Are there such things as foreign language books for elementary/middle school kids? That would get simple vocabulary but slightly more grown-up topics, maybe.

This list looks like it could be useful: [link]

I don't know if this would be appropriate or not, but what about DK Eyewitness Books? You know, books like this and this. They're designed for an upper elementary/middle school readership, but they have so many pictures that Annabel enjoys looking at them, and the pictures and text are detailed and informative enough that I've found them useful for research when I want to describe some piece of historical clothing or technology.

DK Eyewitness Books?

I gave my nephew some of those when he was fairly young and he loved them.

Those are great ideas! I'll pass those on to Mom.

I wish I could remember the details of the system they are using for reading and math, but the idea is you base what you teach on the ability of the students. Like the boy I mentioned, who will probably never be able to read, but they've taught him a love for books anyway - just looking at the pictures and turing the pages. The example Mom had for math were two students that the teacher taught how to measure things and some basic addition, and it's been a struggle for them but they've worked at it because it's interesting and they're abilities have gone up a year level. Which is pretty astonishing.

I was going to say the Eyewitness books, and also the "100 Things You Should Know" series.

I shriek about designers who come into people's rooms, look at the books cases and go

And what's with the new fad of putting the books on the shelves so that the pages, not the spines, are showing? God. It's like advertising that you can't or don't read.

My suggestion would be narrative comic books. Much easier to figure out the story even if you can't read the words, and they're usually reasonably high-level.

signed,
read one of the Tintin books in French years and years before I discovered it was a story about the opium trade and the Japanese invasion of China. Even without the words, it was still very exciting!

Middlesex

I didn't care for that book, either, and I sold my (purchased used) copy to a used book store.

Middlesex

I was going to say something about this and then realized I was thinking Middlemarch. D'oh.

askye, a local artist did an awesome picture book that I think would be fun for kids of all ages:

[link]

We both read it, neither of us wants to read it again, no reason for it to languish on our shelves when it could be out there making some other reader happy. I look at getting rid of books as giving a gift to that mysterious other reader, which makes it a lot easier.

This is how I feel as well.

lisah, I'll send her that link too. That looks like it would be a good "interactive" book.