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Original poster

Challenging (but not too adult) books for an able 11yr old reader...

36 replies

FifiVonEpstein · 04/09/2014 21:25

Dd is a good reader (always come up as a few years older than her actual age - not stealth boasting, just trying to give you a level for her Grin) and now she has started secondary school she wants to read more challenging books. A number of girls in her class have read 'the fault in our stars' - have any of you read it? Is it age appropriate?

She's at a tricky age of wanting to read more difficult books but I am concerned that although I don't want to baby her, she is only just 11yrs and possibly not ready for full on teenage fiction.

Any other suggestions?

OP posts:
AgadorSpartacus · 04/09/2014 22:34

We're reading the Discworld together because there is some sophisticated humour and complicated themes that I can explain.

AgadorSpartacus · 04/09/2014 22:31

Has she read the Divergent series? Or The Hunger Games series which is similar? Ds is 12 and a ferocious reader he loved these.

Funnily enough we started on Discworld a few months ago. We read Guards Guards together and have moved on to Mort. He adores them.

Oh the Skullduggery Pleasant books are great. Excellent dry humour and adventure pitched just right for 11/12 yrs and early teen.

Oakmaiden · 04/09/2014 22:31

Susan Cooper's Over sea and Under stone series.

Allalonenow · 04/09/2014 22:27

Or the "Wizard of Earthsea" series by Ursula Le Guin

Allalonenow · 04/09/2014 22:24

She might like "The Silver Sword" by Ian Serrallier.

Takver · 04/09/2014 22:23

I would definitely second Frances Hardinge - amazing use of language, fabulous books.

Fantasy: has she read (she probably has but just in case) the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series & also the Eragon series? DD also enjoyed the Dragonsinger trilogy by Anne McCaffrey (most of the Pern books are aimed at adults, but that trilogy is written for YA).

DD also really enjoyed The Misfits, Totally Joe and Addie on the Inside by James Howe which don't seem so well known in this country.

Allalonenow · 04/09/2014 22:14

Anything by Rosemary Sutcliff would be ideal, well written and interesting plots and characters.

SixImpossible · 04/09/2014 22:08

Little Women
5 Children and It
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
Hello God, It's Me, Margaret
The Borrowers series
The Green Knowe series
The Antonia Forest boarding school stories
The Pratchets aimed at younger readers (nothing wrong with the Discworld books, but I think you enjoy them more with a bit more knowledge of the wider world and familiarity with the themes he is mocking. Similarly with the Hitchhiker's Guide series.)

Original poster
FifiVonEpstein · 04/09/2014 22:00

We've just started dd on Terry Pratchett with an audio book which she has enjoyed, I'll give her one of the books soon. I don't like his children books as much as his adult ones (which I LOVE) so I might carry her on with the discworld ones (we have started with Guards Guards) . She's read The Secret Garden, goodnight Mr Tom, Anne of Green Gables but couldn't get into Three men in a boat. I'll try her on Hitchhikers, good idea! She has read the obvious series (Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket etc) - not sure whether she got to Artemis Fowl. She loved Wonder by RJ Palacio (sp).

DH and I struggle to read 'the classics' (despite both being avid readers) - they don't light my fire at all so I'm loathe to start dd on them too early and put her off too Grin

OP posts:
LadyIsabellaWrotham · 04/09/2014 21:39

Frances Hardinge is good for challenging books which are definitely for children - Fly By Night is great.

Which children's classics has she read? E Nesbit? Jennings? Just William?

Which modern children's fiction has she read? Has she read all the obvious thriller series? Artemis Fowl is probably the best of them IMO.

Terry Pratchett is good. Pretty much anything except Nation and I Shall Wear Midnight (both a bit grim for more sensitive children) would be mind expanding. And The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, while it has some questionable content, went down a storm with my 10 year old.

gamescompendium · 04/09/2014 21:33

What about some classics? Jane Eyre, Great Expectations, Pride and Prejudice, The Moonstone, Frankinstein etc. There are obviously some adult themes and complex stories but written from a Victorian viewpoint so nothing explicit if you are worried about sex or drugs. I think some 'teen fiction' is adult in plot but not necessarily in language so wouldn't really begiven her what she needs.

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