During the last few weeks, I took a break from the stack of books on my bedside table so that I could read the required summer reading for my sons. I wanted to read the books before they did, so that we could talk about them. My fourth grader was too fast. He knocked them off in early June. So I hit the fifth grade list. Apparently, my fifth grader is at least approaching the age of reading maturity where we might enjoy the same books. For a book lover like me, that could be really fun.
http://voices.yahoo.com/childrens-book-review-gary-paulsens-hatchet-12256148.html?cat=25
I started with Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet, which I have reviewed for Yahoo. The link is here if you want to know what a mom gets out of a book written for her kids.
The ironic piece of the review is that I talk about teaching my kids self-reliance, while I am reading their books to make sure they are understanding what they read before school starts. Funny. I did not pick that up until I re-read the review.
jennswondering 
ethan loved all the gary paulsen books, just read wonder and loved it!
I will definitely have to get a few more!