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100
BOOKS FOR GIRLS TO GROW ON is the must-have guide for children's
reading groups. Aimed largely at girls, but more than suitable for
boys as well, 100 BOOKS is an excellent source for recommendations
in children's literature.
The book was written by Shireen Dodson, whose THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER
BOOK CLUB inspired thousands of such groups across the country,
from her personal experience in picking books for her own mother-daughter
club to read. Dodson mines the almost endless shelves of children's
and young-adult literature and gleans the best of the lot for her
list. Selected with care, each of the titles she presents is a worthy
read for both children and adults.
Dodson's choices are most notable for their diversity. Though mostly
stories about girls, Dodson does her readers a service by not limiting
herself to female heroines. Titles such as DOGSONG by Gary Paulsen
and THE OUTSIDERS by S. E. Hinton are told from a male point of
view. Dodson includes books from a wide cultural spectrum, most
especially stories about African-Americans. HABIBI by Naomi Shihab
Nye is about a 14-year-old half-American half-Arab girl who moves
from Missouri to Jerusalem. MAIZON AT BLUE HILL by Jacqueline Woodson
tells the story of a young girl who becomes one of only 5 black
students at a boarding school. Some of the books are appropriate
for younger readers and some are for older ones; and choices such
as THE EAR, THE EYE, AND THE ARM, LILY'S CROSSING, and RED SCARF
GIRL run the gamut of genres --- from sci-fi and fantasy to historical
novels to nonfiction.
For each selection, Dodson offers a short synopsis, estimated reading
time, and a brief list of themes. She also includes a list of discussion
questions. These are in-depth questions, aimed at getting children
and parents to talk about the book. They go beyond the "what happened"
questions frequently found in reading guides and instead ask readers
to take a thoughtful look at why things happen in the book as they
do, how the characters make the choices they do, and what the consequences
of those choices are. They inspire readers (both children and adults)
to relate their own lives to the books --- to discover what is universal
in great works of literature. Dodson concludes each book's entry
with author information, "Beyond the Book" suggestions for activities
that tie in with the story, and then a list of other books to try
on similar topics or by the same author.
Whether your preteen daughter (or son) is in a reading group or
not, 100 BOOKS FOR GIRLS TO GROW ON is a welcome addition to any
family library. Beyond giving you great titles to read, Dodson's
reading guides will inspire what may be some of the best and most
revealing discussions you'll ever have with your children.
--- Reviewed by Liz Keuffer
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