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Parenting Club Forums > Parenting Children 4-7 Years of Age > Absolutely floored! Need help on reading

Posted by: coasterqueen Jun 1 2010, 09:16 AM

Today was Kylie's last day of school (a 1/2 day). I got a "parent report" on Kyle's reading. It's called "Star Reading". It has several scores on it and the note that came with the report as well as on the report states Kylie is reading at a 5th grade level. Her teacher said I should be concentrating on having Kylie read books at this level. I knew she was so far ahead on reading, but I'm just concerned she's not mature enough to read books at a 5th grade level, kwim? I don't even remember what 5th graders read. I know those boy crazy books and stuff like that, well I don't want her reading those at this age, whether she academically can read them, kwim? So anyone else having this issue and how to do you handle this? What are 5th graders reading? I thought I'd brush up on all the "classics" and see what ones she can read. I feel maybe it's safer to stick to the classics. I don't know. I know this is a good problem to have, but I dunno. I just am concerned as to what she can read. A funny from this morning having to do with being able to read......This morning Kylie was helping me in the kitchen and I asked her if she'd get Megan her daily meds. She said "ok, and I'll get our vitamin as well, mom". I said "ok, but can you open that bottle?". She looked at me and said "mom, the instructions are right on top of the lid, which means it's not very kid-proof like it's supposed to be".

Posted by: lesliesmom Jun 1 2010, 09:19 AM

Here's a site I found for 5th grade books.. hope it helps. There's some good ones that might work for her. http://www.greatschools.org/cgi-bin/showarticle/678

Posted by: booey2 Jun 1 2010, 10:33 AM

Hi Karen, I am not sure about 5th graders, but I do know Matthew and Thomas are both reading the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series and they both love them. Thomas also reads anything he can get his hands on, loves the Captain Underpants series too.

Posted by: bluebear Jun 1 2010, 10:38 AM

I remember reading Beverly Clearly and Judy Blume books in 5th grade. I'd stay away from Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. Maybe the Wayside School books?

Posted by: kit_kats_mom Jun 1 2010, 11:59 AM

Good for her! Maybe the babysitters club books? I've just started the Bevery Cleary books with the girls and they are both absolutely taken by Ramona. We are also reading Pippi Longstocking. I think I was probably reading Nancy Drew books. Here is a link from Barnes and Noble on books for that age group. You could pick some from there and go find them at the library http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Childrens-Books-Kids-Books/379001723/?cds2Pid=31442&linkid=1492369 looking through those books, I recall reading a lot of EB White as a child too.

Posted by: coasterqueen Jun 1 2010, 12:26 PM

Thanks everyone for your tips. I will be sure to look at all of them and get her some new books. Cary - I didn't even think of Pippi. They've been watching that on Netflix lately at the sitter's and both girls LOVE it! So I definitely think Kylie would really love to read it as well.

Posted by: My3LilMonkeys Jun 1 2010, 08:22 PM

I second the Babysitters Club books.....there are a ton of them and if I am remembering correctly from when I was a kid, there isn't anything inappropriate in them. I also loved the Little House on the Prairie books (though I can't remember what age they are written for) and Great Illustrated Classics. I don't know if they make those anymore, but they were classic literary novels like Moby Dick, Little Women, Treasure Island, Robin Hood, etc., written and illustrated at a kid's level. I used to love them and have actually read quite a few of the classics because of them.

Posted by: MommyToAshley Jun 1 2010, 09:46 PM

Have you ever thought about getting her a magazine subscription. Ashley loved getting the Cricket magazines. She used to get "Ask" and "Spider". (Click was really good for kindergarten age group). http://www.cricketmag.com//ProductList.aspx?type=M&urlid=81 We haven't renewed the Ask and Spider subscriptions as she is currently doing the Highlights Top Secret Adventures Club... it's a fun way to learn about different countries and their cultures. http://shop.highlights.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=16151&catalogId=17603&categoryId=241891&productId=690725 If she likes American Girl dolls, there is an American Girl magazine, but that didn't really interest Ashley. Ashley likes getting her own magazines in the mail, they're fun to read, and educational all at the same time.

Posted by: boyohboyohboy Jun 2 2010, 02:50 AM

QUOTE (bluebear @ Jun 1 2010, 01:38 PM) I remember reading Beverly Clearly and Judy Blume books in 5th grade. I'd stay away from Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. Maybe the Wayside School books? This is what I was thinking also and the anne of green gables books.

Posted by: coasterqueen Jun 2 2010, 05:29 AM

QUOTE (MommyToAshley @ Jun 2 2010, 12:46 AM) Have you ever thought about getting her a magazine subscription. Ashley loved getting the Cricket magazines. She used to get "Ask" and "Spider". (Click was really good for kindergarten age group). http://www.cricketmag.com//ProductList.aspx?type=M&urlid=81 We haven't renewed the Ask and Spider subscriptions as she is currently doing the Highlights Top Secret Adventures Club... it's a fun way to learn about different countries and their cultures. http://shop.highlights.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=16151&catalogId=17603&categoryId=241891&productId=690725 If she likes American Girl dolls, there is an American Girl magazine, but that didn't really interest Ashley. Ashley likes getting her own magazines in the mail, they're fun to read, and educational all at the same time. She's had magazines before and didn't seem interested in them. She does have quite a few American Girl doll books, though, that we got out and she's reading them. Also, she can't take AR tests with the magazines, but can with the books. If she does the tests over the summer she gets points towards something (not sure what) in 2nd grade. I have to get more details on it. I didn't think Kylie would want to test over the summer, but she made it clear to me she does.

