Reading list for the boy

So I spent several hours last night going through book reviews at Amazon and cross-referencing them to the list of books our son can take quizzes on for required reading at school. That was a lot of work, and I'm not done actually, but I am hopeful that I have found a few that will capture his imagination. He is a picky reader. When he finally finds something he likes, he will read non-stop if I would let him. He has stayed up past bedtime reading the last two nights since he started this one. But it's that whole "something he likes" part that hangs us up.

So far the books he has loved without question have been The Giver by Lois Lowry (he's now engrossed with Gathering Blue also by her), Inkspell by Cornelia Funke (he sped through this one in a matter of days, but then the 2nd book didn't keep his attention and he stopped reading), I, Freddy by Dietlof Reiche (and the rest of this series, he loved these), Hoot by Carl Hiassen (he enjoyed it the first time but isn't excited about re-reading it so he can take the quiz). Other than that, he will read the back cover and decide it is not interesting, or start a book and abandon it within the first chapter or two if it's not what he hoped from reading the back. I guess I could be more positive and say he is selective. Or discriminating.

But since he is very interested in the sci-fi and utopian/dystopian themes, I have hunted down a few more along those lines plus some others that may also interest him. He has to read and quiz over one every two weeks. Last semester it was only twice every nine weeks. So I am now armed with a list! And I have tons more to read the reviews over that I haven't gotten to yet but saved the links to those recommendation lists.

I think I need to get him started on Ray Bradbury. Several of those are on the reading list.
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Now, what's for dinner tonight? Hm. Aha, finally figured it out. Meatloaf and baked potatoes. And I should deep fry that okra that's in the freezer. Maybe if I feel up to it.