Hi there,

Im a mom to a 4th grade pre-tween who is blessed with "advanced" reading skills. She is currently testing on a 7.4 grade level, so I am having a hard time finding things for her to read. She has not discovered "boys" yet so the Sweet Valley High books are no good, and she is not into scary. She really likes those "Dear Dumb Diary" books, but goodness she reads them in like 20 minutes.

Anyone have any recommendations for me, for her? She's at that in between stage where kids books aren't challenging but she is just not "mature" enough for the challenging stuff.

Would she maybe like the Narnia books? Or maybe the Gideon books by Linda Buckley Archer?

I cant get her to read Narnia. "I'll just watch the movies". I haven't heard of the Gideon Books... off to search. Thank you!

Forgot to mention: she has already read the Harry Potter books, Eragon series, Lord of the Rings series (including the Hobbit) and Twilight series...

She just finished Little Women. o_O

Maybe Philip Pullman's books, The Magic Compass, etc. If she liked Little Women, then she would also like Little Men. Good luck.

She hated Little Women, but it was all I had left that wasn't scary. LOL...

She loved the Lemony Snicket books, I was hoping to find another series like that but no luck so far. Thank you.

Rain, by Kieryn Nicolas. It's about a 15 year old girl who's lived her entire life at a spy academy. She knows everything there is to know about being a spy, and nothing about being a 15 year old girl. The author IS a 15 year old girl. If she's already read LOTR she can try my two novels, The Flame in the Bowl: Unbinding the Stone and A Warrior Made. If she likes funny, she can try Fang Face, about a girl who's gotten 2 bites from the vampire and wants to avoid the third. The Cynthia's Attic series by Mary Cunningham is a set of time travel adventures featuring two 12 year old girls.

I had the same issue with my daughter. She loved hte Eragon books, Mary Downing Hahn and the Warrior cat books by Erin Hunter. She also liked N.D. Wilson and of course the Harry Potter books. She liked Coraline by Neil Gaiman and I recently picked up The Graveyard book for her. These might be scary but they're written for kids so prob not too scary.

Kids are funny.My daughter isn't interested in reading LOTR because she watched the movies but then she read Harry Potter and Eragon after seeing the movies.

My granddaughter also has the marvelous ability to read anything, but I know the difficulties of which you write. She is in third grade now. We have gotten her into the Percy Jackson books which she really likes. We bought her a book about the Greek gods and goddesses first since she had had no experience with them yet in school. It was quite helpful and let her understand the interactions in the books. Lois Lowry and Avi write pretty good boos for kids your daughters age. Where the Red Fern Grows is an old but beautiful book about a boy's love for his family and his dogs.

When my granddaughter was here in the summer, I asked the librarian to recommend some books. I can only remember one title though Iris Messenger. She also said that it is hard to find books appropriate for kids who have a high reading ability but are not age appropriate topics for the kids.

Good Luck!

Bunny wrote: "Hi there,

Im a mom to a 4th grade pre-tween who is blessed with "advanced" reading skills. She is currently testing on a 7.4 grade level, so I am having a hard time finding things for her to re..."

I have an 11 year old and she loves The Spiderwick Chronicles and Margaret Peterson Haddix books and has for since 4th and 5th grade. Another series my daughter liked was the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz and the 39 Clues series. I would say try these and then ask the local youth librarian for suggestions also the school librarian.

Thanks for all the recommendations!

Bunny wrote: "Hi there,

Im a mom to a 4th grade pre-tween who is blessed with "advanced" reading skills. She is currently testing on a 7.4 grade level, so I am having a hard time finding things for her to re..."

Oh, I remember that well. Here's some of the books my daughter loved at that age and reading ability:

The Dealing with Dragons series by Patricia Wrede
The Catwings series by Ursula K. LeGuin
The Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome
Baby Island by Estelle Estes (as well as other Estelle Estes books)
The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Amazing Indian Children series by Kenneth Thomasma
The Indian in the Cupboard series by Lynne Reid Banks
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner

I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting, since my advanced pre-tween reader is now 24 years old and getting married next fall! But these are all books that she loved.

No problem let me know if you need more.

Wow. Some really good responses here. Some fantasy YA books not mentioned which are really good include:
The Bartimaeus Trilogy Boxed Set
The Abhorsen Trilogy Box Set
Dragonsong & Terry Pratchett's YA series,
The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, & Wintersmith. Both the Stroud and Pratchett books made me laugh out loud, and the Tiffany Aching series (Pratchett), Abhorsen Trilogy, & Dragonsong are great for young females.

Other great fantasy (full length books with more in depth writing styles and storylines) which is still suitable for her (esp. if she's read Lord of the Rings) includes:

The Belgariad Boxed Set
(The Dragonriders of Pern was previously liusted here, but I was mistaken and had forgotten a lot of the sexual nature of this book -> NOT SUITABLE FOR PRE_TWEENS! updated 01/02/2011)
The Curse of Chalion & Paladin of Souls
The Dragonlance Chronicles/Dragons of Autumn Twilight/Dragons of Winter Night/Dragons of Spring Dawning

Oh and...The Great Book of Amber. I honestly haven't finished this one yet, but it's well loved by all, and suitable for young adult.

Sorry I can't help much outside the fantasy genre. ;)

thanks! Im going to print this post out and take it with us to the library this week. She can get a couple to hold her over, and I can order some off amazon.

One of her regular homework assignments is to read 30 minutes a night and write a paragraph summary of it, and she just blows through those little books in ONE DAY. Hopefully something "meatier" will last all week. LOL...

Isn't there a series similar to the Hardy Boys, but for YOUNGER GIRLS? I thought it was "Goosebumps" but it's not and she hates those.

Bunny wrote: "Isn't there a series similar to the Hardy Boys, but for YOUNGER GIRLS? I thought it was "Goosebumps" but it's not and she hates those...."

Nancy Drew is the girl version of the Hardy Boys. There is also Trixie Belden and The Bobbsey Twins. I loved those as a kid.

Kara wrote: "Wow. Some really good responses here. Some fantasy YA books not mentioned which are really good include:
The Bartimaeus Trilogy Boxed Set
The Abhorsen Trilogy Box Set
[b..."

I'd be careful about the Pern books for a girl this young - there is a lot of romance in those.

The following Author has some beautiful books that you might find suitable.

Cassandra Golds

also

Jenny Nimmo with the Charlie Bone series

I've been going thru my books, updating my lists and I found a couple that your daughter might like. They're called the Borribles and The Borribles go for Broke, by Michael de Larrabeiti. It's been a long time since I've read them, so you might wish to check them out first. Also you might wish to check out The Worst Witch books by Jill Murphy. It's a pretty good British tv series as well, might be on dvd.

Gini wrote: "Bunny wrote: "The Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome"

Oh I love that film!

Larry wrote: "Gini wrote: "Bunny wrote: "The Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome"

Oh I love that film!"

I didn't realize there was a film of it! The series is wonderful, because it manages to let children have great adventures without having to first kill off their parents. I like that the kids get lots of independence while still having loving parents at home.

Gini wrote: "
I didn't realize there was a film of it! The series is wonderful, "
Oh yea!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072233/

Larry wrote: "Gini wrote: "
I didn't realize there was a film of it! The series is wonderful, "
Oh yea!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072233/"

Awesome! I will have to try and find it.

Thank you so much for all these wonderful recommendations!

No one has mentioned Enid Blyton yet. I loved The Famous Five and The Adventure series when I was about the age of your daughter. These may be a bit dated, though.
Some examples:

Five on a Treasure Island

The Sea of Adventure

I also thoroughly enjoyed The Hardy Boys much better than Nancy Drew.

I was a reader like your daughter when I was young, my favorite were Nancy Drew. She has a boyfriend but it's barely a focus in the series, each one is a mystery.

I also loved Charlotte's Web, oh and the Saddle Club!
is the first one, but they are a series about 12-13 year old best friends with a love of horses and English riding. They have very very little romance. One of them may get a boyfriend, but that is the extent of it. She may fly through them fast, but there are alot of them.

I read an Enid Blyton book to my 6 year old recently, took awhile at a chapter a night but she enjoyed it. The book was Mr Galliano's Circus which I received for my 10th birthday 34 years ago!

Check out 'The Life in the Woods with Joni-Pip' by Carrie King. My grand daughters have 'taken possesion' of my signed copy, Carrie is now a friend of mine, I'm an author myself, and not too bad if I say so myself, but Carrie is in a different league, I wish I could write as well as she does.
All the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer]

Oh, and there are the Pippi Longstocking books by Astrid Lindgren. I never liked them, but I know lots and lots of girls who do.

YA/Childrens books:

The Lightning Thief(Percy Jackson book 1) by Rick Riordan
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl book 1) by Eoin Colfer
Abarat (Abarat book 1) by Clive Barker

If she's into epic fantasy:

Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera book 1) by Jim butcher
The Diamond Throne(Elenium book 1) by David Eddings
Homeland(Drizzt book 1) by R.A.Salvatore
The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller book 1) by Patrick Rothfuss

Depending on your daughter's definition of scary she might also like: Storm Front ( Dresden Files book 1) by Jim Butcher.

Petra wrote: "No one has mentioned Enid Blyton yet. I loved The Famous Five and The Adventure series when I was about the age of your daughter. These may be a bit dated, though.
Some examples:
..."

I was reading on Wiki about Blynton, for the Big Read, and it said that some of the more recent versions of the books were edited. I believe it said they took out objectionable language, etc. I think that in several cases they removed/renamed or "retooled" whole characters for being racially, culturally, etc. objectionable.

Suzanne Collins wrote a series that starts with Gregor the Overlander (?) which was one of the only fantasy series my son enjoyed. Along with the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.

At her age, I loved The Black Stallion series.

Shay wrote: "I was reading on Wiki about Blynton, for the Big Read, and it said that some of the more recent versions of the books were edited. I believe it said they took out objectionable language, etc. I think that in several cases they removed/renamed or "retooled" whole characters for being racially, culturally, etc. objectionable...."

Enid Blyton?? Gosh, I don't remember anything at all that could be considered racist or objectionable language.....or anything objectionable at all. They were adventure stories with kids, who were on vacation from English boarding school, as the heroes.
I'm quite surprised to read this.

Petra, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enid_Blyton

There is a section called "Controversies and Revisions"

"The most startling incidence of this type of material to a modern audience might be the use of a phrase like "black as a nigger with soot" appearing in Five Go off to Camp." This is a quote from the article. Also from the article, "n the 1990s, Chorion, the owners of Blyton's works, edited her books to remove passages that were deemed racist or sexist." So, if you read one of her works published after 1990, it may have already been edited when you read it.

I don't know if you guys can get to see the absolutely gripping BBC drama biography 'Enid.' The true life story of Enid Blyton.
Probably the most complete performance by a female actress that I have witnessed in a long time.
Helena Bonham Carter ought to win a shed load of awards for her performance.
Roy

Helena Bonham Carter should win awards for just about everything she does. I <3 her!

I can't stand her. She probably is a good actress. I just don't like her. I think it was Howard's End which really turned me off of her.

Kathleen wrote: "At her age, I loved The Black Stallion series."

Likewise, and all of the Marguerite Henry books.

The last time I participated in a subject like this, though, I was smacked down for bringing up "old books," as though the universal themes did not apply. So, I think I will leave it at that.

I would echo the Marguerite Henry books. I believe that I was about that age when I read them. Plus, it was about that time when she came and spoke to our grade (two classes ). I had just finished Misty of Chincoteague. I do believe I was in heaven or a state close to it.

The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set is an excellent series.

L. Frank Baum wrote 15 books I think in the Wizard of Oz series. There is a lot more than what you see in the movie!

Kyle wrote: "The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set is an excellent series.

L. Frank Baum wrote 15 books I think in the Wizard of Oz series. There is a lot more than what you se..."

I agree Kyle- I have the Complete OZ on my Kindle- wonderful books all!

