ereks mom Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 She says she likes mystery books, but she has shown little interest in Nancy Drew and others like those. Recommendations do NOT necessarily need to be mysteries; any kind of exciting adventure story--particularly those in which the main character is a 12 or 13yo girl--would be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Has she read The Mysterious Benedict Society (trilogy)? Lots of adventure & suspense, some mystery/puzzle aspects.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 :001_smile: She says she likes mystery books, but she has shown little interest in Nancy Drew and others like those. Recommendations do NOT necessarily need to be mysteries; any kind of exciting adventure story--particularly those in which the main character is a 12 or 13yo girl--would be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQmom Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 :iagree: with the Percy Jackson suggestion. My 5th grade boy is devouring these books. My dd said she loved the American Girl books at the age, and she said they have some mystery ones too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 On the mysteries front, how about Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrams. This book is often shelved with YA, but it always feels more middle grades to me - there's no sex or other inappropriate content - maybe some mild swearing. It is a real mystery, with real bad guys and a murder - but also with a 12 or 13 yo female heroine at the center. A good, fun read - there are two sequels as well. Also, how about The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett. A major female character, but the boy is the actual protagonist. It's an art mystery. Excellent book with lots of twists and puzzles. I love this series. This one is solidly middle grades so no worries at all about appropriateness here. There are a couple of sequels. Finally, how about the Enola Holmes books. These are short and follow the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes. They're fun and have lots of puzzles as well as a sort of faux Victorian style. I reviewed the most recent (and final) volume on my blog here. I could keep going, but you did say 1 or 2... Okay, I can't stop myself... I also thought of the Theodosia books, the Sisters Grimm novels, and I would agree with the Mysterious Benedict Society suggestion too. Or even Percy Jackson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 My oldest liked the Cherry Ames series quite a bit. Castleberry Farms Mystery series are great books about a homeschool family whose children solve mysteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 My dd loves the Royal Diaries. The future queens in the books are all about that age. The Dear America books are enjoyed here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton. It's the true story of the surfer girl (I believe she was 13 or so at the time) who was attacked by a shark and had her arm pulled off. It's a great story...CC in content though, if that's a consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Recently my dd started the Little House books and she's very into them (tonight it's Farmer Boy). I have to shoo her to bed - she doesn't want to put it down. "Aw, just to the end of this page please?" etc. etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i.love.lucy Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 My 5th grader is devouring Percy Jackson right now, and also loves Babysitters Club for candy reads. For better reading, she loves the Royal Diary and Theodosia books, and several others already mentioned. Kathleen in VA also told me about the Mennyms which is a series that she enjoyed greatly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Roman Mysteries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 (edited) - The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Aiken) - Enchantress from the Stars (Engdahl) - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; Through the Looking Glass (Carroll) - Half Magic; Magic by the Lake, Knight's Castle; Time Garden; Seven Day Magic (Eager) - City of Ember; People of Sparks; Diamond of Darkhold (Du Prau) - The Ordinary Princess (Kaye) - Ella Enchanted (Levine) - Catherine Called Birdy (Cushman) -- Medieval England - Midwife's Apprentice (Cushman) -- Medieval England - Island of the Blue Dolphins (O'Dell) -- a sort of "shipwrecked" story; teen girl accidentally left behind on an island Edited October 16, 2010 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 (edited) Sweet Valley Twins! I'm pretty sure Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are in 6th grade in this series. Edited October 16, 2010 by MissKNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calandalsmom Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Bunnicula and etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 My daughter ABSOLUTELY LOVED the "Monster Of The Month Club" series by Dian Curtis Regan (reading level 8-12). The main character is a 13 year old girl- AND... she's homeschooled! From the back of the cover of the first book, "Monster Of The Month Club"... "When the first package arrived, Rilla thought it was a joke. But then the box started moving. And when it opened, the thing that came out was definitely NOT a joke. It was a real, live monster- with an attitude! Now Rilla has a problem: She's got a seven-eyed monster, named