Years 5 and 6 Girls

[Leeds2]

I have £28 to spend on books for a primary school library. I would like to get some more"challenging" reads for Year 5 and 6 girls, as I think that is where the money would be best spent. Any suggestions for old favourites, or what is popular with that age group at the moment?

[DeWee]

Dd2 is just going into year 6. At present she reads:
Jacqueline Wilson
Chalet School
Anne of Green gables series
Harry Potter
Children onf the New forest
Katie did series

Dd1 at that age liked the Cherub/Henderson Boy series, but you may not want them in your school library as there is both swearing and lots of at best innuendo.
Alex Rider are also good at that age.

[iseenodust]

The murderous maths box set can be bought cheaply & meets your challenging requirement. They are narrative books in a style similar to Horrible Histories not maths text books.

[iseenodust]

From old favs - Follyfoot Farm.

[SonorousBip]

Have you seen the Penderwicks series - there are currently 3 and they are lovely. DD read them when she was in Y4/5 and they are easily suitable for Y6 as well.

The writer is herself a librarian, I think, and they have won several awards in the US - beautifully written, full of literary allusion, wonderful stories and nothing unsuitable at all.

(I defy you not to cry at the reveal in book 3 - Point Mouette - it is so wonderfully handled).

We also liked the Ruby Redfort series by Lauren Child. Ruby is a great kick-ass heroineL inspiringly good at maths!

[Leeds2]

Thank you for all your suggestions! We have some of them already (JW, Anne of Green Gables, Harry Potter, Alex Rider and Murderous Maths), but I will have a look at the rest.

Have fond memories of What Katy Did and Follyfoot.

[Booksteensmagazines]

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
Stay Where you are and then Leave by John Boyne (WW1)
Bodyguard:Hostage by Chris Bradford (quite boyish but good fun)
Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver
After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross
Dead Time by Anne Cassidy

[SeagullsAndSand]

Rooftoppers
One Wish series
some Judy Blume books

[SeagullsAndSand]

What about the boys?

Ime it's normally books for boys that are lacking.

That said my year 6 boys have read a lot mentioned.

My year 6 son is loving the John Gridham Theodore Boone kid lawyer books atm.

She Is Not Invisible is good too.

[SeagullsAndSand]

Wonder should be in every school library.

[CatKisser]

A lot of my class (boys AND girls) seem to like these Darren Shan books - horror/fantasy.

Phillip Pullman - His Dark Materials. Challenging but your most able children will get a lot out of them.

The Book Thief.

[LeMousquetaireAnonyme]

DD1 devoured the Narnia chronicles this summer.
The Roman mysteries
Percy Jackson
Any of Horrible History/Science
She likes non fictions/ encyclopedia
Yes to Pullman, it is on her waiting list.

What about old unabridged classics like Treasure island, The phoenix and the carpet, Little women, Sherlock Holmes, Tom Sayer, Jules Verne, The little Prince, Alexandre Dumas (children version for those the original books have a lot of politics and description in them)...

[Leeds2]

It's a girls' school. Seagull.

I didn't realise the Darren Shan books were primary level, so will have a look.

[CatKisser]

I would say most definitely year six only. I was a bit but their reading record indicate their parents are happy with them reading them so fine by me if it keeps them enjoying books!

[neolara]

Charlie Bone.
eragon books.
Percy Jackson
When Hitler stole pink rabbit.
The dark is rising series.

[Mumtobeyorkshire]

I also teach y5/6 and I've found Michael Morpurgo books to be a real winner with the girls in my class x

[trice]

I just read a book called "the girl with the white dog". It was in the adult section on our library by mistake. It was suitable for year five and was about concentration camps.

[madamehooch]

Secret Henhouse Theatre

The Misadventures of Clemency Wigglesworth

School for Good and Evil

Listen to the moon

Eleventh Orphan

The Name of this Book Is

Wonder

Pig City

Chinese Cinderella

Back Home

Letter for the King

London Eye Mystery

Thirteen Treasures

School for Good and Evil

A Drowned Maiden's Hair

The Eleventh Orphan

Wolf Princess

Wonder

Indian in the Cupboard

Cosmic

Listen to the Moon (new Michael Morpurgo book due out soon)

Knife

Thirteen Treasures

The Name of this Book Is

London Eye Mystery

Land of Stories

Inkheart

Chinese Cindrella

Love Aubrey

Letter for the King

Back Home

Challenging does not mean you need to go teen!

(All books listed tested on Years 5 and 6 and have passed the readability test)

[Wellwellwell3holesintheground]

Malorie Blackman - Noughts and Crosses series. 10 year old DD has devoured them in a week. She also loved Percy Jackson and Journey to the River Sea recently.

[madamehooch]

Apologies for duplications in my post!

Noughts and Crosses does have a sex scene so may not be appropriate for new Year 5's

[snice]

Love, Aubrey is fantastic- still one of my daughter's favourite books

[ThatBloodyWoman]

My dd in yr 5 loved Darren Shan.
Some classifications have them as young adult though.

[SavoyCabbage]

My dd is reading

'The girl who circumnavigated fairyland in a ship of her own making'

[SeagullsAndSand]

My dd found Love Aubrey upsetting and wouldn't finish it(the parents die or something). She loved the other two by the same author Eight Keys and Listening For Lucca though.

[SeagullsAndSand]

Land of Stories was a hit here too.

[SeagullsAndSand]

Marianne Dreams,Divine Freaks series,Wolves of Willoughby Chase series have been enjoyed this summer too.She is year 5. Just bought the Fabelhaven series as she is a HP nut bug not read yet.She adored The Penderwicks series last year.The whizz Bang Choc Shop and Chocolate Phoenix were enjoyed by DS in year 5 and he devoured The Maximum Ride series(kids with wings).