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Children's books

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Original poster

Enjoyable reading for dd age 11-12. What can I do to get her reading again?

39 replies

Wotz · 03/02/2008 16:13

DD enjoyed reading Roald Dahl but has read them all now.
Has read some Jacqueline Wilson but didn't like them.

Any suggestions? Age 11-12 year old who likes to read Mizz Magazine and nothing else ATM!

OP posts:
PuppyDogTails · 03/02/2008 16:16

My DSD loves Anthony Horowitz (she's 11)

duchesse · 03/02/2008 16:20

My own 12 yr old daughter suggests anything by Eve Ibbotson or Michelle Magorian (Journey to the River Sea by EI; Back Home by MM; Star of Kazahn and Secret Countess by EI)

Both daughters recommend When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr.

I recommend: I, Coriander by Sally Gardner (sort of mystical/ historical novel set in Restoration period that I thoroughly enjoyed as well).

I was a Rat, by Phillip Pullman, and the Northern Lights trilogy (recommended by my 10 yr old, but maybe wait until your daughter's stamina has been built up again).

Will keep thinking on it.

Original poster
Wotz · 03/02/2008 16:26

Thank you, I want to make a list and take her to the library. I realised on the last three occasions she wasn't with my as she didn't want to come.

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Original poster
Wotz · 03/02/2008 17:03

just found this, want to stick it here to remind myself for later

Island of the Aunts - Ibbotson, Eva

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Slouchy · 03/02/2008 17:07

Try Ruby in the Smoke - Philip Pullman
The Yfronts and full frontal snogging one might appeal if she likes magazines _ i'' link to it
POint Horror if she likes scaries - not well written but get her back into enjoying books; or anythign by Christopher Pike if Point Horror too easy
Moondial by Helen Cresswell
How about some easier adult fiction like Jamaica Inn (daphne du Mauirier)
Adrian Mole diaries - Sue Townsend?

Slouchy · 03/02/2008 17:08

www.amazon.com/Angus-Thongs-Full-Frontal-Snogging-Confessions/dp/0064472272

Original poster
Wotz · 03/02/2008 17:24

I have been in the review section on MN for this age and there are only 2 books reviewed.

I have now a couple of bids on some ebay books for her.

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Original poster
Wotz · 03/02/2008 17:26

I got her this for christmas it was very good
How To Be The Best At Everything (The Girls' Book)

If I get some time I might have to add a MN review on it.

OP posts:
OLDroot · 03/02/2008 17:34

this is an amazing book

slayerette · 03/02/2008 17:37

My Yr 7 girls like Michael Morpurgo, Michelle Magorian, Jacqueline Wilson, The Princess Diaries (don't know who wrote those, sorry), David Almond...

RosaLuxOnTheBrightSideOfLife · 03/02/2008 21:44

DD1 got Ingo by Helen Dunmore for Christmas and LOVED it. I read it the other night and thought it was fab. And it is the first of a trilogy, DD is begging for the other two now. It's about a brother and sister living in Cornwall, who become involved with the Merpeople, but it is not cutesy, it is dark and gripping.

seeker · 03/02/2008 21:57

Karen McCombie
Helen McKay

Both huge favourites with my dd who's 12. The are both series about a family - helen McKay is marginally more challenging but they are both easy but absorbing reads.

rachaelsara · 03/02/2008 22:02

My girl really enjoyed www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/categoryPage_10001_10051_10009_100_10006__19

rachaelsara · 03/02/2008 22:03

Balls! A Series of Unfortunate Events - 13 Books in a Box !!

rachaelsara · 03/02/2008 22:03

Also dvd staring Jim Carey

EllbellTheBluestocking · 03/02/2008 22:10

Was going to recommend the Ingo trilogy, but Rosa got there first! (They are great, aren't they Rosa? I grew up around there, too, so there's an added nostalgia factor for me!)

Cornelia Funke? DD (who's younger, but reads above her age) has enjoyed Dragon Rider and The Thief Lord (though the latter she found quite hard going - would be better for an 11-y-o) and is currently reading (and loving) Inkheart.

RosaLuxOnTheBrightSideOfLife · 03/02/2008 23:42

I think it was you who recommended it to me in the first place Ellbell! Or was it Roisin?
DD also got a new Cornelia Funke at Christmas called Igraine the Brave which looks easier to tackle than Inkheart et al - much shorter and looks quite funny, but I haven't read it myself.

Original poster
Wotz · 03/02/2008 23:44

thanks for all these suggestions I have already been on the web looking at some reviews made by children and bought a couple off ebay.

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Original poster
Wotz · 03/02/2008 23:45

not a couple of children FWIW - a couple of books.

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EllbellTheBluestocking · 03/02/2008 23:55

Ah yes, could well have been me, Rosa. I also got my mum a Helen Dunmore for Christmas (about DH Lawrence in Zennor) and she has been raving about how good it was.

DD got the 2nd and 3rd books in the Lionboy trilogy for Christmas and has loved those too.

Over Christmas she read Maddigan's Fantasia, which I think is really designed for older children (dd found it challenging, but she rarely gives up on a book once she's started) and might be good for an 11-y-o.

Nighbynight · 04/02/2008 00:13

Wotz - do we share a dd??!
Mine reads Wendy magazine - a sort of horse themed Bunty/Jackie, published in germany.

All attempts to get her to read something else (and there have been many) have failed.

Many of the suggestions on here are much too challenging. And she isnt stupid, just doesnt like reading. How can any daughter of mine not like reading????

RosaLuxOnTheBrightSideOfLife · 04/02/2008 00:19

NighbyNight - I have three daughters, two are bookworms, one not so interested. She finds large expanses of text off-putting, I think. I have bought large quantities of old annuals - we started with Twinkle and then Bunty, Judy, Mandy etc and she finds those much easier to deal with than chapter books.
She loves being read TO though, which is something.

Nighbynight · 04/02/2008 10:18

dd is now 11. She's been through my old mandy and bunty annuals, but I havent seen her reading them recently. Maybe I should get more.

"Die Wilde Huhne" by Cornelia Funke is popular here (dont know what its called in english), but she isnt interested in that. She says adventure books are boring because adventures dont happen in real life.
I think she is a timid reader as well, which I was as a child, and I can certainly relate to finding dense text offputting. But I was reading something,e ven though it wasnt v challenging.

The reading issue is v important for dd, because she has regular tests in english grammar and spelling and she got a 6 last week in one!!!! (that is the WORST mark you can get, 1 being the best) and everyone else in the class was laughing at her because they know she's a native speaker, but she JUST DOESNT READ ENOUGH.

choccypig · 04/02/2008 10:21

"Stop the train" by Geraldine McCutcheon. I loved it!

duchesse · 04/02/2008 10:27

Ah. I didn't realise you were in Germany. I think she is finding the reading difficult for another reason then. As a former expat child I beleive that she is going through a very normal phase of feeling embarrassed about being different. Coupled with that, she is probably struggling to keep her English up to the same standard as her German, and is feeling bad about that. I think you should bring her over to England as soon as possible for a couple of weeks or so, and take round to see all the things that would help her to feel happy about being English, then leave appropriate books just "lying around". It's a phase- it will pass when she realises she's neglecting part of her heritage.

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