Children’s books which are generally suitable for children age nine to twelve
Published: 2000 Theme: Adjusting to Loss Best for: 10 and up "I wondered if the same was true of children, that sometimes you can't control things and sometimes you have to let go. Maybe you even have to let go of your parents." This is a simple and beautiful children's book that deals with a difficult situation: a child losing her parents in an accident...
Published 1979 Theme: Being Different Best for: 11 and up "Belladonna had always been a white witch...Flowers sprung up where she walked, ... and from the age of 6, there had always been someone nesting in Belladonna's golden hair." This is probably the most unlikely children's book I would have ever expected to find myself recommending. Especially after writing a blog post saying...
Published: 1902 Theme: Be Careful What You Wish for! Suitable for: all ages Five Stars From the very opening pages, Nesbit has us, the reader, firmly in her grip. Right away, you picture the children so eager to be free of the confines of their city life, and you know something interesting will happen...
Published: 1972 Theme: Light over Dark Best for: 11 to 12 year olds The second in a series of five books, The Dark is Rising is an exciting, somewhat complex fantasy about the battle of the dark vs. the light with references to Arthurian legend, as well as Celtic and Norse mythology. Compelling writing...
Published: 1942 Theme: Adventures of Childhood Best for :9-12 The four children's books of The Melendy Quartet: The Saturdays, The Four-Story Mistake, Then There Were Five and A Spiderweb for Two, are a wonderful and timeless collection. The children of the family are folks you'd definitely like to meet...
First Published 1910 Theme: Resilience Best for: ages 9 - 12 Five Star "Of course, there must be lots of Magic in the world, but people don't know what it is like or how to make it. Perhaps the beginning is just to say nice things are going to happen until you make them happen." The power of nature to heal, the power of friendship to encourage, and the power of determination all combine in this classic...
Published 1952 Theme: Friendship Best for: Ages 8 and up "After all, what's a life anyway? We're born, we live a little, we die...By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle." A simple and moving story of friendship and humane treatment of animals...
Published 1991 Theme: Freedom of Expression Best for: ages 11 and up Five Stars This brilliantly written story by Salman Rushie both enchants children and makes adults think deeply about the importance of stories, writers and freedom in keeping a culture alive...
Published 2003 Theme: Courage to Love Best for: 9 and up "Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning. Tell Gregory a story. Make some light." A story that doesn't shy away from the dark, but brings the beauty of light into the world...
Published 1908 Theme: Friendship Best for: Any Age Five Stars "At last over the rim of the waiting earth, the moon lifted with slow majesty till it swung clear of the horizon and rode off, free of moorings..."The lyrical nature of the writing alone would be enough to rave about the book. But that's just the beginning...
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