Lately I've been hearing the same question from a lot of parents: "My children have read every book in the house and every book in the library that I know anything about. Could you recommend some good books for them?"
I always recommend a few specific titles or series (Little House, Narnia, Landmarks, etc.), but the most helpful advice I can give is to acquire some of these wonderful books about books—my own favorite guides to choosing books for children.
How to Grow a Young Reader: Books from Every Age for Readers of Every Age by Kathryn Lindskoog and Ranelda Mack Hunsicker (updated & expanded edition, Harold Shaw, 1989). Intersperses heavily annotated book recommendations (over 1,800 titles, divided by genre and topic) and author biographies with thoughtful discussions on topics such as enemies of reading; strategies for family reading; genres such as fantasy, realistic fiction, biography, mystery, humor, poetry, and nonfiction; picture books; religious books; multimedia; and preserving family stories. Includes a substantial amount of literary history. Appendixes include recommended reading for parents and teachers; major awards in children’s literature; great quotations about books for children; and children’s literature resources. Separate indexes of authors and titles.
This treasure appears to be out of print, but a few copies are currently available on Amazon Marketplace. I highly recommend acquiring one while they last!
Books Children Love: A Guide to the Best Children’s Literature by Elizabeth Wilson (Crossway, 1987; revised 2002). Extensively annotated book list based on the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason, with an introduction by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay. Divided into 25 subject areas, arranged alphabetically by author (except for biographies, arranged alphabetically by subject), with suggested grade levels. Literature is divided by age level into three chapters, each subdivided into fables, folk tales, and fairy tales; myths and legends; fantasies; and realistic stories, both modern and historical. Index of titles and authors.
Who Should We Then Read? by Jan Bloom (revised & expanded edition, Books Bloom, 2001). Biographical information and lists of books by over 140 authors; complete lists of books in series such as American Heritage Junior Library, Cornerstones of Freedom, Horizon Caravel, Landmark, Messner biographies, North Star, Signature, We Were There, etc.; and lists of Newbery and Carnegie Award-winners. Also includes tips for book hunting; information on the care and repair of books; a guide to resources about authors; information on history, biography, and fiction, with recommendations for some of the best authors in each area; reading-level suggestions for all ages divided by author and by topic. Spiral-bound for easy use as a reference; tuck it into your purse when book hunting. Available from Books Bloom.
What Should We Then Know? *about constructing, furnishing, maintaining, and enjoying a home library by Jan Bloom (Books Bloom, 2003). Not a book list, but a resource for how and why to build a home library. Includes discussions of the importance of books; the influence of a home library; living books (both fiction and nonfiction); resources for book lovers; booking on the Internet and eBay; tips for book hunting at library sales, flea markets, yard sales, etc.; pricing; storing and displaying books, including detailed instructions for building bookcases; organizing your home library; suggested authors and titles for beginning to build a home library; and a bibliography. Available from Books Bloom.
All through the Ages: History through Literature Guide by Christine Miller (second edition; Nothing New Press, 2001). A compilation of recommended books from 26 sources such as award winners, popular homeschool curricula, and respected book catalogs. The history portion is divided into 25 chronological sections, each with a detailed timeline. Each section is subdivided by 4 reading levels, which are further divided into an overview of the era, specific events, biography, historical fiction, literature, and culture. Individual titles are briefly described; and essays discuss topics such as astronomy and the ancients, difficulties in Egyptian chronology, and the rise of various ancient civilizations. Other sections of the book, also divided by reading level, include geography (divided into 26 regions), history of science and mathematics, history of the arts, great books of Western civilization and the Christian tradition (including History of the Great Discussion, History of Literature, History of Poetry, and History of Drama), bibliography, and index of titles and authors. A tremendous supplementary resource for any history curriculum.
Reprinted from Homeschooling Today (May/June 2004). All rights reserved.
