The kid thread: Planning, pregnancy & parenting

[muttleynfelix]

Dec 1, 2018 14:31:07 GMT -5 Pants said:

Dec 1, 2018 12:10:55 GMT -5 cktc said:

I loved Sweet Valley, but from what I remember, (or enjoyed  ) it was a pretty shallow read. Hoping my kids prefer stories that aren't just about popularity and dating.

I mean, the books were about being teenagers. There was also dealing with disabilities (one of their friends was deaf I believe), divorce, sexual assault (attempted, if I remember correctly), car accidents, suicide, peer pressure around drinkingand sex, parents divorcing, among other things. It wasn't deep, but that doesn't mean it was all pool parties either.

That's also before they started traveling through time. They MAY have been intimately involved in both the San Francisco fire AND prohibition.

SVH were, like BabySitters Club, morality tales about the challenges facing middle/upper-middle class teenagers in the 80s. For the most part, they were talking about things kids might come in contact with, but maybe hadn't yet, or their friends had or would. The dating and fashion and friendship was just a framework to push a world where kids came clooose to dangerous situations but it (usually) didn't go too far and wind up with real consequences.

If I remember correctly SVH was a lot more in depth than the Sweet Valley Twins. The twins when they were in junior high were pretty lame and I moved on to the SVH books pretty quick, but I wouldn't want an 8 year old to read those.

I think there is a drug overdose in one of them by the deaf friend.

[Sharon]

Dec 1, 2018 21:38:07 GMT -5 empress of self-improvement said:

Best Christmas Pageant Ever is the only Christmas book I have. I love it!!!

I am the auntie who buys books so I am going to be looking for Mandarin Chinese language kiddie books for the triplets. Just asked their mum. She speaks Cantonese AND Mandarin but Mandarin is apparently the more wide-spread one so that's what they'll be learning. This is going to be interesting!

I have a large Nancy Drew collection with some of my mother's books. Bobbsey Twins, Happy Hollisters, Trixie Belden, Cherry Ames - Student Nurse, Vickie Barr - Flight Stewardess. God I feel old now.

I have my Mom's Cherry Ames books (almost the whole series, just missing a couple),  Beverly Gray (again almost the whole series), Trixie Belden (Most of the series), and I have several Nancy Drew books.  Growing up I loved the Louisa May Alcott books- Little Women, Jo's Boys, Little Men, Eight Cousins, and Rose in Bloom.

[Deleted]

I read a ton as a kid, but I don't remember reading any of these books. I was too into horror, even when I was really young. Stephen King, Dean Koontz...stuff like that. I did read some Judy Blume, I remember that.

[andi9899]

You guys are making me want to reread the entire SVH collection. I loved those books.

[oped]

Dec 2, 2018 6:56:38 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I read a ton as a kid, but I don't remember reading any of these books. I was too into horror, even when I was really young. Stephen King, Dean Koontz...stuff like that. I did read some Judy Blume, I remember that.

I got son to read Strangers because that was one of my favorites, and he was mighty pissed when he got to the end and was like ALIENS? I read that whole long damn book for aliens? ... he never would pick up another Kiontz, or The Stand. He was more a Christopher Moore guy anyway.

They did both really like Vonnegut’s Bluebeard, which is my favorite Vonnegut... so there is that.

[chen35]

As a younger kid I really liked The BoxcarChildren. The older kids never got into it, maybe C will.
I read all of the Ramona books as well, but don’t have quite the same attachment to those.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I owned all the Goosebump books. Pretty sure my collection is still lurking somewhere in my parents' basement.   Gwen isn't interested in them.

I got all excited when I found out that Stine has written new Fear Street books.  I was really into that around Gwen's age.

I also liked Christopher Pike but have not seen him in print for a long time.   Probably have a few of his books hanging around in the basement too.

While I like that Gwen has her own unique tastes in books it also makes me sad cause I wanted to share all my favorites.   Oh well there is still time to brainwash Abby.

Gwen has been behaving really well lately, a complete 180 from her previous moods.  I want to reward that so I looked into the slime crapping unicorn again.  Word to the wise there are A LOT of reviews saying the thing does not work as intended, the unicorn ends up "constipated" a lot.   I know several other posters mentioned it so I thought I'd share.

I think I'll get her one of those giant LOL balls instead. 

[tcu2003]

FYI, target gift cards are 10% off today (up to $300 in GCs) - both in store and online. You can use them before 10am tomorrow, but if you have teacher or daycare GCs to buy, now is a good time.

[Lizard Queen]

I loved the Beverly Cleary Ramona books, Chronicles of Narnia, and Trixie Belden books, though I didn't get to read even half of those, I don't think.  Also like some Judy Blume, and then I started getting more into science fantasy, JRR Tolkien kind of stuff.  I stopped reading so much in Jr High and especially high school, as I got really busy with activities and it seemed to get harder to find the type of books I really liked.  (This was pre-internet, digital media days.)

[azucena]

Dec 1, 2018 19:46:10 GMT -5 oped said:

Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a classic.   Family Under the Bridge and Katherine Patterson's short story book are also good for the holiday season. 

