Information for Parents
     
 

What Is CAT·3?

Bfore 2008, CAT·3 was the most impressive commercially available series of achievement tests in Canada. The test specifications were drawn up in view of current Canadian curricula. The tests offer assessments in reading, language, writing, spelling and mathematics in a modular and flexible format. The Basic Battery can be comfortably administered within one morning of class time. Even more in-depth assessments of students' strengths and needs are provided through the Supplemental Tests. Constructed-response formats are provided in the Writing and Mathematics assessments. CAT·3 reports include profiles of students' strengths and needs as well as norm-referenced information based on a representative Canadian sample of about 3600 students per grade. Group reports are also available at the class, school and district levels.

 

What Is CTCS?


The Canadian Test of Cognitive Skills (CTCS) is a reliable academic aptitude test that measures the cognitive abilities important for scholastic success in Grades 2–12. CTCS includes scores for three critical cognitive factors—verbal, non–verbal and memory (CTCS is the only major academic aptitude test in Canada that measures memory).

 

How Does CAT·3 Help Teachers, Parents and Students?

Teachers

CAT results provide teachers with external scores to be compared with their own assessments.

Teachers may compare their students' scores in various skill areas with those of other classes. They can compare their students' individual achievement with their scores in earlier grades. They can check how this year's class results compare with results from the same grade previously. They may also check for differences in performance on various skill areas, some of which they may have emphasized more than others.

No two classes are alike; experienced teachers know that there are variations from year to year. They look for confirmation of their own assessment, and for pleasant or unpleasant surprises.

Teachers are at least as interested in the performance of individuals and groups as they are in the class as a whole. They may check the performance of their most advanced readers, to see improvement over the year and to see if there are other students achieving well who would benefit from additional challenge. They will check their weakest students, to see if they are catching up or falling further behind. They may well spend most of their time looking at individual performance, to check for strengths and weaknesses of which they were previously unaware.
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Parents

CAT results help parents by providing them with an independent measure of achievement to compare with their own and the school's assessments.

CAT provides certain kinds of information. Reading, mathematics, and language are areas of high priority for most people, but they are not the only important areas of academic achievement. As well as academic achievement, there are other areas of development such as character, artistic expression, sports and life skills, to which parents give differing priorities.

Careful examination of CAT results, particularly over time, helps parents understand two important things. They gain a better understanding of the problems which are worth worrying about. Secondly, they acquire a basis for setting reasonable academic goals for their children.


There is no simple way to decide what is a problem and whether parents should do something about it. Some students achieve very consistent scores on all tests, with teachers agreeing they are strong, weak or average students. Others show marked variations. In such cases, some parents like to encourage and build on strengths; others focus on correcting the weaknesses.

Before trying to correct a problem, parents should try to understand it. This means talking to teachers and the person most concerned, the student. If results of an aptitude test are available, they should also be compared with the CAT achievement results. The Canadian Test of Cognitive Skills (CTCS) is an aptitude test used by some school districts for this purpose. School system psychologists also test some students for learning aptitude. In general, the aptitude test tells more about the basic abilities of the student (affected considerably by life outside school), whereas CAT tells more about the level of skill achieved (for which the school has more direct responsibility). If the level of aptitude (stanine 4, for example) is higher than the level of achievement (stanine 2), then there is reason to believe that special attention is needed. On the other hand, if the aptitude (stanine 1) is lower than the level of achievement (stanine 2), parents should be careful not to put heavy pressure on the student, who is likely trying hard. Constructive help is always useful.

  

... tests are a good measure of the actual skill level of the student. However, they do not measure whether a student works hard completes his/her assignments and hands in homework.

It is sensible to understand both the actual level of achievement and the reasons why it may be lower than expected. The reasons may be simple (for example, poor hearing or sight) or complex (a combination of low aptitude, a physical disability and an emotional problem). Fortunately, the best treatment is often the same: patient, step-by-step instruction.

Sometimes, teachers, parents, and tests provide information that is or seems to be contradictory. One possible explanation is that the different sources of information are based on different facts. For example, tests are a good measure of the actual skill level of the student. However, they do not measure whether a student works hard, completes his/her assignments and hands in homework. A teacher cannot assess work that is not done, and a student who is absent a great deal or who simply does not get much done is likely to get lower grades than a student who is hard working and conscientious. A very conscientious student may get a higher mark from the teacher than from tests, whereas a student who is untidy and unreliable may get a lower mark. The teacher's assessments may also be higher for the entire class than the test's (if the class is weak) or lower (if the class is strong).

If there is unresolved conflict, it may be necessary to seek further advice. In such cases, additional tests could be administered or the problem could be referred to an educational psychologist.

As young people move through adolescence, they and their parents consider their goals and expectations for the future. Test results are one part of the information helpful in making informed decisions.

About 85 per cent of Canadian young people graduate from high school by the time they are twenty-five (many drop out of school and return part-time later). About 15 per cent of the eighteen-year-old age group go on to community college and about 20 per cent to university.

That does not mean that eighth graders below the 15th percentile on CAT will not graduate or that those below the 80th percentile will not go to university. Obviously, there are many other factors that affect students' success in and after school, including ambition, determination, effort, values, choices, and parental assistance.

Even so, if Sean, a grade seven student, is achieving consistently around the 30th percentile on CAT, it would be unduly optimistic for him to believe he has a good chance of being accepted by a university without some major change in behavior and achievement over the following few years.
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Students

CAT helps students by giving them an independent picture of their level of achievement in the basic skills.

