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Summer Reading: Help a Mini-MavenJune 24, 2008 Yesterday I took the younger Mini-Maven to our local children's independent bookstore in the late afternoon. She was hoping for a specific book in a specific series that they didn't have, and when she discovered it wasn't there, her face fell and all my readerly empathy engaged. The upshot? Instead of buying one book, we bought six.The clerk who helped us was beaming by the time we got to the register, and not just because we were the sale of the day. "I'm so excited; you're the first customers today I've been able to help choose books," she said. "It's why I wanted to work at a bookstore." I know it's sad that there weren't more customers yesterday, and I could certainly go on about the fate of small, independent bookstores. But you've heard that all before. Instead, I want to be grateful for a clerk who not only got up and helped my daughter, but listened to my daughter's likes and dislikes and found her a stack of books that made her so excited, she came home and showed them to her older sister. The elder Mini-Maven's face lit up when she saw a Sarah Dessen. "I've read that, it's really good!" she cried. Happy families may all be alike, but this happy and imperfect family has its own way of bonding -- through books. This morning, Younger MM burst into the room where I sit typing this and said "Mom! Guess what! I finished A Wrinkle in Time!" I said, "Will you read A Wind in the Door?" She thought for a moment, then answerd, "I think I'll choose something from the books we bought yesterday, first." My question for you today: what books would you recommend for a truly avid 10-year-old reader? (Calling Alison Morris! Paging Diane Roback!) Posted by Bethanne Patrick on June 24, 2008 | Comments (18)
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Lauren Lanza commented: <i>The Mysterious Benedict Society</i> and its sequel. She'll love the hook.
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Julianne Daggett commented: The "Warriors" series by Erin Hunter is very good and comes in three distinct arcs "Warriors", "Warriors: The New Prophecy", and "Warriors: The Power of Three". The three authors that are collectively Erin Hunter are also coming out with a new series called "Seekers". Also "The Books of Ember" series is really good. And the first book, "The City of Ember" has been made into a movie and will come out in theaters in October and by the look of the previews, which you can find online, it looks pretty good.
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Meredith Schwartz commented: The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper -- they were some of my favorites as a kid and at 34 they still are. And the Wizard of Earthsea trilogy by Ursula LeGuin.
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven RICH RENNICKS commented: The Ven Polypheme series by Elizabeth Haydon is fantastic. The first book, The Floating Island, has been one of my best handsells for the past couple of years -- I haven't heard a negative report yet. The two other books in the series (Thief Queen's Daughter -- avail now -- and Dragons Lair -- out in July or Aug) can be read as complete standalones, and are both fun and inventive. <p>
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Barb S. commented: The reading group I'm in tries to read at least one children's/young adult novel a year. Books we've enjoyed: "Stargirl" (Jerry Spinelli), "Hatchet" (Gary Paulsen), "When Zachary Beaver Came to Town" (Kimberly Willis Holt), "Walk Two Moons" (Sharon Creech), and "Holes" (Louis Sachar).
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Maureen Palacios commented: How about "Higher Power of Lucky" by Susan Patron, long ago gems but still fun "Singing Tree" & "Good Master" by Kate Seredy, time travel"The Seems: Glitch in Sleep" by Wexler/Hulme and the fantastic "Howl's Moving Castle" by Diana Wynn Jones.
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Carol McCarthy commented: I know this is going to sound old fashioned... but really, I'm only 25 so there is some young resonance. When I was MM's age, I LOVED Anne of Green Gables and Laura Ingles Wilder. The Chronicles of Narnia are a no-brainer, but also try the classics... 2,000 Leagues Under the Sea (or anything else by Jules Verne). I appreciate a young girl who isn't obsessed with princesses and fairies. Keep up the good reading!
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Pam commented: The Westing Game...the Blue Balliet books...and for more old fashioned fun, Lenora Mattingly Weber books (they were old when I read them in the late 70s but I loved them!)
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Erin commented: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Stewart, Dear Dumb Diary for LOL fun, Painting the Wind by Pam Ryan--a girl and horses=perfect combo. For adventure, try the Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins or Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom. There's also Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck--totally awesome!
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Bethanne commented: Oh, you are all fantastic! I'd completely forgotten about Dark Is Rising. I did manage to foist All-of-A-Kind Family on her. She's dubious, but it was one of my favorites as a child, so I thinkt the foisting is worth it. I'm making a list now...
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Rebecca P. commented: I would recommend "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" and "Jennifer, Hecate, MacBeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth." "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" was another a favorite of mine.
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Liz Mills commented: I would highly, highly recommend "Inkspell" by Cornelia Funke. It's the first in a series and it's spellbinding (pun intended!).
June 24, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven ShelfTalker commented: Well I'll certainly rise to this challenge, Bethanne, since you've specifically beckoned to me for advice! The commenters who beat me to the punch have all come up with great suggestions. To theirs I would add Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, the Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen, So B. It by Sarah Weeks, The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, Pish Posh by Ellen Potter, Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff, Shug by Jenny Han, The Liberation of Gabriel King by K. L. Going, Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine (a fabulous non-fiction read), Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach, Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R. L. LaFevers, Darby by Jonathon Scott Fuqua, Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko, The Mulberry Project by Linda Sue Park, and (wow...) so many more! I view it as a very GOOD thing that so many of us find it harder to STOP listing great books for girls in this age group than to find books worth listing in the first place. And I'm glad that the bookseller at your local independent bookstore was struck by the same "problem" (which is anything but)!
June 25, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven AVB commented: Princess Ben or any books by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
June 27, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Beauregard commented: "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler". Loved it.
June 27, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Anne Fay commented: Go Mini-Maven! I had a list but then I saw it was exactly what Rebecca P listed! Have a great time at camp MM.
July 18, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven THE ARMARIUM PRESS commented: I see lots of favorites on this list and have just one to add: I not only loved Island of the Blue Dolphins at Mini-Maven's age, but my brother and I acted out the story with our own myriad variations one entire summer around my parents pool, with river rocks as the food staple abalone and our fox terrier playing the part of one of the ferocious wolves. (Save the sequel until she's a little older though.) Happy Reading, Mini-Maven!
July 22, 2008
In response to: Summer Reading: Help a Mini-Maven Kay commented: The Patricia C. Wrede quartet that starts with Dealing with Dragons is fantastic (clever, fun, and strong female lead). I would also suggest anything by Tamora Pierce, she's long been my favorite author. For the younger Mini-Maven, I would say start her with the Circle of Magic quartet, the main characters are all about 10 years old and the story is beyond wonderful.
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