For young readers

Post by **Impenitent** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:27 am

I'm so excited I had to post this!

I've just discovered the most wonderful series of books suitable for young readers (ie 8 - 14; although I enjoyed them too).

The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan, an Australian writer. He has written four so far, and is on his way to writing the fifth.

The series is set in a mythical past; anywhere from 500 to 1200 AD, kinda mixed up (mythical, you know

) in a land that is obviously based on Europe.

The protagonist is a 15 year old boy, Will, apprenticed to a Ranger - a craftmaster belonging to a mysterious intelligence corp serving the King of Araluen (England, basically).

There is no magic in this book; but plenty of knights and rangers, deeds of heroism and bravery, beautifully drawn characters with flaws and doubts and goodness, friendship - and evil too, of course.

The beauty of it is that, by placing the story in a mythical past with historic references, Flanagan pricks historic interest - the references to the Galls, the Teuts, the Mongols, the Vikings are clear and have already interested my son in the real history.

And Will is lovely; no perfect hero, but a young man/child carrying his own doubts, fears, imperfections, flaws, dealing with ethical and moral dilemmas. I like that the quests/adventures don't overwhelm the character development, but rather go hand in hand with them.

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading along with my boy, so I thought I'd recommend for anyone else with children who may enjoy these.

The first in the series is The Ruins of Gorlan, followed by The Burning Bridge, The Icebound Land and Oakleaf Bearers.

Post by **Frelga** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:22 am

Sounds great. Now, how to trick DS into reading...

I mean, for those who haven't heard me complain yet, not into reading per se, but into reading something I recommend.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:26 am

I have one of those.

I particularly love when they forget you recommended something, pick it up, devour it, and come and tell you what a great book it is. I nod nicely.

Post by **nerdanel** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:45 am

Of course, then you can remind them nicely about how it was YOU who recommended the book to them...for the next ten to fifteen years. Or is that only my mother?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:58 pm

Nel, I've never done that (though I've been sorely tempted). Why take the fun out of discovering something? And at least with my kids, if I want to encourage them to do something worthwhile that they're reluctant to do, letting them know I'm hovering and watching is precisely the wrong strategy. Better to pretend not to care, while arranging convenient "accidents."

I can assure you that I'm a pain in other ways. Moms always are.

Impy, my kids are too old for those books, and too young (they consciously don't read things for kids younger than they are), but I may seek them out just for my own fun.

Post by **superwizard** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:17 pm

Wow Prim that's a nice strategy

. Very smart and sneaky, I love it!

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:23 pm

Parenting smart kids is hard work, as you may find out someday.

Post by **nerdanel** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:46 pm

Primula Baggins wrote:Nel, I've never done that (though I've been sorely tempted). Why take the fun out of discovering something? And at least with my kids, if I want to encourage them to do something worthwhile that they're reluctant to do, letting them know I'm hovering and watching is precisely the wrong strategy. Better to pretend not to care, while arranging convenient "accidents."

I can assure you that I'm a pain in other ways. Moms always are.

I think I misrepresened the tone in which my mom and I would have (and still have) these conversations.

Time: College
Me: I decided to reread the Anne of Green Gables series this summer. It's still an incredible read, and I get so much more out of it now that I'm older.
Mom: AHA! And whose fault is it that you actually made it through the first book the first time you read it?

Me: Well, I would say mine, since I was the one who chose to read it.

Mom: So you made this "choice" all on your own?
Me: Well, ye - okay, fine! No I didn't.
Mom: Whose fault is it, then?
Me: It's the fault of the three chapter rule!

Mom: Remind me what that is again.

Me: It's an unfair, coercive, arbitrary rule that required me to read three chapters of any book, even if I wasn't the one to pick it out, before giving up on it and returning it to the library.
Mom: Right, and who made that rule?

Me: A tyrannical dictator.
Mom: I always said some day you'd thank me for it. That time would be...now.
Me: No way! I only followed the three chapter rule because of the other rule. You know the one. And that one wasn't your idea.

Mom: Right. That one.
Me: Yes, the fiction/non-fiction rule, made up by a no-good, busybody (here, I used a word that my mom prefers I not use in front of her, and there was a little diversion in which we discussed how freedom of speech juxtaposes with parental rules imposed on minors. Or, put differently, in which she yelled at me and I mumbled something about the Constitution) librarian who thought that SHE had the right to regulate my reading schedule. When I was three! And I had to follow that nonsense rule for years.
Mom: It was perfectly reasonable to require you to read one non-fiction book for every fiction book, or you'd only have read fiction.
Me: Agree to disagree. Anyway, the only reason I followed the three-chapter rule with Anne of Green Gables is because I wanted to read some fiction rather than two non-fiction books in a row (:roll:). So I figured that even if the first chapter looked horribly boring, it was better than another history book or something.
Mom: I'm still waiting for credit here....
Me: *triumphantly* So really, it's that evil, no-good, etc. librarian's fault that I read Anne of Green Gables, not yours. Credit denied!
Mom:

It's always been that sort of light-hearted bantering. I mentioned in the bar thread that I have the tendency to insist on discovering things for myself (that more experienced people have told me about), then act as though I used all the ingenuity in the world to figure them out solo. And no one knows it more than my mom. So she loves to remind me which discoveries weren't quite my own.