Young people often have a good understanding of themselves, their strengths and limitations. However, they also have blind spots. Some do not recognize abilities they have; others believe they are doing better than they really are.

By the age of ten, young people are beginning to get some sense of themselves as persons, with strengths and weaknesses to be built on or overcome. How much information should be given students is a sensitive matter to be determined by teachers and parents. By grade five or six, teachers generally find that it is possible to communicate precise, objective information to most students individually, confidentially and in a constructive manner. There are special situations when the information is of no possible value to the student, but those are usually situations when the student should not have taken the test. For example, a person who speaks no English or has a severe disability affecting communication skills may or may not have some of the skills tested, but the test results will not reveal the level of skill, because the lack of English or the disability forms a barrier to valid testing.

Ideally, the student, the parent and the teacher will have similar understandings of the student's performance, strengths, and weaknesses. They will agree on a workable routine to improve basic skills, involving both home and school.
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How Do You Prepare Your Child to Write CAT·3?

What can teachers and parents do?

Both teachers and parents can become involved in preparing the student for taking tests. The following are some suggestions:

  • Make sure the student listens carefully and understands all verbal directions given. The student must learn to ask questions to clarify directions when necessary.
  • Assist the student to become aware of time limits when completing tasks. Self-pacing will ensure the student completes the test in the time allotted.
  • Ensure the student gets a good night's rest and eats breakfast on the morning of the test day.
  • Encourage and motivate the student to perform to the best of his/her ability.

What can students do?

  • Relax and get a good night's sleep the night before the test.
  • Ask questions for clarification if the directions are unclear.
  • Eliminate alternative answers when guessing. This strategy may increase the possibility of an informed guess.
  • Use scrap paper for making calculations or graphs when problem solving. This may assist with accuracy.
  • Pace oneself throughout the testing session. Bring a watch into the testing session. Once the student has completed half the questions, looking at the watch will help to ensure he/she is on track.
  • Double-check answers at the end of the testing session, if time permits. Accuracy may be improved by reviewing the responses.
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What Do CAT Test Results Mean?

Test results are reported to parents in one or more of the following ways: National Percentile (NP), National Stanine (NS), and Grade Equivalent (GE).

National Percentile (NP)

The National Percentile ranking (NP) places students on a scale of 1 to 99, where 99 is high. An NP score of 99 means the student performs better than 99 per cent of the national sample of the population at that grade level. For example, Helena, at the beginning of grade four, has a national percentile of 45 in Spelling. This means that Helena performed better than approximately 45 per cent of young Canadians at her grade level. It does not mean that she got 45 per cent of the items correct. A national percentile of 50 means that one is average for one's grade level.

National Stanine (NS)

The National Stanine (NS) places scores into nine divisions (1 to 9) called stanines. The higher the stanine the better the performance. Many more students fall in stanines 4, 5 and 6 than in either 7, 8 and 9 (high) or 1, 2 and 3 (low). A student attaining stanines 8 and 9 consistently is considered by many school systems for placement in an enriched, accelerated or gifted program.

Grade Equivalent (GE)

The Grade Equivalent provides a comparison of achievement by students from different grades. Let us take the example of two students at the end of Grade 7 (7.9 or the ninth month of the grade 7 year). Ken's test score in Language is 7.3. This means that his performance is what you would expect from a student in the third month of grade 7, that is, slightly below where he should be. Naomi, in the same class, scores 9.5 in Total Mathematics. This means that she is doing as well as a student in the fifth month of grade 9 would do on this test. However, this does not mean that Naomi is doing grade 9 work and should be moved up to the grade 9 program.

  

Test results are reported to parents in one or more of the following ways:
national percentile (NP), national stanine (NS), and grade equivalent (GE).

All three ways of reporting scores have advantages and disadvantages. The National Percentile shows how a student is performing in comparison with others at the same grade level. On the other hand, the National Percentile is so compact around the middle range that variations are bound to occur, partly due to chance. A change from National Percentile 45 to 40 may seem greater than it really is. The National Percentile does not allow us to gauge progress children make over time. It is possible for a student to be between 40 and 50 (NP) in all tests from grade two to grade twelve, despite working hard and making regular progress. In the same way, a student may be an average runner in grade ten, just as she was in grade six, but may complete 100 metres in 13 seconds instead of 15.

The National Stanine provides quick and simple information. High numbers (stanines 7 to 9) indicate very strong achievement and low numbers indicate weak achievement. Five represents average performance and most students fall between 3 and 7. However, the simplicity means that a student may make tremendous efforts and actually improve, without moving up a stanine, or stop working without it showing for a while. Imagine if there were only three weight categories: overweight, normal and underweight. A person fifteen kilograms above the normal level might diet and exercise for ten years, becoming quite fit, and still remain within the overweight category. So it could be with the student who starts out at the low end of stanine 4 who works hard, yet remains in stanine 4.

