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ALmom
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| Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 11:16am | IP Logged
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I have a 9 year old boy who is showing inclinations in the science area. I have no problem in terms of science exploration or reading in the science field.
I would like him to expand his interests just a bit and would like to have a wide variety of good books for him to choose from during the reading period. He totally avoids any kind of literature/ stories. He hardly touches history but that may be the limited number of easier reads I have on battles and such that interests him. I pulled out some Blaze books and some other stuff. He hasn't shown much enthusiasm at all. The Blaze books are old hardbacks with a decent print size. He was willing to try one and see how he liked the Blaze book but I could sort of see on his face that he didn't give it much hope. I would pull out Holling books or something like that if I thought he could handle the print size. He cannot. I think part of our problem is that he needs the print size closer to picture books and not too terribly busy (or at least really good contrast) but he is bored with the stories you typically read aloud as we have read them a thousand times or they are more appealing to a younger child. Even some of these involve print size that is too much strain.
I know my own knowledge of great living books that appeal to boys is limited and maybe that is part of my one focus household here. Does anyone have any suggestions of larger print stories that would appeal to an active, science minded boy.
Janet
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 1:09pm | IP Logged
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What about something like this?
Heads Up! Top of the Line
Quote:
This reading aid has a blue or yellow highlighted strip along the top to help readers "keep their place" along a line of text, graphs, or charts. Use of color has been shown to be helpful in focusing attention, so the Heads Up! Top of the Line is helpful even for proficient readers who are distractible or have difficulty maintaining visual attention for adequate periods of time. Makes a great bookmark, too! (Size 2-3/8" by 8") NOTE: Comes with a removable clear film to protect the product until ready for use.
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that might help him handle the smaller text to read what he's more interested in.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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ALmom
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| Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 4:49pm | IP Logged
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Jodie:
Thanks, that might help while we work on eye skills. Our biggest problem is that he suffers severe eyestrain with small print - even with reading glasses. He doesn't always use both eyes together and we are supposed to be using a lens flipping from + to - and pencil reading with some of his reading every day. When he is doing this, he cannot use the colored inserts and stuff but the rest of the time he could. It is so frustrating because what might interest him, doesn't due to the strain. What doesn't strain his eyes is beneath him intellectually and interest wise.
Maybe, I should just let him pick whatever for his exercises (those are designed to force the eyes to work together) and seperate this from other reading. In that case, it really wouldn't matter that he was reading Dr. Seuss for the umpteenth time and that it isn't terribly engaging to him either and is far beneath his reading abilities. Maybe I should get some books on tape for exposure to good literature beyond what we obviously read aloud until we have resolved the eye issues. I'm not so concerned about his own individual reading (He is certainly capable of reading any words based on the kinds of things he uses to research his science interests.) as much as exposure to good literature and beginning to gain those skills in catching the hints (forshadowing), the symbolic and lyrical language and inferences where the author doesn't tell you directly but you should be able to conclude quite a bit from what is said. Does anyone have a good source of books on tape for children's books? I do not want him listening to older themes either, but I want it to be excellent literature. It would be even better if we had the book and he could follow along if desired.
Thank you for pushing me to think aloud and sort through what we are doing and for what purpose and that maybe we need to seperate different parts out from each other.
Janet
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
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oh good... yes.. look for some audio books.. also what about the adult large print books? perhaps there's some more classic literature there that might work?
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Lori
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| Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 7:03pm | IP Logged
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I was going to suggest the same thing JodieLyn did...also, the Great Illustrated Classics are decent, and have rather large print.
Try your library for audio books...there are tons available online, too, at ours (Phoenix)...do a google search for "free online audio books" and see what comes up, maybe?
And don't forget about Project Gutenberg and MainLesson...you can copy/paste/edit for font size the texts available there, and have him read off the computer screen on a Word doc, or print it out in draft mode.
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ALmom
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 2:51pm | IP Logged
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Does anyone have a favorite source of audible children's stories/literature for the younger ages. I know we got a great recommendation from Macbeth for a site with a lot of the primary history sources we needed for a highschooler. We paid for this one by the month. I'm thinking I didn't find much in terms of children's literature. It just seems harder to find good or great stories for children on tape. Lots of folks think of strained, older eyes.
I've found Uncle Remus and Wind in the Willows. I'm not sure which versions are best or anything else like that. I really want something with a significant literary quality to it. At one point someone recommended a series (supposedly expensive) - some sort of nature/adventure stories. These sounded really good and maybe now is the time to invest.
I have not yet found a good source of Catholic stories on tape. We don't qualify for any of the programs for tapes for the blind or anything.
It seems like I went this route before and got frustrated because there was so little for someone my child's age. Maybe I'm just missing something.
Janet
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 3:56pm | IP Logged
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Have you seen Libravox? The recordings I've listened to aren't bad (at least as good as reading it aloud myself, if not better), and its FREE!Libravox Recordings
Libravox is only for stuff in the public domain, but it could at least get you started.
