of the Daughters", I will link to the interview and your blog! =:D
Blessings!
~Rachel~
hey,just found ur blog..i like it.:) I read some of those books b4. i like also the In Grandma's Attic series,foxes book of martyrs,the iron mask,count of monte cristo,the Laura Ingalls wilder series,The Rose series(i don't like some of the books about her life as she gets older,though cause she get in2 like u know women's rights, etc)the Bible,etc,etc. oh and the hardy boys and nancy drew were written by franklin dixon he used the penname carolyn keene cause he thought i guess it was 2 girly 2 put his name 2.Well i'll be back,
God Bless,
Annie W.
I love Nancy Drew and The Royal Diaries Series! :D True, some of them may be a bit inappropriate, as you might say, but I love the others. I just can't stop reading until I finish the whole book! Good choice! :)
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