The advantage of the Grade Equivalent (GE) is that it shows students' progress from year to year. For example, with a GE of 3.8 at the end of grade three, Jason is average but by the end of grade four, in which he misses a lot of time, his score has only increased to 4.5. Jason has an excellent year in grade five and his average GE is now 6.0. On the other hand, the grade equivalent can be confusing. If Jason's score is 6.5 at the end of grade five (better than many grade six students), then he may think he should be moved directly to grade seven, almost certainly not a good idea. The grade equivalent reflects relative performance on the curriculum measured. Jason's performance was measured on the grade five curriculum, not the grade seven curriculum. One can have no confidence in how well Jason would perform in grade 7 because he has probably not been taught the concepts and skills of the grade 7 curriculum. Similarly, a sixth grade girl may be at the ninth grade level in Reading without having the maturity to tackle adult books. Students more than a year below their grade level should be receiving special help. Those two years above grade level in Language and Reading or one year above in Mathematics are candidates for advanced instruction.
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National Percentile (NP)

National Stanine (NS)

Grade Equivalent (GE)

What it is

 Places students on a scale of 1 to 99, where 99 is high Places scores into nine divisions (1 to 9) called stanines. The higher the stanine, the better the performance Compares a student's performance with that of students in other grades

Why it is useful

 Shows precisely how a student is performing in comparison with others at the same grade level Provides quick and simple information Shows a student's progress from year to year

Why it can be confusing

 It is so precise that variations are bound to occur, partly from chance Simplicity means that a student may make tremendous efforts and actually improve, without moving up a stanine, or stop working without it showing for a while Grade equivalent does not indicate that the student should be moved up or down to another grade

 
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Materials to Support You and Your Child

How to Interpret the CAT·3 Parent Report

The Parent Report has three sections:

  • The left column provides information about the student and the test.
  • The top part of the right column lists the student’s greatest strengths and greatest needs, referenced against the grade-level expectations. First, the test in which the student showed greatest strength is presented, along with a description of the specific skills in which the student showed greatest strength. Second, the test and specific skills in which the student showed greatest need are described.
  • The bottom part of the right column graphically illustrates the student’s standing relative to other same-grade students in the areas of Reading, Language and Mathematics. The student’s CAT·3 scores are classified as Below Average, Average or Above Average relative to the national sample of same-grade students.
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Parents' Guide to CAT·3

The intent of this guide is to help make CAT results meaningful to parents and to offer research-based suggestions on how parents can provide their children with the best conditions for learning.

Teachers and parents will appreciate the guide, as it answers the key questions many parents have about standardized tests and discusses the implications of test results in a straightforward manner.

This Parents' Guide contains five sections:

  • What is CAT?
  • What do CAT test results mean?
  • How can test results help parents, students and teachers?
  • What can parents do to improve test results?
  • The CTC Guide to Children's Reading (book list for ages four to fourteen)
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Teacher Resource Manual

This teacher's guide offers a multitude of instructional activities that have been carefully matched to CAT·3 objectives. It also serves as a manual for interpreting and using the norm-referenced and criterion-referenced information provided by the tests.

Testing should always be considered a means to an end, not an end in itself. Although test results serve different purposes within the educational system, the ultimate goal for the classroom teacher is to use them to plan and evaluate instruction. Test results can help in the planning of a good instructional program for students by identifying their strengths and needs.

The Teacher Resource Manual activities, organized by test level, offer ways to reinforce specific skills related to CAT·3 objectives. For each content area, there are activities for introducing specific skills as well as activities to use with students who need review or additional instruction.

While these activities are not intended to represent a total instructional program, they are good examples of techniques and exercises that may be used to facilitate learning. The activities were developed by Canadian teachers who referred to current curriculum guides, textbooks and books of instructional activities as well as their own classroom experience.

The activities in this guide were selected because they:

  • develop the skills measured by the CAT·3 objectives;
  • require minimum teacher preparation;
  • offer a variety of ideas and approaches;
  • are flexible and adaptable to many types of programs and student learning styles;
  • provide a combination of individual, small group and large group activities.

Some Teacher Resource Manual activities are further supported by blackline masters available at the back of the guide. Also, an index permits easy access to specific language arts and mathematics activities.

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Components with ISBNs and Prices

Title

Level

ISBN

Price
Parents' Guide to CAT Results All 155124313-X $5.00
Teacher Resource Manual for CAT·3 All 155124314-8 $60.00

 

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The CTC Guide to Children's Reading

This guide is intended to help parents select books to read to their children and for their children to read to themselves. Most children enjoy being read books well above their own reading level. Many children, even into their teens, still enjoy being read a good story in a family setting. Readers should be encouraged to move gradually to more difficult books.

Within each section of the guide, books are arranged in approximate order of difficulty. If a chosen book is too difficult, move up the list towards the beginning; if it is too easy, move down the list. Public libraries will have many of these books. Good bookstores stock selections of children's books and will order all but the cheapest paperbacks on request. All the listed books were available when the guide was revised in 1997.

Many of the most popular books are published in paperback, costing less than ten dollars–symbol $. Books between ten and twenty dollars are shown thus–$$, and over twenty dollars–$$$. The price of other books by the same author may be different. Few presents have as much lasting value as books. Developing a personal collection of books helps establish the value of reading.

The brief notes are intended to help parents choose books they think will appeal to their child. Books that are out of print have been omitted, as have books that may offend large numbers of parents. Even so, parents' values do vary and it is part of a child's education to have their parents help and encourage them in their choice of reading.
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Revised Children's Reading List

Books to Read to Four- to Six-Year-Olds

Keats, Ezra Jack

  • The Snowy Day $ Viking.
    This beautifully illustrated book describes the solitary play of a small child. Also:
  • Whistle for Willie
  • The Little Drummer Boy
  • Dreams

Ormerod, Jan

  • Moonlight $ Penguin.
    It is bedtime for a small girl.

