Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Popular School Age Childrens Books Part II
Popular School Age Childrens Books Part II
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Its been quite the democratic week here at Children of the 90s. Admittedly its only Tuesday, so we still have plenty of time to get all anarchical on you, but as of yet weve been riding the reader response train. You guys are just chock full of good ideas, so until you run out Im going to milk your suggestions for all theyre worth. Which, for the record, is quite a lot. So, you know. Thanks.
For those of us who grew up as voracious readers, this list is potentially endless. There were so many popular and influential books that shaped our childhood and reading habits. To answer your questions before the protests begin, weve already covered ad nauseum series including Sweet Valley High, The Babysitters Club, Goosebumps, and Choose Your Own Adventure. Yes, they made up a major bulk of our leisure reading, but they are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of childrens literary material. Feel free to peruse the backlogs, though--those series are all worth a reminiscence or two of their own.
Based on many of your suggestions, Ive put together Part II of our popular book list below. Dont see your favorites on here? Dont worry. These extra-long posts have a way of getting sort of unwieldy, so in the spirit of streamlining and readability Ive conveniently parceled this out over a series of posts. If you have other suggestions, drop them in the comments. And for those of you eagerly awaiting the Readers Choice childhood movie awards, well leave the commenting open for a few more days to let the ideas soak a bit. Watch for that post, coming to a Children of the 90s near you very, very soon. Get pumped.
Our second installment of popular elementary school-age reading material form the 80s and 90s includes:
The Giver
Despite its frequent banning, The Giver remains a popular book for school-age children. The subject matter may be a bit heavy for young readers--a tightly controlled dystopian future society a la 1984--but its creepiness resonates well with imaginative kids. Sure, I used to semi-fantasize/semi-worry that my eye color had marked me as the bearer of the worlds technicolor memories, but as of yet I have not been called to official Receiver duty.
The Sign of the Beaver
Elizabeth George Speares The Sign of the Beaver is another classic example of cultural and historical lessons cleverly disguised as fun reading. Well done, Speare. Like Hatchet, Sign allows our imaginations to run wild at the prospect of a preteen left to fend for himself. In this case, however, Matt comes upon a Native American family and befriends the young son, Attean. Attean teaches Matt about the ways of Nature, Matt teaches Attean to read, and we all share a heartwarming story of prejudices overcome.
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry
Roll of Thunder was technically released in the mid-70s, but the last post brought on numerous requests for its placement on the list so I decided to make a rare exception. The books examines the life and hardships of a black family struggling to hold on to their land against the tumultuous backdrop of 1930s Mississippi. Like many of these books, the themes are heavy--racism, prejudice, injustice--but the storytelling style brings it to a manageable level for young readers.
Shiloh
I love me some Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, so theres a special spot in my heart for the book that introduced me to her writing. Shiloh tells the story of a young boy who takes in a stray dog in hopes of protecting him from his abusive former owner. Its heartbreaking in a quiet, non-earth shattering way, and sometimes I still imagine my adopted shelter dog was once under the iron fist of the unsavory Judd Travers.
Ramona Quimby, Age 8
The sixth installment in the Ramona series is an ode to the minorly mischievous but ultimately sensitive child, starting with Ramonas unfortunate cafeteria egg incident and her subsequent overhearing of her teacher calling her a nuisance. The book continues in other delightful non-sequiturs; unlike many childrens books that seem to be an adults take on the way children think, Beverly Cleary manages to tap into that mysterious child psyche and give us a story thats simultaneously about nothing in particular and something important. Depending on the age of the reader, that is.
Jacob Have I Loved
Katherine Patersons title references the biblical line, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau I have hated," regarding the story of Isaacs mismatched fraternal twin sons. Sarah Louise despises her position in the shadows of her prettier, better loved sister Caroline. The book is told from Sarah Louises ("Weezes") perspective, giving us insight into her jealousy and feelings of marginalization. The themes of sibling rivalry and intense envy can get a little depressing, but weve got some creepy romantic feelings between a 13-year old girl and 70-year old man to keep the pace exciting.
