Monday, June 9, 2014

All-Time Best Book Series for 10-Year-Olds & Then Some


It's SUMMER TIME and that means Summer Reading! This morning Scholastic shared a great article via their Facebook page from Parents.com listing their all time favorite books for 10 years olds. I've included their list below and then added a few other series I think are great for reading. Summer is the perfect time to get your reader hooked on a great series. 


Here are our all-time best book series for 10 year olds, roughly placed in order of reading level difficulty. 

Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults winner, this graphic novel series is action-packed, exciting, and suspenseful. Check out the Amulet series trailer here

The 39 Clues by Rick Riordan and various authors
These books are quick reads packed with adventure, mystery, and fun, as Dan and Amy do what they can to solve the mystery of the Cahill family. Kids especially love the media tie-in with the interactive website

Magic and mysticism, adventure, and excitement are strewn throughout these books, in which David Rain, Liz and Lucy Pennykettle, Zanna Martindale, and the evil sibyl Gwilanna seek to save dragons, nature, and humankind.  Kids must check out the super-cool microsite for the series

A favorite of many 10-year-olds, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are graphic novels that tell the story of Greg, a regular guy with a "regular" life. Check out the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book trailer

BONE series by Jeff Smith
A 9-part series, the Bone cousins explore, protect, and defend life as they know it, fighting dragons, nasty weather, supernatural creatures, and more. You can find tons of Bone resources for fans on the BONE microsite.

The Babysitters Club of the mid '80s has received a new look and a whole new mini-series with the Friends Forever books.  There are dozens of books in this series, and kids love them. Scholastic even has a cool microsite for BSC.  

Percy Jackson fights mythological creatures alongside his demi-god friends in this series that will get your 10-year-olds chatting about all things Greek before you know it. 

Warriors series by Erin W. Hunter
Erin Hunter brings to life the underworld of cats in this series where readers watch as different clans of cats vie for power, control, and ultimately, life.  With over 40 books in this series, kids can really get into the action. 

Spirit Animals series by Brandon Mull and other authors
These books are flying off the shelves like hotcakes as they are released, because kids everywhere are devouring them. Four children -- Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan -- discover they have animal bonds—rare links that give them powers between human and beast.  Readers totally love the Spirit Animals site for games, information, and more. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, illustrated by Carson Ellis
They answered the ad, "ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD looking for special opportunities?" Now follow Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance as they embark upon numerous challenges, tests, and adventures that test their smarts and strength.  Okay, so this is number eleven series, and I said I was only sharing the top ten. I can't help it! There are great series out there for 10-year-olds!

The Secret series by pseudonymous bosch
Everything about this 5-book series is top secret, from start to finish. All you need to know is that Cass and Max Ernest are two friendless 11-year-olds who solve a mystery about a dead magician and the clues he left behind. 

And of course, if your child hasn't started the infamous series by J.K. Rowling about the brave, young wizard Harry Potter, then the seven-part Harry Potter book series that must be conquered!  

I really like this list! It's a great mix of new, classic, and widely popular books that kids 8-10 love reading.

I often times get asked what books I'd recommend for readers 9-11 years old, and more often then not I have a hard time listing my favorites, because kids at this age are at various stages of reading levels. I would recommend many of the books listed above, but and I would also like to add a few others that I feel are fabulous series as well.

* Beyonders series by Brandon Mull
* The League of Princes series by Christopher Healy
* The Unwanted series by Lisa McMann
* Five Kingdoms by Brandon Mull
* Wildwood Chronicles by Colin Meloy & Carson Ellis
* The Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger
* The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen
* Ever After High series by Shannon Hale
* The School for Good & Evil series by Soman Chainani

I hope that in sharing this list, and adding to it with my own list, that it will help you in finding something that your child will be able to read and fall in love with reading this summer. Cheers to SUMMER READING!

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~