 

Stinson, Kathy

  • Red is Best $ Annick.
    This story brings out a child's love of the colour red. Also:
  • Big or Little?
  • Those Green Things
  • Mom and Dad Don't Live Together Any More

Gilman, Phoebe

  • Jillian Jiggs (set of three) $ (each) Scholastic.
    Jillian's antics are described in rhyme. Also:
  • Little Blue Ben

 

McCloskey, Robert

  • Make Way for Ducklings $ Viking.
    With police help, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard waddle through busy Boston. Also:
  • Blueberries for Sal
  • Time of Wonder

Kraus, Robert

  • Whose Mouse Are You? $ Collier.
    Problems with a new baby brother are presented. Many other books are available by this author.

Potter, Beatrix

  • The Tale of Peter Rabbit $ Puffin.
    Peter disobeys and almost ends up as rabbit pie. Many others in series (some longer and more difficult)

Young, Ed

  • Lon Po Po $$ Philomel.
    This is the story of a Chinese Red Riding Hood.

Zolotow, Charlotte

  • The Sleepy Book $ Harper & Row.
    The book tells where animals sleep. Also:
  • Some Things Go Together
  • Peter and the Pigeons
  • Mister Rabbit and the Lovely Present

Little, Jean

  • Revenge of the Small $ Puffin.
    Patsy teaches her elder siblings a lesson in a wry way.

Bogart, Jo Ellen

  • Two too Many $$ Scholastic.
    This is a very attractive rhyming book. Also:
  • Gifts
  • Mama's Bed

Atwood, Margaret

  • Princess Prunella and the Purple Peanut $$ Key Porter Kids.
    A selfish princess is portrayed in a wonderful fairy tale.

Simard, Rémy

  • The Magic Book $$ Annick Press.
    This fairy tale has an Italian connection.

Carle, Eric

  • The Very Busy Spider $$ Philomel.
    One of a series of beautifully illustrated insect books. Also:
  • The Very Busy Cricket
  • The Very Lonely Firefly

Lerner, Harriet and Holdhor, Susan

  • What's So Terrible about Swallowing an Apple Seed? $$ Harper Collins.
    An older sister carries her teasing a little too far.

de Regniers, Beatrice Schenk

  • May I Bring a Friend? $ Atheneum.
    An invitation to tea with the king is written in rhyming verse. Also:
  • How Joe the Bear and Sam the Mouse Got Together

Beddoes, Eric

  • Rooster's Gift $$ Groundwood.
    The tale tells of a rooster who believed he made the sun rise.

Reid, Barbara

  • Two by Two $$ Scholastic.
    This counting book tells the tale of Noah.

Camon, Ann Edwards

  • I Know What You Do When I Go to School $$ Peregrine Smith Books, Gibbs Smith.
    The book will amuse kindergarten children with younger siblings.

Wildsmith, Brian

  • Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes $$ Oxford.
    These rhymes are beautifully illustrated. Also:
  • What the Moon Saw
  • Seasons

Tregebov, Rhea

  • The Big Storm $$ Kids Can Press.
    One stormy night, Jeanette and Kitty Doyle have an adventure they will never forget.

Aska, Warabé

  • Seasons $$ Doubleday.
    The seasons are illustrated by lovely paintings. Also:
  • Who Hides in the Park?

Hughes Shirley

  • Out and About $$ Douglas & McIntyre.
    The verse is beautifully illustrated. Also:
  • The Snow Lady

Mayo, Margaret

  • The Book of Magical Tales $$$ Oxford.
    The selection of stories is excellent.

Bemelmans, Ludwig

  • Madeline $ Puffin.
    This tale in rhyming verse is set in a girls' school in Paris. (Series of six).

Lawson, Julie

  • Kate's Castle $$ Oxford.
    Fine language describes Kate's real and imaginary sandcastles. Also:
  • The Dragon's Pearl

Sendak, Maurice

  • Where the Wild Things Are $ Fitzhenry.
    Max sails off into a forest where the animals make him king. Also:
  • In the Night Kitchen
  • We are All in the Dumps with Jack and Guy

Tololwa, M. Mollel

  • Big Boy $$ Stoddart.
    A traditional African theme is given a contemporary setting. The author has written several other books using African themes.
Top of Revised Children's Reading List
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Books to Read to Six- to Eight-Year-Olds

Cooper, Susan

  • Matthew's Dragon $ Collier Macmillan.
    Matthew embarks on an enchanted journey at bedtime. Also:
  • Silver Cow
  • The Selkie Girl

Lopez, Barry

  • Crow and Weasel $$$ Random House.
    The story brings out spiritual relationships to the land and respect for different cultures and one another.

Sendak, Maurice

  • Dear Milli $$ Collins.
    This is a long-lost tale from Grimm.

Lottridge, Celia

  • Ten Small Tales $$ Groundwood.
    These are finely crafted tales told with spirit and humour.

Wilder, Laura Ingalls

  • Little House in the Big Woods $ Harper.
    This is one of a charming pioneer series, set in Wisconsin. Some are easier.

Lewis, Naomi

  • Classic Fairy Tales to Read Aloud $$$ Kingfisher.
    The book provides a fine selection.

Cleaver, Elizabeth

  • The Loon's Necklace $ Oxford.
    This is a Canadian legend.

Mark, Jan

  • The Oxford Book of Children's Stories $$$ Oxford.
    This and also the next are excellent selections.

Sanderson, Ruth

  • The Enchanted Wood $$ Little, Brown.
    This is a fairy tale. Also:
  • Twelve Dancing Princesses

Pepper, Dennis

  • The Oxford Book of Animal Stories $$$ Oxford.

Lester, Alison

  • Imagine $$ Houghton Mifflin.
    The story contains stimulating vocabulary and good illustrations. There are many other books by the same author.
  
