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Original poster

Years 5 and 6 Girls

31 replies

Leeds2 · 28/08/2014 11:22

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?

OP posts:
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kissmyheathenass · 02/09/2014 15:23

These are brilliant suggestions. Just on amazon reviewing the books madamehooch has listed.

This summer my dd who is just about to start Y5 has read and enjoyed:

Louis Sachar (Holes and Small Steps)
Jacqueline Wilson (My Sister Jodie, Lola Rose)
Michael Morpurgo (Cool, Born to Run)
Secret Diary of Adrian Mole (possibly slightly too adult in some of the themes)

madamehooch · 01/09/2014 05:34

What did you go for in the end Leeds?

nowwearefour · 30/08/2014 19:52

The lone pine adventures by Malcolm saville

hels71 · 30/08/2014 19:45

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson. I taught year 6 once and they all read and loved it..

Lonecatwithkitten · 30/08/2014 08:22

My DD is just going into year 6 and an avid reader.
This summer she has devoured
Granny Samuri
The Borrowers
Dorky Diaries ( for about the tenth time)
Farm boy ( second time)
Friend of Foe (third time)
Oranges in No mans land (second time)
Malory towers (who knows how many times)

We spend hours in Waterstones just considering books she loves to touch and feel before making a choice.

callipygian00 · 29/08/2014 22:27

Wonder - RJ Palacio
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit - Judith Kerr

Both of these texts really encourage the reader to put themselves in other peoples' shoes and help develop empathy.

School of Good and Evil (Soman Chainani) is currently also very popular with this age group and the 2nd book came out recently. The latest Skulduggery Pleasant book came out this week too.

SeagullsAndSand · 29/08/2014 13:08

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).

SeagullsAndSand · 29/08/2014 13:03

Land of Stories was a hit here too.

SeagullsAndSand · 29/08/2014 13:02

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.

SavoyCabbage · 29/08/2014 10:45

My dd is reading

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

ThatBloodyWoman · 29/08/2014 10:44

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

snice · 29/08/2014 10:44

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

madamehooch · 29/08/2014 10:44

Apologies for duplications in my post!

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

Wellwellwell3holesintheground · 29/08/2014 10:41

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 · 29/08/2014 10:41

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)

trice · 29/08/2014 10:21

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.

Mumtobeyorkshire · 29/08/2014 10:18

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

neolara · 29/08/2014 10:15

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

CatKisser · 29/08/2014 10:05

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

Original poster
Leeds2 · 29/08/2014 09:07

It's a girls' school. Seagull.

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

OP posts:
LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 29/08/2014 07:48

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)...

CatKisser · 29/08/2014 07:29

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.

SeagullsAndSand · 29/08/2014 07:18

Wonder should be in every school library.

SeagullsAndSand · 29/08/2014 07:18

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 · 29/08/2014 07:14

Rooftoppers
One Wish series
some Judy Blume books

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