I’ll be adding to this from time to time. I just finished reading a book that I’ve got to add to the list.
Ages 12 and Up. The White Nile, by Alan Moorehead, combines exotic and exciting history with superb storytelling. I first read this book in high school: 50 years later, it still delights me. Discovering the source of the Nile was the centerpiece of Victorian exploration; nothing matched it until expeditions started racing for the poles. What a cast of characters! Stanley and Livingston, Burton and Speke, “Chinese” Gordon and the Mahdi… What a story!
Reader recommendations always welcome! Some of you have actually done homeschooling, and we can all benefit from your experience. I can use your help in recommending books for readers under 12. Come on, tell us–what were some of the books you thought were really great for your children when they were under 12? I mean, I read a lot of my father’s books, left over from his childhood–but I hardly think they’d be easy to find today.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle is one. The Narnia books also. I learned to read at the age of 4 and my list might normally be considered due ages older than 12 though.
Thanks, I’ll look that up.
The George MacDonald books, especially “The Princess and the Goblins”, and “The Princess and Curdy” were big favorites for our children. Don’t let the princess angle fool you, these have plenty of action for boys and girls alike!
Thanks, Heidi, I’ll look them up.
My plan is to trust my readers’ recommendations.
I have already ordered a copy of the “White Nile”!
Its companion piece, “The Blue Nile,” is also excellent.