Posted by: Hillbilly Housewife Jun 2 2010, 09:30 AM

lol, Twilight. Babysitter's club...and Emily of New Moon.

Posted by: Maddie&EthansMom Jun 2 2010, 11:26 AM

Karen that's awesome!! I'm so proud of her!! Madeleine loves history, so most of the books she reads are American Girl or Little House on the Prairie and various books on mystery (she loves Nancy Drew.) She also loves anything about horses or animals. Her latest was Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows. Okay, so she just loves to read. Do you go to the library? We also have a Half Price Books and they have great prices for the books that are keep worthy.

Posted by: coasterqueen Jun 2 2010, 01:11 PM

Ooh good ideas Aimee! And Kylie is infatuated with horses right now. What is it with girls and horses? I was, too. I wonder if she'd like Little House on the Prairie....hmmmm.......gonna have to see about that one. I'd love having her read those to me. ETA: We don't go to the library like I would want us too, like I did as a kid. Mainly because we are outside city limits and so it cost more to have a library card. In town it's free. I just heard, though, that I can go to our small town library (which isn't very close at all) and get a card, then in turn take it to the city library (which is much closer) and they will let us checkout books for free that way. So I need to do that. We were using my sister's library card since she lives in the city, but it's so hard to get it from her. Right now we get them from the school library or buy them monthly through Scholastic at school so the classroom benefits from it. I do think it's time to take a trip to the library, though, as I don't want to buy books this summer.

Posted by: MyBlueEyedBabies Jun 2 2010, 08:03 PM

Katy is an advanced second grade reader (as in tested 5th grade at the beginning of the school year) She just finished the Frog Princess series http://www.edbakerbooks.com/ and enjoyed them she has also read the Percy Jackson series this year... twice actually http://www.percyjacksonbooks.com/ (she did have a bit of a challenge with the greek names but made up her own pronunciations so it didn't really matter) currently reading book two from 100 cupboards and has enjoyed it up to this point but i cant speak for the whole set http://search.barnesandnoble.com/100-Cupboards/N-D-Wilson/e/9780375838811 Last summer she went through Little Women, Black Beauty, Secret Garden, Narnia etc. My rule of thumb started to be it had to take her more than an hour to read the book. She gravitates more toward the girly books but ends up enjoying the adventure types more

Posted by: 3_call_me_mama Jun 4 2010, 06:22 PM

I recommend the narnia series. as well as teh others mentioned before. Cameron is testing at a grade 7 reading level and really enjoyed the Narnia books. he also really likes the classics such as black beauty and Island of the blue dolphins. The tough thing is maturity level vs reading level.. things that are grade level for him are not age appropriate

Posted by: coasterqueen Jun 4 2010, 06:40 PM

QUOTE (3_call_me_mama @ Jun 4 2010, 09:22 PM) The tough thing is maturity level vs reading level.. things that are grade level for him are not age appropriate This is my fear as well. It's my fear in everything she's going to encounter in school, unfortunately

Posted by: ~Roo'sMama~ Jun 5 2010, 08:06 AM

The classics would be good, when I was a kid I read books like Little Women, Eight Cousins, Understood Betsy, Hans Brinker, and The Wheel on the School. I also had these books about a horse named Gypsy - the first one is called Gypsy from Nowhere. There are two others in the series and you can get them on amazon or half.com if the library doesn't have them. If Kylie likes horses she might like those! Um... how about the Borrowers? Those were fun, and I found them on a 5th grade suggested reading list. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is on one too... I remember reading that and I liked it. It's not a very long book but it was good. I loved The Littles books too, but I don't think they're quite fifth grade level. They're around the same lines as the Borrowers. ETA I just thought of another series. Have you read the All of a Kind Family books? I loved them when I was a kid, and I still like to read them. They're about a Jewish family growing up in New York.

Posted by: msoulz Jun 5 2010, 01:45 PM

QUOTE (boyohboyohboy @ Jun 2 2010, 06:50 AM) This is what I was thinking also and the anne of green gables books. I was thinking the Anne of Green Gables series too. I don't recall a lot about them but I do rember reading and really enjoying them. And I remember wondering what the big stink was about that Judy Blume book ... never got to read it!

Posted by: jcc64 Jun 6 2010, 04:15 AM

The Secret Garden The Incredible Journey The Dark is Rising The BFG by Roald Dahl Because of Winn Dixie (maybe a little too easy, but cute story) Have Magic Harriet the Spy Humbug Mountain Julie of the Wolves The Wind in the Willows Redwall The Phantom Tollbooth From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Rabbit Hill A Wrinkle in Time (might be a little hard for her) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Pippi Longstocking In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson Winne-the-Pooh

Posted by: coasterqueen Jun 6 2010, 06:05 PM

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas!

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