Book suggestions for 7th grader

[dairy2dogs]

My dd is in 7th grade. She has an anxiety disorder and is a reluctant reader. She has a class called recreational reading where she's graded on how many books she reads (and then takes a comprehension test or does a report). She tends to pick books that are below her reading level. (in 6th grade tested at an 8.something reading level) She loves the Dear Dumb Diary series but has read them all. She had a little melt down at school today when they were trying to get her to pick a new book. Does anyone have any suggestions for a book she may like? I'm going to try to take her to the book store and look for something tonight if possible. Thanks.

[Thalia the Muse]

It sounds like she enjoys having something comfortable and familiar, so I'd go with a long series where you can just read book after book and they're all essentially the same. My daughter has just gotten into the original Nancy Drew mysteries in a BIG way -- and there's something like 60 of them, so if she likes them she can just keep going and going ...

[April Dawn]

There's a series called Ellie Mcdoodle by Ruth McNally Barshaw that's very similar to the Dear Dumb Diary books. I also wonder if she'd like the Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin van Draanen if you want to nudge her towards a more challenging book - those are a series of mysteries, but more funny and offbeat than many mystery series. There's also an author named Gennifer Choldenko with some funny stuff for middle schoolers; titles include Al Capone Does My Shirts and Notes From a Liar and Her Dog. Frances O'Roark Dowell has some great stuff for girls, including Dovey Coe and The Secret Language of Girls. HTH!

[Linda on the move]

I agree with getting her started on a series. Both my DDs really like Warrors, which is about a bunch of cats that live in clans with medicine cats, clans leaders, elders, etc.

This series isn't hard, and it got our next door neighbor with ADHD reading!

How about reading the first few chapters of whatever you pick together? The first chapter books my kids read were books that I was reading a chapter aloud at bed time, but it was taking too long so they eventually picked up the books and finished them on their own.

[kathymuggle]

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is similar to Dear Dumb Diary. All 3 of my kids read them

I would suggest the library instead of bookstore - no $$ lost if what she picks out does not work for her.

[LynnS6]

The other thing is to don't worry if she reads books for pleasure that are "under" her reading level. I'm assuming that in some part of reading class, they'll give her stuff at her instructional level. But there's a lot of value in reading some things that are a little below your instructional level. You can build vocab (some of my best vocabulary words have come from reading 'cozy' mysteries), and you can see reading as fun.

Ask the librarian about series that might be good for her - Nancy Drew has a gazillion of them, Trixie Belden has quite a few. If she doesn't like mysteries/adventure, get some lists from the librarian and see what you can find.

[Linda on the move]

update please!!! How did the trip to the bookstore go??

[dairy2dogs]

Thank you all so much. Sorry its been so long for the update. Its been crazy lately. We actually didn't make it to the bookstore but she picked out a book about ghosts at target, that's probably above her reading level. I just never know what I'm going to get with her. We call her our box of chocolates! I wrote down all of your sugestion in case she doesn't click with this book. I think I'll go to the library without her and see what I can find to bring home for her. That way she won't have the anxiety of being there influencing her decision. Thanks again!

[zebra15]

Take her to the library and meet up with the kids/teen librarian. The libarian is a great resource.

[ollyoxenfree]

Just a few more suggestions:

The Clarice Bean books by Lauren Child are about the same level as the Dumb Diary books

Hilary McKay's books about the Casson family (Saffy's Angel, Indigo's Star, Permanent Rose etc.) are a slightly easier level, according to Lexile, but I think they might appeal a little more to a 7th grader

The Alice books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor are good, and follow Alice from 5th or 6th grade through middle school and into high school.

[claras_mom]

I have no idea what "level" they're supposed to be at...but there are always the classics:

The Secret Garden
Wind in the Willows
the Little House on the Prairie series

stuff like that.

[Thalia the Muse]

Oh, Clarice Bean is wonderful! The same character appears in some picture books and some chapter books, which is a little confusing, but the chapter books are: Utterly Me, Clarice Bean; Clarice Bean Spells Trouble; and Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now.

I like reading them myself, actually.

[neptunemama]

A couple of good series are:

The Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter. The first one is I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You. The series is about girl spies. My older dd who is 11 loved this series.

The Midnighters, and also the series that begins with Uglies, both by Scott Westerfeld.

Magic in Manhattan by Mylnowski. The first one is Bras and Broomsticks.

And non-series books:

Anything by Wendy Mass. A Mango Shaped Space, Every Soul a Star and several others. All are wonderful.

Hoot, Flush and Scat by Carl Hiassen