What do you mean by 'the brain' ? 

The great brain by fitzgerald - looks like it will keep DD6's interest.

Family under bridge looks like too much.  I'd prefer to prolong DD's innocence about harsher topics a while longer.  Esp since conversations with DD10 keep getting deeper so sometimes I'm tapped out.

Nothing comes up for Katherine Patterson in the library catalog.

[oped]

Because it’s one t. A Midnight Clear is her Christmas stories. She wrote bridge to terebithia and Jacob have I loved.

If she likes the first great brain I have extra copies of I think 3 and 4? Message me and I can stick them in an envelope if you want, used obviously

Also if anyone has older outdoor kiddos especially reluctant readers I have extra Patrick mcmanus copies.

[Cookies Galore]

Dec 2, 2018 9:28:08 GMT -5 oped said:

Dec 2, 2018 6:56:38 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I read a ton as a kid, but I don't remember reading any of these books. I was too into horror, even when I was really young. Stephen King, Dean Koontz...stuff like that. I did read some Judy Blume, I remember that.

I got son to read Strangers because that was one of my favorites, and he was mighty pissed when he got to the end and was like ALIENS? I read that whole long damn book for aliens? ... he never would pick up another Kiontz, or The Stand. He was more a Christopher Moore guy anyway.

They did both really like Vonnegut’s Bluebeard, which is my favorite Vonnegut... so there is that.

I love Christopher Moore!

[raeoflyte]

So far C isn't interested in any of the kid books I really liked.  I found a ton at a thrift store over the summer.  Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, Super Fudge, Tuck Everlasting, Indian in the Cupboard and so far nada.  He doesn't usually want me to read to him anymore, but will sometimes listen if I read to Evie, so maybe I'll try reading them to her.  

I was surprised at how many graphic novels are out now.  It seemed odd at first, but C likes them and I doubt he would have picked up The Babysitters Club in a regular book so I like that it gets him exposed to some other types of books and stories.  

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I loved Indian in the cupboard!

[azucena]

Dec 3, 2018 10:34:36 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

So far C isn't interested in any of the kid books I really liked.  I found a ton at a thrift store over the summer.  Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, Super Fudge, Tuck Everlasting, Indian in the Cupboard and so far nada.  He doesn't usually want me to read to him anymore, but will sometimes listen if I read to Evie, so maybe I'll try reading them to her.  

I was surprised at how many graphic novels are out now.  It seemed odd at first, but C likes them and I doubt he would have picked up The Babysitters Club in a regular book so I like that it gets him exposed to some other types of books and stories.  

I don't mind the graphic novels, but I don't think they do a lot for progressing vocabulary and comprehension.  I can tell my 10 yo isn't improving her reading skills since she's choosing to focus on almost exclusively graphic novels.  That's why I've begun saying 5 graphic, 5 typical from the library.

She was reading Nancy Drew Diaries (which I think is just updated versions of Nancy Drew, def not graphic) this weekend and was asking me to define 1-2 words per chapter - extricating, surreptiously, naive are the ones I remember.  She hasn't asked me for word help like that in several months and even she commented it was fun to run across new words.  When I tried to explain that was a big part of why I'm not 100% sold on graphic novels, she wasn't buying it.

[taz157]

My DD likes Captain Underpants. (She’s also seem the show on Nerflix.). The one book we’ve read, AHHHH!!!! on the spelling. It was horrible!!! I was not impressed and thankfully, she hasn’t brought home another one like that.

[oped]

Like or not we are an increasingly visual culture. Graphic novels are only going to become more popular. 

[raeoflyte]

Dec 3, 2018 12:29:07 GMT -5 azucena said:

Dec 3, 2018 10:34:36 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

So far C isn't interested in any of the kid books I really liked.  I found a ton at a thrift store over the summer.  Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, Super Fudge, Tuck Everlasting, Indian in the Cupboard and so far nada.  He doesn't usually want me to read to him anymore, but will sometimes listen if I read to Evie, so maybe I'll try reading them to her.  

I was surprised at how many graphic novels are out now.  It seemed odd at first, but C likes them and I doubt he would have picked up The Babysitters Club in a regular book so I like that it gets him exposed to some other types of books and stories.  

I don't mind the graphic novels, but I don't think they do a lot for progressing vocabulary and comprehension.  I can tell my 10 yo isn't improving her reading skills since she's choosing to focus on almost exclusively graphic novels.  That's why I've begun saying 5 graphic, 5 typical from the library.

She was reading Nancy Drew Diaries (which I think is just updated versions of Nancy Drew, def not graphic) this weekend and was asking me to define 1-2 words per chapter - extricating, surreptiously, naive are the ones I remember.  She hasn't asked me for word help like that in several months and even she commented it was fun to run across new words.  When I tried to explain that was a big part of why I'm not 100% sold on graphic novels, she wasn't buying it.

I haven't run into that, but I don't think we're at more graphic novels than not... In all things in life it seems, he's all over the place.  I really want him to want to read though so I've let him have free reign.  He tried a Wrinkle in Time and just couldn't get into it which I remember having issues with too, so I keep meaning to pick up the graphic novel.  

