Fun moderate reading level books?

[Ben Zwycky]

My boys have been brought up bilingually, and their English reading level is not really good enough for their age, since Czech (being a phonetic language) is much easier for them to read than English. I have quite a few good books for them to read when their reading level gets a lot higher, but I'm looking for somethign to get them enthusiastic about reading in English. Something fun, not too taxing in terms of reading level and with positive themes. Calvin and Hobbes was the first thing that came to mind, does anyone have any other suggestions?

[robrecht]

How old are your kids? What's their current reading level in English? The Chronicles of Narnia are pretty easy for kids to read, but with a deeper meaning that can be explored for the rest of their lives.

[Ben Zwycky]

Yeah, they've read those already. 12, 11, 8, 3 and 10 months (I'm not so concerned about the last two for now :-) ). Something around the Narnia level of difficulty would be fine (maybe even a little higher to stretch them a little), but as long as its fun and a healthy read.

[One Bad Pig]

First thing that came to mind when I read the thread title was On the Apostolic Preaching by Irenaeus of Lyons. That's probably not what you're looking for. Seriously, though, it's a good read, and not too challenging.

Have they read The Hobbit yet? Terry Brooks' Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold! series should be good. Robert Heinlein's juveniles would be good.

ETA: Oh, and maybe G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries.

[Paprika]

Greek mythology, though it isn't always positive.

[Ben Zwycky]

Okay, maybe I should have said something a little lower level, it's more to get them over their inhibition of reading English books, which they sometimes complain about as being 'too hard'. I'll be sure to pick up some Father Brown (I saw the complete Father brown collection for only 2 quid on amazon), that'll be something they'll definitely enjoy once their reading level is upped a little, his vocabulary will be a bit too intimidating for them right now.

[One Bad Pig]

Okay, maybe I should have said something a little lower level, it's more to get them over their inhibition of reading English books, which they sometimes complain about as being 'too hard'. I'll be sure to pick up some Father Brown (I saw the complete Father brown collection for only 2 quid on amazon), that'll be something they'll definitely enjoy once their reading level is upped a little, his vocabulary will be a bit too intimidating for them right now.

Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising sequence might be good. I also liked Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain, but the Welsh names might trip them up. And again, Robert Heinlein's juveniles should be fine. They were easy reading for me in intermediate school (though, granted, I was reading rather above grade level). I don't think I got to Terry Brooks' Magic Kingdom books until high school, but they were really light reading for me compared to what I was normally reading then.

[Ben Zwycky]

Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising sequence might be good. I also liked Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain, but the Welsh names might trip them up. And again, Robert Heinlein's juveniles should be fine. They were easy reading for me in intermediate school (though, granted, I was reading rather above grade level). I don't think I got to Terry Brooks' Magic Kingdom books until high school, but they were really light reading for me compared to what I was normally reading then.

Okay, I'll take a look, thanks.

[robrecht]

CS Lewis' Space trilogy is written for an older audience. If any of your kids like science fiction, these would be good:

Out of the Silent Planet
Perelandra
That Hideous Strength

[One Bad Pig]

CS Lewis' Space trilogy is written for an older audience. If any of your kids like science fiction, these would be good:

Out of the Silent Planet
Perelandra
That Hideous Strength

I found those really tough going, for some reason.

[DesertBerean]

I wouldn't recommend the Space Trilogy for kids. I tried Out of the Silent Planet when I was maybe 10 or 11, and it was a weird experience. Didn't read it again until I was in my 20s, I think.

[Raphael]

The older lad is nearly ready for Terry Pratchett's Discworld. And the younger older ones ones should be good for his Carpet People and the Bromilliad series (and Maybe the Johnny series...but read it first)

[robrecht]

I found those really tough going, for some reason.

I wouldn't recommend the Space Trilogy for kids. I tried Out of the Silent Planet when I was maybe 10 or 11, and it was a weird experience. Didn't read it again until I was in my 20s, I think.

I really liked science fiction as a kid so that may make a difference.

[One Bad Pig]

I really liked science fiction as a kid so that may make a difference.

So did I. I read a lot of Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein and Andre Norton growing up, as well as a few anthologies of 50's/60's SF.

[robrecht]

So did I. I read a lot of Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein and Andre Norton growing up, as well as a few anthologies of 50's/60's SF.

Arthur C. Clarke was my favorite, then a huge collection edited by Asimov of very short stories ruined the longer works for me. The essence of the idea, distilled into the minimally publishable unit. This was taken to the extreme by Kurt Vonnegut's thumbnail sketches of the works of Kilgore Trout, each encapsulated into a small paragraph with a mind blowing idea. From there it was a natural progression to Voltaire in high school and the Colloquies of Erasmus in college. But I digress.