“Books are like old friends that you can confide in.” -DJ Mermaid
I have two favorite books that are all time American Classics and are a pleasure to read. They are Charlotte’s Web and To Kill a Mockingbird. Here’s a sneak-peek into why I like these great books.
DJ Mermaid is six years old in this photo –her mom and dad found her asleep before bedtime with her nose in a book. Looks like it was another E.B. White favorite: Stuart Little.
Charlotte’s Web:
“I dare say my trick will work and Wilbur’s life will be saved.” – Charlotte A. Cavatica
This is the story of friendship, trust and great smarts. Wilbur is like me in a sense because he is so honest. Fern is so devoted to Wilbur it makes me happy inside. Please don’t get me started on Charlotte and how compassionate she is. That spider made WEBS of GREATNESS to save Wilbur’s life. Of course I always cry on page 171 when she dies, but I guess it is the circle of life.
Wilbur and Charlotte are an amazing team in my opinion. Go FRIENDSHIP!!!!
To Kill a Mockingbird
“You can kill all the blue jays you want if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” – Atticus Finch
This story is about the Jim Crow southern region and how a lawyer and his family tried to protect one innocent African American victim from the benches of a jailhouse and the wrath of a fictional court case. I do think that if Atticus was alive today he would work to change the ways that people with mental illnesses, different races and people with disabilities are being discriminated against.
Actually, guys, I was wondering if you could do me a favor? I am very bored in tutoring for reading because I already know everything. My tutor (for school, not Beth) suggested we do a novel study and I was wondering if you knew of any good books for me to suggest to her. If you do please say so in a comment.
What good timing!
That’s the end of my 4th post!
-DJ Mermaid
Ms Mermaid,
Can I suggest “The Black Stallion”? There was a wonderful movie made from it, but if you haven’t seen the movie, I’d read it first. Then the plot won’t be spoiled for you.
I really love your posts.
Judy Roth
Thanks for the comment, Judy. I really love Ms. Mermaid’s posts, too. And guess what? I myself have never read The Black Stallion. I may just add it to *my* reading list, too.
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Thanks for the suggestion Judy!
Hi DJ, I’d like to recommend two books by Ann Martin. The first is A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray, and the second one is Everything for a Dog. They are both about a stray dog named bone and told from the dog’s point of view. My daughter and I read these together, and we both loved them.
I happen to know that DJ Mermaid and her family have a loveable dog — maybe she and her canine pal can read these two books together…!
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Hi DJ,
I don’t know what you’ve already read, but here is a list I put together for my son to look at when he’s trying to find a new good book to read. The suggested grade levels are guesses based on a few sources and my own memory, so if you’ve already read a bunch, you can see if you agree with my guesses! (The guesses are based on a combination of content/level of language/complexity of sentence structure.)
Enjoy!
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater (grade 1 for read-aloud, 2/3 for self-read)
Sarah, Plain and Tall (series) by Patricia MacLaughlan (grade 1-5 for first book; 4-6 by third book)
E. Nesbit books (like “Five Children and It” series) (grades 2 and up for read aloud; 3 and up for self read)
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (series) by Beverly Cleary; also Socks, Romona, etc. (grade 2/3 and up)
The Borrowers (series) by Mary Norton (grades 2 and up)
The Boxcar Children (series of 19 original) by Gertrude Chandler Warner (grades 2 and up)
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell (and Zia, sequel) (grades 2 and up)
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (grades 2 and up)
The Cricket in Times Square series by George Selden (grades 2 and up)
Bunnicula series and series about the dog by James Howe (grades 2/3 and up)
The Indian in the Cupboard (and sequel) by Lynne Reid Banks (grades 2/3 and up)
Half Magic series (7 books) by Edward Eager (grade 3 and up)
The Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder (grades 3 and up)
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford (grades 3 and up)
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George (grades 3 and up)
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster (grades 3 and up)
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by e.l. konigsburg (grades 3 and up)
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase series by Joan Aiken (grades 3/4/5 and up)
My Side of the Mountain (3 book series) by Jean Craighead George (grades 3/4 and up)
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe series by C.S. Lewis (grades 3/4 and up)
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (grades 3/4/5 and up)
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (grades 4 and up)
Bridge to Tarabitha by Katherine Paterson (grades 4/5 and up)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien (grades 4/5 and up)
Hatchet (5 book series) by Gary Paulsen (grades 4/5 and up)
The 21 Balloons by William Pène du Bois (grade 4/5 and up)
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (grades 4/5 and up)
The Sign of the Beaver /and/ Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare (grades 5 and up)
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (grades 5 and up)
Redwall series by Brain Jacques (grade 5 and up)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (grade 6 and up)
A Wrinkle in Time series by Madeline L’Engle (grade 6 and up)
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli (grade 6/7 and up)
The Well at the World’s End by William Morris (middle school?)
The Hobbit (grade 6 (difficult for many)/7 and up)
Lord of the Rings (teens)
Other authors who have written lots of good stuff:
Dick King Smith (grades 2/3 and up)
Beverly Cleary (grades 2/3 and up)
Lois Lowry (grades 3/7 depending)
Judy Blume (elementary/middle school?)
