One wonderful and intrepid reader, Evan from Canada’s British Columbia, has sent responses to our fledgling online chat, and has sent me in search of a new (to me) series of books. (Thank you, Evan!)
Jeff Smith’s Bone series of graphic novels, which soon will have an eighth volume, is a collection that Evan highly recommends for anyone eight and older, and is one that he says is popular with both boys and girls whom he knows. I hope he recommends it for readers who are much, much older, because it’s a series that I’m eager to begin reading. “Graphica” is an arena of literature that for me is largely unexplored, although Marjane Satrapi’s two-volume Persepolis has kept me transfixed for hours and has made me realize that illustrated literature has evolved a long way from the days of comic books.
Evan also recommends Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series, which he passes on to friends, and singles out Gary Paulson’s Hatchet as a book that was assigned school reading which has become one of his favorites that he’s read more than once. Another assigned classic that he says is “great” is Madeleine L”Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time.
Evan enjoys science fiction and action and adventure novels, avoiding books where girls are the main character, TV tie-ins, and “short books.”
He’s also reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which is our Tiger’s Choice for June, and we’re eager to hear what his thoughts are when he’s finished with it. Because of the very special way in which that book was written, we ask that comments which discuss the ending please be held until the final week in June, so that no reader has the book spoiled for them!
We’re also quite eager to hear from other readers in the 9-12-year -old range. If you missed our post with questions about what you like to read and why, please go to The Tiger’s Bookshelf: Asking the Kids and join the fun! We really want to know what your favorite books are.