Thinking Thursday #1 -or- Great Reads for Older Kids

I have always loved reading. I was that kid who would turn the lights back on after my parents thought I was asleep so that I could keep reading. I was that kid who would wake up in the middle of the night with the lights on and a book on my face. I was that kid who read Moby Dick in junior high just because I wanted to (and I hated it, but that's beside the point).

I am still a ravenous reader. I am generally reading two or three books at a time, or if I'm really into them, I can read two or three books a week. So it was only natural that I would start a book club when I needed some more social interaction.

The book club started out reading kids books (middle reader through young adult). I chose this age group mainly so that we wouldn't have to worry too much about adult content, but also because there are a lot of great kid books out there.

So for my first edition of "Thinking Thursday," I present some great reads for older kids. Enjoy!

Classics

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Surprisingly, Peter Pan led to the best book club discussion so far. We're all familiar with the Disney version of the story, so it was interesting to read the original and to see that it is not so innocent as we thought. My favorite moment from our group's discussion was when another book clubber gasped, "Wait! Peter Pan is not real?!" I hate to spoil it for you if you haven't read it, but no, Peter Pan is not real.






A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

You might be hard-pressed to get a boy to read this book after seeing the title, but it is a wonderful book for any child. Granted, Sarah is a little too perfect, perhaps, but I think that reading about her struggles can help children to feel empathy and to see that goodness is generally rewarded in the end. It could also work to teach your kids that not all adults are trustworthy.







Science Fiction

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Probably better for older readers (junior high or high school), Ender's Game is a superbly written book. Not only does it spark the imagination with its descriptions of our world and technology in the future, but it makes the reader think about right and wrong. Is the end a justification for the means we use to get there?





The Giver by Lois Lowry

Another dystopian future awaits a reader in this thought-provoking book. This could lead to some great discussions with older kids about why it is important to remember the past and learn from it... as well as the importance of having hope.






{Linked on The Girl Creative}