Posted on 05/26/2005 1:41:14 AM PDT by bd476
Edited on 05/26/2005 1:48:46 AM PDT by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
I always preferred the Nancy Drew books. Nancy's way hotter.
The Hardy boys were driving at the "speed limit" trying to avoid the plane. Oh no, they were more afraid of driving over the speed limit than having a plane crash on top of them.
You'll be doing them a tremendous dis-service.
Why are educators always having to re-learn concepts that were common knowledge fifty years ago? ;)
I am almost sure I later read that she (the actress) was a devout Christian. Never saw or heard any more about it.
Well, DUH! This article goes a long way toward explaining why boys don't read as well as girls as they progress through school. Just take a look at the typical "Summer Reading List" for middle schoolers a few years ago. Lots of stories of teenage angst, not much interest for boys. Only in the last few years has this turned around with books like the "Harry Potter" series, "Holes", and some schools putting Gary Paulsen's books on the lists.
It wasn't until we subscribed to Popular Mechanics and Popular Science that our youngest son, when he was 10, would sit and do nothing but read for an hour or so. Finally, we found something that would interest him! When the third Harry Potter book came out, he decided to try reading the series. He flew through all three books in a matter of weeks, and had now re-read the entire series several times.
He'd still prefer to play 'Half-Life 2', 'Counterstrike' or 'World of Warcraft', rather than read, but I'm not gonna sweat it. He'll read when he has to, and when he finds something he really likes.
Heh, heh. :) When Leslie McFarlane wrote many of the first series of books, Frank and Joe were written as complete goodie-goodies. Not surprising for the early 1900s. Many of today's books have updated them somewhat. Regardless, there's no better series, IMHO, for turning a young male onto reading.
When our oldest son was in third grade, his teacher was really upset during a report card conference that he had drawn 'violent scenes' in his school journal. He was doodling stuff he'd been reading in some books about war, stuff he'd seen on GI Joe, etc. Typical soldier stuff, but she was totally freaked. We just shook our heads. He was then at 10, and still is now, at 26, a very non-violent person. I think he and his friends channel their aggression through online games like "World of Warcraft", and board games like "Twilight Imperium".
Are you thinking of the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew TV show that ran for three seasons and cast Parker Stevenson and Sean Cassidy as Frabnk and Joe and Pamela Sue Martin as Nancy?
I loved the Hardy Boys.
I think I read every one of them in one summer.
I still read them. :o)
That was a pretty good series and Pamela Sue Martin was certainly hot but no this was a different actress. This one dressed and acted conservative but couldn't hide the fact that she was very well built.
My son is about to turn nine years of age.
I think he'll be ready (and patient enough for a book that size) when he turns ten.
Heinlein.
Any of his works, even the juvenile series, are great to read.
I think the article makes too many generalizations.
However, it does provide a good starting place. Most boys would love reading something with action in it etc.
I personally can read about anything except a Romance novel and be happy. I like action, suspense etc. But, I also like to think and be moved by what I read.
I love Hemingway to Dickens to Milton.
But, most males are not like this. When I was really young, before I read novels, I read old standbys like "Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel." Most little boys want books like this, even those who will grow up to read more deep books when older, so I agree with you there.
He likes "where the Red Fern Grows"....I don't know if I could stand it. I could not stand watching the movie.
I do love "The Old Man and the Sea."
Oh boy do I completely disagree with you.
The classics are such for a reason, and they should be required reading in the schools.
I am glad I still went to a high school (graduated in 2002) that required me to read classic British and American literature.
No prep school, just a good old American public school.
It is too bad a lot of teachers don't do this anymore.
By the way, I always read the books.
Sometimes I had to also read sparknotes.com, however, to remember all the minute details, as that was what some teachers cared about, not the message of the book.
That is something I think is wrong. Teachers should not expect kids to remember every little detail of books.
The Great Gatsby is one of the few (assigned) books I finished in high school.
I can not in good conscience recommend Catcher in the Rye to anyone. I loathe that book, and after reading it now understand why people used to burn books. Lord of the Flies wasn't al that great either. I did like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest though.
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