developmentally appropriate chapter books for 6 year old

[okragirl]

Hey Mamas and Papas,

I'm looking for a long book to read aloud to my six year old daughter. I'm very picky about books. They have to good; really good. The writing must be beautiful, poetic and thoughtful. I want to find stories in which the parents do not die; there aren't any nightmare-inducing elements; and are considered literature (ie: no Magic Tree House or Disney garbage...).
I don't believe she is ready for Charlotte's Web, although I'm looking forward to reading that next year with her.
She loves A.A. Milne, but we've read everything in the entire collection of the Pooh stories. She also loves Beatrix Potter and has heard most of those. What's next, Homeschoolers? Teachers? Lovers of children's literature?
Thanks!

[AllisonK]

Don't know if they are poetic or thoughtful. My DD (almost 6) enjoys the Chronicles of Narnia (we are on book 2) and I plan on starting the Anne of Green Gables Series soon. We have also done the Little House series.

[nicole lisa]

We did Charlotte's Web at 5 and DS couldn't get enough. He begged for just one more chapter each night. So many great discussions have been had because of it. When you feel she's ready I'm sure she'll love it.

We've also done Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Page Master, Orphan Jack, Pinochhio (this one I almost shut down because of the moral tales - this is what bad kids get when they misbehave - but DS loved it. Go figure) in the last year. DS just turned 6 in Sept.

Right now we're reading Julie Andrews Edwards' The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles and DS is really loving it. Prof Savant is a great character and the whole book is about looking closer, listening more carefully, using your imagination and the other worlds that open up when you do.

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Really-Gr.../dp/0064403149

[mummy marja]

How about Heidi by Johanna Spyrri (sp?)

My dd is only 4, but I am so anxious for her to be ready for that as well as Charlotte's Web, Chronicles of Narnia...

[maya44]

Originally Posted by okragirl

I'm very picky about books. They have to good; really good. The writing must be beautiful, poetic and thoughtful.

Wow, that is a tall order and frankly I think that it means that your child will miss out on some wonderful stories about real children. Like Fudge (or Superfudge) the Betsy and Tacy Stories, Little House, the Betsy Stories.

Great stories but not "poetic." Just stories about "real kids" doing real things.

I sometimes see a prejudice on MDC about "real" stories. And I don't mean ones involving violence or "difficult" subjects but rather people here seem so into fanstasy stories , which ARE awesome, but are not the be all and end all to books. I am not referring to any poster here, but this is just my mini-rant on the subject! (sorry)

[Beth-TX]

My dd really loved:

A Cricket in Times Square
Stuart Little
Charlotte's Web
the first 3 Little House books
Farmer Boy
Mary Poppins

We read a condensed version of Heidi, which she really enjoyed, but I hated (as a huge fan of the original). I think the whole, unabridged version might be too long (and occasionally boring) for a 6 year old's attention span.

Have fun reading. I hope you can find something you'll both enjoy.

peace, Beth

[LookMommy!]

Ramona the Pest.

and we also just finished Charlotte's Web.

Socks, by Beverly Cleary, is cute. About a cat who gets jealous of a new baby in the house (and eats his leftover formula - we had a great lactivist conversation).

[Mizelenius]

My DD loves Stuart Little, but I thought it was really dull in some parts. The writing changes as it took the author soooo long to finish it. Continuing on the mouse kick, she also liked all 3 books in the series by B. Cleary about Ralph (The Mouse and the Motorcycle). A few more books about mice (yes, DD is on a kick) are those by Arnold Loebel-- Mouse Tales and Mouse Soup. Those are really short and easy to read books. His other ones, like Uncle Elephant, and Grasshopper on the Road (I think that's the title) are great, too . . .and of course, all of his Frog and Toad series.

I agree with Maya that you have a tall order for books . . .it is very hard to find books that meet those requirements, and like she said, ones that don't fit are still classics for a reason. Children can relate to them and THAT is what makes them meaningful, IMO.

My DD is extremely sensitive (she's not yet 5) but I do think she is ready for Charlotte's Web. Death is not a taboo subject around here.

ETA: Ooooooh, thank you for reminding me about Socks, Look Mommy! That would be PURRRRfect (oh my goodness, sorry about that pun!) because DD loves cats more than anything, AND she is going to be dealing with another baby again soon!

[TiredX2]

Why do you feel DD is not ready for Charlotte's Web? I ask because that will help narrow in on books that you will find enjoyable.

Do you think it's too long?
Too complex?
Too scary?
Too "old"?

[Rigama]

Ds will be 5 in March and we've been reading Charlotte's Web. At the end of each chapter, we stop and I ask him questions about what happened. It amazes me that he "gets" it and can adequately give me a synopsis or answer the questions. Honestly, when I first started it with him, I thought he wouldn't be ready either, but I thought I'd give it a try.

It really is a beautiful story that lets a kid explore themes such as love and death in a safe way. I'd suggest you give it a try. You may be surprised at what your dd is able to deal with.

[sunnmama]

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine is a truly beautiful book. A retelling of the Cinderella story, but very different. Spells and fairy godmothers and ogres and all that good stuff. It won a Newberry award. In general, looking at the Newberry award winners helps me find great books/authors for dd. eta....oops, the mother does die in this story...sorry, missed that in your op. But I'll leave the suggestion because someone else might use it

Ramona Age 8 won a Newberry award, and I think it is an incredible book. Not as poetic as Ella, but a wonderful story of a real family--with real problems and real dynamics. For us, it sparked a love of Beverly Cleary and the Ramona and Henry series.

