The Children's Hour - Notable Books - 3rd

Classics

A sense of permanent worthiness surrounds great literature. Laughter, pain, hunger, love, and joy are found in classics. When our children become familiar with this kind of writing, then they have a foundation for making comparisons. Not everything they read will be excellent, but they will know a story's potential. Read stories in their original versions, not the watered-down versions without any drama or life. They may retell the classic stories, but they omit the basic elements that make the stories classics.

Fantasy

Fantasy hints of the greater existence that lies behind our day-to-day lives. Such literature often pulls the reader into new dimensions of space and time, worlds of wonder, and strange powers, where anything can happen and often does. Books of fantasy are sometimes gentle, sometimes wild, sometimes humorous, and sometimes deadly serious, however, at this age be careful that the content is appropriate for the child's age level.

Folk Tales

Now that children are secure in their understanding of real and make-believe, they find safe thrills with witches, dragons, and the unknown. These are the years when tall tales with humorous exaggeration, fairy tales, and myths are most appealing. Through such characters children will encounter danger, overcome fear, taste courage, and triumph over all odds.

Poetry

Until now poetry has probably been limited to listening and chanting some familiar rhymes. Although children can read it themselves, poetry still should be enjoyed together.

3rd—5th Grade Recent Releases

The 100-Year-Old Secret: the Sherlock Files I
The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Balarama: A Royal Elepha nt
The Birthday Ball
The Beast of Blackslope: the Sherlock Files 2
Dear Hound
The Dragon in the Library
Edison's Gold
Emily's Fortune
Franklin and Winsston: A Christmas That Changed the World
The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester
Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas
Kubla Khan: The Emperor of Everything
Magic at the Bed & Biscuit
A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
Secrets at Sea
The Secret River
The Third Gift
Tuesdays at the Castle
Tumtum & Nutmeg: The Rose Cottage Tales
Wild Times at the Bed & Biscuit

Mysteries

Mysteries have special page-turner appeal. These books are built on action and suspense rather than on character development. They provide a simple plot, familiar characters, and welcome support to independent reading. Many adult readers acknowledge that this is where their love affair with books began.

Historical Fiction

Facts, dates, names, and places are usually too dry for children. However, they have an interest in the past, when the focus is on people and how they lived. The everyday details of how adults and children worked, played, dressed, and lived makes for a compelling story. When history is presented in this manner, kids can connect with the past in better and significant ways.

Picture Books for Older Children

These illustrated storybooks tend to be longer than most picture books, but shorter than novels. Not only the length separates these books, but content does also. These stories are more complex with a kind of literary sophistication that is beyond younger children.