Here we are again! I’m linking up with Angie for Top Ten Tuesday and also with the iHomeschool Network 10-in-10 Blog Hop. Crazy fun for a Tuesday, right?
Today the topic is Top Ten Books and since my oldest is a voracious reader and loves to get into a good series, I thought I would ask him what his favorites are. Colin favors science fiction and fantasy, but also enjoys adventure and mystery novels. Here are his top ten.
Top ten series for middle school boys:
1. Harry Potter- We love Harry Potter around here. I know that other families choose not to include these books for various reasons and I respect that. For us, however, the storyline, depth of characters, and the growth and real-life emotions and experiences the characters deal with make these well-worn additions to our bookshelves.
2. Chronicles of Narnia- The world of Narnia is like no other, and the way C. S. Lewis turns a phrase and uses metaphor and allegory is really fantastic. I’m looking forward to getting into this series with my younger ones when they are old enough to get the most out of it!
3. My Side of the Mountain- This was a trilogy my son reread many times. The “Lost in the Wilderness” theme really resonated with him and I think he learned alongside the character.
4. Redwall- I have to admit, I’ve never read one of these books (I usually pre-read what my children are interested in) but it came highly recommended by a number of homeschoolers I trust. Colin hasn’t finished the series (there are dozens of books, I believe) but it is one he comes back to regularly, getting the next from the library when he’s between books and wants to venture back into this fantasy-land of animals and battles, good and evil.
5. The Door Within- Wayne Thomas Batson is a Christian youth fiction writer and my son has enjoyed his books ever since a Christian friend suggested them. This trilogy fits right into Colin’s interest in fantasy, and includes clear Christian allegory in the story.
6. Time Warp Trio- This silly, well-written mystery/time travel series does have a bit of potty humor, so be aware. However, these are fun, definitely, ummm, boy-ish and have caused many belly laughs in our home. Each book has a theme and time period it delves into as the trio of boys galavants disjointedly across the years getting into, and then trying to get out of, trouble. This series is a bit easier in terms of reading level than some of the other series on the list.
7. Lord of the Rings trilogy (and The Hobbit)- We are big fans here of Tolkien’s amazing world and the people and characters that live there. These books are a bit more advanced, but with time and diligence they are wonderful read-alouds, or independent reading material for boys that can handle the language. This is where a Kindle really comes in handy. My son loves the dictionary feature at his fingertips!
8. Chronicles of Prydain- This valiant series by Lloyd Alexander is one I kind of had to force Colin to start. He wasn’t so keen on this (as I tried to woo him away from some favorites he kept rereading) but he finally, grudgingly, began. And he loved them! Ha! Mom knows what she’s talking about. Mmm-hmmm.
9. Percy Jackson series- This year we studied the ancients and Colin was enthralled with the myths of Rome and Greece. Enter Rick Riordan and his fantasy series about the Greek gods and a boy who finds out his father is really Poseidon, which makes him a demigod. These books fueled my son’s interest and led to other books from the same author: The Heroes of Olympus and The Kane Chronicles.
10. The Berinfell Prophecies- This series is in its infancy as only two of the books have been written and released, but it is another fantasy series by Christian youth fiction author, Wayne Thomas Batson. Colin downloaded #2 on his Kindle as soon as it became available and impatiently awaits the next!
Come link up your top ten list for the week!