The Witch of Blackbird Pond-- not scary. It's about an orphan girl who goes to live with her Puritain Aunt and Uncle in the colonies. John Bellairs did several mystery adventures (not scary).

She may also like "The Series of Unfortunate Events" theres a lot of those in the series. Or "The Sisters Grimm" although she may not like it because it deals with fairy tales that the Grimm brothers wrote. The Grimm books are meant for girls I believe around the age of 12. I know exactly what you are going through. Im in 8th grade and I have a college grade reading level. When I started to like reading my mom got very frustrated because whenever she would buy me books, I'd be asking for another one the next day.

I just re-read The Egypt Game, and read the sequel for the first time: The Gypsy Game. Both of them would be good for a 'tween reader, I think. Main characters are in the sixth grade.

R.D. wrote: "I don't know if you guys can get to see the absolutely gripping BBC drama biography 'Enid.' The true life story of Enid Blyton.
Probably the most complete performance by a female actress that I hav..."
Hate to say I told you so, but Ms Bonham Carter won an emmy for her performance in Enid in NY last night.
yay.

I've been listening to The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1), by Michael Scott, making my way through the series. They are new and pretty good. The book is written for YA, with suitable content, and the two main characters are teenage twins.

It's a hodgepodge mix of fantasy including character sorts from all over the genre (werewolves, vampires, the "Elder" race, sorcerers, etc.) with alchemy as the main "magic" source. The books are action packed and fast paced. They are also full of random (true) historical tidbits and accurate detailed city information...(churches, street names, landmarks), which makes it informative and fun as the kids travel from one city to another (San Francisco, to Paris, to London).

There are four books in the series, and then a continuation with The Death of Joan of Arc.

Haven't seen any mention yet of Robin McKinley -- almost anything by her should fit the bill. (Two exceptions: Deerskin is about a rape and Sunshine has a brief (like three lines) scene of sexually-charged nudity.)(But all the other books are completely clean of anything sexual and the violence is abstract.)

Also in that vein, anything by Patricia McKillip, though the best place to start for a young girl is probably The Forgotten Beasts of Eld for fantasy or Moon-Flash for SF.

And a recent book that was lovely and very age-appropriate is Kage Baker's The Bird of the River; there are two other books in this series but they are a little more mature in tone.

On the issue of the Pern books, if she sticks with the Harper Hall trilogy (Dragonsong, Dragonsinger, and Dragondrums) she should be fine; those three are aimed at a YA audience. The other books definitely have more mature themes.

And I'll second the recs of Nancy Drew, Enid Blyton, and the Anne of Green Gables series with the caveat that they were written ages ago and some of the attitudes might need a little explaining. (Less with the Anne books, but in Nancy Drew and Enid Blyton for sure.)

I just skimmed the above posts, so sorry if I have any duplicates.

It sounds like she enjoys fantasy, so she might become a genre-reader. Right now, there seems to be lots of new science fiction books for teens and tweens. Some that I would vouch for: Uglies series by Scott Westerfield. Some of his other stuff is more for older teens, but this series should be okay.
Truesight. This tells of a civilization where everyone is intentionally blind. It's a trilogy, but I've only read the first book so far so that's the only one that I can say anything about.
A Wrinkle in Time

Stuff that's not science fiction:
Matilda She might be able to relate to the main character, a smart reader who uses her wits and special powers to solve her problems.
Harriet the Spy I vaguely remember this book as being a fun adventure with a smart main character.
The Mysterious Benedict Society The first in a series about witty children who have special skills (not superpowers, just things like amazing memories or good sense of balance). They band together with their mentor Mr. Benedict on the side of good. They are charming books with good messages about humility, teamwork, etc. They are also somewhat long, so she can savor a longer read. I highly support this book series.
Mandie series, starting with Mandie and the Secret Tunnel. It's been years since I've read these, and they might be dated. They are Christian fiction.
Inkheart starts a good fantasy series. I have never read it myself, but my little brother read it when he was your daughter's age. (He was, and is, an advanced reader like her). He loved it.