Recommended book to get kids reading

Perks · Sep 7, 2008

My nine year old daughter had been pretty lukewarm on reading until this past week. She'd gotten bored by Harry Potter (probably less the book's fault than that she already knew what happened because of the films) and everything she'd else read had been only mildly engaging or a chore.

She's a game girl and asked if we could buy her a novel while I was last at the bookstore. She picked Dovey Coe by Frances O'Roark Dowell.

Then, hyperventilating, she made me read it.

It's terrific.

If you've got a slow-starter in your brood, consider getting Dovey Coe. The plot (a twelve year old girl is accused of murdering the town bully) is intriguing without being graphic or too intense. But it's the writing. Dovey is a mountain girl, sort of country proper, so that could have been very difficult getting the tone right, but O'Roark nailed it. It doesn't talk down to kids. Excellent vocabulary-within-context writing. Just beautiful.

So, it maybe a blessing and a curse. My daughter was so excited in that way that only a good book can conjure. But now she'll be spoiled for anything inferior.

GLAZE_by_KyrstinMc · Sep 7, 2008

Give her "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" or "Goosebumps", my little sister used to loathe reading, now she can't get enough of either series!

I'm very happy that she's getting more into reading!

JoNightshade · Sep 7, 2008

Not sure about for girls (although me, as a girl, would have loved it), but I got a boy I used to tutor excited about reading when I gave him Ender's Game. I think the winning combo is:

- MC who is a kid just trying to survive in a world where everyone's bigger and stronger than him
- In space
- Cool plot but not so complex that a "poor reader" will be confused

wyntermoon · Sep 7, 2008

Recommendations from my tweens:

9-year-old: Fudgeamania, Super Fudge, Double Fudge, Lemony Snicket series, Freaky Friday, Black Beauty, Nancy Drew

11-year-old: Frannie K. Stein, Molly Moon, Princess Diaries, Judy Moody, Dragonology, Mummyology, Wizardology

Toothpaste · Sep 7, 2008

I am shameless, but I think you all know that by now.

Um . . . my book Alex and the Ironic Gentleman is just right for her age (Alex is a girl btw). And I did just get an email the other day from a kid saying that she isn't a good reader, and doesn't read much, but that she really loved the book - if that makes any difference.

Also, to make me seem not quite as . . . you know . . . "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norman Juster is brilliant. A quick read and very funny.

KTC · Sep 7, 2008

Roald Dahl. He's magical. Start her with Matilda and soon she'll be reading everything else he wrote.

I read Little Women at that age and it prompted me on to read many more books too.

Mr. Anonymous · Sep 7, 2008

The first book that really made an impression on me when I was little was

Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.

Another book aimed at younger readers that I recall really enjoying was The Giver by Lois Lowry.

The Forgotten Door is also supposed to be very good, though I never read it.

There's also the Artemis Fowl series, which is popular among younger readers.

Ender's Game is personally one of my favorite books. I'm not sure if I'd give it to a younger reader - simply because I feel that a younger reader might miss out on a lot of what makes the book so great. I don't think I'd call it children's lit, though I can certainly see a kid reading and enjoying it.

WendyNYC · Sep 7, 2008

My 9 year old daughter is very much into the "Warrior" series right now. It's about clans of wild cats. There was also an (unrelated) book called Time Cat.

Seems she's on a cat kick.

She also loved the Julie of the Wolves books. Just to warn you, that one has been on some "banned books" lists, but I've read it myself and I thought it was okay. There is an implied rape scene, but it's very, very vague.

Angela_785 · Sep 7, 2008

Dovey Coe sounds like it has a great plot--I'll check it out!

Perks · Sep 7, 2008

WendyNYC said:
She also loved the Julie of the Wolves books. Just to warn you, that one has been on some "banned books" lists, but I've read it myself and I thought it was okay. There is an implied rape scene, but it's very, very vague.

I think I read that book ten times when I was a kid. I wonder what was bannable about it?

Perks · Sep 7, 2008

Ah! Thanks for the reminder! I ordered Alex and our internet went out while I was browsing in Amazon and I forgot to go back and get it.

Now I've written it on my to-do list.

