Books to Read with a 10 Year Old (Year 5)....Lesser Known Ones

[SplodgeOfCustard]

That are fictional and may help expand vocabulary.

I would really appreciate your suggestions.

Thank you

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict - I managed to get this out at the library today.

Mrs Frisby and the rats of nymh, there's a film of the story which is very basic but the vocabulary in the book is lovely, it's quite a gripping story

CS Lewis Narnia series
Anything by Rosemary Sutcliffe
Anything by Diana Wynne Jones

Any of the Ronald Welch stories https://global.oup.com/education/product/knight-crusader-9780192793577/?region=uk
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?cm_sp=SearchF--home--Results&ref_=search_f_hp&an=Welch%2C+ronald&cty=uk

Yes to Rosemary Sutcliffe, too. For horses, Elyne Mitchell Silver Brumby books. Little House books. Seven Little Australians, Little Women series, Cherry Ames for nursing https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=cherry%20ames%20nurse%20books&sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF--TopNavISS--Results.

Abbey school https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=Abbey%20school%20oxenham&sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF--topnav--Results

I have a John Buchan that simply would not get read today as too difficult. If you have a good used bookseller handy, keep looking there for old books. The expectations on young readers is simply not what it was.

If you want to get into older books, I read Born Free at about that age.

King Solomon’s Mines.

I really appreciate all these suggestions. Thanks, everyone.

Hope you both enjoy it!

Thanks, EwwSprouts

Have recently read to DS also Yr5:
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
The Hobbit
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NiMH
The Voyage of QV66 (lesser known Penelope Lively, but brilliant)

Thanks, FraterculaArctica

Howl’s moving castle, and the Chrestomanci books, by Diana Wynne Jones

We have been loving the redwall series by Brian Jacques. They are about talking animals set in medieval times in britain. Loads of brilliant language and all the feasting always makes me feel really hungry.

I'm reading Pongwhiffy with my 11yo DD. It's a book series remember reading at her age and I'm enjoying revisiting the first one.

Another vote for Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. There is so much to think and talk about in that book too. Very thought-provoking.

For some old-fashioned fun, Emil and the Detectives. Proper children’s story ❤️

My son really enjoyed the Island of Fog and the beast quest books at the same age.

Emma Tupper's Diary https://www.peterdickinson.com/books/emmatupper/

I think around that age or maybe a little younger I really enjoyed Dick King Smith's animal books - things like The Sheep Pig (what Babe was based on), The Mouse Butcher, Foxbusters.

When I got a little older I was quite into Watership Down, Jack London's Call of the Wild and White Fang. War Horse, Black Beauty. This series about "The Black Stallion" by an author called Walter Farley. Still all animal related!

My mum always wanted me to read the Duncton Wood and Redwall books but I never got around to it - keep meaning to one day!

Oh, I remember The Sheep Pig. I think I might have my old copy somewhere.

I also used to love The Borrowers books, which I thought about this morning. I think I was older than 10 when I started those though.

Does anyone remember The Deptford Mice Trilogy by Robin Jarvis?

My aunt gave them to me when i was younger. I never did get round to reading them. I'd have to re- buy now, as they're long lost. Would they be good for a 10 year old?

My daughter liked Pamela Butchart and David Walliams.

She's hit that tween stage and is enjoying Tamsin Winter and Rebecca Scott, both which talk about growing up, autism and selective mutism.

The voyage of arctic tern (rhyming)

I love deptford mice and have read loads of robin Jarvis. I think I was maybe ten when I read them but they have some quite dark bits. Like the main characters parents getting peeled by the mouse peelers. I was thinking about trying the wyrd museum trilogy with my ten year old but even that is a bit scary in places.

I guess it depends what your child is like with scary stuff?

Thanks a lot. I've taken a risk and ordered some secondhand copies of The Deptford Mice books. I might give them a read first to see what I think. Your post saying that you enjoyed them swayed me, Geneticsbunny.

Thanks all

There is a whole prequal trilogy if you end up enjoying them.