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Books for Six- to Eight-Year-Olds to Read by Themselves

Easy Books

Easy, beginning to read books (with or without help)
Books marked with an asterisk are also recommended for older children at a beginning reader level.

Minarik, Else Holmelund

  • Little Bear $ Harper Trophy.
    This is one of a charming series of six about an understanding mother and her young bear.

Eastman, P.D.

  • Go Dog Go! * $ Random.
    It contains simple, repetitive text. Also:
  • Are You My Mother?

Dr. Seuss

  • Cat in the Hat* (each $) Random.
    This famous book and the ones that follow provide excellent practice of letter sounds. Also:
  • Cat in the Hat Comes Back*
  • Fox in Socks
  • Dr. Seuss's ABC
  • Green Eggs and Ham
  • One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
  • The Five Hundred Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins*

Lobel, Arnold

  • Owl At Home $ Harper Crest.
  • Frog and Toad Are Friends (series)
  • Mouse Tales (series)

Van Leeuwen, Jean

  • Amanda Pig and Her Big Brother Oliver (series) $$ Dial.
    Also:
  • Oliver Pig at School (series) $
 
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Books for Readers

Minarik, Else Holmelund

  • No Fighting, No Biting! $$ Harper & Row.

Goffstein, M.B.

  • Goldie the Doll Maker $ Collins.
    This touching story tells of a girl living alone in a forest.

Bourgeois, Paulette

  • Franklin in the Dark $ Kids Can Press.
    In this tale, one of a series, Franklin the turtle learns to deal with many problems.

Ness, Evaline

  • Sam, Bangs and Moonshine $$ Holt.
    Sam learns to distinguish moonshine from reality.

Steig, William

  • The Amazing Bone $ Sunburst.
    A magic talking bone becomes Pearl's friend. Also:
  • CDC?

Lee, Dennis

  • The Ice Cream Store $$ Scholastic.
    The story is written in amusing verse.

Osbourne, Mary Pope

  • Magic Tree House* $ Scholastic.
    This book, in which we find if Jack and Annie discover buried treasure, is one of a series.

Bonners, Susan

  • The Wooden Doll* $$ Lothrop, Lee and Shepard. Stephanie's grandparents' doll unravels the mystery that links her with her past.

Zolotow, Charlotte

  • The Quarreling Book $ Harper & Row.
    This book is good for adult/child discussion.

Lindgren, Astrid

  • Pippi Longstocking* (series) $ Penguin.
    Self-confident, energetic, and imaginative Pippi is liberating for boys and girls.

Munsch, Robert

  • The Paper Bag Princess $ Firefly.
    A modern princess rescues a preppy prince.

Cleary, Beverly

  • Ramona* (series) $ Gage.
    The books describe Ramona's humorous adventures. Also:
  • Henry Huggins* (series)
  • Ralph S. Mouse* (series)

Alderson, Sue Ann

  • Bonnie McSmithers, You're Driving Me Dithers $ Tree Frog Press.
    This is one of a series concerning an exasperated mother and her daughter.

Kleitsch, Christel

  • It Happened at Pickle Lake $$ Dutton.
    Rachel has to give up TV and Disney World for a vacation at Pickle Lake.

Wallace, Ian

  • Chin Chiang and the Dragon's Dance $$ Macmillan.
    A nervous boy prepares for his first dragon dance. Also:
  • Morgan the Magnificent

Dadey, Debbie and Jones, Marcia Thornton

  • Bailey School Kids (series) $ Scholastic.

Zemach, Harve and Margot

  • The Princess and Froggie $ Sunburst.
    This is a fairy tale. Also:
  • The Little Red Hen: An Old Story
  • The Judge: An Untrue Tale

Warner, Gertrude Chandler

  • Boxcar Children Series $ Scholastic. This is a mystery series

Lear, Edward

  • The Owl and the Pussycat $ Clarion. These nonsense verses are fun to read.

Leblanc, Louise

  • Maddie Wants Music $ Formac. This is a lesson in honesty.

Alexander, Lloyd

  • The Fortune-Tellers* $$ Dutton.
    This humorous tale is set in Cameroon.

Lowry, Lois

  • One and Only Anastasia (series) $ Dell.
    The stories are lively and funny.

Ardizzone, Edward

  • Tim to the Lighthouse $ Penguin.
    Shy Tim learns to be competent and brave, in this one of a series.

Hoffman, Mary

  • Amazing Grace $ Dial.
    Grace finds she can do many things if she tries. She may be the first black Peter Pan.
Top of Revised Children's Reading List
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Challenging Books

Takashima, Shizuye

  • A Child in Prison Camp $ Tundra.
    The story tells of Japanese-Canadian internment during World War II.

Estes, Eleanor

  • The Hundred Dresses $ Academic.
    After teasing Wanda, Maddie has a conscience. Also:
  • The Moffats

Andrews, Jan

  • Very Last First Time $$ Douglas.
    In an eerie, dreamlike atmosphere, an Inuit girl walks the sea bottom gathering mussels.

Gardiner, John Reynolds

  • Stone Fox* $ Fitzhenry. Willie's attempt to save the farm is exciting.

McFarlane, Sheryl

  • Waiting for the Whales $$ Orca.

Hughes, Ted

  • The Iron Giant* $ Harper Collins.
    Hogart befriends a giant robot.

Lear, Edward

  • The Complete Nonsense Book $ Dodd.
    The nonsense is written in verse. Also:
  • Of Pelicans and Pussycats: Poems and Limericks
  
Top of Revised Children's Reading List
Top of Information for Parents

Books for Eight- to Eleven-Year-Olds to Read by Themselves

Easy Books

Many books read by some children at an earlier age are good for beginning readers over eight. The books and series marked with an asterisk in the six to eight section are particularly recommended. More mature children who find the easier books that follow too juvenile should try the books listed as easy books for those eleven to fourteen.

