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HUUmans in the Library: Recommended Reading

The books in the list are ones that one or more of our members have enjoyed or found useful. Links are provided to Amazon.com and other places that might provide more information. We are not recommending purchasing these books; you may want to consider borrowing the ones you find interesting before investing your money and shelf space.


About Homeschooling




Curriculum

  • A really good source for quality books is the Core Knowledge book, Books to Build On by E.D. Hirsch, which lists age/grade appropriate books useful in teaching different subjects. It's a great resource and the local library should have it.

  • Aliki books and Anno's "Magic Counting" books: both great for science and math, and they tell engaging stories,too.

  • Earth Child 2000 Earth Science for Young Children : Games, Stories, Activities, and Experiments by Kathryn Sheehan, Mary Waidner



Reference Books




Kids' Fiction Ages 4-8

  • By Jannell Cannon:
    Stellaluna
    Verdi
    Crickwing

  • By Tommy de Paola:
    His books are very suitable for home RE. They're wonderful, full of magnificently adapted -- and often only lightly adapted, so the original flavor of the stories is retained -- folktales from around the world. His artwork is great, too!
    Bill and Pete books are great for budding Egyptologists!
    I forget the writer at the moment, but there's about three or four of those, the most popular of which, in my 8 year old son's opinion, is Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile. They're a lot of fun and help stimulate a lot of conversation about Egypt and mummies and all those cool things.

  • James Herriot's Treasury for Children by James Herriot

  • By Betty MacDonald:
    Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series
    Wonderful, eccentric woman with magical "cures" for problems
    From Terry: "Each chapter is a story, and are great read-alouds. Kids love them. My family felt that the last one, "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Farm was not as good as the first three."
    Nancy and Plum (Out-of-print)
    Neglected orphans in a home show kindness and resourcefulness and great spirit as they overcome all and find family.
    From Terry: "I highly recommend this! --and it's out of print-- but it was last published by Betty MacDonald's family, and they might still sell them-- I have their address, if you're interested."

  • Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parrish
    Old-time reliables, with wonderful plays on words that my 11 year old still enjoys.

  • By Bill Peet:
    His traditional Disney quality drawings (because he was one of the original Disney artists!) are soft and inviting, and his rhyming stories are great language arts treasures: You get alliteration, meter, rhyme, and great vocabulary usage all in one terrific story.

  • By Cynthia Rylant:
    She writes a lot of easy readers.
    Thimbleberry Stories

  • The Sheep in a Jeep
    Fun for beginning readers (and Moms reading them!)




Kids' Fiction Ages 9-12

  • By Joan Aiken:
    The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
    Adventure as two girls overcome difficulties, including a wicked governess trying to rob them. A thrilling must-read!
    Midnight is a Place (Out-of-print)
    Brave, resourceful children struggle to survive during the industrial revolution

  • By Louisa May Alcott:
    Little Women
    Moving story of four sisters growing up during the American Civil War
    Little Men
    Continues Little Women, grown up and running a school
    Eight Cousins
    Orphan goes to live with her uncles, aunts and cousins.
    Jack and Jill
    Lively children cope with recovery after a sledding accident.

  • By Lynne Reid Banks:
    The Indian in the Cupboard
    From Terry: "These really took over our reading life for as long as it took to read them all. They really hold attention and interest."
    The Return of the Indian
    The Secret of the Indian
    The Mystery of the Cupboard
    The history of the magical cupboard.
    The Fairy Rebel
    A fun story of human-fairy friendship and dangerous angry fairy queen.
    From Terry: "Tessa loved this."
    The Adventures of King Midas
    From Terry: "Tessa and I think it would be a perfect new Disney animation! Great fun."

  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
    These are great reads, and if your child gets hooked on them, they are very plentiful!

  • The Children of Green Knowe series by Lucy Boston
    Lonely boy, coming to live with his eccentric great-grandmother, finds that all children who have ever lived at Green Knowe are still there! Haunting, fascinating stories.

  • By Frances Hodgson Burnett:
    The Secret Garden
    Spring brings garden and children new life
    A Little Princess
    After the loss of her father, girl bravely keeps her pride

  • By Natalie Savage Carlson:
    The Happy Orpheline series (Out-of-print?)
    These orphans are so happy they don't want to be adopted!
    The Family Under the Bridge
    Homeless family's struggles to survive and find a home-heart-warming.

  • Ramona the Pest series by Beverly Cleary
    From Terry: "Great read-alouds. Show understanding of the child's mind. --lots of school experience, but fun reading!"

  • By Anne Colver:
    Bread and Butter Indian (Out-of-print)
    Short chapter books about a pioneer girl's friendship with an Indian.
    From Terry: I read this to a group of 4 and 5 yr. olds and they were enthralled!
    Bread and Butter Journey (Out-of-print)
    Same girl's arduous journey on foot farther West.

