A little bit ago, a posted looking for input on the Hunger Games series and the appropriateness of it for my 11 year old daughter. (Thanks to all who chimed in!). In the end, I let her read it mostly because I found out she had already started reading it and was almost done. (sigh...) Once she was finished, I had her renew the book at her library and I read it. I have to admit, it was actually a really good book, but I'm still a little freaked out about what it's about. When I finished I asked her if she would promise me to try to find another book or series that isn't quite so dark and disturbing. She agreed, but neither of us can come up with any suggestions for her. Do any of you know of a series of books that would be suitable for her? I promised her it wouldn't have to be something all mushy and rainbows and butterflies. It can have drama and such, just not so dark, y'know? She's read the Harry Potter series numerous times and loves it. Something along those lines would be great. She's read the Warrior series (about cats) and the Seekers series (about bears) and enjoyed them, but I think she maybe feels those are a little babyish for her now. She's a very strong and avid reader. I guess I mostly just don't know what's out there for girls her age other than the ones I just mentioned. Any suggestions you have would be appreciated. Thanks!
Has she read the Little House on the Prairie series? I've always loved them and read them multiple times when I was her age.
Try the young adult novels by Carl Hiassen. They are really funny! I believe they are Hoot and Flush.
The Mysterious Benedict Society ! It's really well written and intriguing. But not at all dark or gory. Perfect for an 11 year old (I even liked it as an adult).
I would agree with most of the current suggestions and add the "Wrinkle In Time" series by Madeleine L'Engle. Although not a series, I also loved "Little Women" and "The Little Princess" while growing up.
I have read, and one of my 11 yr old girls is now reading, the books about Septimus Heap. A friend told me they seem along the lines of Harry Potter. It is about Sepetimus Heap, 7th son of a 7th son, and his life as a wizard apprentice. there are a number of books in the series, starting with Magyk. She also likes the Nancy Drew books, though there are newer ones that have Nancy in middle school/high school instead of college.
My son is 10 and loves the Percy Jackson Lightening Thief series also the 39 Clues series. Both series have both sexes in the story line so it is good for both boys or girls.
If your daughter like the Chronicles of Narnia movies. The book is even better, much more detailed and has other stories in it besides the Lion, Witch & Wardrobe and Prince Caspian.
You could always look up the author too that she likes, she may write other series that aren't so dark.
good luck
How about the Peter and the Starcatchers series? Or the Percy Jackson series?
My daughter,who works at a bookstore, recommends:
Ender's game series- she says it's shelved in adult sic fi, but is very benign
Tithe series
A great and terrible beauty
Also,
My son's girlfriend has been reviewing books , in the form of pictures, and mostly reviews books for young adults. If you have any questions about any of the books she's reviewed you can comment and she will respond. You can ask her about books that are not reviewed as well... She is the most avid reader I know and really enjoys young adult literature.
Bibliovermis.com
When I was 11 I loved all the Judy Blume books. They are controversial enough for a child, with out getting dark or scary. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Blume
My daughter and I both like these book series:
Artemis Fowl
Charlie Bone
The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings
Gaurdians of GaHoul (I think I spelled that wrong.)
Chronicles of Narnia
Eragon
Spiderwick Chronicles
Septimus Heap
Marked (maybe a bit to old for her, depends on her maturity)
She sounds like a great, advanced readerHow about having her read "The Hobbit"? It's the book that preceded "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. It's a great book and will be made into a movie soon. Many editions have great illustrations.
There is a series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It is similar to Harry Potter, but instead of witches and wizards it is the Greek gods and goddesses. It is great for her age level. There are 5 books in the series, and the author has just began another series that tags on to it. I am a middle school teacher and first read the first book (Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief) because a student of mine read it. I loved it. Maybe she has already read it though. If she has seen the movie that came out last spring - it is not like the movie at all. They did not stick to the plot of the book when they made the movie, and they made the characters much more grown up.
Otherwise I would suggest talking to her teacher for suggestions as well! Good luck!
My girls are not yet at this age, but I thought I'd chime in here anyways. At that age, I absolutely loved the Anne of Green Gables series as well as the Emily series by the same author (only three books in that one). But if your daughter is looking for something more drama and mystery, I did enjoy the Marion Zimmer Bradley books. I also had a big Lois Duncun phase, particularly with the books dealing with people who had ESP.
You can also check out these websites for more info:
www.scholastic.com for you and www.kidsreads.com is onle that she can get invovled in herself if interested.
Have fun and good reading!