Island of the Blue Dolphins
This one is a bit of a cheat, too, as it was published in the 60s, but its popularity among young readers held steady throughout the ensuing decades. Its yet another tale of a child left to fend for himself, only in this case that "himself" is more of a "herself." The book is loosely based on the true story of Juana Maria, portrayed in Islands as Wonapalei, known secretly as Karana. After Karanas people are devastated by invading Aleuts, the tribe embarks on a ship for the mainland. Karanas brother is left behind, so her only logical solution is to jump ship and live with him on a secluded island. Did I say logical? Im sorry, I meant book-worthy. Her brother dies nearly immediately, leaving Karana to take on packs of wild but eventually lovable dogs and to take hold of her own survival. I wont give away the entire book, but suffice it to say its nice to see a female lead in these solo adventure stories every once in awhile.
The Sign of the Beaver
Elizabeth George Speares The Sign of the Beaver is another classic example of cultural and historical lessons cleverly disguised as fun reading. Well done, Speare. Like Hatchet, Sign allows our imaginations to run wild at the prospect of a preteen left to fend for himself. In this case, however, Matt comes upon a Native American family and befriends the young son, Attean. Attean teaches Matt about the ways of Nature, Matt teaches Attean to read, and we all share a heartwarming story of prejudices overcome.
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry
Roll of Thunder was technically released in the mid-70s, but the last post brought on numerous requests for its placement on the list so I decided to make a rare exception. The books examines the life and hardships of a black family struggling to hold on to their land against the tumultuous backdrop of 1930s Mississippi. Like many of these books, the themes are heavy--racism, prejudice, injustice--but the storytelling style brings it to a manageable level for young readers.
Shiloh
I love me some Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, so theres a special spot in my heart for the book that introduced me to her writing. Shiloh tells the story of a young boy who takes in a stray dog in hopes of protecting him from his abusive former owner. Its heartbreaking in a quiet, non-earth shattering way, and sometimes I still imagine my adopted shelter dog was once under the iron fist of the unsavory Judd Travers.
Ramona Quimby, Age 8
The sixth installment in the Ramona series is an ode to the minorly mischievous but ultimately sensitive child, starting with Ramonas unfortunate cafeteria egg incident and her subsequent overhearing of her teacher calling her a nuisance. The book continues in other delightful non-sequiturs; unlike many childrens books that seem to be an adults take on the way children think, Beverly Cleary manages to tap into that mysterious child psyche and give us a story thats simultaneously about nothing in particular and something important. Depending on the age of the reader, that is.
Jacob Have I Loved
Katherine Patersons title references the biblical line, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau I have hated," regarding the story of Isaacs mismatched fraternal twin sons. Sarah Louise despises her position in the shadows of her prettier, better loved sister Caroline. The book is told from Sarah Louises ("Weezes") perspective, giving us insight into her jealousy and feelings of marginalization. The themes of sibling rivalry and intense envy can get a little depressing, but weve got some creepy romantic feelings between a 13-year old girl and 70-year old man to keep the pace exciting.
Island of the Blue Dolphins
This one is a bit of a cheat, too, as it was published in the 60s, but its popularity among young readers held steady throughout the ensuing decades. Its yet another tale of a child left to fend for himself, only in this case that "himself" is more of a "herself." The book is loosely based on the true story of Juana Maria, portrayed in Islands as Wonapalei, known secretly as Karana. After Karanas people are devastated by invading Aleuts, the tribe embarks on a ship for the mainland. Karanas brother is left behind, so her only logical solution is to jump ship and live with him on a secluded island. Did I say logical? Im sorry, I meant book-worthy. Her brother dies nearly immediately, leaving Karana to take on packs of wild but eventually lovable dogs and to take hold of her own survival. I wont give away the entire book, but suffice it to say its nice to see a female lead in these solo adventure stories every once in awhile.
Available link for download