Laura L. Smith
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Books My Kids Read


I get asked all the time what my kids are reading. I don't know if it's because I'm a mom of four, because I'm an author, or because our car, house, pool bag, porch, very lives are littered with hardbacks, paperbacks, a Kindle and picture books. But the books we read are truly a reflection of who we are. Since people are curious. I decided to start this tab on my blog to share what my kiddos are reading. But it only helps you, if you understand a little bit about them.

MADDIE - AGE 19, SOCCER OBSESSED SORORITY GIRL 
MAX - AGE 17,  BOY WITH MUSIC IN HIS SOUL AND SPEED IN HIS FEET 
MALLORY - AGE 14, GIGGLING, GIDDY, GIRL WHO LOVES SOCCER AND HER FRIENDS
MAGUIRE - AGE 12, CREATIVE, FREE SPIRITED ACTOR DANCING TO HIS OWN BEAT

Blood of Kings Trilogy by Jill Williamson

9/10/2018

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Maguire read so many books over the summer. I was asking him how many he stars he gave his various reads. "Four, four, four," he answered. He'd loved most of the books I'd just questioned him on.
​Curious, I asked, "What book have you read that gets a five?"
Without a second hesitation, he replied, "All of the Blood of Kings books."  These books! They are long. They are detailed. They have maps and characters with wild names and Jill Williamson has done such a brilliant job of creating an exciting, engaging storyworld packed with adventure that every single word of this trilogy captivated my son. So much so, that he created his own Lego guys to go with the series. Side note--Max also devoured this series when he was in middle school. 
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Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

11/29/2016

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At teacher conferences this year I asked Maguire's teacher to recommend some books that would satiate his hunger for reading and still be "kid" appropriate. She asked, "Has he read the Inkheart books?" I shook my head. I knew we had at least one from this series by Cornelia Funke on our shelves at home, and that some of my other kids had read one or two, but for what ever reason, Maguire hadn't stepped into their pages. Yet. He immediately devoured Inkheart. Me sneaking in every once in awhile to read a page, section or chapter out loud with him. Him filling me in on all the parts he read in bed, the car, anywhere he could sneak in a few pages. And now he's on to book two, Inkspell, in this fantastical series based on the premise of what happens if when reading aloud, the characters from the stories, sometimes magically drop into your life. Some of my favorite lines from  favorites such as Peter Pan and The Princess Bride, begin each chapter of these action packed adventures, illustrating the power of good over evil.

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CHARLIE BONE

8/12/2015

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PictureCharlie Bone and the Beast by Jenny Nimmo
When Maguire got to a point in the Harry Potter series where I thought he should wait to read the next one (they get pretty intense and a bit scary as you move through the years at Hogwarts), Mallory suggested he read Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo. I was a bit suspicious of another series of thick books taking place in a magical school in England, so we read the first one together out loud. I was hooked. And so was Maguire. He’s now reading the sixth book in the series about a King whose descendants were all endowed with special gifts. Some of the King’s children used their gifts for good; some of them took their talents for prideful, greedy gain and evil. This is a theme that resonates. The series is a fight of good over evil, the characters vivid and believable. The plots tense enough to keep Maguire reading and reading, but without scary details that would give him (or me) nightmares.


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VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER

9/15/2014

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PictureThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
Maguire is plowing through the Chronicles of Narnia. Which means I get to too. I have no idea how many times I’ve read C.S. Lewis’ charming, multi-layered tales of the magical world of Narnia, but each time I do, I am awed by his creativity and how he uses allegory to hammer home some of the most beautiful elements of faith. I’m also always a bit tempted to bang on the back of my wardrobe again, ‘cause you never know. Maguire is currently reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is packed with ship voyages, sword fights, lost knights and dragons. It is also a tale of repentance, of seeing things through fresh eyes, and of trust. Maguire’s favorite character in the Narnia stories is Edmund. Which surprised me. At first. If you recall from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Edmund is the traitor. He is selfish and snotty. I don’t ever like to admit it, but on my bad days there’s a bit of Edmund in me too. But Edmund is also the one who Aslan forgives. Who is redeemed. Just like what Jesus did for me, and for you. Actually, I do want to be like Edmund in that sense. And after being forgiven, Edmund goes on to be quite braver than anyone thinks he’s capable of, and much more sensitive to others’ needs, a better listener, loyal to the end, because that’s what Christ’s forgiveness does. And I definitely long to be like that. Chatting with Maguire about his thoughts and ideas on Narnia, give me a fresh insight into Lewis’ works, and a new appreciation for Edmund, and for my son.


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when are kids old enough to read HARRY POTTER? 

7/25/2013

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PictureHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Because it's summer, and because it's just so darn good, Mallory is rereading the original Harry Potter book. J.K. Rowling wrote these books intending for kids and the series to grow together. Therefore, each sequential book is a bit more mature and also a bit more dark. If the average third grader read the first book and then waited one and a half years to read each additional book, the timing would be perfect, and when they originally released it was. But now all the books are available, and once you're immersed in the world of Hogwarts, you want to keep reading. The only problem is kids might not be ready. Individual parents need to gauge their own kids, but in our house, you're allowed to read The Sorcerer's Stone in second grade and are permitted to read the next book in the series the following summer - one per year. This allows my kids to mature with Harry, Ron and Hermione, and be prepared for where the plots take them. Mallory has completed the first three books and isn't allowed to read the fourth until next year. At first, she was dismayed. But she's a problem solver, so she just started reading them from the beginning again to get her HP fix. And you know what? It's just as good the second time around!

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A GHOST TALE FOR CHRISTMAS TIME

7/11/2013

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PictureA Ghost Tale for Christmas Time by Mary Pope Osborne
Maguire reads a couple of Magic Tree House books a week. Thanks goodness Mary Pope Osborne has written more than forty of them. This week he's celebrating Christmas in July and reading A Ghost Tale For Christmas Time. I love all of the Jack and Annie adventures. Osborne has created an incredible series revolving around two ordinary kids time traveling to critical points in history and meeting individuals who have changed history. The books are a nice size for emerging chapter book readers with a picture or two sprinkled into each chapter to keep the readers engaged. This book takes Jack and Annie to England to meet Charles Dickens while he's writing A Christmas Carol. I have to admit, I'm a little jealous.

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THE MARK OF ATHENA

7/10/2013

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A few years back, when it was first released, Maddie, Max and I all read the first Percy Jackson book. I really enjoyed the wacky characters and adventures, but because my reading pile is sky high, I never got around to read any of the other books in the series. My kids, on the other hand, kept reading. They moved through the other Percy Jacksons and the Krane Chronicles by Rick Riordan, as well. Now, Maddie is reading the The Mark of Athena, where the Greek and Roman demigods need to collaborate to save the day. As she savors the month and a half before high school starts, and all of the assigned reading that will go with it, I think this fantasy world is a great story for her to escape to.

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