Hi! My daughter is in kindergarten and LOVES to read. She is very advanced academically, started reading at 3.5, and now reads at the 4th grade level. It's hard to find books at her level that are still good for a 5 yr. old! She is into animals, nature, art, and is really creative and imaginative. I am looking for book suggestions or a nice series set for Christmas. Something at her level but still age appropriate...THANK YOU!!
The Sisters Grimm series
The Mysterious Benedict Society series
RedWall by Brian Jacques (I read this series when I was a kid and LOVED it. The book cover design is different now. It is about animals).
The Books Of Elsewhere series
- none of these books are "teenager-y" nor inappropriate.
Also, go to the Scholastic website to search for books. Which you can do by grade level and age.
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/
Junie B Jones books, Barbie Junior novels, Magic Treehouse books, There are also a series of puppy books (I forgot the name, but they're short chapter books - and there are a series of horse books too)
Wanted to add (to the previous great responses you have) that science books can be wonderful. It doesn't all have to be stories and fiction.
My daughter's favorite thing to read when she was in K4 (she was advanced also) was her older brother's science text books. She loved telling me how plants grow from a seed, and any other kind of basic science that was presented. She also loved reading things like "how to train your dog" and would read read read and then practice on our dog. LOL
I can imagine it's tough to find appropriate books. My girls have always read a couple of grades ahead and that's hard enough but Kinder to 4th level is a huge stretch. Get ready for her to start adult novels early. My oldest was reading my own books in sixth grade.
I agree with going a little old school. Books by Roald Dahl, EB White, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Wizard of OZ, Alice in Wonderland, Narnia series and Beverly Cleary (Mouse and the Motorcycle books are adorable).
Sadly so many books for kids these days are sort of lame. My girls just skipped over a lot of the books for 1st-3rd graders. Not very deep and too much cutesy language and rhyming.
Oh, I love these kinds of questions! I'm a former early childhood/parent educator and love books, so I have a few suggestions. Here goes:
*The Bonjour Babar Series by Jean De Brunhoff. I was into these books when I was her age. They are about a family of French elephants who are a royal family, and their exploits. The books (and there are 5 or 6 or them) were published in the 1930's.
* Any of the E.B White books like Stuart Little, Trumpet of the Swan and Charlottes Web. You may need to read them to her but she might enjoy them.
* Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or James and the Giant Peach by Shel Silverstein.
Another suggestion is to go to your library and ask the children's librarian and see what suggestions she might come up with.
Have fun!
Try the Warriors series. The main characters are cats.
E.B. White books
Betsy and Tacy series
American Girl books
Boxcar Children
The Trouble with Chickens and its sequel
Little House on the Prairie series
Encyclopedia Brown series
Cam Jansen series
Mercy Watson series and other books by Kate DiCamillo
Ivy and Bean series
Lily and the Pirates
Books by Vivian Vande Velde (most of them)
Johanna Hurwitz books
Ellray Jakes series
Sarah Plain and Tall series and other book by Patricia MacLachlan
Mousenet
Night Fairy
Young Fredle
Yay for gifted readers; hooray!
My son loved the Magic Tree House, Secrets of Droon, and Beast Quest series in kindergarten.
The American Girl books (not the dolls, the books) are also lovely. My son would have loved an American Boy series if such a thing existed.
If those are too basic for her, what about the Laura Ingalls Wilder books? There are one or two passages, in the whole series, that don't align well with contemporary political sensibilities, but honestly, those should be springboards for a smart, important, fascinating discussion, not a reason not to read them. Aside from that (and these passages are very brief), they're entirely age-appropriate.
Another great series might be the Wizard of Oz books -- not just the Wizard of Oz itself, the whole series.
As is the Chronicles of Narnia, which my son devoured this past summer.
Though I somehow never read them as a kid, the Enid Blyton books are also supposed to be wonderful.
For when she's just a teeny bit older, the Anne of Green Gables series is also wonderful. I think it might be a grade level or two ahead of where she is now, but content-wise, they'll give you no trouble at all.
the box car children
babysitters club little sisters
Little House on the Prairie
Her teacher should have LOTS of suggestions, and the school or public children's librarian is another great resource as well.
Good suggestions so far. My daughter also was reading very early and it is tough for parents to balance appropriate content with content that will keep early readers interested and challenged.
The recommendations below are good but also don't forget NONfiction books! If she likes animals and nature, there are tons of great nonfiction books in your library's juvenile section -- go let her look at them and choose some! Same goes for art -- there are some good kids' books about lives of the artists and plenty of books with art project ideas. Take her to the local library weekly and let her sit and sit and look at books.
Be sure to meet and talk to the children's librarian at your local library! This is what they love to do -- help you and your daughter find books. The children's librarian will be delighted to help you.