Books for Readers

Danziger, Paula

  • Amber Browon Goes Fourth $ Scholastic.
    Can Amber go to grade four without a friend?

Banks, Lynne Reid

  • The Indian in the Cupboard $ Doubleday.
    Omri's plastic Indian comes to life in a thoughtful story, which is one of a series.

White, E.B.

  • Charlotte's Web $ Harper & Row.
    Wilbur, the silly pig, and Charlotte, the spider, are well-loved characters. Also:
  • Stuart Little
  • The Trumpet of the Swan

Fox, Paula

  • One Eyed Cat: A Novel $ Collier.
    Did Ned shoot the cat with the forbidden rifle?

Anderson, C.W.

  • Blaze (series) $ Macmillan.
    This series is recommended in particular to horse-lovers.

Rauls, Wilson

  • Where the Red Fern Grows $ Bantam.
    A boy and his two dogs have an exciting adventure.

Norton, Mary

  • The Borrowers (series) $ Harbrace.
    This is a tale of a small family living under a kitchen floor.

Korman, Gordon

  • This Can't Be Happening at MacDonald Hall $ Scholastic.
    This is one of many humorous stories written by the author about life in boarding schools.

Richler, Mordecai

  • Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang $ Bantam.
    Jacob unmasks the soft-hearted Hooded Fang. Also:
  • Jacob Two-Two and the Dinosaur

Ure, Jean

  • The Dancing Dreams $ Red Fox.
    This is one of a series of books appealing to those who love dancing.

Little, Jean

  • Lost and Found $ Penguin.
    In a story about honesty, a lonely little girl finds a lost dog. Also:
  • From Anna

Young, Scott

  • Scrubs on Skates $ McClelland & Stewart.
    This appeals to hockey lovers. Also:
  • Boy on Defence
  • A Boy at Leafs' Camp

Dahl, Roald

  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory $ Puffin. Children like Dahl's lively stories in which children are often oppressed and adults are mean. Also:
  • James and the Giant Peach

Wilson, Eric

  • The Inuk Mountie Adventure $$ Harper Collins.
    This is the latest of the Tom and Liz Austen mystery series, each set in a different part of Canada.

McCloskey, Robert

  • Homer Price $ Viking.
    In this hilarious story, Homer catches burglars with his skunk.

Little, Jean

  • Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird $ Viking. Jeremy must face up to his father's lingering death from cancer in this touching story. Also:
  • One to Grow On
  • Look through My Window

Byars, Betsy Cromer

  • The Midnight Fox $ Scholastic.
    Tommy forms a mysterious bond with a fox and its cub. Also:
  • The Summer of the Swans

Houston, James

  • River Runners: A Tale of Hardship and Bravery $ Puffin.
    The book illustrates life in the north at the height of the fur trade.

Garfield, James B.

  • Follow My Leader $$ Viking.
    The story deals with blindness.

Aiken, Joan

  • Cold Shoulder Road $$ Delacourt.
    The story of the Twite family is continued in an irresistible web of historical fantasy. Also:
  • Wolves of Willoughby Chase
  • Eliza's Daughter
  • Midnight is a Place

Fairman, Tony

  • Bury My Bones, but Keep My Words $$$ Henry Holt.
    The book contains thirteen traditional and contemporary African tales.

Lewis, C.S.

  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe $ Macmillan.
    Lucy, her brothers and sister go through the wardrobe into a magic kingdom. Part of the Narnia series.

Henry, Marguerite

  • Misty of Chincoteague $ Macmillan.
    This tale of a wild horse is one of a series of horse stories.

Montgomery, L.M.

  • Anne of Green Gables $ Bantam.
    A high-spirited orphan is the central character of the famous series set on Prince Edward Island. Some of her later books are more difficult.

Mowat, Farley

  • Owls in the Family $ Bantam.
    A boy and his friends adopt two owls. Also:
  • The Dog Who Wouldn't Be

Enright, Elizabeth

  • The Saturdays $ Holt Rinehart.
    Tired of wasting Saturdays, the Melendy children pool resources to give one another a good outing.

Lowry, Lois

  • Number the Stars $ Houghton Mifflin.
    Annemarie aids the Danish resistance.

Hunter, Mollie

  • The Mermaid Summer $ Harper & Row.
    This is a well-written fantasy by an outstanding writer.

Raskin, Ellen

  • The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I mean Noel) $ Fitzhenry.
    This is a good detective story.

George, Jean Craighead

  • Julie of the Wolves $ Harper & Trophy.
    How can Julie reconcile the old Eskimo ways with a more modern life? Also:
  • Julie

Farley, Walter

  • The Black Stallion $$ Knopf.
    This is a boxed set of three horse stories.

Bennett, William J.

  • The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories $$$ Simon and Schuster.
    An interesting and varied collection of verse and prose probably best read aloud. Many selections make for excellent discussion.

Orgel, Doris

  • The Devil in Vienna $ Puffin.
    The story portrays a friendship between a Jewish girl and the daughter of a Nazi officer.
  
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Challenging Books

L'Engle, Madeleine

  • A Wrinkle in Time $ Dell.
    This is the first of a science fiction series.

