‘Tween Fiction (aka What I’ve been Reading Lately)

September 11, 2012

written by Cathy Baker, mom of 2 tween girls, livin’ in the Missouri Ozarks

Lately my girls have been bringing home thick books. Chapter books. Books that I might check out at the library. Books with covers that make me go…hmmm (both good and bad hmmm). Well I’ve been curious as to what these books are all about, so I’ve been reading them! And confession time…I’ve been LOVING these books! For one, they are super easy read and I can easily finish most of them in two days or less. Secondly, after my girls read it, or as they are reading it, we can talk about the story! Lastly, they are just good stories!

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea – I saw my daughter’s librarian at the pool this summer, and she said this was her favorite read of the summer. So, I checked it out to read! What a great book about the influence a teacher can have on a group of students. Fun characters, great plot, and love the dollar words throughout the story! I still haven’t convinced my girls to read it yet, but I’m working on it! 🙂 I think they think it’s a ‘boy book’.

Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry – Historical Fiction during WWII. Through the eyes of a 10 year old danish girl we see her family smuggle their Jewish friends out of the country. I can’t wait to read more Lois Lowry, it was good!

Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell- Story of a 16 year old girl who’s parents have her future all planned out for her – but her eccentric grandma sends her a ticket to explore southeast Asia with her for the summer. The lessons and truths she learns that summer are life changing. Is a mild love-story mingled in, but it only involves a kiss. (psst – This was the cover that made me go hmmm.)

Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng- Story of an orphan who dreams bigger dreams for her life. The book of hypnotism allows her the opportunity to pursue her dreams, and in the end, discover what is really important in life. We don’t believe in hypnotism in our family, but it was still a good read!

Love, Aubrey by Suzanne M. Lafleur – My daughter read this for a book report last year. A heart warming story about a girl who has lost her dad and sister (to death) and her mom (to mental illness) and is living with her grandma and trying to find her way. She writes letters to people throughout the book as she processes life. My daughter is re-reading the book right now.

My girls would also highly recommend these Fudge Series Books by Judy Blume. Gotta love books that make kids laugh out loud!

And they seem a bit fascinated with the wacky Wayside School books by Louis Sachar. Not really my thing, but I’m glad they love the quirkiness of them!

And on Mondays, since my daughter has Library that day, you can bet that as soon as she gets home, I’m asking her what book she checked out, which translates to: ‘what new book did you bring home for me to read?!’ So, do you have tweens? What do they enjoying reading these days?! Do you read their books too?

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Category: Books, For Kids
Tags: Reading, tween fiction |

3 Comments »

Marykate Wurster
on September 11, 2012 9:20 pm
This is great – I will be coming to you for advice at some point! I cant wait for my kids to read my old favorites – Anne of Green Gables, Where the Red Ferns Grow. Just a couple more years!
Julie R.
on September 12, 2012 9:28 am
Thanks for the recommendations, I’ll be looking at those. I have a 11yo son and I love reading his books for the same reasons that you write about.
School reads for the summer included “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park (last summer read was “A Single Shard” by the same author), The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick. Last summer also included Where the Red Fern Grows, and A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck. (I thought the first in the series was HILARIOUS that ended up reading the entire series). Would also recommend Lyddie written by Katherine Paterson. I also liked The Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. LOVED the Percy Jackson series (and can’t wait until the next one comes out).
Read and enjoyed learning while reading Witness by Karen Hesse — however warning with this one, it deals with civil rights and KKK issues, so make sure your kids are mature enough to deal with this one before they read it. Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson is another good “learning about others” book.
I also enjoyed the first in the series of The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (I have meant to read the rest but haven’t gotten to it yet) The Mysterious Benedict Society is another that i have read the first of the series, but have been meaning to read the rest.
The 39 Clues series we also read together.
My son has also read the “Warriors” series (cats), Guardians of Ga’hoole (owls), and Eragon (dragons) but I didn’t read those myself.

Happy reading to you and your girls.
Cathy
on September 12, 2012 5:41 pm
Oh, I love all these suggestions!! Thanks!! Can’t wait to read some of them!