I know. It's been too long. We've had a bookfair and author visit at school, and at home, we've had a kitchen knife mishap, a totaled car and my bronchitis. Then all the regular things still need to get done. My blog muse has been asleep.
Today I asked the Navigators, our third to sixth graders, what their favorite books were this year. I got a nice little list that might spark some good first ideas for summer reading. I'll ask more classes tomorrow and provide ideas of my own, but here are books the Navigators loved this year:
The Warrior series, by Erin Hunter. "As good as Redwall."
Eragon and Eldest by the young Christopher Paolini.
The Halo books (based on the game). The kids warned there are a few "bad words" in these. My sons liked them, too.
The Silmarillion, by Tolkien, explains the origins of Middle Earth.
Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen. Read the book, then go see the movie.
Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke. Her other recent books, The Thief Lord, Inkheart and Inkspell are great, too.
A Manga book in the Rave Master series.
The Golden Compass, and the other two books in His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman.
And finally four classics!
Farmer Boy, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. The Whole Story Series is a wonderful one, because it adds facts and details in the margins of the classics.
Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt
And absolutely not least, my favorite book of all time: Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White. It's no accident my dog is named Wilbur. Please don't think the cartoon or the upcoming movie can substitute for reading this book. This is one no child should miss. It also has one of the best last lines in literature.
They have pretty good literary taste, those Navigators.
Talk to you soon.
