when i am not imagining my picture on forbes mag with the headline "one stop chair" - i am packing or worrying and occasionally having second thoughts about the upcoming move.

charles and i bought paint yesterday. talk about second guessing. so much can go wrong...i am placing my trust in a one inch square strip? we chose a grey-green for our room....let's see how it turns out. oh i had high hopes, but....what will come of it?? the girls are getting a hot pink wall in a colour they adore, at least they adore the paint strip! reality might be different. it always is with the nail polish sample, and a room is such a larger scale than a nail.

but charles is gone. last night was his final night here. we had no real chance to get emotional about it, but that is probably for the best. he will have a chance to have a walkthrough of 6a when it is empty or during the transition phase. and likely we will both have a good cry then. but right now, my eye is on the prize.

unfortunately, my tonsils are on the enlargement. i just got a suspicion the other day, an inkling that not all was well when i swallowed and it felt like i had a bit of grit in my throat. i cleared it, (annoying sound) and then swallowed again. nope, grit was still there. i took some water, and the pesky grit remained, which made me suspect, dang it, that something was amiss with my throat. i immediately jumped into proactive action, i plugged in the kettle to make tea, and while waiting for it to boil went to get a biscuit (known cure for any ailment).  but the biscuit tasted like the cleansing solution a hairdresser puts the combs in.

definitely getting sick.

definitely don't have time for this.

someone asked me, "why are you taking so long to move? every day you mention it". good question. it is because i am packing (and weeding out) but i am also living. the kids are on holiday and we are having fun. also, we are doing the move ourselves, except for the big ticket items. that's another reason. and we also have to patch up and remove any changes to the flat we made ourselves. another issue!

ending with a question: sebastian loves harry potter, but i don't want him reading beyond book two for a couple of years yet. too scary. any other adventure stories you can recommend for seven year old boys?? i'd love to hear them.

Comments

[Rebecca]

How about the Fablehaven series? Or Peter and the Starcatchers (how peter pan became peter pan)?

[Dad aka GDad Blake]

I am still in hiding but will send some suggestions when the coast is clear.

Love to all...Dad

[Auntie Mandy]

Some great books are the adventure series.. the island of adventure, castle, boat, etc. I think they are by Enid Blyton :) hugs to all, cant wait to see you!!

[Lucy Moran]

Hugh loves the Secret 7 and Famous 5, but also the Zac Power series and the Deltora Quest series. Love to you all, Lucy

[Kara Honigman]

Tess, long time!

Check out the 'Geronimo Stilton' Series...it's about a mouse detective. I think published by Scholastic.........Elias (6)really enjoys them as does his 9yr old brother.

back in Chilliwack now, totally unsettled! xo kara

[Tonya]

The Charlie Bone Series? I have several books in my collection, I will look and get back to you with some more ideas!

[tripleblessings]

Are you asking about books to read to Sebastian, or books he can read himself?
For reading himself, do you know the Secrets of Droon series by Tony Abbott? Very satisfying, there are 30+ in the chapter book series, with lots of plot twists. I find them a bit more interesting than the Magic Tree House series, which are very formulaic, but still have some snippets of history and geography.
More chapter book series: Ready Freddy and Jigsaw Jones.

For a bit longer books, of course, anything by Roald Dahl. Judy Blume's series about Peter Hatcher - Tales of a 4th grade nothing, Superfudge etc. And Beverly Cleary's books about Henry and Ribsy, and maybe the Ramona ones if he likes those.
How about Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat?
If he likes animals, the Animal Ark series by Ben Baglio might appeal, with children who help their veterinarian parents rescue animals in need.
Another classic - Homer Price by Robert McCloskey.
Jacob Two-Two and the Hooded Fang by Mordecai Richler, and several sequels.
How to eat fried worms - Rockwell. The movie is funny too.
Sideways Stories from Wayside School - Louis Sachar.
With access to a Canadian library this summer, you will be able to find a lot of these popular series.
Happy reading!

[Lynsey]

Choose your own adventure books..they are a blast!!

THe Narnia series are great adventure books... also with movies to go with them...

Is he too young for Hardy Boys? I think they still print them or have a new version out...

I agree with Roald Dahl..good pick there...BFG is my fav..and Charlie and the chocolate factory...

Or boy books...My side of the Mountain... or Where the Red Fern Grows...

Mouse and the motorcycle (Bev. Cleary)

[Boulder]

Just a couple of thoughts - the choose your own adventure series seem popular with his age group, as does the a-z mysteries, and lemony snicket, and the Grk books.

Old school to me would be "encyclopedia brown" books. Love the Beverly Cleary ideas, as well as the Hardy Boys series, and the Narnia Chronicles (but the witch can be frightening, I think, to some).

BUT LOOK what I just found: http://tinyurl.com/kkb3xw
She's the children's critic for The Times, and has recommendations by age.

You are welcome.
xoxo

[odila]

Darling, no idea on books a 7 year old can read... sorry for that. As for always talking about a move... I know exactly the feeling... guess we talk a lot about it because we love the place we're leaving and because it's a pain the move itself. The novelty that comes with it is great, but the packing and unpacking are a true pain! Love, Odila

[Tricia]

The A-Z Mysteries by Ron Roy are a HUGE hit in this house this summer. My son has made it his mission to read them all this summer (and I'm following behind reading them here and there in an afternoon and it tickles him that I'm reading them too).
Another GREAT series that we stumbled upon this year was a series of "Araminta Spookie" books by Angie Sage. We were at the library the day they were arriving on the shelf and my son LOVED them. I really thought of them as "Harry Potter" training books. I like what it said in the review: "Araminta Spookie" books, seem designed for readers who like the idea of spooky things such as secret passages and ghosts, but do not want to read about anything even remotely scary." http://www.amazon.com/Araminta-Spookie-Frognapped-Angie-Sage/dp/0060774878

[Kathy]

Not sure if some of these are duplicates:

Andrew Lost
Magic Treehouse
Dinosaur Cove
A-Z Mysteries
Jigsaw Jones
Canadian Flyer (historical Canada)

More later if I can remember them. I have a six year that is an avid speed reader and it's becoming harder to keep her in books that are entertaining and yet age(ish)appropriate.

Kathy

[Jennifer]

A few other books for you (I love answering this question!) I have a 7 year old and a 6 year old boy, so feel an expert - some adventure/spy books both my boys like:

Zac Power
Tashi
Matilda Mudpuddle
Emily Eyefinger
Jack Stalwart
Geronimo Stilton

Zac Power in particular is great because there are heaps of them, and they also have an easy reader chapter book series that have very large print on each page to give them confidence that they can read a chapter book themselves (unless Seb is beyond that stage of course).

Plus Roald Dahl is always a favourite, Hardy Boys, Enid Blyton and the Dorling Kindersley fact books (not adventure, but also very popular in this house).