Reading Lists 2014

Now for the new item in my homeschool plans I am most excited about... reading lists!!  In the past, I have always encouraged my kids to read quality books, and they do quite well.  I read aloud to them almost every day.  At times, I have given one of them a book and told them, "You are going to read this!"  Most times they end up enjoying it; once in a while, not so much.

However, I have never made a written, planned list of required reading for any of them.  Until now!!

I started out intending to select about six books for each child.  Well, that list got out of control so fast!  I finally managed to trim the list down to about ten per child, with a bit more than that for Ellie because some of her books are quite simple and she is a really good reader.  They may not be able to complete all ten this year, but you never know until you try!  Many of these books are ones I have read before; the rest have been recommended by reliable sources.  Of the books that are new to me, I hope to find the time to read them along with the kids.

So without further ado.... The Lists.

*Marian (strong reader, 8th grade)*

Mary Slessor: Missionary Mother

Behind Rebel Lines

Twenty-One Balloons

The Singing Tree

The Endless Steppe

Number the Stars

If I Perish

Red Scarf Girl

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

The Phantom Tollbooth

*Andrew (a-bit-reluctant-but-good reader, aka typical boy, 6th grade)*

David Livingstone (by Sam Wellman)

Shades of Gray

Old Yeller

The Singing Tree

Misty of Chincoteague

I am David

Lassie, Come Home

Hatchet

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

*Ellie (strong reader, 3rd grade)*

Abraham Lincoln: A Photobiography

Thee, Hannah

Meet Kirsten (if time allows)

Meet Addy (if time allows)

Shipwrecked (by Rhoda Blumberg)

Anastasia's Album

Sarah, Plain and Tall

Meet Kit

A Penny for a Hundred

Molly Learns a Lesson (if time allows)

Charlotte's Web

Cricket in Times Square

The Secret Garden

 After reading each book, the kids will write a short summary of the story and complete some sort of creative project relating to the book.  For example, each list starts with a biography.  The project for this will be a picture collage and, if they would like, one or two quotes from the person studied.

For most of the books, I will let them choose what creative project they would like to do.  Ideas for these projects include...

a comic strip or newspaper article, 

a diorama or triorama (!!), 

a lapbook or shapebook, 

a movie poster, 

a diary entry, 

a paper doll figure for the character(s), 

a Venn diagram, 

a story map, 

a mobile, 
a collage,

a wordsearch or crossword puzzle, 

a cereal box book report, 

a main character body book report, 

or an art project which integrates key words from the story.

That's the plan for our reading this year!  I would love to hear about other homeschooler reading lists, or if you would like to weigh in on any books in our lists, that would also be welcome!

Linking up with Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers