Book suggestions for tween

[Anonymous]

My DD just turned 11. Her 5th grade teacher says she’s ready for books to be much more challenging — probably eighth grade level - but it can be hard to find books at that level that are the right topics for an 11 year old. I plan to ask for suggestions with her at the library, but welcome them here too. She reads a lot of fiction but also likes nonfiction especially about the earth / nature or animals. The teacher said there’s a fun series about a soccer-playing girl who solved mysteries. Anyone know what that series is? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

If she likes fantasy at all, kids that age love the Land of Stories series.

A few middle grade books my DD loved include Short by Holly Sloan, Shine by JJ Grabenstein, the Moe and Dale mystery series, Bounce by Megan Shull, and Restart or really anything by Gordon Korman.

There’s also always classics. A Wrinkle In Time, maybe. Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret.

[Anonymous]

+1 to Gordon Korman. Try Out of my Mind, Counting By Sevens, any Project Lit books, anything by Erin Entrada Kelly, Keeper of the Lost Cities, Lemony Snicket or The Name of this Book is Secret, Mysterious Benedict Society, Alan Gratz, the Twisted Tale series, The Thing About Jellyfish, Kelly Yang, Lemoncello's Library series.

[Anonymous]

The Newbery Medal is the highest award in children's literature and those are most often a good and challenging read for this age group. You can look these up for the past few years. I adored The Last Mapmaker and The Night Diary, among others. There's also a non-fiction award (Batchelder?) that the same governing body distributes (the ALA) that may skew older but may also have some recs for your kid. This is really the golden period of childhood reading, in my opinion. Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

More serious topics, my 11 year old liked
The book thief
Agatha Christy
Stephen king
Diary of Anne Frank

[Anonymous]

She likes animals? Give her Nop's Trials. Or Smoky the Cowhorse. Or Pony (written by the author of Wonder). Or A Wolf Called Wander. Or Watership Down.

[Anonymous]

She might like survival stories:
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Call It Courage
Julie and the Wolves
Hatchett
Swiss Family Robinson
Robinson Crusoe

She might like animal stories:
Misty of Chincoteague
Black Beauty
The Black Stallion

Some miscellaneous books:
Wrinkle in Time
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
The Westing Game
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
The Secret Garden
Little Women
Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter
Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
Keeper of the Isis Light
Tuck Everlasting

Also, these may be lower level but for fluff she might enjoy:
Trixie Belden
The Three Investigators
Nancy Drew

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She likes animals? Give her Nop's Trials. Or Smoky the Cowhorse. Or Pony (written by the author of Wonder). Or A Wolf Called Wander. Or Watership Down.

Huge Watership Down fan, but I would not give this to a 5th grader. Perhaps if you read it to them and discuss as you go along, it would be excellent. But it is too good of a book and won’t be appropriated or properly understood by a younger tween reading it themselves

[Anonymous]

Interworld by Neil Gaiman

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She likes animals? Give her Nop's Trials. Or Smoky the Cowhorse. Or Pony (written by the author of Wonder). Or A Wolf Called Wander. Or Watership Down.

Huge Watership Down fan, but I would not give this to a 5th grader. Perhaps if you read it to them and discuss as you go along, it would be excellent. But it is too good of a book and won’t be appropriated or properly understood by a younger tween reading it themselves

What age range do you think would be best. I have a young teen animal lover and was considering this for her, but even though I read it ages ago, I don't remember much except that the book was a little distressing. Maybe I was too young.
NP

[Anonymous]

My advanced 5th grader has been enjoying books by Alan Gratz. They are quite heavy, but she wants to understand the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She likes animals? Give her Nop's Trials. Or Smoky the Cowhorse. Or Pony (written by the author of Wonder). Or A Wolf Called Wander. Or Watership Down.

Huge Watership Down fan, but I would not give this to a 5th grader. Perhaps if you read it to them and discuss as you go along, it would be excellent. But it is too good of a book and won’t be appropriated or properly understood by a younger tween reading it themselves

You don't think a 10/11 year old 5th grader reading at an 8th grade level is ready to comprehend Watership Down? Personally, I think you are incorrect. I read it in 4th grade and absolutely loved it. My daughter read it in 5th grade and thought it was wonderful. It is written at a 5th to 8th grade reading level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She likes animals? Give her Nop's Trials. Or Smoky the Cowhorse. Or Pony (written by the author of Wonder). Or A Wolf Called Wander. Or Watership Down.

Huge Watership Down fan, but I would not give this to a 5th grader. Perhaps if you read it to them and discuss as you go along, it would be excellent. But it is too good of a book and won’t be appropriated or properly understood by a younger tween reading it themselves

What age range do you think would be best. I have a young teen animal lover and was considering this for her, but even though I read it ages ago, I don't remember much except that the book was a little distressing. Maybe I was too young.
NP

Have you tried Black Beauty ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She might like survival stories:
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Call It Courage
Julie and the Wolves
Hatchett
Swiss Family Robinson
Robinson Crusoe

She might like animal stories:
Misty of Chincoteague
Black Beauty
The Black Stallion

Some miscellaneous books:
Wrinkle in Time
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
The Westing Game
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
The Secret Garden
Little Women
Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter
Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
Keeper of the Isis Light
Tuck Everlasting

Also, these may be lower level but for fluff she might enjoy:
Trixie Belden
The Three Investigators
Nancy Drew

This is a great list

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She likes animals? Give her Nop's Trials. Or Smoky the Cowhorse. Or Pony (written by the author of Wonder). Or A Wolf Called Wander. Or Watership Down.

Huge Watership Down fan, but I would not give this to a 5th grader. Perhaps if you read it to them and discuss as you go along, it would be excellent. But it is too good of a book and won’t be appropriated or properly understood by a younger tween reading it themselves

You don't think a 10/11 year old 5th grader reading at an 8th grade level is ready to comprehend Watership Down? Personally, I think you are incorrect. I read it in 4th grade and absolutely loved it. My daughter read it in 5th grade and thought it was wonderful. It is written at a 5th to 8th grade reading level.

Oh I have bad news for you…most 8th graders would not read Watership Down either.