Little Help With a Kid

[HEAD0001]

Guys I need a little help with a kid. I do not have any children. So this is new territory for me. A lady I am spending a good bit of time with has a little girl. She is 6 years old, and just graduated from kindergarten. I am just enamored with this little girl. She is just unbelievable to me-how much fun she can be.

I want to read her some books about American History. But I do not know anything about kids books. Do you guys know of any good books-lots of pictures-that you would recommend for me to buy and read to her. Keep in mind her age. However I really do not know what level of book I should be buying, since I know nothing about kids. But I really would like to learn.

So any ideas to help me out?? Or good book suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I was watching Beck this evening and he recommended a childrens book called---"With my rifle by my side". It looked like it had alot of pictures inside. I think it is exactly what I want to start with. Anyone familiar with this book??

Any ideas are greatly appreciated. I am really having a good time with this little girl. but I would also like to teach her something(besides my stupid red neck ideas). Thanks, Tom.

[Renegade Master]

Hi Tom

As I live in the UK I can't recommend any specific books, but would suggest taking her to your local library. Let her look around the children's section and she will soon find books that both interest her, and are designed for her age group.

My 6 year old son has been learning to read for the past year, and is now quite good at it. He absolutely loves books, and (being a typical boy) enjoys anything with guns in.

Good luck mate

Dan

[Rusty]

IMHO buying kid's books is an expensive proposition. You'd be better off to teach her how to use the public library. That will instill in her the value of the library at an early age and will also open many more possibilities with little or no cash outlay. Most all libraries have a a kids section and a juvenile section with books on everything under the sun. The Beck book might be the exception to the rule as I doubt you'll find that one in your local library. You might also look for a children's book of Bible stories written on her age level.

When Rusty Jr. was born he was 3 months early and he ended up spending 59 days in the Neo Natal ICU until he was well enough to come home. While he was there I read Whinnie the Pooh to him and recorded it on tape. At times when I wasn't there and he would start getting restless the nurses would play the tapes for him and he would settle right down. I'd consider all the book on Pooh to be worth buying as they'll be a keepsake for ever more. As she gets a little older you might also look for a set of the McGuffie readers.
IMHO any time you spend reading to kids is valuable time. It's better than TV because if makes them use their imagination, something kids don't do today.

Sorry to be so long... I'm passionate about books.

[Steve Collins]

Lynne Cheney (VP Cheney's wife) wrote some very good childrens history books. Each of my sons has a copy of them, and they're worth looking for, either at the library or the bookstore.

[Hobie]

My wife is an elementary reading teacher. I'll ask her...

[rjohns94]

a website, http://www.scholastic.com has a great site. You can refine the search by age and topic. Good luck with your search Magic Tree House is a great series for kids, they really seem to enjoy them. Blessings

[HEAD0001]

I bought one of the Lynne Cheney books a couple of years ago for a friend's little boy. It was little known facts of every state in the country. It was a great book. And I forgot I bought it for him. I will ask my buddy Tim to let me borrow it.

I live in the sticks, and with my leg the library is just not an option.

I can buy some off E-bay for a decent price. I was just wanting some titles from guys who know.

And besides I really do not want her reading alot of the books at the library. I want to choose what we read. And I want her to learn about American history. Tom.

[AJMD429]

If you're reading TO her, remember you can read an 'adult' book to a kid, and make it very understandable, due to your adding inflection, or substituting/explaining words if you need to.

I like the James Thom books, and ones like Sign Talker or From Sea to Shining Sea or Panther in the Sky might appeal to a kid if read to them (actually, I know they would, as we read all of them to our kids at that age. We did skip or tone down the occasional graphic description of a fight or whatever.

Thom is an awesome writer.

[BobM]

I've bought a lot of biographies from the children's section for my daughter and nieces and nephews. They seem to have been popular. The first one I bought my daughter was Annie Oakley.

[86er]

My favorite book and one I read when I was 6 or so is Little Wolf and the Thunderstick. It is a childrens view of how Native Americans lived, worked, crafted and hunted. Itan be found used on -line once in a while. There is a whole series of kids hunting/fishing and camping books called My First Deer (Fish, rabbit, etc). There's another called Billie (male or female) goes hunting/fishing/camping, etc. These are not really American history as you asked but good kids books nonetheless.

[gak]

Two highly recommended from my youth.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref= ... 039554534X
and
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref= ... 0395150825

The first, "Tree in the Trail" above, is about the Santa Fe Trail, and chronicles all the history this tree sees passing under it. The second "Paddle to the Sea" is more "North American" history--Canadian and US Great Lakes...and follows the main character, a small carved wooden canoe with Indian paddler launched by a Canadian Indian on Lake Nippigon ...and chronicles all the adventures the canoe encounters making its way through the Great Lakes. Great stuff--both. Timeless, and pretty much age-less in terms of reader/listener.