My son (9 years old, very advanced reader) has loved the Septimus Heap books, the Percy Jackson books, is currently rereading A Wrinkle in Time and loving it, The Neverending Story (much much better than the movie, which was very good), The Princess Bride, Peter and the Starcatchers, Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy and its sequels, and is currently reading a series that starts with The Alchemist. He's pretty sensitive to scary, so we've held off on Lord of the Rings as it gets a bit dark. I can also recommend the Belgariad series, though he hasn't read it yet. The Once and Future King is a great book too, and one I'm going to get for him. The Redwall books are great too. If she likes puns, Peirs Anthony's Xanth books are also great fun -- I haven't read them in years, and I can't guarantee they're appropriate, but I think so. I read them as a teen. I don't really know what makes something for girls as opposed to people, but I really enjoyed all of these at her age or a bit older. Oh, some more that I read in middle and/or high school so you might want to check for appropriateness for an 11-year-old are: Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, the Arrows series by Mercedes Lackey, and I've heard really good things about the Dragonrider series by Anne McCaffrey. I never read them, but always meant to... my husband says they're very good and appropriate for her. I could probably go on and on as more books pop into my head, but these are a good start.
You can also look up some books that she has liked on Amazon and see what they suggest based on that.
My 12-year-old son is not a reader so I don't know much about what's out there but his middle school did an event with author Wendy Mass and it was a huge hit! I hadn't heard of her but there were many, many kids (mostly girls) who had read all of her books and loved them. I'm assuming that because we brought her in for a school event and one of her books is in the 6th grade reading curriculum that the material is age appropriate.
When I was 11 I loved Nancy Drew, probably outdated, but loved mystery. I also enjoyed The Hobbit series, The Chronicles of Narnia and my 11 yr. old boy has read all the Percy Jackson series, The Harry Potter series, and now he's reading the 39 Clues series. And for fun the Geronimo Stilton books are a hoot.
The Ranger's Apprentice is a bit more action/boyish but there are strong female characters and it is a fairly long series. The Spiderwick Chronicles has not been mentioned yet and they are pretty fun, maybe a bit young for her after the Hunger Games.
btw DO NOT let your child read Clan of the Cave Bear. Although it is a series I own and enjoy the main character is repeatedly raped in the first book and there is a LOT of sex in book three and beyond.
Have a great time choosing, there are a lot of great suggestions and cool characters to meet.
N.
Many kids at this age love the books that are in series. Try these:
Lightening Thief
The 39 Clues
Maze of Bones
The Red Pyramid
Twilight
Sisters Grimm
Mysterous Benidict society
Alex and the extraordinary gentleman
Vampirates
My sister the Vampire
Kingdom Keepers
Inkheart
Some people may think this is too advanced for her age.
However I think __The Clan of the Cave Bear__ by Jean Auel
can be good reading for a young person.
I'm not up-to-date on books that are especially aimed at her age group.
But aren't there various series for middle school kids?
Ask your librarian.
One of my most favorite books of all time --
from deep in the dark ages --
is __Understood Betsy__, by Dorothy Canfield Fisher.
Though it is very old fashioned,
the experiences the heroine goes through are challenging
and she grows from a nervous needy child
into a competent young lady.
And anything by Daniel Pinkwater.
One of the great writers of children's books of our time.
imo.
I would suggest the House of Night series by P.C. Cast and her daughter. It relates to teens through social interactions and dialogue, but it's also interesting for all ages as well. It's about a girl who becomes a vampire but they go to what is like a boarding school. I'm not very good at relating books, but I would definitely recommend the series. If you check it out at BN online they'll probably give you a better description. The first of the series is called Marked. Hope that helps :-)
I as an adult really enjoy the Redwall series. It's written for/aimed at high school, but I've read it aloud to children as young as 4, and like I said, I read them myself. It is a fantasy series about mice and other woodland creatures who do battle with rats and foxes and other "bad creatures". The author is Brian Jacques.
Ok I am not really familiar with the Hunger series but I am assuming they are about vampires as most everything else is these days. I was reading Stephen King at that age... anyway - one series that does have a bit of a dark side to it but is not about the occult or anything like that is The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld - AMAZING books. There are four of them, Uglies, Pretties, Specials and Extras - they are set in the future. Like I said, there is a dark underbelly there but it is mostly regarding society and such not monsters and demons. I strongly recommend it. He has other series as well but I was unable to get into them.
Another series - though disappointingly enough it's taking the author forever to finish writing and publishing them (there are two out so far with the 3rd do out 2011 I believe) is Clive Barker's Abarat. Pick up a hardcover at the library or bookstore and scan through the pages and you will be able to determine if this is too dark for your tastes. Very fantasy based.
If I think of more I will respond again - right now I have to go. But young adult books are my favorite and I have many to recommend!
THOUGHT OF ANOTHER ONE!- The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snickets. Quite a bit different than the movie. I have been reading the series to my 8 year old for a while now and am almost done. I read them on my own a few years ago and loved them!
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe series?
The Twilight series?
There's the Twilight Series - may be a little mature for her, my dauther read them at age 12
Series of Unfortunately Events
Artemis Fowl
Eragon