Jane Yolen (middle school?)
Joan Aiken (elementary/middle school)
T. H. White (4th and up)
Oh, Jennifer, this is fantastic. I can’t wait for my Friday meeting with DJ Mermaid so we can talk about all these book ideas!
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Quite the list! Grandson Bryce (age 7) loves The Boxcar Children series.
And Bev, I hope you noticed that Jennifer L. added Beverly Cleary at the end as a writer to read, too….!
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I will totally read The Hobbit, Lord of The Rings, and Where the Red Fern grows. I can’t wait!
Jennifer, your list has many of my childhood favorites in it.
For the life of me I cannot recall how old DJ Mermaid is (or her reading level!). I have a couple others in mind that I can pull from my GoodReads listing.
She’s 9, but I think she has a birthday in May…
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DJ Mermaid, I truly appreciate your posts! You are insightful and funny – a vital combination, in my humble opinion.
That list of books and authors posted above is a wonderful collection that could keep you busy for quite a while. I’d like to add one more.
I am a middle-school teacher, and you have already read one of my all time favorites – To Kill a Mockingbird – which I love reading with 8th graders. Since you seem to love that one as much as I do, I’d like to suggest the other novel that I adore: The Book Thief. It’s set during the Holocaust, so it’s intense, but it is so beautifully and creatively written that I think a talented writer like yourself would appreciate it. I also think it’s important to share it with your tutor, because discussion enhances the reading experience.
Now I’m going to get a copy of The Black Stallion because I haven’t read it yet! Thank you for enlightening all of us!
I feel a “DJ Mermaid Book Club” coming in the future –Wendy, you and I could start by reading The Black Stallion together (if DJM hasn’t already read it!) with her. Maybe Judy could lead the discussion?!
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Good idea Beth!
That sounds like a good book ! I will totally read it!
You watch: soon it will be bigger than Oprah’s book club!
Hi DJ Mermaid- Thanks for letting Beth share your posts with us. I laugh and and I think. Can’t ask for more than that. I definitely second The Black Stallion – but why stop there. It’s a series of at least 20 books at this point. Since you already “know everything”, why not pick a topic you would like to learn more about and then find novels involving that topic. Personally, I would like to learn more about Native American traditions and thinking, so I try to find books written by Native Americans or stories told about Native Americans (that were well researched and based at least loosely on facts that would be true to their heritage). If you like animals, there are some great dog books written by Suzanne Clothier and Jon Katz. I’ve also read some good novels with dolphins and whales as central characters. Many of my suggestions my be above your typical reading grade, but it sounds like you may be more advanced than your fellow students. Enjoy the reading!
Great ideas — I know DJ will be reading all these comments — stay tuned for her responses…
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Jennifer’s list is so comprehensive that I hesitate to add a favorite of mine to teach, and I don’t know DJ Mermaid’s age. Charlotte’s Web and Mockingbird seem to me to be for very different age groups. My classes loved The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. What do you think, Jennifer?
DJ Mermaid is nine years old — she read To Kill a Mockingbird along with her dad.
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DJ M — I agree with the suggestion of The Book Thief and will add Watership Down to the mix.
Watership Down. I tried that when I was a kid but couldn’t quite “get” it. Another kids book for me to add to my list now and read it as a “grown-up.”
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So many good suggestions, but The Secret Garden, about an orphan girl living with her recluse uncle on the northern moors in England when she discovers a secret garden and a disabled boy living in the same house is great! An older classic but very beautiful. Along with Charlotte’s Web it was was a favorite of mine.
Also, From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. See http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/mixed-files-mrs-basil-e-frankweiler#cart/cleanup.
The long list in the early post covered these.
Sounds to me like DJ Mermaid is a sophisticated reader (and certainly a sophisticated writer), with a good sense of humor. So many good books out there for her.
She is that indeed — a sophisticated reader, and our weekly meetings always include a very hearty laugh. Usually, more than one!
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Dear DJ Mermaid – your posts are so smart and wonderful – I really enjoy reading them.
I recommend any of the books by Marguerite Henry – they are mostly about horses. My very favorite one is “King of the Wind”, but “Misty”, “Black Gold” and “Brighty of the Grand Canyon” (about a burro) are great too – they all are!
You might also want to try “National Velvet” by Enid Bagnold and “Black Beauty” by Anna Sewell (yes I was horse crazy when I was a kid!). Also “The Tide in the Attic” by Aleid Van Rhijn (hard to find) and “Tuck Everlasting” by Natalie Babbitt.
I’m lucky to have recently joined one of Beth’s writing groups. I hope someday I’ll be able to write as well as she does – and you do.
All best to you, and keep reading!
Aw, shucks. I speak for both of us (DJ Mermaid and me) when I say *thank you, Pat, for the compliments on our writing. She is compiling quite a list of books here, thanks to you and all the rest who have taken time to reply here.
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Thank you for your suggestions Pat! I am horse crazy too!
II
U
You are welcome – can’t wait for your next post!
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