Novel for 10-11 year olds that boys & girls would enjoy

Oldstyle1 · 19-03-2014 09:48PM #1

I am a primary school teacher and I am looking to cover a really good novel with my class, mainly 10-11year old kids, both boys and girls.

I am looking for a book with good adventure or great story line and maybe some humour or else a really gripping thriller or adventure that they would all enjoy

I've done quite a few Michael Morpurgo books, I've done Holes by Louis Sachar.

I would really appreciate if anyone could recommend any books their children might be doing in school or if you know of any good new novels out there that would work well in the classroom.

Much appreciated

Quatermain · 20-03-2014 04:07PM

They might enjoy "Artemis Fowl", which is about a boy around their age who happens to be obsessed with restoring his family fortune. He does this through research into the supernatural, culminating in capturing a fairy. His plans take a turn for the sour when he finds out that said fairy and her allies are far more technologically advanced than he gave them credit for. Adventure, life-lessons, and danger abound. Think of it as something like "Die Hard", but for kids.

Jimmy Iovine · 20-03-2014 10:52PM

Oldstyle1 wrote: »

I am a primary school teacher and I am looking to cover a really good novel with my class, mainly 10-11year old kids, both boys and girls.

I am looking for a book with good adventure or great story line and maybe some humour or else a really gripping thriller or adventure that they would all enjoy

I've done quite a few Michael Morpurgo books, I've done Holes by Louis Sachar.

I would really appreciate if anyone could recommend any books their children might be doing in school or if you know of any good new novels out there that would work well in the classroom.

Much appreciated

Try out the Diamond Brothers series by Anthony Horowitz.

They are side-splittingly funny. I read them when I was younger and tried it again there lately. It was still as funny.

One girl in my class read it. She's a great reader but it's not that difficult. She found it hilarious as well.

cloudatlas · 20-03-2014 11:14PM

'I am David' by Anne Holm

"David's entire twelve-year life has been spent in a grisly prison camp in Eastern Europe. He knows nothing of the outside world. But when he is given the chance to escape, he seizes it. With his vengeful enemies hot on his heels, David struggles to cope in this strange new world, where his only resources are a compass, a few crusts of bread, his two aching feet, and some vague advice to seek refuge in Denmark. Is that enough to survive?
David's extraordinary odyssey is dramatically chronicled in Anne Holm's classic about the meaning of freedom and the power of hope.

I don't know if this is too old a reading age for them. It's a great adventure and not at all harrowing as the blurb would lead you to believe. I remember loving it. You could look up the Puffin Classics series as well to see what they have.

titan18 · 20-03-2014 11:20PM

Probably stating the obvious one but Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Wizard of Oz, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Other than that Artemis Fowl is a good suggestion above, and His Dark Materials would be good.

mike65 · 20-03-2014 11:27PM

The Phantom Toolbooth by Norton Juster

thefasteriwalk · 24-03-2014 01:04AM

I'm secondary, but younger kids love Skellig. John Greene (the writer) is also a firm favourite, but your crowd are probably a but young.

mister fox · 23-04-2014 10:52PM

Try 'Benny and Omar' by Eoin Colfer. I did it with a 5th class group of boys and girls and they all loved it. It's about a hurling-mad young fella whose family move to Africa from Wexford. The dialogue is very funny and very much in tune with that age group!

apsalar · 03-05-2014 09:04PM

I read "The Silver Sword" by Ian Serrailer when I was 9 and re-read it for msny years after. It's a wonderful adventure story and the WW II background will give food for thought.

I also really liked "The Sword in the stone" by T H White but this may be too long for some children.

The wind in the willows is also pretty good - very funny if the children get the humour.

- These are all classics and they have held up really well over time. (I still enjoy them)

kam3qnwvebf4jh · 10-05-2014 09:06AM

My nine year old daughter really enjoyed the Enemy series of books by Charlie Higson. Essentially a kids version of The Walking Dead.

FullblownRose · 10-05-2014 02:03PM

Jerry Round Aardvark wrote: »

My nine year old daughter really enjoyed the Enemy series of books by Charlie Higson. Essentially a kids version of The Walking Dead.

Have you read it? It's more gory than the walking dead. We have all of the books in that series, and they are a good read, but they are very graphic and frightening.

kam3qnwvebf4jh · 10-05-2014 03:14PM

FullblownRose wrote: »

Have you read it? It's more gory than the walking dead. We have all of the books in that series, and they are a good read, but they are very graphic and frightening.

I've only read the first one which seemed ok so I just assumed the rest of the series was more of the same. For 5th and 6th class I wouldn't classify it as too frightening.

Diane Selwyn · 10-05-2014 04:47PM

+1 for The Wind in the Willows - I remember my teacher reading it aloud to us around that age and I also remember having James and Giant Peach read to me at school but I could have been a bit younger for that.