Also if she is in kindergarten this year, e-mail the school librarian for help and better yet - volunteer in the school library regularly and you will learn a LOT about kids' books and you can help her choose better and faster! I volunteered in our elementary school library for four years and could identify books I thought my daughter would like. Plus you get to help the school!
I would add one caution -- the Junie B. Jones books (a) may be a bit basic if she's a really advanced reader, as I think they are for younger than 4th grade readers, and (b) are disliked by many parents I know, including me, because the main character is unpleasantly sassy (and uses words like "stupid" that we and other households don't like). Some parents find these books a funny hoot and cute, and others just don't, so take a look before handing her one and see what you think.
The Doll People series by Ann M. Martin is fantastic. Also the Toys Go Out series by Emiky Jenkins and Paul Zalinsky. Both are about your toys that come to life when you are sleeping or not around. I think the Toys Go Out books may be a little shorter and slightly easier than the Doll People books, but both are big chapter books.
The Just Grace series is cute too.
Updated
The Doll People series by Ann M. Martin is fantastic. Also the Toys Go Out series by Emiky Jenkins and Paul Zalinsky. Both are about your toys that come to life when you are sleeping or not around. I think the Toys Go Out books may be a little shorter and slightly easier than the Doll People books, but both are big chapter books.
The Just Grace series is cute too.
When I was in 1st grade I would go to the Bookmobile that visited the parking lot by my house every other week. I would check out books for 4th and 5th graders. There are a lot of books out there any age kiddo would like.
Consider finding a series that is a lot of fun.
Girl loved these books
Pinkalicious series
Little House on The Prairie
Amelia Bedelia
Junie B Jones
Arthur series, they also have some harder books, chapter books.
Katie Kazoo, these were so much fun! For a younger reader in my opinion.
Encyclopedia Brown too.
Here's a link that I like. You simply backspace where it says the grade and put in the one you want and you get a different list.
http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/1st-grade-books
I had the same issue with my daughter, and it can be difficult if she's not ready for some issues. You know your daughter's maturity level. Here are some books my daughter enjoyed.
The Magic Tree House (series)
Charlotte's Web
The Secret Garden
The Mouse and The Motorcycle
You may want to check out these authors
Roland Dahl
Beverly Cleary
What about Dealing with Dragons? Judy Moody? Anne of Green Gabels? Little House on the Prairie?
My 2nd grader really likes the J.J Tully Mystery series by Doreen Cronin. Unfortunately, there are only two books to date. I hope she's working on more! The books are mysteries involving animals on the farm being solved by a dog These are by the same author as the Click-Clack-Moo, Cows that Type series - which is also a great series.
Anyway, they are very cute books, and I have heard some giggles and guffaws from him while he's reading it.
We have the same issue, but for a grade 1 boy. We just discovered the Encyclopedia Brown series. Each chapter is a "case" that challenges the observation (and reading comprehension) skills of the reader, yet the subjects are (so far - he is one book 2 of a long series) tame.
I have the same thing going on here. My daughter is reading Anne of green gables. She also just devoured the new ivy and bean book.
She read the never girl series in one afternoon---she loved it.
She reads a lot of science and math books.
Usborne makes some great illustrated readers--Greek myths, Shakespeare, etc. my daughter loved those.
All the books on the Charlotte Mason reading list are fantastic classics and listed by grade level. This side has grade links to left in green
http://www.amblesideonline.org/04bks.shtml
Beverly Cleary's Ramona books
Junie B Jones books
If you want to read books to her and want something a little more difficult, you might try some Nancy Drew books. I'm reading the Hardy Boys books with my son. They are a little beyond his reading level, which makes them perfect for us to read together.
Be careful of Judy Blume books. My son was reading the Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing series in 1st grade and loved them - but I didn't pre-read them and had no idea that in one of the books, she gives away the Santa secret until it was too late.
ADDED: Oh - another poster mentioned the magic treehouse books. My son LOVED those last year when he was in 1st grade. They are great because the kids in the story travel in space and time, and learn about all kinds of things (and so the reader learns about those things too). He's finished them all now :(
Cam Jansen series by David Adler
Arthur Chapter Books by Marc Brown
Boxcar Children
Ramona and many other Beverly Cleary
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and the other Fudge books are fine for this age, though many other Judy Blume books are not
Nonfiction books about animals, nature, art and more
Little House on the Prairie series
Ivy and Bean series
Charlotte's Web
Remember, even though she can read at a higher level doesn't mean she can't enjoy the stories for younger kids. You also need to make sure she is truly comprehending what she reads. Lots of kids can read the words but don't always grasp the full meaning if they are reading books designed for a higher grade level.
