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Nicole Russell ("Kids are reading... junk") critiques the material our kids are consuming and offers a few suggestions for worthy yet pleasurable books.
I take exception to one of them, Wuthering Heights, which is a poor choice for impressionable girls and should never be lumped in, as it so often is, with Jane Austen, whose writing is vastly superior to the Brontës' (and to practically everyone else's).
But I'm digressing a bit. What's the point of campaigning against a book no one is reading when the books they are reading are so worthless? Russell mentions The Hunger Games trilogy, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and the Twilight series. Pop over and read her piece, then come back for more good reading ideas for the middle school and young adult crowd.
Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody
Think of this autobiographical book and its sequels as Little House with a male protagonist. Thank goodness no one had yet come up with Ritalin in the early 1900s when Ralph was a boy; if they had, he would have been dosed early and often, and these great American stories wouldn't exist. Young Moody possessed what they once called "initiative" in spades. He was a cowboy, a farmer, and an entrepreneur par excellence. Little Britches is great family fun, along with Man of the Family, Mary Emma and Company, and The Fields of Home. (There are more titles in the series, but these are the best.)
Anything by Marguerite Henry
The current obsession with vampires hasn't, I hope, entirely supplanted the American girl's passion for horses and horse stories. Start with Misty of Chincoteague, then Stormy, Misty's Foal and Sea Star, Orphan of Chincoteague. From there you can branch out to horses of other places and periods, and on to mules, burros, and even foxes (Cinnabar, the One O'Clock Fox). Many titles are in print, and your library will probably have some that aren't.
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain
Compelling plot, loads of humor, and a hearty serving of British history on the side. If you can't get your kids to read it themselves, read it aloud to them. You'll all be hooked. Parents of sensitive readers, take note: My daughter reminds me that there are some fairly grisly elements in Twain's story, such as witch-burnings and severed heads displayed on pikes. (History isn't pretty.)
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
I'll bet there's no character like the irrepressible, irresistible Anne in all of juvenile literature. Montgomery wrote lots of non-Anne books, as well. My girls are especially fond of Kilmeny of the Orchard, which Kindle owners can download for free.
Have Spacesuit, Will Travel by Robert Heinlein
One of my kids' all-time favorites: "Great characters and lots of good space stuff." Nuff said.
The Tripods series by John Christopher
Riveting four-book series about what happens when horrifying aliens take over the earth with the help of mind-controlling "caps" that destroy the human will. Read the prequel last.
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
The first book in a series of twelve about imaginative British children who live in the Lake District, sailing about in boats and having adventures. A well-loved classic.
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
This book and its sequels were written for adults, but teens will also fall in love with Herriot's Yorkshire and its inhabitants, both human and animal. Hilariously funny, as well as dramatic and poignant. Save the excellent BBC series for viewing after you and your kids have finished the books. Like dessert.
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A teenager I know recently remarked of the current cinematic incarnations of Holmes, "They had to change the stories to make them interesting." Wrong! For Sherlock Holmes fans or mystery lovers in general, it doesn't get any better than this suspenseful, other-worldly tale set on the desolate moors.
If you include the recommended sequels, that's a few dozen titles. Happy reading!