Two classics that I would recommend for boys and girls of 10-11 would be The Call of The Wild by Jack London which I loved as an adventure story and which I think is great for helping children learn empathy with animals (the narration is anthromorphic in the same way as with Black Beauty), and The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper which is part of a whole fantasy series - I think its actually the second book but I was a bit older by the time I got around to reading the first one and its impact might have been less great because of my age (although reading-age may not be related to actual age I guess).

FullblownRose · 10-05-2014 08:20PM

David Walliams books are fun..The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh..older ones lke The flight of the doves by Walter Macken, Swallows and Amazons, The call of the wild, ..the Percy Jackson series which is based on Greek mythology..

prq · 26-05-2014 11:45PM

Another vote for the Narnia books here

Rory Gallagher · 31-05-2014 01:53AM

Why not the children stories from Oscar Wilde?The one with the selfish giant.

tuch · 31-05-2014 02:08AM

50 Shades of Grey

Jogathon · 31-05-2014 08:09AM

I am currently reading The Flight of the Doves, by Walter Macken to my second and third class. They are completely hooked, even though I was concerned it would be too difficult for them.

I am David, by Anne Holme is another great book, and is more suitable for an older class. I've read this out loud to a 4th class and they loved it.

The David Walliams books are excellent, and mine loved The Boy in the Dress earlier in the year, but for an older class then I think something more challenging would be better.

The Machine Gunners, Goodnight Mr. Tom, When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit, Carrie's War...all these are brilliant books, but with a great historical side to them.

Actually, two other books I have read to your age group, more fantasy than anything else..Windlord, by Michael Scott, full of old Irish myths so quite educational as well, and The Celestial Child, by Don Conroy...might awaken a want to be better children in them ;-).

Fate Amenable To Change · 30-06-2014 08:58PM

titan18 wrote: »

Probably stating the obvious one but Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Wizard of Oz, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Other than that Artemis Fowl is a good suggestion above, and His Dark Materials would be good.

These and maybe Lemony SNickett?

oh and anything by Roald Dahl

Tdoyle · 30-06-2014 09:05PM

Jogathon wrote: »

I am currently reading The Flight of the Doves, by Walter Macken to my second and third class. They are completely hooked, even though I was concerned it would be too difficult for them.

I am David, by Anne Holme is another great book, and is more suitable for an older class. I've read this out loud to a 4th class and they loved it.

The David Walliams books are excellent, and mine loved The Boy in the Dress earlier in the year, but for an older class then I think something more challenging would be better.

The Machine Gunners, Goodnight Mr. Tom, When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit, Carrie's War...all these are brilliant books, but with a great historical side to them.

Actually, two other books I have read to your age group, more fantasy than anything else..Windlord, by Michael Scott, full of old Irish myths so quite educational as well, and The Celestial Child, by Don Conroy...might awaken a want to be better children in them ;-).

I am in my 50's and I can still remember my teacher reading The Flight of the Doves so that would be my suggestion also

AryaStark · 16-07-2014 12:07PM

I am not sure if anybody has suggested The Call of The Wild by Jack London ... My nephew is reading it now and loving it.

The Northern Lights is also a great series of books for that age.

AryaStark · 16-07-2014 12:08PM

Thats Northern Lights by Philip Pullman.

Ipso · 20-07-2014 02:34AM

Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues beneath the sea is a gripping yarn.

SweetChaos · 20-07-2014 03:37AM

Horrible Histories Gory Stories

Ive been reading these to my 2 girls they love these they are getting a history lesson and they don't even realise it Shadow of the gallows is the current one we are reading

Francis O Blibhionn · 20-07-2014 05:28PM

Reading and rereading The Hobbit at that age is a pleasant memory for me, and I think was a big nudge in the direction of reading books for pleasure.
If you haven't read it, the tone, structure, language and content is very different from The Lord of The Rings, and even the hobbit movies. It's a straight adventure story, and it's more concerned with forests, songs, secret magic and learning to be brave than blood and guts.

Another book I read at that age was Cujo by Stephen King. Don't give them that one.

New Home · 28-07-2014 11:31AM

Definitely "Skellig", and also "My name is Nina" ("Skellig" but from the point of view of another character) and "Kit's Wilderness", all by David Almond.
Even as an adult, Skellig is one of my favourite books.

The "His Dark Material" trilogy (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman is also very good, but I'd say it's for slightly older children.

Also, they'd enjoy "The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende.

Thoie · 28-07-2014 11:45AM

Another vote for Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising Sequence. Diana Wynne Jones had lots for that age group - two that are coming to mind are Eight Days of Luke and The Ogre Downstairs.

I always liked Little House on the Prairie, though it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Anne Holm had another book as well about the Danish PM's son being kidnapped. The Hostage. Looking at the reviews there, they're not fantastic (3.5 stars out of 5), but I remember really enjoying it at that age, and preferring it to I am David.

Swallows and Amazons, and all the Narnia books (except the last one) get my vote too.

Novel for 10-11 year olds that boys & girls would enjoy

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