Heather Anne

i think at that age the best book would be The Phantom TollBooth. best to ingrain the grammar snobbishness early.

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"But we never choose which ones to use," explained the earl as they walked toward the market stalls, "for as long as they mean what they mean to mean we don't care if they make sense or nonsense."

When I was 10, our teacher read us a chapter of "James and the Giant Peach" every day. I was giddy with excitement to go to school knowing there was another chapter coming up.

If you ever read to littler kids, you have to try "Library Lion," which was one of the best picture books of the year. It's about a Lion who is allowed in the library as long as he follows all the rules.

I don't know about 10-year-olds but my favorite book to read aloud is "Where the Wild Things Are" because you can shout: "Let the wild rumpus start!" and then you can actually rumpus around for four whole pages before you have to get back to business.

P.S. Sorry I forgot to change my name for my last comment. I was in a hurry.

Roald Dahl!!! Although, Mittens makes a lot of sense with her suggestion, too. ;)

We were read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" at that age. Highly entertaining, but I wish that our teacher had tried for a British accent once or twice--that would have made it much more so.

It's a little serious...but a great book for that age is "You Are Special" by Max Lucado.

It is probably a touch young for the fifth graders, but I always liked "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales." Mainly, it made me laugh a lot. But, it can also get the imaginative juices flowing.

When I read The Giver as a kid, I'm pretty sure I would not shut up about it.

I love, love, LOVE Roald Dahl! Plus he lived in Wales :)

Ohh...thought of another..."Walter the Farting Dog!". Kids love it. One of our best sellers. Seriously.

http://www.amazon.com/Walter-Farting-Dog-William-Kotzwinkle/dp/1583940537/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195049797&sr=8-2

Courntey loved Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing and anything about Junie B. Jones and Goosebumbs books.

Roald Dahl is a lot of fun - especially for reading aloud - but I'd guess 3/4th grade would be a more likely target audience.

Holes - Louis Sachar? Series of Unfortunate Events? Narnia? I'm also wondering if the book penned by Dave Barry and Ridley (Peter and the Starcatchers) would be any good. Arrrgghhh... pirates. Or maybe Neil Gaiman's Coraline?

An excerpt from the book of I'm currently reading to my 11.6 year old ... Good Anglophile's will recognize ...

These are my New Year's resolutions:

1. I will help the blind across the road.
2. I will hang my trousers up.
3. I will put the sleeves back on my records.
4. I will not start smoking.
5. I will stop squeezing my spots.
6. I will be kind to the dog.
7. I will help the poor and ignorant.
8. After hearing the disgusting noises from downstairs last night, I have also vowed never to drink alcohol.

My father got the dog drunk on cherry brandy at the party last night. If the RESPC hear about it he could get done. Eight days have gone by since Christmas Day but my mother still hasn't worn the green lurex apron I bought her for Christmas. She will get bathcubes next year.

Just my luck, I've got a spot on my chin for the first day of the New Year.

Hello Heather.

geo

That would be RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Not RESPC (ECT - Find Out What It Means To Me).

geo

Hello again Heather Anne,

The BFG is another Dahl classic that fifth graders would probably like.

Enjoy the Amazing!

At 10, I was obsessed with books about animals, all of which seemed to be horribly sad; Old Yeller, The Incredible Journey, Where the Red Fern Grows. Much too sad to read aloud to kids. Can't go wrong with Dahl.

I think it's a fabulous choice. Although if you're going for the ability to read with a British Accent, may I recommend The Secret Garden?