General knowledge books to recommend for P3 avid reader

[newuser]

I like to subscribe too? Where to find the lobang?

[iRabbit]

ammonite:

Once you strip away the magic and humour in Harry Potter, it is actually very stark and realistic in some ways.

For a nine year old, you can very simply discuss
1. style of leaderships and governance (Dumbledore versus Voldermort).
2. State, media and censorship (Ministry of Magic, Daily Prophet and Rita Skeeter) Rita Skeeter is a caricature representative of the British tabloids.
3. War, resistance and readiness (Dumbledore, Snape and Order of Phoenix waited on edge all these years for signs of Voldermort's return.) Parallel with wars/resistance around the world now and in history.
4. The meaning of friendship, and how different friends bring different gifts to us. Friendship is also about forgiving, making up, and helping out. It is importantly, not defined by money or status or popularity. (Luna is an oddball, but a loyal friend)
5. Related to above, poverty and wealth (Harry is poor in the Muggle world, but rich in the wizarding world. In the Muggle world, he often had to go hungry and poorly dressed, and when he is in the wizarding world, he shares generously with Ron and appreciates Mrs Weasley gift of second-hand watch.) Money is nice and good to have, but not above love, friendship and sincerity.
6. The plight of refugees and the persecuted. Many of the descriptions are drawn from Rowling's work with Amnesty International.
7. Death and loss, and the fear of death. This theme is revisited in every book, with greater understanding by Harry each time until finally in Book 7, he \"conquers\" death when he sacrifices willingly but in the half-way point, chooses to return to meet Voldermort for a final battle. Rowling mentioned that among all Harry's friends, Luna is the one with the healthiest attitude towards death and she helps Harry come to terms with his parents' and Sirius' deaths.

(Of course Snape's unrequited love and mixed feelings towards Harry is something they will not appreciate until many years later, as with Dumbledore's backstory and remorse.)

You can bring it a bit of slavery and slave labour (the house-elves). Notice how Hermione's perception is very different from Ron who grew up with house-elves as a norm? Notice also the very different reactions that Dobby and Winkie have to freedom. Freedom can be both welcomed and feared.

etc.

Interesting analysis and interpretation there. I'll nvr see HP in the same light again. Keke.

I only noticed the part where Malfoy hestitated to kill Dumbledore when he was it his mercy (think that's end of Book 6). In the end, Snape did.

So was Malfoy as bad as he's made up to be? Or is there still some goodness in him. Also, with his parents at the mercy of Voldermort, did he have any chance of being 'good'? Or was his fate sealed? Interesting issues when one wants to think deeper.

[iRabbit]

tutormum:

Don't give up. Although RD is too cheem for that age it is good to start her when young. She will reap the rewards years later.

To get my DS3 interested, I let him read the Laughter section and explained the jokes that he didn't understand. We would be sharing jokes and have a good time. After a few months, he managed to read the whole issue although he didn't understand the cheem words. Of course over time his vocab improved and his English became cheem not to mention his general knowledge is \"out of the school\" one. He is doing very well in his EL and Literature now, among the top in his cohort. :boogie: :boogie:

Your story reminded me of Stephen Covey's Time Matrix - you were doing Q2 stuff (impt but not urgent) so now you're reaping the profit of what you did many years back. I'm trying to do that as well, not just focus on the immediate stuff. Congrats!

[iRabbit]

Harlequin:

A friend just subscribed for 24 issues of RD at $90 through Groupon... fantastic deal!

That's really cheap ... like 50% off list price. Great deal!

[Busymom]

FQW:

Harlequin:

A friend just subscribed for 24 issues of RD at $90 through Groupon... fantastic deal!

That's really cheap ... like 50% off list price. Great deal!

I think my DH showed me something like 12 issues at $48 with free ipad editions sometime last week?

But I still prefer to buy second hand at less than half prize.

[Busymom]

tutormum:

FQW:

[quote=\"Harlequin\"]BBC Knowledge and Reader Digest. My girls can't wait for them to appear in the letter box.

I am sure your boy would love it.

I bought one copy of RD for ds to read before, but that time he wasn't interested. That was last yr. Mabbe I should get another copy to test water again. Thanks Harlequin.

