My Favorite Books

My Favorite Books

                                                               

So, winter, spring, or summer breaks are always around the corner, and I know you might be looking for some good reads. Parents always ask about the best books, and you know what? Even students ask to borrow a book we've been diving into together too. Why? Because reading rocks, especially for building up those epic communication skills, like understanding new words and getting your vocab game strong. 💪

Check this out: Did you know the average six-year-old has a vocabulary of 3-5000 words? Fast forward to high school, and they're rocking around 80,000 words – mind-blown, right? Most of these cool words are picked up through reading 📚, and that's why it's such a big deal.

Now, let me spill the tea on some of the books I use in therapy. Some students are all about soaking up knowledge from magazines rather than novels, and that's A-OK. Even graphic novels, like comic books, bring the heat with storylines, settings, and character development. National Geographic and Sports Illustrated for Kids are like VIP magazines full of awesome words. And hey, younger kids go nuts for Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

When you're picking out reading material, knowing your exact reading vibes and the book's difficulty level is key. That's where the "Lexile Measure" swoops in to save the day. Head to www.lexile.com, find your student's Lexile, and build a custom reading list based on their fave subjects. It's like a personalized reading adventure!

Oh, and here's a hot tip – jump into the audiobook world on www.tumblebooks.com. You can listen to books and get a little vocabulary and pronunciation backup. Plus, scroll down 👇 to the bottom for a list of the best sites that dish out FREE audiobook recordings too. 

Let's break down my favorite reads by age group:

Elementary

These books are like your VIP pass to memorable characters and life lessons. Perfect for the younger crew and totally enjoyable for all ages:

"Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak:

  • A classic adventure with a dude named Max and some wild things.

"Matilda" by Roald Dahl:

  • A story about a super gifted girl named Matilda taking on life's injustices.

"The Magic Tree House" series by Mary Pope Osborne:

  • Follow Jack and Annie's time-traveling adventures using a magical treehouse.

"The Lightning Thief" (Percy Jackson & the Olympians) by Rick Riordan:

  • Percy discovers he's a demigod and goes on a quest to prevent a godly war.

"Wonder" by R.J. Palacio:

  • Auggie Pullman navigates his first year at a mainstream school, exploring kindness and acceptance.

Middle School

For the middle school squad with a taste for various genres and themes:

"Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series by Rick Riordan:

  • Percy Jackson's adventures as a demigod and son of Poseidon.

"Holes" by Louis Sachar:

  • A multi-gen mystery weaving Stanley Yelnats, a cursed family, and a juvenile detention center.

"Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling:

  • From "Sorcerer's Stone" to magical adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"The Giver" by Lois Lowry:

  • A thought-provoking tale in a dystopian society where Jonas discovers the truth.

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green:

  • A heartwarming journey of two teens with cancer exploring love and friendship.

"The Hunger Games" series by Suzanne Collins:

  • Katniss Everdeen navigating a brutal competition in a post-apocalyptic world.

High School

These are the classics that might pop up in high school or ones you might want to tackle independently:

  • "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

  • "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger

  • "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

  • "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne

  • "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury

  • "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck

Grand Finale

Some sites where you can grab FREE audiobooks:

  • Librivox: Classic audiobooks narrated by cool volunteers.

  • Project Gutenberg: A treasure trove of free ebooks, with audiobook versions too.

  • Loyal Books: Free audiobooks of classic literature.

  • Storynory: Audio stories for kids, including fairy tales and cool originals.

  • Free Classic Audiobooks: Classics in the public domain available for streaming or download.

 

Happy reading! 📚