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Angel Forum All-Star
Joined: April 22 2006
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Posted: Feb 27 2013 at 8:42am | IP Logged
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I'm looking for a decent read aloud that I can use that will be a good book for the high schoolers to listen to, that also has a good chance of holding the interest of a 10 year old, and might even hook a younger kid's interest.
I decided this year to use our morning time to read literature that I was pretty sure my teenagers wouldn't choose to read on their own but that I was also sure they would enjoy. But I'm not just reading to the teenagers. I'm also reading to my 9 year old (almost 10) and to my 7 year old twins, who are able to pop in and out as they want after we say our prayers and work on something faith-related.
So far this year we've read:
Tom Sawyer
Huckleberry Finn
Cross Among the Tomahawks
A Christmas Carol
and we're reading Priest on Horseback right now, which is a bit light for the high schoolers, but fits our Faith and History categories. (Everybody is supposed to be doing American History this year, and right now we're about at the Revolution.)
We'll finish up Priest on Horseback soon, and I'd like to add some more literature, but right now the only idea I have is Oliver Twist.
Any other suggestions? Any Dickens that would be a better idea?
Adventure and humor is always received better here than anything else, probably because I am reading to a bunch of boys (and only 1 girl).
__________________ Angela
Mom to 9, 7 boys and 2 girls
Three Plus Two
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CrunchyMom Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
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Posted: Feb 27 2013 at 9:42am | IP Logged
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I'm not much for reading Dickens (I've tried, truly!), but I always preferred the story of Nicholas Nickleby to Oliver Twist.
Have your olders read Robert Louis Stevenson? I got the audio of Kidnapped, and my 8 year old was spellbound, though the 4 and 6 year olds weren't so crazy about it. Shipwrecked might appeal more to the younger crowd, though we've only watched the movie so far
Maybe Jules Verne? Again, my 8 year old really likes him, and even my 4 and 6 year old like the Jim Weiss version of 20,000 Leagues
The Three Musketeers is a fun novel, but you might have to do some editing for the little ones? I can't recall since I didn't have children when I read it.
Have you read Robinson Crusoe? My husband started reading it to the boys and got sidetracked, but it wasn't because they weren't all enjoying it!
__________________ Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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stellamaris Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 26 2009 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Feb 27 2013 at 6:41pm | IP Logged
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They've already read Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, I guess? Those would be my first choices.
Other ideas:
The Blessed Friend of Youth: St. John Bosco (Neil Boyton)
Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates
Little Women/Little Men, or our favorite Alcott books: Eight Cousins and A Rose in Bloom
Anne of Green Gables
Black Arrow (Stevenson)
The Bronze Bow
The Swiss Family Robinson
The Wind in the Willows
__________________ In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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Aagot Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 06 2010
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Posted: Feb 27 2013 at 7:36pm | IP Logged
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Just about everything from Bethlehembooks.com
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Kristie 4 Forum All-Star
Joined: June 20 2006 Location: Canada
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Posted: Feb 27 2013 at 7:39pm | IP Logged
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Hobbit would be by far my best choice- that book gets better with every reading!
Great Expectations- we did this with the same ages as yours (except only four kids!). It is a LONG one- I think it took the same time as the whole LOTR put together as Dickens is sooooo wordy. But it was worth it!
Watership Down- we did this this year with a 9yo, 12yo, 15you, and 17yo. Give it a few chapters then you are hooked~
__________________ Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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Kristie 4 Forum All-Star
Joined: June 20 2006 Location: Canada
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Posted: Feb 27 2013 at 7:40pm | IP Logged
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I didn't see the adventure request- have you read Treasure Island? It is rollicking good fun as a read aloud.
Also, Around the World in Eighty Days. That one moves at a swift pace.
__________________ Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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mamaslearning Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 12 2007 Location: N/A
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Posted: March 04 2013 at 10:03am | IP Logged
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Thank you for these suggestions (even thought I'm not the OP)!
I don't know how, but I never read Treasure Island, so I downloaded last week and finished it up this weekend. What a fun read! It brings a deeper level of understanding (if only a sense of "getting" the inside story) to Pirates of the Caribbean. Yes, I am slow and did not realize that there were items drawn from this book for the movie.
Was this the first instance of Long John Silver? I always just thought it was a fish and chips restaurant chain. Ha! I guess being a girl I did not go through a pirate stage, but now I'm really enjoying reading these adventure books. Next up is 20,000 Leagues (I read it a long time ago), Swiss Family Robinson, Robinson Crusoe, and Kidnapped.
I'm going to start reading Treasure Island to my kids this week.
__________________ Lara
DD 11, DS 8, DS 6, DS 4
St. Francis de Sales Homeschool
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mamaslearning Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 12 2007 Location: N/A
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Posted: March 04 2013 at 10:08am | IP Logged
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Although, I did go through the Pirate Movie stage. The one based upon the Pirates of Penzance starring Kristy McNichol and Christopher Atkins. LOVED that movie! I also enjoyed the Pirates of Penzance movie starring Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Cline - wonderful!
Sorry for the detour!
__________________ Lara
DD 11, DS 8, DS 6, DS 4
St. Francis de Sales Homeschool
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