Icicle, who will only eat frozen yogurt and iced lemonade. And that's the good news. The bad news is that she's supposed to receive a new monster on the first of every month- for twelve months! How do you stop monsters from arriving in the mail? Do they all eat weird stuff? And who gave Rilla a free membership to such a strange club anyway? Rilla's got to find the answers to these questions- fast- or her bedroom will become the very first monster motel!" The setting of the books is a bed and breakfast her mom and aunt run, there's also a bit of a romance brewing with a boy from her homeschool co-op class- all I can say is my daughter couldn't put them down. http://www.diancurtisregan.com/middlegradenovels.html If they sound too "fluffy" for you, she also loved the Pippi Longstocking books, the Encyclopedia Brown books, Judy Bloom (things like Tales Of A Fourth grade Nothing and Blubber), American Girl books. Recently she read two books that I had assigned- one was "Pocahontas And The Strangers" and the current one is "I Am Regina" and she really loved both of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 My dd is into mystery as well - Sherlock Holmes is a big hit here. Also, 39 Clues, which is based on history but strictly factural - the whole series is a mystery. Both book series are hits here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 The Princess Academy Dd reads so much, so fast I don't even know where to begin. :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Exciting books for this age: The City of Ember series Cushman's historical fiction Percy Jackson The Hunger Games, although you will want to preview A really fun one for girls is Baby Island; two sisters are shipwrecked on an island and have to care not only for themselves, but the four babies who are shipwrecked with them. The Royal Diaries anything by Gale Carson Levine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth in md Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 My twin daughters (age 12) just finished Island of the Blue Dolphins and loved it. Beth in MD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcskipper Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 I'm a perpetual lurker, but my daughter insists I recommend The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. It is a great story with a spirited heroine, good grandfather/granddaughter relationship, and science theme! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 My twin daughters (age 12) just finished Island of the Blue Dolphins and loved it. Beth in MD This is one of my favorite books. I probably read it in 5th or 6th grade. M boys both LOVED Percy Jackson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 She might like the Dave Barry Peter Pan books--sort of the back story to the real Peter Pan, pretty easy to read but thick, lots of adventure. Nim's Island and its sequel (have forgotten the name) are both entertaining. Nim is homeschooled, too. Movie based on the book is great, also! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Such great recommendations! I love the Enola Holmes books myself, and DD8 devoured the 39 Clues books. We JUST got Red Pyramid from the library the other day and can't wait to start it! And Island of the Blue Dolphins...so many great books :D I can't wait to read most of these with DD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Running Out of Time Margaret Peterson Haddix Among the Hidden Margaret Peterson Haddix Just Ella Island of the Blue Dolphins Walk Two Moons Sharon Creech Stealing Freedom by Elisa Carbonne The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope (fun mystery--actually neither of us could put this one down) Harry Potter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mereminerals Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 One I haven't seen posted, that my daughter loves, is the Dragon Keepers Chronicles by Donita Paul. I want to add that they do have an underlying Christian tone to the stories.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrieF Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 As a former English teacher of middle schoolers, I would highly recommend any of Ann Rinaldi's books. They are historical fiction, but usually have a sense of the mysterious or unknown. The heroin is usually a young girl, so that would be a good fit. Other "all time favorites" would include The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (unfortunately, it is a stand alone, but it is a wonderful story) and A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. Other authors I would recommend for excellent writing are Eleanor Estes (The Moffats books), Elizabeth Enright (The Melendy Quartet), and the Anne of Green Gables series. Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punchie Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 When I was 5th grade-ish, I loved: Dragonsong and Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey Wise Child by Monica Furlong the Wizard Children of Finn (out of print) Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson multiple books by Diana Wynne Jones the Bunnicula series by James Howe My Teacher is an Alien series by Bruce Coville the Blue Sword and Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley When my sister was that age, she liked Dealing w/Dragons by Patricia Wrede, and the multiple series by Tamora Pierce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.