Something else that occurred to me was short stories. We have these books through dh's work, and I really like the Howard Pyle collection, but the other short stories are nice as well. The Bedtime stories are Thornton Burgess, and the other two volumes are from "St. Nicholas Magazine." I think these books are available in other editions, but I do think that these books are rather large and somewhat big in print. There are pdfs of the inside to look at the print size (be sure your reader is at 100%). ISI Children's Books
Dh is currently reading Little Britches at nighttime. We all really like it, and I would think most boys would like it not just as a read-aloud. Little Britches
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Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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Lori
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 3:57pm | IP Logged
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Have you tried LibriVox online? You can listen on your computer, or download them to an ipod, or burn them to a cd. They have quite a bit.
Oh, how funny...as I was typing this, CrunchyMom was suggesting the same thing!
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SaraP
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 6:15pm | IP Logged
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Have you tried the library? We have gotten dozens of kids books on CD - both picture books and chapter books - from our public library.
Failing that,it's not exactly cheap, but Audible Kids has a good sized selection of kids' literature and there are also free audio stories at Storynory including classics like Alice in Wonderland and lots of Fairy Tales.
Title-wise my 7yo DS has loved Rascal and The Mad Scientists' Club books.
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 8:58pm | IP Logged
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Janet -
Don't forget Bethlehem Books Audiobooks.
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Jen Mackintosh
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ALmom
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| Posted: Jan 22 2009 at 9:55pm | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone! We now have a plan of attack. I am looking at Materabilis again for more read alouds to do with all my children together including the relative staying at our house. This should significantly reduce the eye load on the children plus allow me to combine children in some things plus keep the extra child busy without busywork. It will incorporate read alouds from ds 11 history. I'm hoping and praying this will streamline the time I have to juggle. As it is, I am doing different therapies with 3 different children.
We are dropping the grammar workbook for now and just doing or pointing out as we compose things. I am also going very light on writing as we focus on getting the therapy done every day (takes about an hour by itself and really tires the eyes). Oh, and we are skipping the country reports for now. I think I'll just read interesting things about each country and let the child decide whether or not they feel up to the map work that goes with it.
I brought all my dc together and we had a discussion about paying attention to the body - and in their case when their eyes say they are getting tired, they have to be the ones recognizing it and taking a break to do something with far vision. I gave a list of things that would be acceptable eye breaks - things like:
jump rope
ball with a younger sibling
walking the balance beam
swinging on the tire swing
taking the dog for a walk (older children)
These could be done in the garage or in the backyard depending on the weather.
Anyways, a lot of things like this were included on the acceptable list. Nothing involving close up vision is allowed during this time and they must set a timer for 20 minutes so the break doesn't become an all day thing. I expect the 9 yo to need this daily. The 11 yo needs this occassionally (since he is easily distracted, I've asked him to give me a heads up when he takes his eye break so I can set a timer for him and help him remember to come back in and so I know when he is taking an eye break as opposed to drifting so he doesn't get in trouble for doing what his eyes need).
(I have scheduled 2 long breaks in the day already so this is an additional break on an as needed basis).
And, after PMing someone with a suggestion to check eyes, I reminded myself to pay attention to glasses. Guess what, the child's (who has astigmatism as well as needing reading glasses) glasses were missing a nose pad on one side, were bent all a kilter and are scratched and getting too small  . I guess we will be going back to the eye doc soon, but in the meantime I did an "emergency" drive out to our local optometrist's office to at least get the glasses readjusted.
I do plan to invest in some audio books - the ones from Bethlehem books are on the top of the list. I still want a number of the freebies on tape but I feel relieved that I don't have to stress over whether or not I find a lot with our new read aloud plan. I'll use the recommended links to get what I can find and go from there. I'm really looking forward to more of this reading aloud. I love books and it gives me a chance to read and discuss. We are going to attempt some informal oral things to go along with the books - just oral summaries of first, middle and end plus just having fun with them.
I'm rejuvenated (at least temporarily)and ready to jump back in. Thanks for all the ideas - and moral/prayer support that I'm sure followed your suggestions. I'm just so grateful.
I definitely hit a slump and was feeling like a failure in terms of academic preparation. But then other things came home to me after witnessing a chaotic session of 14 yo and reflecting on doing the best I can to help the children while not neglecting the most important things - like faith and general spirit of service in the home - seeing what needs to be done wherever you are and doing what is in your power to do to help. Several times folks asked me or commented about our children just all doing things - setting out food for the gathering or clean up after 9 yo FHC, offering without waiting to be asked and even better, just seeing what needed to be done and doing it. God is good. It gave me a real sense of what we have accomplished so far and to thank the children for how much they help. I want to remember to train in faith, service and developing virtue no matter what else happens. If I must skimp somewhere, it cannot be here.
When I focus on the most important things and do the best I am able, then somehow God takes care of the rest. Despite everything we really are having our best school year yet, since I've had older children.
Thanks and hugs to you all for your support!!!!
Janet
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: book recommendations
