seven77 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 I was conversing with an ex-c parent in chat last night. He is currently trying to ween his preschool aged son off of nighttime television viewing. I've also come across parents on another forum I used to frequent who were looking for secular or science-friendly books to read with their preschool and elementary aged children, as well as books that featured skeptical, questioning, spiritually ambivalent, analytical and/or independently-minded characters. As I was putting together book lists for the Heathen Bookworms Club, I came across several that I thought would be worthwhile reads for those with children. Or those that enjoy kid-lit and/or YA. The following is the product of several months of research and is by no means exhaustive. I've tried to break them down by level and included content notes where I thought it applicable. Unfortunately, my spreadsheet with the master info is on my now RIP laptop, so I'm working from an old backup copy. Some links are included. Sequel books in some series you will have to search for yourself. Most of these are available on the US version of Amazon. As always, try your local library first. FAMILY-FRIENDLY READS FOR SELF-EDUCATION AND RAISING NON-BELIEVERS BOOKS FOR YOUNGER CHILDRENALL I SEE IS A PART OF ME -- http://tinyurl.com/nngq837AN ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF BAD ARGUMENTS -- http://tinyurl.com/k6elso7 BEEGU -- http://tinyurl.com/nm49c5fDREAMS COME TRUE...ALL THEY NEED IS YOU -- http://tinyurl.com/k9g9ngdEACH KINDNESS -- http://tinyurl.com/l322h2rEVOLUTION: HOW WE AND ALL LIVING THINGS CAME TO BE -- http://tinyurl.com/onqvayn HORTON HEARS A WHO! -- http://tinyurl.com/oxzreqdHOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE? -- http://tinyurl.com/kgbc6qfICARUS AT THE EDGE OF TIME -- http://tinyurl.com/opaq993INFINITY AND ME -- http://tinyurl.com/pj6py4qMAYBE RIGHT, MAYBE WRONG -- http://tinyurl.com/l2ap2xeMAYBE YES, MAYBE NO -- http://tinyurl.com/ppn59e5 ME & DOG -- http://tinyurl.com/pqtsguxOLDER THAN THE STARS -- http://tinyurl.com/qcwnf2sON A BEAM OF LIGHT: A STORY OF ALBERT EINSTEIN -- http://tinyurl.com/q4slysuONE BEETLE TOO MANY: THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF CHARLES DARWIN -- http://tinyurl.com/qcqj2wlOUR FAMILY TREE: AN EVOLUTION STORY -- http://tinyurl.com/qgxd9phREALLY, REALLY BIG QUESTIONS -- http://tinyurl.com/ova4fwmSTARRY MESSENGER: GALILEO GALILEI -- http://tinyurl.com/q9qwntp THE ELEMENTS: A VISUAL EXPLORATION -- http://tinyurl.com/m8jja7lTHE GOLDEN RULE -- http://tinyurl.com/kbegnouTHE LIBRARIAN WHO MEASURED EARTH -- http://tinyurl.com/kvvdg7kTHE SHORTEST DAY: CELEBRATING THE WINTER SOLSTICE -- http://tinyurl.com/kd2xysa THE WAY BACK HOME -- http://tinyurl.com/nrv5y2yWHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? -- http://tinyurl.com/lzck2mbWHY DON'T WE GO TO CHURCH? -- http://tinyurl.com/o3z9r6jYOU ARE STARDUST -- http://tinyurl.com/ooky2x3 INTRODUCTIONS TO MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE D'AULAIRE'S BOOK OF GREEK MYTHS -- http://tinyurl.com/q7nl2xrD'AULAIRE'S BOOK OF NORSE MYTHS -- http://tinyurl.com/n47kz4uJAPANESE TALES -- http://tinyurl.com/mxnmwrcRUSSIAN FAIRY TALES -- http://tinyurl.com/ozwkrygAMERICAN INDIAN MYTHS AND LEGENDS -- http://tinyurl.com/p754jxe NON-FICTION CHAPTER BOOKS FOR SELF-EDUCATION AND FAMILY READING **SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS -- http://tinyurl.com/oxe4a5h (This should be a read aloud. Good but dense!)A CABINET OF MEDICAL CURIOSITIES -- http://tinyurl.com/loyltozA WORLD IN ONE CUBIC FOOT: PORTRAITS OF BIODIVERSITY -- http://tinyurl.com/q6s6zcaDARK BANQUET: BLOOD AND THE CURIOUS LIVES OF BLOOD-FEEDING CREATURES -- http://tinyurl.com/luqd259GIRLS THINK OF EVERYTHING: STORIES OF INGENUIOUS INVENTIONS BY WOMEN -- http://tinyurl.com/k9bxyclKING SOLOMON'S RING -- http://tinyurl.com/p5k6s3jLIFE: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE FIRST FOUR BILLION YEARS OF LIFE ON EARTH -- http://tinyurl.com/oosrohqLIFE EVERLASTING: THE ANIMAL WAY OF DEATH -- http://tinyurl.com/owdh3f2MUTANTS: ON GENETIC VARIETY AND THE HUMAN BODY -- http://tinyurl.com/n8ts2e2 **MY ISHMAEL -- http://tinyurl.com/pqxrw2q (I suggest this as read aloud for discussion. Philosophical fiction.)OXYGEN: THE MOLECULE THAT MADE THE WORLD -- http://tinyurl.com/n54wcwuPHINEAS GAGE: A GRUESOME BUT TRUE STORY ABOUT BRAIN SCIENCE -- http://tinyurl.com/ls57x94**TALES OF ADAM -- http://tinyurl.com/oszhcsb (I suggest this as read aloud for discussion. Philosophical fiction.)THE ANIMAL DIALOGUES: UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS IN THE WILD -- http://tinyurl.com/nw979n3THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND -- http://tinyurl.com/o2dp3v8THE CAVE PAINTERS: PROBING THE MYSTERIES OF THE WORLD'S FIRST ARTISTS -- http://tinyurl.com/kcc7nn9THE CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE -- http://tinyurl.com/ka9u67oTHE DISAPPEARING SPOON -- http://tinyurl.com/pmlbhxaTHE FOREST UNSEEN: A YEAR'S WATCH IN NATURE -- http://tinyurl.com/ngz6naaTHE GALÃPAGOS: EXPLORING DARWIN'S TAPESTRY -- http://tinyurl.com/ppt34kxTHE GREAT AND ONLY BARNUM -- http://tinyurl.com/na3fbgsTHE KNIFE MAN: BLOOD, BODY SNATCHING, AND THE BIRTH OF MODERN SURGERY -- http://tinyurl.com/lenvtkxTHE SPECIES SEEKERS: HEROES, FOOLS, AND THE MAD PURSUIT OF LIFE ON EARTH -- http://tinyurl.com/qjkgvz8THE TREE: A NATURAL HISTORY OF WHAT TREES ARE, HOW THEY LIVE & WHY THEY MATTER -- http://tinyurl.com/nlajdtnTHE WOMAN WITH A WORM IN HER HEAD: AND OTHER TRUE STORIES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE -- http://tinyurl.com/kokqa9tWICKED BUGS: THE LOUSE THAT CONQUERED NAPOLEON'S ARMY... -- http://tinyurl.com/oul5bd2WINTER WORLD: THE INGENUITY OF ANIMAL SURVIVAL -- http://tinyurl.com/o9x5wy3WITCHES: THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE TALE OF DISASTER IN SALEM -- http://tinyurl.com/n3ggult FICTION FOR THE INDEPENDENTLY MINDED AND YOUTHFUL A GIRL NAMED DISASTER -- http://tinyurl.com/pnsa938HATCHET -- http://tinyurl.com/o4h9xaaHOWL'S MOVING CASTLE -- http://tinyurl.com/lb786nuMY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN -- http://tinyurl.com/qavzz7sTHE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING -- http://tinyurl.com/lqdj7h3THE GOLDEN COMPASS -- http://tinyurl.com/ndnb8k8THE LIGHT IN THE FOREST -- http://tinyurl.com/phsv59n SERIES THAT ENCOURAGE CRITICAL THINKING AND PROMOTE SCIENCE NICK AND TESLA SERIES NICK AND TESLA'S HIGH-VOLTAGE DANGER LAB NICK AND TESLA'S ROBOT ARMY RAMPAGE NICK AND TESLA'S SECRET AGENT GADGET BATTLE GEORGE SERIES GEORGE'S SECRET KEY TO THE UNIVERSE GEORGE'S COSMIC TREASURE HUNT GEORGE AND THE BIG BANG GEORGE AND THE UNBREAKABLE CODE THE 39 CLUES SERIES THE MAZE OF BONES ONE FALSE NOTE THE SWORD THIEF BEYOND THE GRAVE THE BLACK CIRCLE IN TOO DEEP THE VIPER'S NEST THE EMPEROR'S CODE STORM WARNING INTO THE GAUNTLET VESPERS RISING THE HARDY BOYS ORIGINAL SERIES -- http://tinyurl.com/m7v4fmdNANCY DREW ORIGINAL SERIES -- http://tinyurl.com/oj2uaotENCYLCOPEDIA BROWN SERIES -- http://tinyurl.com/ovqbnqt Note: Update happened: 10/1/2014. More to come. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheild Maiden Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Awesome, thanks for all of the links! I'm bookmarking this for my future kids (and for myself)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrive Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Thank you for taking the time to compile this list! My son is only 7, but he loves science and he loves to read. I tend to read him the classic adventure stories like Dr. Doolittle, Tom Sawyer, Wizard of Oz, Swiss Family Robinson, etc. I have a few on this list already like Hatchet and Ishmel that I can't wait until he is old enough to share them. I'll have to look into some of the younger children ones on critical thinking and science for him. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aduet84 Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Thanks seven! I'm going to make a trip to the library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seven77 Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 I updated the list today. Woot. Praise the Lard for rainy days! I actually get things done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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