Book suggestions for tweens

Avatar for ang2gals
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Book suggestions for tweens
12
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 10:06am

Now that school has started Rachel reads for about 30 min every day so she is going through books like crazy. I feel like I'm always buying things off of Amazon or running up to Border's during lunch since she's read a lot of the school library material. And the books she borrows from our county library she finishes w/in 2 wks. She unfortunately doesn't like Harry Potter but enjoyed Cornelia Funke's Inkheart & The Thief Lord plus the whole Dark is Rising series. She is also reading Nancy Drew books that I had when I was a kid (my mom still has them, LOL) but can go thru those easily. She just finished Ella Enchanted from the library plus I just bought her The Princess Academy & Small Steps, sequel to Holes, plus Hoot & now after a wk she is done....argh!

Any suggestions or feedback of what your child is currently reading? What they liked? Recommendations?

Thanks in advance,

-- Ang

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 10:37am

My son is 12 years old and in the 8th grade. Here are some of his aquisitions from the town library in the past 3 months:

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

The Sledding Hill by Chris Crutcher

The Extraordinary Aventrues of Alfred Kropp by Richard Yancey

Code Orange by Caroline B. Conney

Tithe: A Moder Faerie Tale by Holly Black

Velocity by Dean Koontz

One Door Away from Heaven by Dean Koontz

From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Tahn: A Novel by L. A. Kelly

Piercing the Darkness by Frank E. Peretti

Heaven's Wager by Ted Dekker

Outriders: Book One in the Birthright Project by Kathryn Mackel

Currently he is reading:

Firefly Blue by Jake Thoene

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 2:32pm

Has she read any of the Series of Unfortunate Events? Both my kids (and I) enjoyed those. Another book I read this summer and my tween did too was, The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by e.l. Konigsburg. That was pretty good.

I can't think right now, if I come up with more I'll post them..:)

Karin

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-09-2005
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 3:35pm

Has she tried the Narnia series? I also loved books by Kit Pearson at that age, my favourites were the Guests of War trilogy and Awake and Dreaming. I also recommend The Prophecy of the Stones, authors last name is Bujor (cant remember first name)

HTH


                             
Avatar for ang2gals
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 09-06-2006 - 11:14am

Yup she's finished w/all except the last Lemony Snicket that is coming out next month. Same w/Narnia (she's seen movies for both Lemony Snicket & Narnia too)And E.L. Konisburg too since I enjoyed the "Mixed Up Files..." when I was a kid. I find myself borrowing her a lot of the books I enjoyed reading as a kid, talk about nostalgia ;-)

-- Ang

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Avatar for ang2gals
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 09-06-2006 - 11:16am

Thanks, I'll check into those....altho she doesn't like HP she has enjoyed some other "fantasy" series like Gregor & the Uplander, Spiderwick plus Sammy Keyes mysteries.

-- Ang

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 09-06-2006 - 1:28pm

If she likes fantasy... even if she doesn't like Harry Potter. (I can't fathom that...) Try Diana Wynne Jones. The Crestomansi Series is very good and the first one is titled "Charmed Life". They are about a series of alternative worlds and magic. But her magic and worls hold together a bit better than H.P. Another of her clasics is Howl's Moving Castle. There was a recent movie based on Howl's Moving Castle, but is not as good as the book.

Another great and classic series is by Patrica Wrede, "Dealing with Dragons" (There are 4 books) These books have an excellent and strong female main character. They are short of anti-fairly tale, similar to Ella Enchanted.

I am currently reading DS "The LionBoy" series, and DD is currently reading it herself. We are enjoying it emensly. It is sort-of science fiction. Three books (last still only in hardback) about a boy who can speek to cats and who's parents get kidnaped settign him off on a wild adventure. It is set in the "near" future where petrol is scarce, cell phones are solar powered.

Another hightly recommended book is "Fly by Night" by Fances Harding.

Sara reads very slowly so many of these recomendations come from books I have read to the kids rather than ones DD has read herself.


Sara, IVTimothy
Diana (Sara 11 yrs, Timothy 7 yrs)

Sara, IVTimothy
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2005
Wed, 09-06-2006 - 1:36pm

For fun reading my DD has quickly been going through all of Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries - I believe there are about 10 in the series so far. That should be good for a fews days!


What about non-fiction? Have you helped her look through the adult non-fiction at the public library? I worked with tweens this summer as part of our library's Summer Reading Program. I "made" them check out non-fiction books. It was funny to watch them get excited about some of topics. - they really had NO clue what was in the non-fiction section.


~Michelle

 

Avatar for ang2gals
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 09-06-2006 - 3:08pm

Thanks for your suggestion -- I think she's read a couple Princess Diaries but she didn't like them as much as "Boy Next Door" or the All American Girl books she wrote. I'll try again ;-)

As for non-fiction she enjoyed the American Girl series and the Dear America series. I know she read a couple biographies like Molly Bannaky by Alice McGill and Chris K. Soentpiet. Plus Chris Soentpiet actually came to her school & talked about his biographical books he illustrates. But I should try to see if she's interested in the Diary of Anne Frank.

-- Ang

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 09-06-2006 - 3:23pm

I have a fantasy book lover as well, he attended a book club this summer run by a MS librarian student, she did an awesome job and she and my son clicked and got to talk a lot.

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Avatar for ang2gals
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 09-06-2006 - 3:31pm

What a coincidence, I just went to our public library & borrowed her Conrad's Fate (Chrestomanci Books). Glad to know she should like it....one of the reasons I got it was that I recognized DWJ from Howl's Moving Castle. She saw the movie & likes it but hasn't read the book so that could be another one.

Thanks for your help!

-- Ang

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