Seton, Ernest Thompson

  • Lobo, the Wolf $$ Ink W.A.
    These tough, realistic animal stories are excellent for reading aloud, including to those with poor reading skills. Also:
  • The Biography of a Grizzly

Cooper, Susan

  • Dawn of Fear $ Academic.
    A young boy experiences the London blitz.

Sutcliff, Rosemary

  • Tristan and Iseult $ Oxford.
    This is a memorable retelling of the romantic tragedy. There are many other historical novels by this fine writer.

Nesbit, E.

  • Five Children and It $ BBC Books.
    The adventures of five children are chronicled in a utopian future. Also:
  • The Story of Amulet

Nelson, O.T.

  • The Girl Who Owned a City $ Dell.
    After the death of all adults, Lise owns a city; it is excellent for bright twelve-year-olds.

Paterson, Katherine

  • Bridge to Terabithia $ Harper Crest.
    This is a moving and thought-provoking story.

McEwan, Ian

  • The Daydreamer $ Red Fox.
    Problems arise when a boy spends his life in a daydream.

Lunn, Janet

  • The Root Cellar $ Penguin.
    This historical novel is set in Canada during the American Civil War.

Alexander, Lloyd

  • The Book of Three (each $) Dell.
    This book and the four listed follow Taran in the mythical Kingdom of Pyrdain.
  • The Black Cauldron
  • The Castle of Llyr
  • Taran Wanderer
  • The High King

Hunter, Mollie

  • A Stranger Came Ashore $ Harper & Row.
    This Scottish legend is full of suspense. Also:
  • The Walking Stones
  • The Stronghold
  • The Smartest Man in Ireland

Downing, Charles

  • Russian Tales and Legends $$$ Oxford.
    These splendid stories are excellent for reading aloud. Also:
  • Armenian Folk Tales
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Books for Eleven- to Fourteen-Year-Olds

Easy Books

Cleary, Beverly

  • Dear Mr. Henshaw $ Gage.
    This is a wise and funny book about finding one's place in the world.

Armstrong, William Howard

  • Sounder $ Harper Collins.
    This is a haunting tale of sharecropper's family.

Godfrey, Martyn

  • The Great Science Fair Disaster $ Collier Macmillan.
    This is one of the author's fast-moving, high-interest stories. Also:
  • Please Remove Your Elbow from My Ear
  • It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

Korman, Gordon

  • Don't Care High $ Scholastic.
    The story is fast-moving and funny. Also:
  • Losing Joe's Place
  • The Twinkie Squad

Choyce, Lesley

  • Wrong Time, Wrong Place $ Formac.
    The story deals with racial tension in Halifax's Africville. Also:
  • Skateboard Shakedown
  • Full Tilt

MacGregor, Roy

  • Screech Owl Series $ McClelland & Stewart.
    The series is for hockey fans, boys and girls.

Hinton, S. E.

  • Rumble Fish $$ Laurel-Leaf.
    The world falls apart for a tough teen after an explosive chain of events. Also:
  • The Outsiders
  • Tex
  • That Was Then, This is Now
  
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Books for Readers

Mayne, William

  • A Year and a Day $$ Peter Smith.
    This haunting story is set in nineteenth century England. Also:
  • Drift
  • Earthfasts

Conly, Jane Leslie

  • Trout Summer $$ Henry Holt.
    A riveting story about trust and change.

Bell William

  • Forbidden City: A Novel $ Bantam.
    This story of contemporary teenagers is recommended for those over thirteen.

Matas, Carol

  • Lisa's War $ Harper Collins.
    The story tells of Danish resistance to German occupation in World War II.

O'Keefe, Frank

  • It's Only a Game $$ Beach Home.
    This hockey story also involves relationships with the opposite sex. Also:
  • Guppy Love
  • The Day the Fish Tank Exploded
  • There's a Cow in My Swimming Pool

Johnston, Julie

  • Hero of Lesser Causes $ Lester.
    Keely believes her destiny is to fight for great causes.

Fox, Paula

  • The Slave Dancer $ Dell.
    This is a horrifying story of the slave trade. The author has written many books for this age range.

Pearson, Kit

  • The Sky is Falling $$ Viking.
    Norah and Gavin are well characterized as two war-guests from England. Also:
  • Looking at the Moon
  • The Lights Go on Again

Holm, Anne

  • I Am David $ Harbrace.
    This thoughtful story is excellent for discussion.

Lawson, Julie

  • White Jade Tiger $$ Beach Holme.
    On a field trip to Vancouver, Jasmine's adventure begins.

Kjelgaard, James Arthur

  • Big Red $ Bantam.
    Danny and the Irish setter are devoted to each other. Also:
  • Outlaw Red: Son of Big Red
  • Snow Dog
  • Stormy

Wilson, Budge

  • The Dandelion Garden and Other Stories $$ Stoddart.
    The ten stories explore complex relationships. Also:
  • Cordelia Clark
  • The Leaving

Serraillier, Ian

  • The Silver Sword $$ Phillips.
    Ruth protects her brother and sister in war-torn Poland.

Pearce, Philippa

  • Tom's Midnight Garden $ Penguin.
    This fantasy is an exhilarating tale of time-shift.

Lowry, Lois

  • A Summer to Die $ Bantam.
    Meg deals with the illness and death of her pretty sister.

Hobbs, Will

  • Bearstone $$ Avon.
    The story involves a boy and an old man.

Katz, Welwyn Wilton

  • False Face $$ Douglas & McIntyre.
    This is a North American Indian tale by an author who has written several books for this age range.

Peyton, K.M.