Toothpaste said:
I am shameless, but I think you all know that by now.

Um . . . my book Alex and the Ironic Gentleman is just right for her age (Alex is a girl btw). And I did just get an email the other day from a kid saying that she isn't a good reader, and doesn't read much, but that she really loved the book - if that makes any difference.

Also, to make me seem not quite as . . . you know . . . "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norman Juster is brilliant. A quick read and very funny.

JLCwrites · Sep 8, 2008

(Makes a list of all the recommendations)
Also,
A Wrinkle in Time
The Black Stallion
Tuck Everlasting
The Secret Garden
Hatchet
Bridge to Terabithia

sheadakota · Sep 8, 2008

I would also recommend the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. My 10 year old can't put it down (a girl- and my 11 son ripped through all three books in about a month)

MsJudy · Sep 8, 2008

Another great series for reluctant readers who want action is Jeff Stone's Five Ancestor series--Tiger, Monkey, Crane, Eagle. Martial arts set in 17th-century China.

StoryG27 · Sep 8, 2008

Perks said:
My nine year old daughter had been pretty lukewarm on reading until this past week. She'd gotten bored by Harry Potter (probably less the book's fault than that she already knew what happened because of the films) and everything she'd else read had been only mildly engaging or a chore.

She's a game girl and asked if we could buy her a novel while I was last at the bookstore. She picked Dovey Coe by Frances O'Roark Dowell.

Then, hyperventilating, she made me read it.

It's terrific.

If you've got a slow-starter in your brood, consider getting Dovey Coe. The plot (a twelve year old girl is accused of murdering the town bully) is intriguing without being graphic or too intense. But it's the writing. Dovey is a mountain girl, sort of country proper, so that could have been very difficult getting the tone right, but O'Roark nailed it. It doesn't talk down to kids. Excellent vocabulary-within-context writing. Just beautiful.

So, it maybe a blessing and a curse. My daughter was so excited in that way that only a good book can conjure. But now she'll be spoiled for anything inferior.

That sounds like something my 11 yr old daughter would love! Thanks.

KTC · Sep 8, 2008

There's always Dubious Pickles and the Space Between the Walls. Of course, it's only available on 8 1/2" x 11" printer paper at the moment. (-;

MsJudy · Sep 9, 2008

Here's another list:

Dragon Slayer's Academy
Secrets of Droon
The Word Eater
Tale of Despereaux
The Whipping Boy
Ella Enchanted

If she's ready for longer fantasy, anything by Lloyd Alexander or Dianna Wynne Jones.

Okay, my list is mostly fantasy, and maybe she'd rather read contemporary/realistic? I'll have to think harder about those...

jessicaorr · Sep 10, 2008

I really enjoyed the Dragon of the Lost Sea books when I was a tween. They're an interesting change from most fantasy books as they're set in ancient China.

Eta: here's a link to the first book in the series: Dragon of the Lost Sea

The others are:
Dragon Steel
Dragon Cauldron
Dragon War

MsJudy · Sep 16, 2008

I thought of some more non-fantasy to recommend:
Holes
Joey Pigza Swallows the Key
Maniac Magee
Bud, Not Buddy

KTC · Sep 17, 2008

Holes ignited a fire in my son. When he discovered that book, he went on a reading spree to find more like it. LOVED it!

How about CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS? My son was younger when he found those, but man...did he love that series!

CaroGirl · Sep 17, 2008

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll see if I can find that one for my daughter.

One of her favourites, and yours might like it too, is The Tale of Desperaux. She devoured it, and then her 11 yo brother devoured it too.

Skate · Sep 17, 2008

I work in a school library. The 9-year-old girls love the 'Go Girls' books, 'Judy Moody' and the 'Geronimo Stilton' books

Recommended book to get kids reading

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower

GLAZE_by_KyrstinMc

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

wyntermoon

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Mr. Anonymous

Just a guy with a pen & a delusion

WendyNYC

fiddle-dee-dee

Angela_785

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower

JLCwrites

sheadakota

part of the human equation

MsJudy

StoryG27

Miss Behave

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

MsJudy

jessicaorr

Book fanatic

MsJudy

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

CaroGirl

Living the dream

Skate