Summer Reading 2014

While I'm on a roll here, figured I'd do a quick run down of the summer reading the boys did. Here's how it worked:

• I required them each to read a minimum of 1200 pages over 12 weeks, with the goal being to simply keep them reading somewhat regularly (and the hope being to help them see that reading is awesome, lol). (There were three "deadlines" spaced throughout the summer as check points.)
• If they read more, they could earn some prizes (like ice cream and Pokemon booster packs). ;)
• I found page numbers to be more effective this year than hours/minutes as we've done in years past.
• Since it was summer, boys each selected their own books, though they had to be approved by me to make sure they didn't try to slip in books they'd already read or books that were obviously intended for little kids, lol. (I was also known to make suggestions, though those were rarely followed, lol.)

So. Here are the lists:

NOAH (13 years old, grand total of 1215 pages...yeah, he did the *bare* minimum...he's definitely not as taken with stories as the younger two, though he actually does plenty of non-fiction reading/research)

• The Nazi Hunters, by Neal Bascomb (He picked this one after I'd read it. I, personally, found it fascinating.)
• Alex Rider books, by Anthony Horowitz (He's worked through five of these so far. I believe there are nine. He has them all sitting in his bedroom. Given that his English teacher this fall has already required him to bring in some personal reading, I'm hopeful that he'll actually finish these. I read the first one. I didn't find it hugely challenging or anything but will take what I can get if it keeps my teen boy reading, lol.)

ASHER (11-12 years old, grand total of 4111 pages...Asher is definitely my reader!)

• Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue, by Tom Angleberger (Asher had previously read the earlier books in this Origami Yoda series...they're fun and seem to appeal to middle school age antics.)
• Akiko series (10 books), by Mark Crilley (These books were recommended to me years ago by a local bookseller. At the time, I read a few of them to the older two boys but never made it all the way through. Asher and Micah thoroughly enjoyed them.)
• Treasure Hunters, by James Patterson (Boys loved this and thought it was fabulous that the main characters are homeschooled.)
• The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt (I may have enjoyed this one more than the boys, though Asher did still enjoy it. (I'd made Noah read it earlier in the year.))
• Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie (Deanna and others who are purists about literature, don't look. ;) My philosophy is that it's better for boys to read abridged versions and learn the story than to not read them at all...and they wouldn't have self-selected the originals, lol. So. Asher read this one after Micah had finished and pleaded with him to read it so that they could talk about it together...before we all went to see the Peter Pan show at the Candlelight Theater.)
• Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson (another abridged version but one of Asher's favorites of the classics he read over the summer)
• Moby Dick, by Herman Melville (Asher was just so-so about this one...Micah tried but quit, lol)
• Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens (ditto Moby Dick)
• The Mysterious Benedict Society books, by Trenton Lee Stewart (Asher's loving these! I've only read the first book, but Asher's on book number four now, having finished the first three during the summer.)

MICAH (8-9 years old, grand total of 3283 pages...Micah enjoys reading but I'd be lying if I said he enjoyed it as much as Asher...honestly I think he enjoys trying to keep up with Asher more than reading, itself)

(Note, Micah and Asher read many of the same books...taking it in turns to recommend/insist upon books to each other.)

• Seize the Story, by Victory Hanley (Micah started with this one after finishing writing his haiku book. He devoured the suggestions and has big plans, lol.)
• Peter Pan (Micah loved this one more than Asher, as he has a definite longing to never grow up, lol.)
• Origami Yoda books, by Tom Angleberger (Micah hadn't read all the previous ones like Asher, so started from Darth Paper and made it to Emperor Pickletine (which came out earlier this month). I believe there are six of them altogether now, not counting the Art2D2 book which teaches how to draw and fold characters.)
• Akiko books (As I mentioned, both Asher and Micah adored these.)
• Treasure Hunters (I believe Micah said this was his favorite over the summer after the Akiko books. Don't hold him to that, though. He's indecisive like that.)
• Treasure Island (Micah wasn't as impressed with this as Asher, as he hates for anyone to die in any book, lol.)

And that's what boys read over the summer. :) If you have any recommendations, I'd LOVE to hear them...as we're trying to keep this sort of reading up throughout the year...

Comments

[CarrieH]

The Percy Jackson series are really good. Also, Spy Kid and Spy Camp--my son loved them at that age. Anything involving boys having adventures is good. (And hard to find, for some reason--girls books are much easier to come by)