Wisdom & Wonder Week 4 Booklist

Week 4 Theme: Which Path and With Whom

Additional Proverbs to Read and Think About

• 14:12  There is a way that seems right to a man . . .
• 17:10  A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.
• 21:30  No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.
• 23:23  Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
• 29:1  He who is reproved and stiffens his neck will be broken.

Each of these books below ties in with this week’s theme. Pick and choose from what’s available at your local library and what suits your family’s interests. Titles are linked to reviews where applicable.

Ages 0-10

Picture books, easy readers, chapter books, read alouds that work for this age group

• Best Friends for Frances by Russell and Lillian Hoban (Frances the Badger is back and learning some important lessons about friendship.  
• Dogger by Shirley Hughes. One little boy’s hard day is resolved by a loving big sister who does “something very kind.”
• Dangerous Journey by Oliver Hunkin.  Middle grades retelling of Pilgrim’s Progress, but read aloud friendly for younger children
  
• Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel. Not much needs to be said about this classic series!
• Amos & Boris by William Steig.  A clever, sweet story with echoes of Aesop’s Lion and the Mouse
• Thy Friend Obadiah by Brinton Turkle. A small Quaker boy in Nantucket, to his chagrin, is befriended by a sea gull and must choose how to respond.

Ages 8-14

Children’s novels, middle grade novels, sophisticated picture books; note age range if book is not appropriate for younger half and/or too “tame” for older.

• Goodbye, Stranger by Stead. Best for ages 12 and up, this is a great cautionary tale in realistic fiction format about the dangers of going against your own conscience to ensure your friend will still like you. Read the review and note the cautions.

• The Dangerous Journey by Oliver Hunkin. Excellent retelling of Pilgrim’s Progress with gripping illustrations

• Jane, the Fox, and Me by Fanny Britt.  This graphic novel is mostly about self-image but also has something to say about choosing friendships, and being careful how you judge people.
• Popular, by Maya Van Wagenen.  Maya’s own memoir about the year she decided to follow, to the letter, the advice of a 1950s guide to popularity.  It works out better than she expected, mostly because Maya takes the recommended path of common decency and kindness.

• Always, Abigail by Nancy Cavanaugh.  Sixth grade is starting out great for Abigail, especially since she’s part of the “in” crowd.  But through the ups and downs of the year she’ll learn that the popular way isn’t always the best.

• Ghost by Jason Reynolds. Castle “Ghost” Crenshaw has a lot of negatives in his life, notably his father who’s now in jail.  Competitive running offers him a path of discipline, self-respect and honesty, but will he take it?

Ages 12 and up

Big range here: note which end of the range, if necessary

• Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan.  Teenage Sam Hopkins, bored with life as a small-town preacher’s kid, takes a walk on the wild side with the local gang, but soon realizes it’s not the path he wants to be on.  A thriller with metaphysical implications.
• The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whelan Turner.  This series discourses on many themes, with a lot to say about right and wrong paths, whom to trust, and friendship.  Note the mild language cautions (language is strongest in book 3).
• Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. In a gripping historical fiction with romance, excellent for older teens, Mara finds herself caught between two sides in a deadly game of political intrigue.
• Mossflower by Brian Jacques. A prequel to Redwall and a family favorite, Jacques’ books are filled with courage, friendship, and choosing to do the right thing, even if it’s hard.
• Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. A classic story of friendship, frontier living, and courage in the face of hysteria.