[Deleted]

I was afraid Carrot was going to stick with graphic novels only, he liked Captain Underpants and the Dogman books, but this summer he took off on reading the Warriors books by Erin Hunter and I was so happy.  I doubt he's ever going to be the reader his brother was as it takes him a long time to get through one, where as his brother was whipping through novels in a few days, but he's read the first 5 of one series and is begging for the 6th one (I got it for him for Christmas, so I have to keep distracting him with other things).  It just took finding something that caught his interest and I'm so happy she has a ton of books.  

[cktc]

There was this short series I used to really like when I was in the 5th grade about some orphans and the Oregon Trail, or they were migrating west at least, there were trains at some point in the series. I can't remember what it was called, but there were like 5 siblings, their parents died and they ended up with like 3 different families and had very different upbringings. I believe the oldest brother was named Shane. Does this ring any bells? I'd love to find it again and am google failing.

[oped]

How far back are we looking? When would they have been written? Were they a true account of the Sager children? 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Gwen is reading a book right now that made me cry when I picked it up. She kept assuring me it has a happy ending.

I think the title is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Toulane. Her teacher read it in class and she insisted I get it for her so she could read it again


She also likes Diary of a Wimpy kid. I read one with her and liked it.

I've flipped thru the Dork Diaries and don't like them as much. I feel like it has bad messages for girls hidden in it.

Fortunately Gwen doesn't care for them either. I'm against outright banning books but there are books I'm not super keen on.

[gracendignity]

CKTC, are you thinking of the Orphan Train books?

[cktc]

I read them in  '94-95 and the classroom copies were new so at the very least a reprint in the 90s. It was like a 4 or 5 book series. I'm pretty sure it was fiction. I'll have to do some reading on the Sager children to see if it rings any bells. Thank you!

[cktc]

Dec 3, 2018 13:49:32 GMT -5 gracendignity said:

CKTC, are you thinking of the Orphan Train books?

That's it! The oldest sibling was named Frances and actually a girl, can't believe I forgot that. Looks like there were more books in the series too. Thank you so much!

[gs11rmb]

Dec 3, 2018 13:47:33 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Gwen is reading a book right now that made me cry when I picked it up. She kept assuring me it has a happy ending.

I think the title is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Toulane. Her teacher read it in class and she insisted I get it for her so she could read it again


She also likes Diary of a Wimpy kid. I read one with her and liked it.

I've flipped thru the Dork Diaries and don't like them as much. I feel like it has bad messages for girls hidden in it.

Fortunately Gwen doesn't care for them either. I'm against outright banning books but there are books I'm not super keen on.

That's by Kate DiCamillo.  When I took my oldest to her reading and book signing about a month ago, I picked up a copy of Edward Tulane and had it signed for my younger girl... who says she's not interested in having me read it to her  .

If you're on Facebook and want to see pictures of my girl meeting her favourite author let me know  .

[MJ2.0]

DS is currently into Frannie K Stein and Junie B Jones books. I like the JBJ books a little better because they have less pictures and make him focus on the actual story more - something his teacher expressed some mild concern about. He's not what I would call an avid reader, but if it's "reading time", he'll pick up and enjoy those books.

I've liked horror and crime stories since I was a kid. I started off with Goosebumps, but by 12 or 13 they were too lame for me so I started reading Stephen King books. I'm not into sci-fi, but I have really liked the last 2-3 books I read by Michael Crichton. I don't read much anymore, but I'm currently on a fiction crime book by Lisa Gardner. I've read 2 books from her so far and I really like her stories.

[debthaven]

Are any of you old enough to know the Edgar Eager Tales of Magic books? I LOVED those!

But, I am old LOL.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

MJ s post reminds me of reading Pet Cemetery in 6th grade and the guidance counsellor being horrified my parents let me read it.

Yeah I understood it otherwise why would I read it?😒

If it had been published at the time it would have been hysterical to show up the next day with 50 Shades of Grey.

Parents may not have found it as funny though.

[regina24601]

Dec 3, 2018 14:07:51 GMT -5 gs11rmb said:

Dec 3, 2018 13:47:33 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Gwen is reading a book right now that made me cry when I picked it up. She kept assuring me it has a happy ending.

I think the title is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Toulane. Her teacher read it in class and she insisted I get it for her so she could read it again


She also likes Diary of a Wimpy kid. I read one with her and liked it.

I've flipped thru the Dork Diaries and don't like them as much. I feel like it has bad messages for girls hidden in it.

Fortunately Gwen doesn't care for them either. I'm against outright banning books but there are books I'm not super keen on.

That's by Kate DiCamillo.  When I took my oldest to her reading and book signing about a month ago, I picked up a copy of Edward Tulane and had it signed for my younger girl... who says she's not interested in having me read it to her  .

If you're on Facebook and want to see pictures of my girl meeting her favourite author let me know  .

She wrote Flora and Ulysses, right? My girl and I LOVED that book!!