Book recommendations for almost 11 year old boy and 8 year old girl?

[mommy22pumpkins]

Hi all. My son loves to read and has read all of the Wimpy kid books several times, as well as Captain Underpants, and has finished the one Harry Potter book we gave him already. I am looking for ideas for something new to read to give him for Christmas. We did buy two more of the Harry Potter Series. Any other recommendations for a kid his age?

And if anyone has any suggestions for an 8 year old girl I'd appreciate it. She likes the Fancy Nancy series and likes just about any book I've given her (illustrated kids books). I'd like to get her some chapter books though because I think she has graduated from these. Thanks for your help

 

[cornflake]

Hi all. My son loves to read and has read all of the Wimpy kid books several times, as well as Captain Underpants, and has finished the one Harry Potter book we gave him already. I am looking for ideas for something new to read to give him for Christmas. We did buy two more of the Harry Potter Series. Any other recommendations for a kid his age?

And if anyone has any suggestions for an 8 year old girl I'd appreciate it. She likes the Fancy Nancy series and likes just about any book I've given her (illustrated kids books). I'd like to get her some chapter books though because I think she has graduated from these. Thanks for your help

Has he read Ender's Game? Has she read Beverly Cleary?

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

My DS12 really liked Tim Green's Football Genius series and after the Harry Potter books, started the Eragon series.

My daughter really liked the Judy Moddy series around that age.

I love great books for kids!

 

[DawnM]

My 12 year old reads every Rick Riordan book he can get his hands on. I am buying him another series for Christmas.

I have no girls......so no suggestions other than Little House and Just Ella.

 

[tarak]

My eight-year-old DD seconds the rec for Judy Moody. She also likes Junie B. Jones. I also think the Rick Riordan books are a good suggestion for your son.

 

[Ginny Favers]

For the girl, how about Ivy & Bean, or the Dork Diaries series?

Also, anything by Erin Dionne, Lauren Barnholdt, Julia Devillers, or Wendy Mass. Also... It's Raining Cupcakes and Sprinkles and Secrets by Lisa Schroeder.

 

[skeettafic]

Not sure for your son but DD will be 8 next week - Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, Katie Kazoo, and Bailey School Kids are all ones that she likes.

 

[clutter]

For your DS, The Lightning Thief!!! It came out when dd was that age, and all the kids were reading it.

For your DD, I'll second Judy Moody and Katie Kazoo. Plus I'd add Gooney Bird Greene, and Kate DiCamillo books. Also, the best ever book to read together was The Penderwicks. My dd and I had the best ever time reading that together.

 

[albarellic]

What about the American Girl books? My daughter (7) has most of the historical series, a few of the "girl of the year" books and a couple of the new "choose your own adventure" books from American Girl. She loves them.

I would also recommend The Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pearson for your 11 year old.

 

[crl]

My DD is 9 and likes the following:
Roscoe Riley Rules series
TJ and the Time Stumblers series by Bill Myers

If you are just starting chapter books, there are a few short chapter Disney Fairy books. They are Step Into Reading level 5 I believe.

 

[wiigirl]

Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

 

[platamama]

My DD loved the Rainbow Magic series, & Geronimo Stilton series, as well as the others mentioned above. She's also read through all the Harry Potter books and those are the gold standard she compares others to. Also highly recommended are the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull and The Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley (as well as his N.E.R.D. series). Roald Dahl's books have also been cherished and re-read many times.

I think Rick Riordan's books are fantastic and I would rate the Percy Jackson series > The Lost Olympian series > The Red Pyramid series. There is a teen boy spy series by Anthony Horowitz named after the protagonist Alex Rider, and those are great thrillers. Of course the movie The Hobbit is coming out and that would be good to read too.

Guinness Book of World Records is always fun to have around too.

Reading is her favorite thing to do.

 

[HM]

How about the Little House on the Prairie series?

 

[trinchick]

My DD is 8 (second grade) and has enjoyed reading the following on her own:

Ivy and Bean series
Daisy Dawson series
Ramona the Pest series
Magic Treehouse series
Disney Fairies series

Some good bridges between picture books and chapter books have been:

Mercy Watson
Mr. Putter and Tabby
Cam Jansen Mysteries
The Littles

But I think she most enjoys when I read to her. Maybe you could buy a beautifully bound copy of any good classic and plan to read it together. Many of them would work for both your daughter and your son.

Pippi Longstocking
Charlotte's Web
Anne of Green Gables
Little House on the Prairie
A Child's Garden of Verses
The Tale of Desperaux
The Secret Garden
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

 

[SeanofStarCommand]

The Kingdom Keepers series is great for your son. It's a favorite among Disney kids and adults.

 

[cristen72]

My son is 10 and he's totally hooked on the Warrior Cat series.

 

[sksjasams]

I think Rick Riordan's books are fantastic and I would rate the Percy Jackson series > The Lost Olympian series > The Red Pyramid series.

There is a teen boy spy series by Anthony Horowitz named after the protagonist Alex Rider, and those are great thrillers.

Guinness Book of World Records is always fun to have around too.

Yes to all of these! DS now 14 loved all of those books (except Red Pyramid series) at that age. He has read all of the Alex Rider books. And he's read all of the Percy Jackson books twice. He didn't care for the Red Pyramid books and has read the last Olympian books as they come out.

You can usually get a good price on amazon for the big hardcover version of the Guiness Book of World Records. DS still enjoys those.

 

[Kari-B]

My nine year old son loves Jake Maddox. There are lots and lots by this author. They aren't real long chapter books though, my son usually plows through them in one sitting (but he just can't stop reading once he has started). Another series my sons loves is Flat Stanley. These are great and also somewhat educational!

My daughter likes Junie B. Jones series, Ramona series, Berenstain Bear chapter books, and Ready Freddy.

 

[anelson81993]

11-year-old:
Seconding Rick Riordan and Anthony Horowitz books. The Rick Riordan books are fantastic--I personally love them (as a college student!) and the students in my most recent practicum student teaching (observing/teaching English classes for my Teacher Education Program) loved them! And the Alex Rider books were some of my favorite books in middle school way back when. I also enjoyed Kingdom Keepers, and I love Ender's Game (actually planned an entire teaching unit around it). However, I wouldn't recommed most of the other books related to Ender's Game (the rest of the series, beginning with Speaker for the Dead, and the Ender's Shadow parallel series, as well as the more recent prequels released) until your son is older.
8-year-old:
She might enjoy the Rick Riordan books; she might not.
Little House on the Prairie, Pippi Longstocking, Charlotte's Web, Tale of Desperaux are all great options. American Girl has some good historical fiction. Dear America and the related historical Princess Diaries (not to be confused with the non-historical series with a similar name) are excellent books. I would recommend pretty much anything written by Gail Carson Levine.
In my opinion, I think both ages would enjoy the Shadow series (Margaret Peterson Haddix), which would make an excellent family read-aloud series. Your mileage may vary with that one, though. Margaret Peterson Haddix's other books are also great, and would probably be enjoyed by both ages.

 

[Jadak]

I would agree with anything by Rick Riordan and the Kingdom Keepers books. For a girl that age I would go looking for some classics like Little Woman, Heidi, Swiss Family Robinson,or series like Sweet Valley or The Babysitters club.