Gail Carson Levine also wrote some shorter books retelling classic fairytales. They are all very imaginative and well written, imo. Sort of novellas (maybe 80 pages?)--easy to read in one day. One title I remember is For Biddle's Sake, but there are a bunch more. Dd loved them.

[captain optimism]

I wonder if this website will be helpful?

http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardssc...wberymedal.htm

I googled ALA (American Library Association) because they give out a lot of well-regarded children's book awards. That way you can find some that are more recent than our childhoods!

Two suggestions from me: Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie. It meets your criteria: beautiful literary language, parents stay alive through whole book, nothing nightmare-inducing, but still exciting with a conflict. There is even a positive girl character, though the protagonist is a boy.

I also think a six year old might really groove on the Pippi Longstocking books.

[ASusan]

Originally Posted by Mizelenius

My DD loves Stuart Little, but I thought it was really dull in some parts. The writing changes as it took the author soooo long to finish it. Continuing on the mouse kick, she also liked all 3 books in the series by B. Cleary about Ralph (The Mouse and the Motorcycle). A few more books about mice (yes, DD is on a kick) are those by Arnold Loebel-- Mouse Tales and Mouse Soup. Those are really short and easy to read books. His other ones, like Uncle Elephant, and Grasshopper on the Road (I think that's the title) are great, too . . .and of course, all of his Frog and Toad series.

...

If you like mice books, you might try Avi's series about Poppy. This would be appropriate to read aloud to 6-7-yr-olds. I think Avi writes very well, and Poppy really said something to me when I read it (in my 20s!).

[ASusan]

Originally Posted by nicole lisa

Right now we're reading Julie Andrews Edwards' The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles and DS is really loving it. Prof Savant is a great character and the whole book is about looking closer, listening more carefully, using your imagination and the other worlds that open up when you do.

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Really-Gr.../dp/0064403149

I haven't see a reference to this book in years. I first read it in Jr. High, although I think it would be appropriate for a much younger reader. It spawned a number of art projects for me, and I was NOT an artist.

[lindberg99]

Originally Posted by okragirl

(ie: no Magic Tree House or Disney garbage...).

Wow, you're the first person I've ever heard refer to the Magic Tree House as garbage. What don't you like about them? My kids really enjoyed them.

[Thalia the Muse]

I think the Little House books do use beautiful language, although they aren't ornate. The last few paragraphs of Little House in the Big Woods are just lovely.

I'm afraid that you'll find that "great literature" and "nightmare-inducing elements" tend to go together! If you want "safe" books, you're better off going with stuff intended for the youngest readers, which might not meet your expectations about poetic language. However, I'll take a whack at it.

How about:

The Secret Garden (Mary's orphaned, but I think it's before the story begins)
Mary Poppins
Dr. Dolittle
Little House
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
National Velvet (one of the most beautifully written books I've ever encountered, for any age -- might be a little old for her, though)
Alice in Wonderland
The Princess and the Goblins
The Book of Three (Lloyd Alexander)
Under Sea, Over Stone
Understood Betsy
Just-So Stories
The Never-Ending Story
The Season of Ponies (Zilpha Keatley Snyder)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
The Tale of Desperaux
Misty of Chincoteague and King of the Wind (Margeurite Henry)

Any or all of these might induce nightmares, depending on the child. Well, probably not Understood Betsy or Rebecca or Sunnybrook Farm. And any or all of them might bore your child!

I don't know how you define beautiful language, but I think that Beverly Cleary writes extremely WELL for children-- vivid, direct, humorous, moving prose that gets them interested and brings stories to life. You really know exactly how Ramona feels, and feel along with her. Ditto Marguerite Henry.

[Mizelenius]

Originally Posted by ASusan

If you like mice books, you might try Avi's series about Poppy. This would be appropriate to read aloud to 6-7-yr-olds. I think Avi writes very well, and Poppy really said something to me when I read it (in my 20s!).

Thank you!!!!

[Thalia the Muse]

Oh, I missed that -- my five-year-old loves mice, I'll ahve to check it out.

Also, for the OP -- The Wizard of Oz! And then, if she likes it, there are dozens of sequels by Baum, and even some not-bad ones by other people.

I must have the only child in the world who is bored by Charlotte's Web. :-(

[PumpkinSeeds]

Originally Posted by Thalia the Muse

I must have the only child in the world who is bored by Charlotte's Web. :-(

NO we have started Charlotte's Web three times without finishing. My son is just not interested. Black Ships Before Troy and The Wanderings of Odysseus are more his flavor (he's a 5yo).

But that might be too ???? for the OP's taste (don't know the right word, gory, too much fighting? hmmm,...)

[Thalia the Muse]

Yeah, I'm assuming there is some heavy-duty combat in that one!

For my kid, the determining factor seems to be how many illustrations there are. She will sit and listen to Dragonology, which is way over her head, because it's so richly illustrated. But she won't sit for Alice in Wonderland or Wizard of Oz, because she wants more pictures.

Although we made it through Ramona the Pest, which FASCINATED her. And Season of Ponies, but I read a lot of that one while she was playing nearby.