Facts feed the brain of the child; fiction feeds the soul – that's the basis of getting children to read for pleasure, says Audrey Hitchcock of Hedgehog Books, in Pretoria.
The element of fun in reading is important because it builds comprehension. Skills develop through the reading schemes used in classes.
Facts feed the brain of the child; fiction feeds the soul – that's the basis of getting children to read for pleasure, says Audrey Hitchcock of Hedgehog Books, in Pretoria.
The element of fun in reading is important because it builds comprehension. Skills develop through the reading schemes used in classes.
When it comes to specific themes and issues, Hitchcock distinguishes books aimed at girls from those aimed at boys.
She recommends the following books for children in the foundation and intermediate phases (children aged 6-13).
General:
- It’s a Book, by Lane Smith;
- What the Ladybird Heard, by Julia Donaldson;
- Wolf Won’t Bite, by Emily Gravett
First readers:
- The Mr Crocodile series, by Judy Sierra;
- books by John Bush or Korky Paul;
- Cinderella, by Sally Gardner Newly confident readers (from picture books to chapters):
- Winnie the Witch; Clarice Bean;
- Flower fairies (all series) Families, fun and fantasy:
- Girls Stories about fairies, mermaids, princesses.
Boys:
- Horrid Henry,
- Dinosaur Cove,
- s.w.i.t.c.h,
- Ripley’s Bureau of Investigation,
- Dragons of Wayward Crescent,
- Beast quest,
- Extreme Adventures and Adventure Island (all series);
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid;
- Dork Diaries;
- Mr Gum and Legend of Spud Murphy.
Animals:
- Look for books about cats and kittens, puppies and rabbits.
- The SPCA-series is a good source of animal reads.
Adventure (boys):
- The deeds of Bear Grylls,
- Percy Jackson,
- Artemis Fowl and
- Robin Hood are a popular choice.
Greek myths and legends provide plenty of adventure. Authors to look out for are Anthony Horowitz, Julia Golding, Geraldine Mccaughrean, Chris Ryan and Andy Macnab.
Relationships (girls):
- Variations on traditional tales, for example,
- Fairy’s Return, by Gail Levine and Hawksmaid, by Kathryn Laskly.
Other issues:
- Children in labour Water babies;
- Oliver Twist;
- Iqbal (a story about a Palestinian boy executed for exposing the plight of young children forced to work in the carpet factories);
- Sally Grindley's Spilled Water,
- Torn pages,
- Bitter Chocolate and Broken Glass.
Working on waste areas
- Sidwell’s seeds, by Maretha Maartens;
- Trash, by Andy Mulligan;
- Lost Rider, by Elizabeth Laird;
- Angel Boy, by Bernard Ashley;
- Crusade, by Elizabeth Laird.
- Our own street children Strollers;
- Love David;
- Don’t Panic Mechanic;
- Song of Be and Cageful of Butterflies.
- Early girl marriage Chandra, by Francis Mary Hendry;
- Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan;
- Beneath My Mother’s Feet by Amjed Qamar;
- Butterfly Heart, by Paula Leyden;
- Listening for Lions, by Gloria Whelan.
- Refugees Colour of Home, by Mary Hoffman; S
- hadow, by Michael Morpurgo;
- Give Me Shelter, edited by Tony Bradman;
- Asylum, by Rachel Anderson;
- Home is a Place Called Nowhere, by Leon Rosselson;
- Dear Olly, by Michael Morpurgo.
Children’s rights
- We Are All Born Free series;
- Sailing Boat to the Sky, by Quentin Blake;
- Let There Be Peace.
- Global warming Remembering Green, by Lesley Beake;
- Exodus, and Zenith, by Julie Bertagna;
- Running Wild, by Michael Morpurgo.
South African picture books:
- Fly, Eagle, Fly, by Gregorowski;
- Best Meal Ever, by Sindiwe Magona;
- anything by Niki Daly and his wife, Jude Daly.
