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

Louise Rennison is great. Try also the dork diaries and David baddiel's books. Also a series of unfortunate events.

Also, Michelle Magorian's books.

Yy to some of the older children's classics like Michelle Magorian. Has she read any Noel Stretfeild or Malcolm Saville?

You could also try Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series.

If she likes Enid Blyton mysteries, you could try her on the Roman Mysteries series.

She might also like some older children's historical classics. Try authors like Rosemary Sutcliffe, Cynthia Harnett and Geoffrey Greece. She might also like books by Elizabeth George Speare.

Chalet school!

Ooh also tastekid.com gives recommendations based on what you input, and I used to use a book (think it's now a website) called who next to come up with ideas.

My local library also used to let me order in books from around the county for free. (And when we still had paper library tickets I was given extra when my mum asked - I think I used to read 10-20 books a week!)

(Seconding pg Wodehouse too)

For the love of god don't put her on to classics yet. She will hate them & may completely put her off reading! Agree with Anne Fine, Michael Morpuergo, maybe things like Lemony Snicket if she hasn't already read them??

Oh! Just saw a Susan cooper recommendation and thought of the king of shadows by her. Also Jenny Nimmo's snow spider trilogy.

School for Good and Evil
Murder most ladylike (or something like that?)
Roman mysteries
Percy Jackson
Artemis Fowl
Skullduggery Pleasant

But also just go to a bookshop or library and see what looks interesting - my DD has found loads she has loved (and some she hasn't) by just browsing.

Or try a book swap with friends - we've found some great things this way and it's free.

Do let us know what this wannabe miss Bronte starts writing her own novels sounds like we won't have to wait too long;-) LOL!

For the love of god don't put her on to classics yet. She will hate them & may completely put her off reading!
completely disagree user I think some classics should be introduced at this age. My dd11 has read swallows and amazons, secret garden and little women and loved them and she also loves Enid blyton, dork diaries and other slightly childish titles. The classics are classics for a reason - some of them transcend time imo!

Time to move her on to the classics? Try Jane Eyre, or Black Beauty, or Oliver Twist?

Nooooo. My parents tried to do this and it really irked me. Let her read frothy, funny (because Louise Rennison was a very funny woman) books for as long as she likes. Let reading be fun, not an exercise in improving one's mind. That's a sure fore way to turn her off reading.

Loads of fab suggestions, I also recommend anything by Robin Jarvis, bit scary in places but great reads. Also anything by Neil Gaiman. Especially Star dust.

Sweet valley high. Anyone remember the Sagas?
That was some good stuff

I was reading the flowers in the attic series when I was 11!

The thing with classics is, some people like them and some don't, but with any book, trying to force an 11 year old to read it won't help them like it. Suggest them, have them in her line of sight, just make her aware of them, and let her choose what she fancies.

Um. This can go badly wrong, mind you. I accidentally read The Exorcist when I was about 12 and it only turned out parents were not keen on me reading it when I started asking them about the finer points of Catholic theology. I had free reign of the house, how was I to know?

When I was 11,I loved the Gerald Durrell books,also the vet stories by James Herriot. BTW,the 'Jill's Gymkhana' books were written by Ruby Ferguson. I loved those too.

Nancy Drew? or my all time favourite childhood book(s), The Eventing Trilogy. Can't remember the author now...

And another vote for James Herriot

Oh my god Allthewaves are you me!? Those bloody rats of nimh were amazing and no one seems to know about them! Also the rest of your choices.

As for Louise Rennison OP I'd say go for it- they're a hilarious re-read as an adult so you could check them out first. I'm pretty sure the first in the series was v innocent.

You may want to pre read some of the teen orientated books so you can either decide not to suggest them or so you can discuss themes etc. My DD at 12 wanted to read the twilight series (wouldn't recommend them ) so I pre read them as I was uncertain if they were appropriate (mixed views from others) She did read them and I took the opportunity to have a mum daughter bookclub so we did talk about things like healthy relationships etc!!

Ones not mentioned so far (I think) Roald Dahl if not already read those, Into the deep woods series, Nurse Matilda (Nanny Mcphee is based on those) A little princess.

Does school have a library as these are likely to be age appropriate?
Happy reading.

I'm a bookseller who's seen kids coming in to spend their Christmas vouchers over the last few weeks and I must just say that not a single one of them has chosen a classic. Some of them are great and could be gently encouraged but for the love of god, let her read what her friends are reading. Talk to a bookseller in your local shop, actually - they'll be much better at recommendations than MN.

Louise Rennison died last year. Such a shame, her books were great as a teenager. Not necessarily fine literature but she was an author who got being a teenage girl. Very few can capture that without seeming cringe worthy. Anyway, that was totally off topic!

Try Tamora Pierce-,full of excellent feisty heroines.

Roald Dahl is surely a bit young for the OP's daughter?

I agree with what Susan says. I didn't like Dickens as a 12 year old and I don't much enjoy his writing now either. Nut my parents felt I should be reading him.

That said I devoured all the kids classics Montgomery, Nesbit, Streatfeild etc. Only read one of Alcott's books and thought it an awful bore, Marmee this and Marmee that. Ugh.

The first 'proper' classic I read was Vanity Fair when I was about 13. But I found my own way to it. And afterwards I probably followed it up with a Judy Blume.