Doesn't bother me - it's always kept me honest.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:18 pm

Aha! Well, that kind of oppression I do indulge in. "Who's your mama? Who's your mama, huh, kid?"

Post by **Frelga** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:40 pm

Ah, that kind. Well, yes, that's entirely reasonable. In my family it's known as "and you didn't want to go to Yosemite, either" clause.

But Nel, sheesh, kids these days!

What's so hard about saying "thank you, Mom?" Huh? Huh?

Post by **Impenitent** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:12 am

I absolutely don't care who gets the credit, as long as the little light bulb goes on over their heads.

I can crow quietly into my pillow.

Post by **Athrabeth** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:13 am

Thanks for posting about this, Imp! I'm always on the look-out for books to add to my classroom library.......especially ones that come in a series, and ESPECIALLY ones that will appeal to boys.

I'll start my hunt for The Ranger's Apprentice next week when I'm in teh Big City!

Post by **Impenitent** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 3:41 am

Ath, I'm sure the boys you teach will love them! There seem to be so few books for that age group in which the boys are competent, rounded characters and not overshadowed by the female characters. So many of the books I've come across (I'm constantly looking) adopt a politically correct approach - make sure they represent both sexes, appeal to the widest possible audience. I understand why; makes for more sales. But I think boys need to feel validated in and of themselves. This really is a boy's-own adventure, though more emotionally sophisticated than those published for earlier generations.

My son is now re-reading them - there's only four in the series so far and he's very impatiently awaiting the publication of the fifth book.

Post by **Impenitent** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:46 am

"The Dangerous Book for Boys" by Conn Iggulden & Hal Iggulden

My boy just got this for his birthday and it's fantastic! You know how all the books these days seem to be tamed, politically correct? This isn't. Not that it's politically incorrect, but it's just so male!

It's a boys-own manual of interesting facts, how-to (make the best ever paper aeroplane, build a tree house, morse code, secret codes and invisible ink, make a sling shot, etc), important things to keep in your pockets....vital information for men of all ages!

Oh, here's a link to a review: clickety.

Unfortunately, it's a UK publication, so it may not be available in the US, but it's worth a look.

Post by **MithLuin** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:05 am

(Files suggestion away for later.)

That does sound good....thanks for sharing!

Hmmm, cool books for kids....

(or what I remember reading/ reading aloud to my brothers)

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

The Redwall books by Brian Jacques

Treasure Island

Quest for a Maid

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils and the Further Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlof

The Hobbit

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (or really, anything by Roald Dahl - The BFG was my family's favorite).

The Yearling

It's harder to remember this stuff than it should be! I was an avid reader at that age...what was I reading?

Post by **Impenitent** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:21 am

I remember what I was reading, but my kids have different tastes to mine at their ages - I was reading a lot of classics and they are completely uninterested in that genre.

Finding books for boys is especially tricky, I've found.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:21 am

A Wrinkle in Time

Mistress Masham's Repose

The Swiss Family Robinson (an odd one, but I read it over and over)

Robin Hood (a couple of good versions)

Black Beauty (sad!)

Bambi (Felix Salten) and Bambi's Children

Heidi (Johanna Spyri); sequels OK but not as good

Alcott: Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boys, Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom

War of the Worlds (I know, but I read this eight or ten times starting when I was

Post by **yovargas** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:35 am

Primula Baggins wrote: War of the Worlds (I know, but I read this eight or ten times starting when I was

Hey, I still think you're pretty

.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:39 am

But let it stand as a monument to . . . something.

Post by **MithLuin** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:18 am

My sister read Swiss Family Robinson when she was in second grade (so, 7 or

. I read Black Beauty at that age as well. And didn't read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory until I was in high school

. Heidi was 5th grade, Little Women (and Last of the Mohicans) 6th grade. All the Trixie Belden books were summer after 7th grade...and LotR was Dec. of 7th grade

. Treasure Island was 4th grade. The Yearling and Moby Dick were 8th grade.

My brothers responded well to Brian Jacques...try him if you aren't familiar with him. And of course Harry Potter

. My youngest brother liked Sherlock Holmes in middle school, but then, he'd already read The Silmarillion and I'd already read him Hamlet...so he was an advanced reader. My other brother has never picked up a book on his own unless it was a) military history, preferably Vietnam, b) autobiographical, or c) Harry Potter

. He just started college, and is doing fine....

Last of the Mohicans would be good for boys, but you'd need a translator.

I only read it the once, but when I tried to read it aloud to my brothers, I realized he never said anything, he merely hinted and you had to figure it out. I guess I mean that the prose was denser than I had remembered.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is good, but maybe a little older than the age group you were looking for.