  • By Karen Cushman:
    The Midwife's Apprentice
    Abandoned girl in Middle Ages learns from midwife and grows in her self-confidence.
    Catherine, Called Birdy
    Diary of a headstrong girl in Middle Ages--wonderful view of times.
    The Ballad of Lucy Whipple

  • By Roald Dahl:
    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
    Poor boy has a magical adventure in Chocolate Factory
    James and the Giant Peach
    Mistreated orphan joins magical giant bugs and finds happiness
    Danny the Champion of the World
    Matilda
    Misunderstood intellectual child discovers super powers and solves problems

  • By Edward Eager:
    Half Magic
    Magic coin only works at half strength! The main characters in Eager's books are intelligent, book-loving children and their adventures are spellbinding. It is no surprise that Edward Eager appreciated the works of E.Nesbit.
    Magic By the Lake, sequel to Half Magic
    On holiday, children find a magic turtle in the lake
    Seven Day Magic
    Magic book writes adventures as they happen--due back in 7 days!
    Magic or Not?
    Children wishing on a well aren't sure if results are coincidence
    The Time Garden
    Sniffing different types of thyme leads to adventures in time
    Knights Castle
    Adventures in the time of knights -in a model castle

  • By by Monica Furlong:
    Robin's Country
    Abused runaway boy joins Robin Hood's merry band.
    From Terry: "This book held a cabin-full of excited children spellbound, and each night they begged for more! Highly recommended!"
    Wise Child
    Highly recommended!
    Juniper
    Prequel to Wise Child From Terry: "Anika (my middle daughter) loved these so much that she bought her own copies now that she's off at college --since her younger sister is not willing to let them out of the house! (should give you an idea of how much they love these books!)"

  • Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray
    Medieval Times

  • The Finn Family Moomintroll series by Tove Janssen.
    Fun stories of mythical beings in Finland

  • Redwall Series by Brian Jacques

  • By Dick King-Smith:
    From Terry: "Wonderful easy to read novels that are good for the beginning chapter book reader, or for reading aloud."
    Babe
    Pig who becomes a sheep-dog
    Martin's Mice
    A cat who keeps mice as pets!
    Lady Daisy
    This one isn't about an animal! A boy's adventure with a magical doll.
    Invisible Dog
    Girl imagines a dog-or does she?- until she manages to get a real one
    Pretty Polly
    Farm girl teaches a chicken to talk!
    Ace the Very Important Pig

  • By C.S. Lewis:
    Chronicles of Narnia series
    Books from this popular series are often the first chapter books that can be shared with a young child. Fast paced and fascinating, they keep them listening.
    The Magician's Nephew

  • The Diamond in the Window by Jane Langton
    Children solve magical mystery in their dreams. Fun references to Thoreau and Emerson and Louisa May Alcott!
    From Terry: "It is rather spooky-- so Tessa only wanted to have it read to her --and only while snuggled very close! I think this is a series, but I can't find the names of the others! I would love to find these."

  • By Leo Leoni:
    Gentle, thought-provoking and very engaging stories, sort of like parables.
    Frederick
    The Incredible Egg

  • Ella Enchanted (Trophy Newbery) by Gail Carson Levine
    From Terry: "I read this to Tessa and her cousin when we were at Disneyland --well, in the hotel and airport! and we were all so caught up in it that the night we returned home I just kept reading snuggled into bed with them until past 2 in the morning so we could finish it! Gail Carson Levine has a new one out called Cinderellis and the Glass Hill that sounds like another winner.

  • Pippi Longstocking series by Astrid Lingren
    The world's strongest-and zaniest girl! a great strong female heroine and unschooler!
    From Terry: "This is another one my kids listened to as young as three. Great fun!"

  • Secret of the Ruby Ring by Yvonne MacGrory
    Charming time travel and Irish history
    From Terry: "We've read this twice, Tessa loved it so much! --it's aimed at a bit older than the others above. I enjoyed learning something about Irish History!"

  • The Cat Who Escaped from Steerage : A Bubbemeiser by Evelyn Wilde Mayerson
    A nine-year-old's experiences in steerage traveling from Poland to America.

  • Beauty : A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
    From Terry: "Don't let your kids read this without you! I loved it as much as Tessa did."

  • Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
    Everyone's favourite spunky orphan!
    From Terry: "Again, these were among Anika's top choices."

  • By E. Nesbit:
    Five Children and It
    Children find a sand fairy who grants wishes--that never seem to turn out as they'd expected! E.Nesbit's stories are exciting adventures of very true-to-life children, and give a good slice of life in Victorian times.
    From Terry: "My 14 yr. old daughter just asked me to re-read Five Children and It. It's one of those really special books that every childhood needs!"
    The Story of the Amulet
    The same children find a magical amulet and have adventures in time
    The Phoenix and the Carpet Magical phoenix and wishing carpet take same children on adventures
    The Railway Children
    Four children bravely helping their mother cope with father's absence--wonderful, touching story

  • The Borrowers series by Mary Norton
    Little people who live by borrowing our "lost" items

  • By Ethel Johnston Phelps:
    Tatterhood and Other Tales
    Folk tales with strong female characters
    Maid of the North
    More of the same--great reading!