Don't give up. Although RD is too cheem for that age it is good to start her when young. She will reap the rewards years later.

To get my DS3 interested, I let him read the Laughter section and explained the jokes that he didn't understand. We would be sharing jokes and have a good time. After a few months, he managed to read the whole issue although he didn't understand the cheem words. Of course over time his vocab improved and his English became cheem not to mention his general knowledge is \"out of the school\" one. He is doing very well in his EL and Literature now, among the top in his cohort. :boogie: :boogie:[/quote]Guess I should be happy that DD had asked us to buy her loads of past issues...

[Busymom]

schweppes:

Sun_2010:

And thank you schweppes , will see if I can get DS down there. I need to diversify his reading.

Most welcome

FQW:

[quote=\"schweppes\"]There was a period last year where I kept bringing my girls to Littered with Books during the June and Nov/Dec hols at 20 Duxton Road

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Littered-with-Books/153135064725041

The place sells both children and adults books. The staff at that time were young adults - think they were undergrads working part-time there - but definitely with a passion and knowledge of books.

I would tell them my girls' and my book interests, and they would suggest titles that would be of interest to us. No hard selling. U can see the joy when they talk about books.

After our sojourn there, we would explore Tanjong Pagard - so many nice makan and dessert stalls to visit.... and happily read what we bought at the same time. Nice memories to form with our kids.

Aiyoh Duxton is so near my office, very stress to go near that place during weekends. Like need to work OT liddat. Admittedly, I'm not your Employee-of-the-year sort of employee. Hehe.

Jokes aside, will check out Facebook. Thanks Schweppes.

Haha... know what u mean. Maybe check out the place during your lunch time first, lah. See whether it's worth bringing your son there.

Anyway, better have disclaimer before u all chiong there. I hope I didn't set high expectations of the place. Don't want u all to be disappointed. It's not like the Kino style of mega bookstore. It's a very small place, based in a 2 story shop unit. Cosy and intimate.

If u've watched the show, You've Got Mail - starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, Littered with Books is like the \"Little Shop Around the Corner\".

First time I walked into Littered with Books, I went into a high. The smell of the books was intense. Book lovers, think u know what I mean.[/quote]Wow! Sounds like a must-go for me.

[Busymom]

FQW:

schweppes:

How about Asian Geographic Junior mag which is more age appropriate?

That one is in the shelf collecting dust now. Hehe.

Same! We bought one copy and DD didn't bother to touch it.

[Busymom]

FQW:

Busymom:

No worries, you sounded almost apologetic...

I have not read the Britannica series, but I think it is written as a story, not like the typical encyclopedia.

Yes, DK Eye Witness is good too (they have the WW1 and WW2 reference books).

By the way, there are a few fiction books (all by Michael Morpurgo) that I bought recently where the review seems interesting:

War Horse
An Elephant in the Garden
Running Wild

http://www.amazon.com/War-Horse-Movie-Michael-Morpurgo/dp/0545403359/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y

http://www.amazon.com/Elephant-Garden-Michael-Morpurgo/dp/0312593694/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363754249&sr=1-1&keywords=the+elephant+in+the+garden

http://www.amazon.com/Running-Wild-Collectors-Michael-Morpurgo/dp/0007456166/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363754574&sr=1-1&keywords=running+wild+michael+morpurgo

If you say good, must really take a close look. Thanks. Generally speaking, ds has this pattern. At sch will be time for fiction books; at home will be time for non-fiction/reference books. Don't know why, it just happen that way. :scratchhead:

hey, you are giving me pressure here... I said \"seems interesting\".

She likes The Roman Mysteries series though
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thieves-Ostia-Caroline-Lawrence/dp/1842550209/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363865548&sr=1-2

She said better than Percy Jackson (the first 4 books).

[Harlequin]

newuser:

I like to subscribe too? Where to find the lobang?

It's from Groupon, an online discount store... please google for it...

1 year 12 issues at less than $50, 2 years 24 issues at $90. Comes with free iPad version. really good deal.

( :slapshead: :stupid: my subscription still has 9 more months to go, think not eligible to renew under this promotion.)