To ask if these books are too old for DD?

[ladyjadey]

DD1 has read every book in the house three times. She has read everything in the local library. She has read everything I read at her age - almost 11, all the st Clare's and Malory towers books, all the David Walliams, Jacqueline Wilsons, Andy stantons.

She needs some new books and Louise Rennison has popped up in my searches, of Angus thongs and perfect snogging fame. Are these books too old for my DD? Does anyone have any experience of her novels? I don't want to buy something that I won't let her read but we've just run out of everything (any other suggestions gratefully accepted)

Thanks in advance

Definitely Anne of Greengables! What about Wonder by R J Palacio, anything by Louis Sachar, Ruby Redfort books by Lauren Child, The Crooked Sixpence by Jennifer Bell, Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell?

At that age, I loved the Chronicles of Narnia (start with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, although it's not the first) and Swallows and Amazons - still do, but it's a bit harder to sell them to my DC...

They both loved The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge - still one of my childhood faves.

Happy to see Philip Pullmann and Terry Pratchett up the list - Lyra Belaqua and Tiffany Aching are much loved in this house!

Mine is same age. She loved the Ruby Redfort series. Currently reading the hunger games. Lots of suggested 11 plus reading lists online for more classics suggestions.

If I left my dd11 to read what she wanted wilting it would be nothing but Enid blyton - much as I love her - sometimes a gentle nudge in the right/different direction is good!

If she can suffer Enid Blyton, she'll love Swallows and Amazons!

Michelle Magorian - Back home, Cuckoo in the nest, Spoonful of Jam, Goodnight Mr Tom

Other suggestions above are good too.

If she likes school stories Chalet School and Trebizon

Non fiction e.g. Diary of Anne Frank

My DD is 10, I wouldn't want her reading them, would rather she read something with a bit more substance. Also think they are more for age 13+.

Wow! impressive little lady! sounds like my first wife she was reading all the Russian classics around that age could remember all the plots characters locations the works!, years afterwards!.

Has she read Nesbit's books? Also, The Silver Sword, Alice in Wonderland.

I'm an English teacher and would recommend the following for a bright motivated 11 yr old...
JRR Tolkien
Malory Blackman
James Herriot
Tim Bowler
The Ruby Redford books (can't think of the author)
Michael Morpurgo
Terry Pratchett
Anne Fine
Judy Blume

Will probably think of a few more in a minute...

From the (admittedly little) I've seen of them, the Angus, Thongs books are not terribly well written and a bit shallow in content.

HTH.

Highly recommend Michelle magorian. And judy blume. I remember reading a war trilogy,by kit pearson when I was about 11 (a while ago!). Can't remember the names though.

Dd also liked the John Stephens emerald atlas trilogy. Ruby Redfort books were definitely biggest hit with Dd and her friends out of everything she read last year.

Ooh, yes, Michelle Magorian - I devoured her books at that age.
Are the Babysitters Club books still in print?

Kit Pearson war trilogy: the sky is falling, the lights go on again, looking at the moon.

Lauren Child is Ruby Redfort author (she also wrote Charlie and Lola for little children)

Little Women.

I think 11 is an OK age to start letting her read as she likes. I'd read tons of the stuff already mentioned above by then. But Seconding Terry Pratchett and Philip Pullman - the Sally Lockhart series is great for an 11 year old and His Dark Materials is awesome inspiring. Lord of the rings if she hasn't already.

A person suggested now is a great time to widen her horizons - let her have at it in a decent second hand book shop.

OH and I Capture The Castle is really really marvellous.

I'm just going to cast around my bookshelves... The full version of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, any Rainbow Rowell, Garth Nix and Susannah Clarke. The wolves of Willoughby chase series. The once and future King. The murder most unladylike series. Any Patrick Ness or John Connolly. Patricia Leitch. Wolf Wilder. Oh and has she read Sophie's World?

I really really like children's books. But I think she's old enough for a lot of more grownup titles now.

I thought I'd chip in - I can't remember actual ages, but my mum read these books before me to check if they were appropriate. She decided that I had to wait a bit longer (maybe until 12?), but she found them hilarious, as did some of her friends! Having read them at about 12 onwards, it was the perfect time. I got all of the references, totally related to all of the characters, and grew up with the storylines. I would still read them now because they capture teenage melodrama perfectly.

Definitely Michael morpurgo - Adolphus tips, kensukes kingdom, war horse - they're excellent reads.

Goodnight Mr Tom

My dd also loved Cathy Cassidy books at that age.

Get her on to the classics, and modern classics such as Watership Down.

Pg Wodehouse

I too read voraciously. My personal recommendations:

Cherub series (poss not all age appropriate depending on your POV)
Princess diaries
Nancy drew (there's a good 50 ish of these)
Swallows and amazons
Hardy boys
All the detective Enid blyton if not already devoured (e.g. pc goon ones and the r mysteries, secret island + sequels )
Alex Ryder
Young bond
James Bond books
Agatha Christie
Daisy dalrymple detective stories
Sherlock Holmes
Percy Jackson
Horrible histories etc if not already read?
I liked the books about uncle Albert and his niece that explains special relativity

There must have been millions more but those are my top of the head favourites!

Just had a look at Louise Rennison's very annoying website. The books are about a teenage girl's exploits so if your dd is 10 I would give them a miss. They grew up so fast, I'd want to be slowing it down not speeding it up. I am the mum of a 6 year old and a 12 year old but they feel like older 21, 22!!

I'd go for Rummer Godden, lovely books I remember from my childhood.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumer_Godden

Especially loved The Diddakoi (also published as Gypsy Girl), a children's book and winner of the Whitbread Award. Adapted by the BBC as a radio drama of the same name starring Nisa Cole,[7] and for television as Kizzy.

And... Little Plum, this was the sequel to Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, which I am not sure I read but I loved Little Plum, so good.

Anne of Green Gables
Heidi
What Katy Did / What Katy did next
The railway children
Sherlock Holmes
The silver sword
Storm warning
Anne franks diary
Little women
Little house on the prairie
Goodnight Mr Tom
Babysitters club
The Indian in the cupboard
War horse
The Borrowers
The secret garden

I think I was beginning to read those cheap paperback wartime / social history books by that age e.g. Tuppence to cross the Mersey