I've skimmed through,

Did anyone recommend Jane eyre? This was my favorite read in 7th grade

Also, I don't think anyone re commended the all of a kind family books. I think they are out of print but available in e-book.

Not classics, and I read them as an adult, although they are young adult lit, I have become a big fan of Sharon Creech, especially walk two moons.

Honestly as long as its not graphic, I'm okay with exposing her to the concept of adultery. She's read all Percy Jackson series etc. Is it any worse than Orcs killing people? PP you might enjoy if you aren't familiar the Uglies series. She says it's the same concept as the Sneetches by Suess. It was her favorite book as a young child.

Thank you PP for the warnings. She's read Grimm Fairy tales, a college level book that we had laying around. I never read them myself but she's told me they are dark. She is okay with fantasy even if it's intense but has a hard time with things that could be too close to home/ reality.

Another one that hasn't been mentioned, I think, is My Friend Flicka.

PP here with the long list of books your DD hadn't read. After reading your latest post, I now feel less bad about suggesting 100 Years of Solitude and the Crying of Lot 49.

I avoided books with obvious adultery (quite hard actually), too unrelentingly grim, or too existential.

Had meant to give a warning on a 1001 Nights. This sounds innocuous, but unexpurgated it is very racy. The original Sir Richard Burton has even racier footnotes fore example about his recordings of penis size among slaves he'd met in his travels. My pretty high tolerance mother was subtly, but unmistakeably upset when she saw me reading our family's unexpurgated version. Expurgated, however, it is just delightful and a classic.

Given your DD's seeming bent to fantasy, she also might enjoy reading the stories that the are the source for many fantasy novels. This includes mythology (I can only think of Bullfinch's--maybe some other good version out there). Don't forget the Norse stories. She may or may not enjoy Beowulf (pretty standard fare for ninth graders) or Sir Gawain and the Green Night. Also Grimm's Fairy Tales and Andersen's fairy tales (the original Little Mermaid).

A personal favorite is Gilgamesh, the oldest piece of literature still existing. There is a bit where Gilgamesh's best friend refuses to sleep with the goddess Ishtar and she punishes him. It is in no way explicit, but you may not want her exposed yet. On the other hand, of course, if you don't want to encourage such exposure yet a lot of Greek mythology is off limits as well.

Anonymous wrote:
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Anonymous




Shannon Hale- Princess Academy and Goose Girl and it sequels

Penderwicks series by Jean Birdsall

Jessica Day George also has a spinoff of fairy tales that starts with the 12 dancing princesses called Princess at the Midnight Ball

ED Baker has a number of fairy tale based books similar type content to the Jessica Day George books

Rebecca Stead's books are clever and aimed at early middle school age.

Flora and Ulysses is more a 4th & 5th grade audience but a wonderful book

For more realistic fiction - Wonder, Rules, Counting Sevens and One and Only Ivan, Island of Blue Dolphin, Witch of Blackbird Pond

More adventure/fantasy side - Mysterious Benedict Society, Septemus Heap Series, Inccouragble Children of Ashton Place, Series of Unfortunate Events, Theodosia series, Kronos Chronicles (these are just awsome, one of my favorite)

Mysteries - Enola Holmes Series, Flavia DeLuce books by Bradley, Girl with Silver Eyes

+1 This is a much more practical list than the one above. Remember, just because an 11-year-old can read a book doesn't mean they truly understand it. I'll eat my hat if your 11-year-old really understood half of what was going on in Fahrenheit 451.

OP here- Yes a lot of what happened in Farenheit 451 was lost on her. She read it when she was 9- I think. I don't think though that just because some of the story line is lost that a child shouldn't read it. When I talk with her about some of the advanced books she reads, I'm surprised sometimes by her perspective and what she does pick up.

What about the "Shoe" books--Ballet Shoes, Dancing Shoes, Skating Shoes, Tennis Shoes, etc.? All about families with kids talented in a particular field.
In 8th grade, the books my beloved English teacher recommended to me were Steinbeck's Red Pony (more accessible than some of his longer works), and the works of Paul Zindel (not difficult, but wonderful). Depending on your comfort with the subject matter, the Outsiders might also be a great choice.

Not the OP, but this list is making me so happy to have kids! I can't wait until they are old (one is 3, and the other is due in Aug) enough to read these books. I took so much pleasure in reading a lot of these as a kid, and I can't wait to enjoy them through kid eyes again!

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Books I loved at that age:

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Bridge to Terabithia
Lloyd Alexander's fantasy novels
Robin McKinley's Beauty and The Door in the Hedge
The Narnia Series
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Summer of My German Soldier
The Westing Game
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
The Secret Garden
Number the Stars
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
Homecoming/Dicey's Song
Across Five Aprils

Oh, I just recently read Summer of My German Soldier. I loved it!! What a great book - should have been made into a movie!

It was and it was pretty good (from what I remember):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078341/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_26