  • Flambards $ Peter Smith.
    The series describe the life of orphaned Christina, from childhood to middle age, and the house Flambards. Also:
  • The Edge of the Cloud
  • Flambards in Summer

Voigt, Cynthia

  • Dicey's Song $ Aladdin.
    Dicey is left to support her younger siblings.

Hunter, Mollie

  • A Sound of Chariots $$ Harper & Row.
    Birdie's life is shattered when her father dies suddenly.

Doyle, Brian

  • You Can Pick Me up at Peggy's Cove $ Groundwood.
    The story deals with the affection and tension of family life.

Voigt, Cynthia

  • A Solitary Blue $ Scholastic.
    Jeff is abandoned by his mother and problems arise when she wants to renew their relationship. Also:
  • Sons from Afar
  • Jackaroo
  • The Runner
  • The Wings of a Falcon

Howe, James

  • A Night Without Stars $ Aladdin.
    The theme is the fear before an operation.

Twain, Mark

  • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer $ Penguin.
    Tom's famous misadventures involve Aunt Polly, Huck, and his disreputable father

Paulsen, Gary

  • Dogsong $ Puffin.
    The story deals with adventure and survival with gritty realism. Also:
  • Hatchet
  • The Winter Room
  • The Foxman

Cooper, Susan

  • The Grey King $$ Scholastic.
    One of The Dark is Rising series. These glorious novels combine courage and adventure with superb story-telling.

Halvorsen, Marilyn

  • But Cows Can't Fly and Other Stories $ Dell.
    These are lively stories with a Canadian setting, recommended for those over thirteen. Also:
  • Cowboys Don't Cry

Bond, Nancy

  • Another Shore $$ Macmillan.
    Lynn is thrown back to Louisbourg, Nova Scotia in 1744 in a vivid, absorbing story. Also:
  • A String in the Harp
  • The Voyage Begun

Walsh, Jill Paton

  • Fireweed $$ Penguin.
    Runaway teenagers try to survive during the London blitz. Also:
  • Gaffer Samson's Luck
  • The Wyndham Case
  • The Golden Grove

Oppel, Kenneth

  • Dead Water Zone $$ Little.
    This is a good science fiction story. Also:
  • The Live Forever Machine

Quirk, Yvonne Coppard

  • Hide and Seek. $$ Bodley Head.
    This is a powerful novel. Also:
  • Bully
  • Copper's Kid

Ellis, Sarah

  • Back of Beyond $$ Groundwood.
    These short stores capture the heart of everyday reality. Also:
  • Out of the Blue
  • Pick up Sticks

Richmond, Sandra

  • Wheels for Walking $ Dutton.
    The story portrays shock and anguish after a teenager becomes a quadriplegic.

Crook, Connie Brunnel

  • Nellie L. $$ Stoddart.
    One of a series depicting the lives of famous Canadian women. Also:
  • Flight
  • Laura's Choice
  • Meyer's Creek

Houston, James

  • The White Archer $ Macmillan.
    This is an Inuit-Eskimo legend.

Hughes, Monica

  • Golden Aquarians $ General.
    Walt is pitted against his technology-obsessed father in a race against life and death. It encourages young people to believe in themselves. Also:
  • The Promise
  • Hunter in the Dark
  • Invitation to the Game
Top of Revised Children's Reading List
Top of Information for Parents

Challenging Books

London, Jack

  • White Fang $ Puffin.
    The story portrays the bond between man and dog in the north. Also:
  • The Call of the Wild.

Brandis, Marianne

  • Rebellion $$$ Porcupine Quill.
    The growing maturity of an adolescent is shown in this Canadian historical novel.

Katz, Welwyn Wilton

  • Come Like Shadows $$ Penguin.
    Kinny McNeil uses a magic mirror to time-travel with the real Macbeth.

Yolden, Janice

  • Dragon's Blood $ Harcourt Brace.
    This is the first book in the astonishing fantasy series, The Pit Dragon Triology.

Alcott, Louisa May

  • Little Women $ Puffin.
    High-spirited Jo and her sisters remain popular today. First in a series.

Wynne-Jones, Tim

  • The Maestro $$ Groundwood.
    Burl Crow is a powerful hero. Also:
  • Some of the Kinder Planets

Twain, Mark

  • Huckleberry Finn $ Penguin.
    Huck and an escaped slave raft down the Mississippi in an unforgettable adventure.

Bedard, Michael

  • Redwood $$ Stoddart.
    Fantasy and history are persuasively woven together.

Tolkien, J.R.R.

  • The Hobbit $$ Houghton Mifflin.
    Humour and action make this a compelling fantasy. Also:
  • The Lord of the Rings

Pullman, Philip

  • The Golden Compass $$$ Knopf.
    This is the first volume of a proposed three, with a convincing combination of fantasy, drama and intense emotion. Also:
  • The Ruby in the Snow
  • Shadow in the North
  • Tiger in the Wall

Sutcliff, Rosemary

  • The Sword and the Circle $ Oxford.
    This is a retelling of an old tale.

Jacques, Brian

  • The Pearls of Lutra $$$ Hutchinson.
    Part of The Redwall Series. Badger lords, fighting hares, Gabool (King of the Sea Rats), and four comrades combine to make a gripping and adventurous saga. Also:
  • Redwall
  • Moss Flower
  • Muttimeo

Wyndham, John

  • The Day of the Triffids $ Carroll and Graf.
    This is a science fiction classic. Also:
  • Stowaway to Mars
  • The Midwich Cuckoos
  • The Chrysalids
  
Top of Revised Children's Reading List
Top of Information for Parents
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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