  • The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier
    Children travelling through war-torn Europe, trying to meet their parents in Switzerland.

  • Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker (Out-of-print)
    Two girls escape slavery on Underground Railroad.
    From Terry: "Anika loved this so much when she was six -I was reading it to her older sister and she listened too! -- that she wrote her own version!"

  • By Noel Streatfield:
    Thursday's Child (Out-of-print)
    An orphan girl sets out to find a better life. Fascinating view of life on England's canal boats.
    Far To Go (Out-of-print)
    Sequel
    Ballet Shoes (Out-of-print)
    Unusual family becomes devoted to ballet. Inspiring story for ballet fans!
    The Painted Garden (also known as Movie Shoes) (Out-of-print)
    A girl is cast as "Mary" in a movie of "The Secret Garden" and learns a lot about her own behaviour towards others.

  • All-Of-A-Kind-Family series by Sydney Taylor
    Warm Jewish family life around turn of cent.
    From Terry: "Anika was the one in our family who loved this kind of family-life story --like Little Women, Little House Books and All-of-a-Kind-Family."

  • By Theresa Tomlinson:
    The Forestwife
    Robin Hood tale through Marion's eyes. Moving story of strong women overcoming enormous odds. Fantastic story!
    Child of the May
    Sequel

  • Mary Poppins series by P.L. Travers
    Eccentric, magical nanny changes children's lives.
    From Terry: "I loved these as a child-- but hadn't seen the movie, so it didn't bother me that Mary Poppins was not a lovely young woman! My children loved them too... except for Tessa, who was bothered by the difference between them and Disney. urg."

  • By Barbara Brooks Wallace:
    All of these books have a very "Dickenesque" quality in their plots full of intrigue and twists and co-incidences. --all well-written thrilling adventures and great fun reading.
    Peppermints in the Parlor
    Orphan solves mystery and saves Aunt & Uncle.
    From Terry: "I think I read Peppermints in the Parlor (by Barbara Brooks Wallace) to Tessa when she was about nine or ten. I read it aloud to Tessa and her cousin, who then HAD to buy her own copy. Tessa also had to read this again to herself, and has since had me read it aloud again. Is that enough endorsement?"
    Twins in the Tavern
    Cousins in the Castle
    Sparrows in the Scullery

  • Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
    Warm, if unlikely friendship between pig and spider
    From Terry: "This was the first longer chapter book I read aloud to my kids, and they loved it even as young as three."

  • Hank the Cowdog series
    There's a lot of cowboy vernacular there and it reminds me a lot of Garrison Keilor's "Lefty and Slim" cowboy piece on Prairie Home companion. My 12 year old went through most of the 20 book series twice in the last couple of years, before moving on to the Petsitters Club books, which she now enjoys. I remember we wound up talking about old sayings and living on the range a lot when she was reading the Hank books.



Nonfiction

  • The World's Religions by Huston Smith
    This is an adult comparative religion study, but the UUA has a study guide for it, and it's relatively easy to adapt for children, or so I've found.

  • Circle Round by Starhawk, Diane Baker, Anne Hill

  • Draw Write Now : A Drawing and Handwriting Course for Kids by Marie Hablitzel, Kim Stitzer
    I have to recommend the series, "Draw Write Now," which teaches young children how to draw simple things (Book 1 is farm animals), come up with ideas for filling in the picture with background items, and also provides a handwriting lesson, as they write several sentences about each animal after they draw it.

  • The Kids' Nature Book : 365 Indoor/Outdoor Activities and Experiences by Susan Milord, Susan Williamson (Editor)
    [It] has a nature related activity for every day of the year. Every week is centered on a theme, say birds, so one day would be trying to find a nest, a feather, draw a robin, learn about nest-building, etc.



Kids' Historical Fiction/Nonfiction

  • Helen Keller's Teacher by Margaret Davidson
    Powerful story of Annie Sullivan's triumph over the hardships in her own childhood.
    From Terry: "I'd recommend seeing original "The Miracle Worker" movie after reading the above two books!"

  • The Last Safe House : A Story of the Undergound Railroad by Barbara Greenwood

  • The Story of Helen Keller by Lorena A. Hickok
    Thrilling story of how, despite being deaf and blind, Helen learns to communicate and live a very full life. Her extraordinary joy in life and great intelligence make this an especially moving story. -inspired educational ideas too!
    From Terry: "Even my then 6 yr olds loved this."

  • Little House in the Big Woods series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
    Beloved story of a pioneer family.The warmth of this family draws readers into their lives as they face the enormous challenges and hardships of pioneer life.





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