In my recent post on what we talk about when we talk about “inappropriate” books for kids, I discussed how a book’s treatment of a particular topic is the key to whether or not it is “appropriate” for a certain reader – an approach that takes a lot more work than merely banning taboo categories across the board.
One commenter asked what I’m sure is a burning, and very common, question: What do you do when your child’s reading abilities exceed their emotional understanding for what they’ve read?
I was one of those kids, and I’m sure my parents tore their hair out trying to deal with it. I still have nightmares from when I got into my father’s Stephen King collection at age eight and read Four Past Midnight. The Langoliers were no biggie, but the Sun Dog will haunt my dreams forever. (My father learned to store his books on a shelf I could not reach, after that – though I wouldn’t have read any more Stephen King at that point if you paid me. I didn’t read King again for almost ten years.)
In no particular order, then, are several of my best-beloved precocious-reader picks from my own childhood. For more recently-published titles (remember, I’m that age you can’t trust anyone over), see this handy list of books for precocious readers, compiled by gifted-child educator and A Different Place blogger Nancy Bosch. Horn Book magazine also has a fabulous list from yesterday and today.
What were some of your favorite books? What are your young readers enjoying? Share in comments!
Dani Alexis 