One of the most frequent questions I am asked is: "What are good novels for beginning readers?" This is a difficult question to answer because ability, maturity and interest levels vary so much from the ages six to nine. Parents really need to examine books to decide which best fit for their children's reading needs.
This is one of the hottest fields in children's books and there are books to satisfy every taste. Here's a sampling of new releases and suggestions for old favorites that follow the genre.
The ages of six to nine are often polarized into "girl books" and "boy books". Pleasant Company's series features historical characters known mostly by girls, but these spunky heroines will satisfy historical fiction readers from ages six to ten. Short novellas unite history, adventure, and the spirited characters of Kirsten, a pioneer girl; Samantha, a young woman living in the Victorian era; Molly, a patriotic World War II child; and character, Felicity, a child of colonial Williamsburg. The three newest books in the series are Happy Birthday Felicity! ; Felicity Saves the Day; Changes for Felicity. (each $5.95) Girls will welcome the fall premier of Addy, a young African-American girl in the Civil War period.
Many times the way boys enter the independent reading experience is through sports novels. One of the best known kid's sports writers, Matt Christopher, publishes his third short novel, Man Out at First. (Ages 7-9; Little Brown, $12.45) As with his other books, sports is a backdrop for issues that could come up anywhere, for either sex. Man Out at First stars Turtleneck Jones who takes a fast-moving ball in the chest, blacks out, and finds fears getting in the way of his playing.
Many six to nines like reading about animals. This year Hope Slaughter brings to life the animals of Windmill Hill. The central protagonist is Newly, a curious mouseling who is fascinated with humans and intrigued by anything that promises adventure. Always available for wise counsel is his uncle, Old Ragged. Old Ragged is gruff on the outside, but tenderhearted and as it turns out, as curious as Newly on the inside. The author's merit lies in her ability to see from a animal perspective while recognizing what will delight a child reader. The book balances adventure and reassurance and is filled with clear writing and attention to sensory details and the feeling levels of the story. Illustrated by Edward Frascino. Due for release in May. (Ages 6-10; Pippin, $14.95)
Contemporary settings intrigue many beginning readers. Books for younger readers focus on younger issues. Karen Galbraith's Roomates and Rachel (Ages 5-8; Avon, $3.50) tells of two siblings who welcome a new baby. Three contemporary-setting authors add to their very popular series. James Howe's characters adjust to babies in Pinky and Rex and the New Baby (Ages 6-9; Atheneum, $12.95) Ellen Conford's Nibble, Nibble, Jenny Archer (Ages 7-9; Little Brown, $12.95) finds the star enthusiastically endorsing and eating a product she discovers is gerbil feed! Marion Markham's Dixon twins take on another mystery as the two defend the class trickster in The April Fool's Day Mystery. (Ages 7-9; Avon, $3.50).
Realistic novels come in older more sensitive levels, too. Many are written for children who have the maturity to understand more poignant issues, but don't have the ability to read longer books. These novellas should be pre-read by parents and can often make a wonderful forum for discussion. Carolyn Polese's Promise Not to Tell focuses on a young girl who is sexually assaulted and faces her fears of emotional and physical threats before she is able to escape the misery of secret. The molester is not a family member or friend and for that reason might be read by any child to protect them from the experience. Again, his is a book that ought to be discussed with a parent. (Ages 9-11; Beech Tree, Morrow, $3.95)
Then there are the kids that want to escape everyday into the world of fantasy and science fiction. The Knight at Dawn is the second in Mary Pope Osborne's series about fact-seeking Jack and his impetuous sister Annie who travel to the time of knights and castles. History and customs of the era come alive against a foreground of adventure, mystery and suspense. (Ages 5-8, Random House, $2.99) Another escape is adventure stories. Random House features two series that will satisfy older novella readers from 8-10. Les Martin's Young Indiana Jones series puts mystery and suspense into historical settings in books like Young Indiana Jones and the Gypsy Revenge (Ages 9-12; $2.95). Random House also writes a Step-Up Classic series that classic adventure stories like The Last of the Mohicans (adapted by Les Martin, Ages 9-12; Random, $2.95)
Last, but not least, there's humor that is transcends age, sex or genre. Louis Sachar, well-loved by older kids for his humor, enters the first novel books with his Marvin Redpost series. His latest, Why Pick on Me? is written around bully Clarence's accusation of Martin's being a nose picker. Kids might think they're reading about the disgusting subject of nose picking, but there are subtle themes of being blamed for something that isn't true, the power and control of a bully, and a plucky kid that turns a helpless situation around. All of these are connected by the more obvious theme so cleverly that a kid can see modeling and topics for discussion in a painless, funny way. Ages 7-10 Random House, $2.99)
A last plea to parents! This is a crucial time to nurture life-time readers. Just because your child can read alone, don't stop reading aloud! Move into family reads that will please everyone and still challenge your burgeoning reader with new vocabulary and ideas!