These (both same C. Holling authored) are what I'd call "soft" (not revisionist) history as they're personalized with fictional stories within an historic context--perfect to capture (and keep) the interest for any 5-8-10 or 56 (:-)) year old kid. Great (great) illustrations...at least in the originals, can't speak for these new paperbacks.
These were authored in the 40s and have long been out of "original" printings, and only fairly recently available IIRC at more affordable prices as paperbacks. (They're good heirloom "investments" as well if you can find some original 40s-60s hardcover ones on Ebay and such)

[horsesoldier03]

The biggest thing about kids, is you have to find out what HER INTEREST are!!! I have 2 daughters, they are like NIGHT and DAY. Find out her other hobies or interest and you will know what she want to read about. It wont matter what you do, most kids just enjoy being out and active and that your spending QUALITY TIME with THEM! Not throwing them into a room with a computer or a TV.

Reading is good

RIDING BIKES is good (if she dont have one, help her learn, yep 6 should be at the time to loose the training wheels)

Camping/Fishing are good too

[samb]

Rusty; A Cocker Spaniel By Col. S.P. Meeks was my all time favorite as a 7 or 8 year old. So much so I bought a copy to hold onto until my 2 year old son is 7 or 8. Here is a link to one online http://www.amazon.com/Rusty-Col-S-P-Meek/dp/B003OWT6JC

This link has a brief description of the story http://www.goantiques.com/detail,rusty- ... 32824.html

[Les Staley]

A little follow-up on gak's suggestion. I still have the hardcover (blue canvas) edition of "Indians" by Holling C. Holling.. I bought it in the mid fifties when I was 10 or 11 at Brown's Used Variety Store in Boyne City Michigan. It has a dozen or more short stories about american Indians of several different tribes.. all from a child's point of view. I still enjoy looking through it (I'm 62). definitly worth a look-for.. Les PS. there were two copys on HALF.COM. now there is just one..

[HEAD0001]

Someone mentioned coloring books. Now I never thought there were historical coloring books. But there are. A company called "Smoke and Fire" carries them. I am going to order some on Monday. Thanks for all the suggestions. I have been investigating them, and they seem like good ones.

I do not want to dictate to her what she has to read. But I refuse to let her read a bunch of "stuff" books and such. So maybe I am already being too controlling?? But then I guess that is what I am suppose to do?? Tom.

[Batman1939]

Good suggestions above to take the little gal to a library. By browsing the children's section she'll be able to find something she is interested in and that is appropriate to her level of understanding. In this way, I think her interest in reading is likely to grow, whereas if you do the choosing she may feel she has to like what you've picked. This might not be the best way to encourage her to read--I don't know.

Personally, I think public libraries are one of the best expenditures of our tax money, though I'm sure others will not agree. I don't know what the fate of libraries is likely to be now with all the digital technology that is available. Kindles don't seem like my cup of tea, but I've never tried using one. Something about relaxing before the fire on a cold, snowy winter day with a good book.

I am not a librarian, nor do I have any close relatives or friends who are.

"kindles" may be googled if you, like me up until a couple of days ago, don't know what they are.

[piller]

If you read it to her, then Johnny Tremayne would be a good book. If she likes animals, then check out the books by Marguerite Henry. She wrote about horses and even a donkey. Most of the stories she wrote about were based on true stories. Jim Kjelgaard also wrote some books she might enjoy hearing. Big Red was one of my favorite books from back then. I started on Kjelgaard's books in first grade and was reading books by Jack Higgins in the third grade. Just remember, most 6 year olds have a shorter attention span than an adult does, but they can be very single minded if it is a story they like.

[HEAD0001]

I ordered a couple of the historical coloring books. The Lewis and Clark coloring book is pretty nice. Thanks guys, we are having a lot of fun coloring them in. And every time I put in a little information, but not enough to overwhelm her. Now she is reciting the information back to me. This is fun!! Tom.

[Rusty]

Oh... I just thought of another one. 20 or so years ago William Bennett wrote a book called "The Book of Virtues" which you should be able to find in your local library. Read a few of the short stories in it to her and see if it goes over well. Then buy it if it works.

[pharmseller]

"Just So Stories" by Rudyard Kilpling.
Make sure you get the illustrated version, and put on your best Storyteller Voice.

P

[Hobie]

If you're reading TO her, remember you can read an 'adult' book to a kid, and make it very understandable, due to your adding inflection, or substituting/explaining words if you need to.

I like the James Thom books, and ones like Sign Talker or From Sea to Shining Sea or Panther in the Sky might appeal to a kid if read to them (actually, I know they would, as we read all of them to our kids at that age. We did skip or tone down the occasional graphic description of a fight or whatever.

Thom is an awesome writer.

I would add that this helps expand her vocabulary. That makes her a better reader AND improves her ability to communicate.

[dr walker]

I read to children almost everyday. When my daughter was six her favorite stories were about indians. Most of the books we found were not filled with pictures, but just with a few. She loved the folk stories. Most of our books were bought at library stores and used book stores. I will see if I can get some authors and titles for you.
Her favorite story of all came from a book written by Dr. Frank Hibben; Indian Hunts and Indian Hunters of the Old West. The story is White Medicine Buffalo.

[turnkey]

My daughters were partial to the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

[piller]

I hadn't thought about Kipling, but my son remembered me reading Riki Tiki Tavi to him many years ago. He liked the way I made a hissing voice for the snake and made the Mongoose sound sord of tough. Put your own emphasis in the story and I think this little girl will remember it years later, too.