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General Chat => Books & Comics => Topic started by: ming on 07 August, 2017, 11:02:28 AM

Title: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: ming on 07 August, 2017, 11:02:28 AM
Hey folks, I've read to our two boys (now aged eight and nearly seven) every night since they popped into existence, pretty much, and I'm looking for recommendations of books to add to the list.  Norwegian is their first language but their English isn't far behind, partly due to hours and hours spent reading at bedtime (a pleasure for me, not a chore).  They're old enough to read to themselves (and do) but I'm looking to continue the routine of me reading every evening for a good while yet.  I've read a bunch of beloved books from my childhood as well as more recent stories but any suggestions (old or new) would be very welcome.  Now they're older there's less repetition featured in bedtime reading so I'm hoping to amass a stack of books that we can work our way through.

One book I'm currently trying to track down is Rebecca's World (Terry Nation); I loved that as a kid.  Other stuff we've read in the last year or two includes the following:

The Iron Man - Ted Hughes
King of the Copper Mountains - Paul Biegel
The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkein
Bottersnikes and Gumbles - S.A. Wakefield (three books from the series)
How to Train your Dragon - Cressida Cowell (the whole lot)
Tales from Schwartzgarten - Christopher William Hill (The Woebegone Twins is great)
Roald Dahl - pretty much everything
Noggin the Nog - Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin (a few of these books; hard to resist)
Stig of the Dump - Clive King
Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling (first two books read by Number One Son in Norwegian; Stephen Fry has read us the first four in the car on various long trips)

There are a lot of books in the back of my mind (we watched the 1984 TV adaptation of John Masefield's The Box of Delights at Christmas, so I should pick up the book; The Wind in the Willows and Narnia will also feature at some point.)

So, what are we missing out on?
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Smith on 07 August, 2017, 11:44:46 AM
Rangers Apprentice series,maybe?
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Proudhuff on 07 August, 2017, 01:02:11 PM
You need more comics!

all the Tintin stuff?
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Bolt-01 on 07 August, 2017, 01:23:32 PM
(http://www.michaelowencarroll.com/qp/b6small.jpg)

What about the New Heroes books by Mike Carroll (http://www.michaelowencarroll.com/qp/main.html)

Not sure how many of them are still available in print but these are a superbly 'readable' set of tomes. My Favourite is 'Stronger'.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Smith on 07 August, 2017, 01:38:55 PM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 07 August, 2017, 01:02:11 PM
You need more comics!
Bone.Definitely.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: ming on 07 August, 2017, 01:39:35 PM
Quote from: Smith on 07 August, 2017, 11:44:46 AM
Rangers Apprentice series,maybe?

Thanks, Smith - those look like fun; will pick up the first couple and see how they're received by my younglings.


Quote from: Proudhuff on 07 August, 2017, 01:02:11 PM
You need more comics!

all the Tintin stuff?

Huff, we've got a bunch of Tintin books on the shelf and they're better for them to read to themselves.  I read a couple as bedtime reading (I didn't really want to but caved in after much pleading) but it takes the fun out of it.  Comics-wise, I tactically leave stuff lying around (Meltdown Man, Robo-Hunter, Ro-Busters, etc.) so they're getting a gentle induction that way (and Norwegians are probably more familiar with comics than UK kids these days; comics (as opposed to floppy plastic-tat sales devices) are on shelves in small shops and supermarkets (and Mike Collins is very well known over here for his work on Varg Veum).

Quote from: Bolt-01 on 07 August, 2017, 01:23:32 PM
What about the New Heroes books by Mike Carroll (http://www.michaelowencarroll.com/qp/main.html)

Not sure how many of them are still available in print but these are a superbly 'readable' set of tomes. My Favourite is 'Stronger'.

Good call, Bolt - I've been curious about those myself so this might be the time to check them out.  I guess these all link together but can you ready them as standalone books?  (Stronger being number six in the series.)  The link doesn't work but there's an overview of Mike's books here:

http://www.michaelowencarroll.com/bib-books.htm
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Bolt-01 on 07 August, 2017, 01:52:11 PM
Ming- the first three- Quantum Prophesy, Sakkara & Absolute Power are one arc, From Superhuman to Hunter are a second arc, though of these only Hunter really only works with a good knowledge of the rest. The last two- Crossfire & the Chasm actually follow on from the end of the original trilogy and also involve characters from the second arc.