Clyde Robert Bulla, White Bird (Random House, $2.50)
Clyde Robert Bulla, Charlie's House (Knopf, $14.00)
Alice Dalgliesh's Courage of Sarah Noble (Macmillan, $4.95)
Kathleen Kudlinski, Night Bird: A Story of the Seminole Indians (Viking, $12.99)
Patricia MacLachlan's Sarah, Plain and Tall (HarperCollins, $2.50)
Lydia Weaver, Close to Home: A Story of the Polio Epidemic (Viking, $12.99).
Alice Dagliesh, The Bears on Hemlock Mountain (Macmillan, $3.95)
Russell Erickson, A Toad for Tuesday (Beech Tree, Morrow, $3.95)
Shel Silverstein, Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back (HarperCollins,$13.95)
Janwillem van de Wetering, Hugh Pine (Bantam, $2.50)
David Adler, Cam Jansen mysteries (Dell/Viking)
Patricia R Giff, The Polk Street Gang Books; the Lincoln Lion series (Dell/Delacorte)
Johanna Hurwitz, Elisa and Russell books (Morrow/Puffin)
Alma Flor Ada, My Name Is Maria Isabel (Atheneum, $13.95)
Ann Cameron, The Most Beautiful Place in the World (Knopf, $2.99)
John Gardiner, Stone Fox (HarperCollins, $3.95)
Eloise Greenfield's Talk About a Family (HarperTrophy, $3.95)
Amy Hest, Love You, Soldier (Puffin, $3.99)
Shannon Jacob, Song of the Giraffe (Little Brown, $11.95)
Mildred Taylor, The Friendship/The Gold Cadillac (Bantam, $2.95)
Science fiction/ Fantasy
and Jeff Brown, Flat Stanley (HarperCollins, $4.95)
Roald Dahl, The Magic Finger (Puffin, $3.99)
Jackie French Kohler, The Dragonling (Little Brown,$10.95)
Ellen Schecter, Sim Chung and the River Dragon (Little Rooster, $3.50)
Lee Wardlaw, Me+ Math = Headache (Red Hen Press, $3.50)
Kathleen Leverich, Best Enemies (Knopf, $2.95)
There comes in most children's lives an in-between time when they have outgrown I-Can-Reads and are overwhelmed by long novels. Though this genre is constantly growing, there is still I am always grateful for the appearance of shorter novels, especially when they are well done. I have been well pleased with the Pleasant Company series of American Girls by Valerie Tripp. Now Kirsten (the pioneer girl), Samantha (Victorian child), Molly (from World War II era) are joined by Felicity, a young girl from Colonial Williamsburg. Like her across-time counterparts, Felicity is a strong female protagonist who is plucky, sensitive, adventurous and a very good representative of the colonial era. Felicity, whose father is shopkeeper in the village, reveals customs, locations, responsibilities and feelings in three books Meet Felicity, Felicity Learns a Lesson, and Felicity's Surprise. Ages 6-10. (Pleasant Company, $5.95)
The many children who have been saddened by the end of the ninteen book series of Box Car Children adventures will be pleasantly surprised to discover that six books have been added to the series created by Gertrude Chandler Warner. The new books have the which have the flavor of Warner with a sometimes more modern feel and begin with The Haunted Cablin Mystery which appeared in November. Ages 7-10 ( Whitman, $3.50)
Interestingly enough, it is becoming more and more difficult to find "boy" stories for middle grade readers. My son and most of his friends have been captured by the Jack B. Quick, Sports Detective series. The newest volume, The Case of the Screaming Skates, combines mystery, sports and adventure in four new short stories. Ages 8-12. (Little Brown, $3.95)