What's a good book series for 10 year olds? Boy and Girl

[jenlynn0808]

I have a couple of authors, but not series to suggest. I have a DD10 and I taught 4th grade for the last ten years, and two authors pop to mind Robert Clement (Frindle-one of my all time favorites) and Jerry Spinellli (Stargirl) as big hits.

They have other books as well, just not a series.

OT-I remember one parent a couple of years ago walking into conferences saying she had "a bone" to pick with me, but she was laughing when she said it. Turns out I had her son (who was a great student, but not an avid reader) check out Frindle at our Library time one week and he finsihed the book in a few days~wouldn't put it down. Then he proceeded to make his parents take him to the book store over the weekend and buy a few more of Clement's books. Then after conferences they were had to the Scholastic book fair becasue Clement had a new book out he wanted. When I saw his Mom last year waiting to see his fifth grade teacher for confernces she said Ethan had a preorder at the local bookstore for Clement's new book, which wasn't out yet!

 

[sbaldasare]

My boys 9 & 12 have read a lot of the books mentioned here, but one
I haven't seen mentioned is 39 Clues. It's an adventure/mystery book series that comes with collector cards and there's an interactive website for kids to go on and figure out clues. My older son who is more into fantasy loved the book - couldn't put it down. The story has a girl and her brother as the main characters.

Also the Charlie Bones series is good

 

[momxx5]

Girls:

Nancy Drew
American Girl


Boys:

Young Bond ( a series of books based on James Bond before he was 007, when he was a kid)
Anything by Gary Paulson


The BEST info for good/great reading is Battle of the Books. Our school systems does this and posts the list each year. Even as an adult I really enjoy the books.

Here is the website and you can choose which grade level to check into:

http://www.battleofthebooks.org/selection.html

 

[disneygirl1971]

My DS11 has enjoyed reading the Brandon Mull books. He has written Candy Shop Wars, Fablehaven, and I believe he has a new one coming out soon and one the is being made into a movie. These are larger books (300 plus pages, nice for a strong reader) but my DS has loved them all. Brandon Mull came to his school last year and that's what got him started on his books. We then met him at Barnes and Noble for a signing. His books are liked by both boys and girls so you'd get double use out of your purchase The Magic Tree House is a great series, but your kids may be a little old for those. The Series of Unfortunate Events is a series my DD loved and read them all, that may be a good choice also. Check with your kids teacher for book orders. The prices are usually much better through them and may give you some good ideas too. Just tell them it's for a gift and they will hold it back for you without the kids knowing!

 

[mitchwebb]

A fun one for both would be the Boys Against the Girls series.http://www.amazon.com/Boys-Start-Wa...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225340701&sr=1-2

my DD9 loves this series also it must have at least 10 books. She also liked 39 Clues.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

My son enjoys reading. Some suggestions he would make are ~

Leven Thumps series by Obert Skye

Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull

He also likes author Cornelia Funke

 

[MomofKatie]

My DD10, who isn't into "girly" books, likes the following:

Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull
the Percy Jackson series starting with The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riorden
The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Jones
the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pierson
The 39 Clues series
Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke (these are pretty advanced)

 

[MN Vikings Fan]

My kids both loved Bruce Coville but their fav was The Boxcar Children. In fact, DD who is now going to be 21 asked me if I would buy them for her again! lol She gave them all away and now wants them back. As they get older, they may enjoy the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.

Totally agree with The Boxcar Children books. Kids love them!

 

[MrsPete]

My kids have read (and loved) many of the books mentioned here:

Magic Treehouse series (but when they were K, 1st, 2nd grade)
The Warriors (my youngest was obsessed with those cats; first series is much better than the second series -- The New Prophecy)
Harry Potter (books 1-4 would work for 10-11 year olds; the story takes a darker, more complex turn in book 5)
Boxcar Children
Artemis Foul
Fairest, Ella Enchanted, Ever, Two Princesses of Barrimore -- wish I could remember the author's name 'cause she writes great books for girls; all strong heroines!
Anything by Katherine Patterson
Most things by Judy Blume
Eragon, Eldest, Brisinger -- might be a little too advanced for 10-year olds
InkHeart, InkSpell -- can't wait to get InkDeath -- in fact, anything by Cornelia Funke, which would include The Lightning Thief and others; though, again, might be a little too much for some 10-year olds
Twilight Series -- my 11-year old LOVED it
Lemony Snicket's dry-humored Series of Unfortunate Events
The new Disney Fairies series, though it's pretty easy reading for 10-11 year olds
Ranger's Apprentice series -- ghosts and ghouls
The -ology books: Pirateology, Wizardology, Egyptology, and more
Dictionary of Immaturity
Oh Yuck: Encyclopedia of Gross Things . . . but NOT the follow-up Oh Yikes! Odd things that happened in History
Captain Underpants -- yes, it's more of an early elementary thing, but my girls loved it
Narnia series
Don't neglect the classics: To Kill a Mockingbird, Johnny Tremain
And the new classics: Tangerine, Maus

I consider it one of my greatest personal failures that I was unable to get either of my children "hooked" on The Little House books.

I did not like A Great and Terrible Beauty -- it was very odd.
I also did not like the Golden Compass series -- deadly dull.
My girls did not like those "text talk" books -- the ones that were 100% text messages.
They liked (but did not love) the American Girls books.

Though I'm not a Target fan (more staging than substance), they do choose very good kids' books. They always have a very good selection of the newest kids' / young adult best sellers.

My girls are getting the Southern Vampire series, The Hunger Games, and 39 Clues for Christmas. And they're each getting a cookbook. I think I'll have to take notes from this list. My girls always expect books, books, books!

 

[cfbarker]

The Charlie Bone series and the Magician series by Jenny Nimmo is really good if you are looking for Harry Potter-ish fantasy. The Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz is a good spy/thriller series. As a middle school librarian, I can't keep these books on the shelves.

 

[northcapemaymom]

Another popular children's author is Dan Gutman. My child loves baseball and recently thoroughly enjoyed a series about a boy who travels through time using baseball cards. He gets to meet players such as Babe Ruth, Satchel Paige, and more. He learned a lot of history too. Titles include: Babe and Me, Satch and Me, Mickey and Me, Honus and Me (you get the idea). Dan Gutman also writes another popular series with rhyming titles like Miss Coco is Loco and more that are also popular.

I "second" the Dan Gutman books. The 'My Weird School Series' is always flying off the shelf at our school library. The kids love it!

 

[Aunt Flancy]

I also recommend anything by Cornelia Funke. Gordon Korman has some great books. I liked the Pendragon series by DJ MacHale, but my boys didn't.

You can find a lot of info on the Scholastic Books website. If you type in warehouse sale in the search box you can sometimes find a sale in your area and the books are usually at least half off. It is one of my favorite places to shop for Christmas. It says you need to be school employees, school district personnel, homeschoolers, and Book Fair chairpeople / volunteers, I used to be a book fair chairperson, but now I just put volunteer on it and I never have any problem.

 

[Cindy F]

I really enjoyed reading the Trixie Belden series when I was about 10 or 11.

OMG! I thought I was the only one that loved those! Once upon a time I had the whole collection (saved for me by mom) my brother and I both loved them. I asked my brand new 13 year old and she said "Junie B Jones, mom--DUH!"

I also loved the Ralph the Mouse series by Beverly Cleary. Harry Potter and Lemonny Snickett are big favs in our house too.