Good book recommendations for an 11 Year Old Girl

[gazzalw]

Have friends (who are religious) whose 11 year old daughter (in Year 7) has been reading what is regarded as an unacceptable (by her parents) teenage novel (17 year old heroine having sex for the first time) which has been confiscated for being inappropriate for her age. Anyway she is an avid reader and has read all the Cathy Cassidy and Jacqueline Wilson books. Has enjoyed Michael Morpurgo ones too. What would you recommend that would appeal to her and wouldn't transgress her parents' views?

We started thinking along lines of books DW read as a youngster of that age - Anne of Green Gables, Chalet School series, Jean Plaidy novels (when a bit older), Laura Ingalls Wilder books but think they might be considered old-fashioned for an 11 year old these days?

Holes Louis sacher
Millions Frank cottrell boyce
Alex rider,diamond brothers Anthony Harowitz
Diana wynne Jones
These are some of the books my Dd 11 have read recently.

Thanks!

Anyone else???? Will have to start compiling a definitive list!

Some books are never too old fashioned to be read re Anne of Green Gables, Chalet School series, Jean Plaidy novels (when a bit older), Laura Ingalls Wilder books. Or the drina series. Depends what her reading is like- something easy or something a bit challenging? I'm guessing no to Judy Bloom?

Maybe

Nancy drew series
Z for Zachariah (but then post nuclear war so..now or in a few years)
Eva Ibbotson books (perhaps not a Song for Summer yet though but there are lots esp journey to the river sea, countess below stairs, and the one with swans in the title)
Meg Cabot - she has written lots-
Judith Kerr books (her autobiography one,little pink rabbit or something is the first one)
Malorie Blackman, noughts and crosses (maybe now or in a couple of years) or pig heart boy
Pollyanna
I am David
The curious incident of the dog in the night time- perhaps or in a few years
Michelle Magorian is good- goodnight mr tom, spoonful of jam, cuckoo in the nest, little love song (again a tiny tiny bit of sex and a childbirth in a little love song)
Caught in the crossfire
Maybe, 'how the light gets in' ? (or not)
Or
The Scarlet Pimpernel
P.G Wodehouse is easy to read around that age maybe jeeves stories first?
Agatha Christie maybe, most of the stories are speech based so easy to follow and read (i was reading them at 9)
Hoot
1066 and all that (if she likes history)
Mark Twain ( tom sawyer as an intro)
Arthur:The seeing stone ( i believe 1 of 3)
The witch series ( there are 3. By michael molloy. The witch trade is the first one)
The blood stone by Jamila Gavin
The boy in the stripe Pyjamas
The breadwinner by Deborah Ellis
Bridge to Terabithia
Chinese Cinderella
Coraline
Roald Dahl 'adult' short stories
Witch Chid
Skellig
Gone with the wind, perhaps
Feather boy by Nicky Singer
Anne Frank, diary of a young girl

A series of unfortunate Events (of she hasn't read them already)
Adrian Mole perhaps? (you do grow with them)
I read 'the outsiders' at 12
The Owl Service
Jane Eyre (as an easy intro into classics)
The No 1 ladies detective agency she may like (it is easy to read)
Maus for a 'proper' graphic novel
The hobbit/lord of the rings if she likes things like that
The Kite runner

I'd second Diana Wynne Jones (The Homeward Bounders, Power of Three and lots of others) - can't think of anything 'inappropriate' in any of them.

Also some Ursula le Guin (inc the Earthsea trilogy, though probably not the subsequent sequels)

Thanks for all your help - that should keep her in books until she is old enough to read ones including sex!

Anything by Robert Swindells - I think "Stone Cold" often comes up on school reading lists, and I was put off it by being made to read it, but I like all of his others. One or two are aimed at younger readers than the rest - Room 13 springs to mind, but they are all good books.

A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley - an oldie but a goodie!

Michelle Lovric's book "The Undrowned Child" is fantastic - set in Venice - slightly gruesome in places but fine for a bright 11 year old.

Love Seary's long list BUT not Kite runner for an 11 yo who not allowed to read about sex!
Had traumatised Mums in my reading group after reading that one.

Thanks for all your help you guys.... think DW and I might try reading some of these ourselves.....but rather shocked that a lot of the older titles do not appear in my local library..... Sometimes the oldies are the best!

Quite shocked when we couldn't find classics such as What Katy Did and all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books in our local libraries...no wonder so many children really fail to engage with literature when they are missing out on the best books available!

I've just read Tomorrow When The War Began which is a young adult book. No sex but there is snogging and thinking about boys. It's very good, I've just started the sequel to it.

How about "My Family & Other Animals"? (Gerald Durrell) My 11yr old has just finished it and loved it. There's also "Cider With Rosie" (Laurie Lee), "Carrie's War" (Nina Bawden) and "The Railway Children"(E. Nesbit).

Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D Taylor
The Antonia Forest books that are always being recommended on here

We just finished 'National Velvet', and also greatly enjoyed 'The Search for Wondla' by Tony Diterlitzzi. Second Diana Wynne Jones.

Judy bloom books?

Sophie's world