I really don't want to spoil any of these, but they are incredibly readable page-turners with some superb characters.

If you wanted to start with one of them- then i'd recommend Superhuman, the first book in the second arc.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: ming on 07 August, 2017, 01:56:06 PM
Thanks, Bolt - I'll try and start at the beginning; will probably dig them up on eBay of all else fails.

Smith, Bone is now on the list of stuff to leave lying around  :)
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Smith on 07 August, 2017, 02:25:27 PM
I would also mention Disney Ducks(Carl Barks/Don Rossa stories),but I assume you Scandinavians are fairly familiar with that. :)
Life and times of Scrooge Mcduck is a must have,for anyone really.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: ming on 07 August, 2017, 02:54:10 PM
Quote from: Smith on 07 August, 2017, 02:25:27 PM
I would also mention Disney Ducks(Carl Barks/Don Rossa stories),but I assume you Scandinavians are fairly familiar with that. :)
Life and times of Scrooge Mcduck is a must have,for anyone really.

Yep - Number One Son spent a sizeable chunk of the past few weeks with his nose in various Donald Duck collections; amazing how popular that stuff is here.  With stuff like Nemi and Pondus, Norway has a pretty strong and healthy comics culture (and our local library as a brain-meltingly good comics section).
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: CalHab on 07 August, 2017, 02:59:07 PM
Quote from: Smith on 07 August, 2017, 02:25:27 PM
Life and times of Scrooge Mcduck is a must have,for anyone really.

You need to take out a mortgage to buy it these days, for some reason.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Smith on 07 August, 2017, 03:07:30 PM
Wasnt it recently reprinted by Fantagraphic as a part of the Don Rossa Library?It was 30$ IIRC.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Mardroid on 07 August, 2017, 04:35:11 PM
One of my favourite novels ever is Watership Down, by Richard Adams. I first read it as a child, and I still love it.

While it can be a bit grim in places, and the ending is [spoiler]somewhat sad, but in a good way,[/spoiler] I don't think it would be too much for the little ones. (I'd advise strong parental discretion if they watch the animation, though!)

#Bolt-01- Authors name updated...
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: von Boom on 07 August, 2017, 04:56:06 PM
I would recommend all of Robert A. Heinlein's juvenile stories, Starman Jones, Space Cadet, Rocket Ship Galileo, Podkayne of Mars, etc.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Smith on 07 August, 2017, 05:43:09 PM
Speaking of rabbits,Usagi Yojimbo.Everyone loves Usagi.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: ming on 08 August, 2017, 12:05:54 PM
Quote from: Smith on 07 August, 2017, 05:43:09 PM
Speaking of rabbits,Usagi Yojimbo.Everyone loves Usagi.

Comics recommendations are fine but I'm really after more books... We now have a couple of the Ranger's Apprentice books on the way along with Mike Carroll's first two (Quantum Prophecy, Sakkara); should keep us going for a bit at least.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: mattb on 08 August, 2017, 11:18:33 PM
The Giggler Treatment by Roddy Doyle, and it's sequels. Hilarious.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Smith on 09 August, 2017, 05:43:34 AM
Warrior Cats?
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Colin YNWA on 09 August, 2017, 08:58:56 PM
Currently reading 'Ned's Circus if Marvels' with my daughter and she adores it. Its does work the cliche a little heavy, but she doen't notice and I get so made author Justin Fisher's attempt to think of new and 'interesting' ways to spell classic beasties names 'gor-balins' I mean really stop that already.

For all that its an incredibly exciting read.
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: Rara Avis on 09 August, 2017, 09:42:43 PM
I bought this as a gift for a friend's child a while back. The Guardian reviewed it as 'The Usual Suspects' for children.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/14/fortunately-milk-neil-gaiman-review

(http://childledchaos.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/FTM01.jpg)
Title: Re: Books for kids - recommendations please!
Post by: ming on 10 August, 2017, 12:01:38 PM
Thanks folks!  Adding these to the list (you can't have too many books - something I used to think about Lego :lol:)