For the most part, Charlie and Olive enjoy the same books, with a particular interest in fantasy and Greek mythology, but they will read just about anything. Olive really enjoys books with strong female protagonists, so I’m always on the lookout for them. I love that Charlie reads them too! Here are some books Olive recently read and recommends!
Ella Enchanted (1997) – I recommended this Newbery Honor winning book to Olive and when she makes a point to tell me that she loved the book, that means she really loved it. Ella Enchanted is a modern retelling of Cinderella with a host of magical supporting characters, but Ella is the one who ends up saving the prince. It reminds me of one of my favorite Cinderella-based movies, Ever After. Now we have to watch the movie versions of Ella Enchanted and Ever After!
Princess Academy (2015) – Olive loved Ella Enchanted so much, I was looking for something similar and came across Newbery Honor winning Princess Academy. Olive couldn’t put it down and read the entire 3 book series in 2 days! I wouldn’t have guessed from the title and cover that this coming of age tale actually focuses on the importance of educating girls.
The Two Princesses of Bamarre (2012) and The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre (2018) – Gail Carson Levine wrote The Two Princesses of Bamarre as Book 2 in the Ella Enchanted series. The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre came six years later, and is meant to be a prequel to The Two Princesses of Bamarre. I just downloaded Fairest and Ever, which are books 3 and 4 in the Enchanted series. Gail Carson Levine’s books that combine strong female heroines and fantasy are a winning combination for Olive.
Upside Down Magic – Whenever Olive asks me to get the next book in a series, I know it’s a winner. She really enjoyed this 8 books series about Nory, a 9-year-old girl who attends an upside down magic class with other students who have wonky magic. Through a diverse cast of classmates, Nory learns that it can be awesome to be different.
The War I Finally Won (2018) – Both my kids loved the Newbery winning historical fiction book The War that Saved My Life about World War II, and The War I Finally Won is a worthy sequel that picks up right where the first left off. I’ve heard that the audiobook version of these books are great as well.
The Babysitters Club – Ann Martin’s classic series has been reimagined into graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier, one of our favorite authors who wrote Smile, Sisters, Drama and Guts.
City of Ember (2004) – City of Ember is a post-apocalyptic science fiction story about a city called Ember that was built hundreds of years ago, but is now close to running out of supplies and being plunged into darkness when electricity runs out. The two protagonists find a clue left by the Builders of Ember and try to figure out how to escape. There is also a graphic novel version of this book, and I just found out that there are 3 more parts in the Ember series!
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We’re loading our kindles for our flight to the US. Any middle grade book recommendations your kids have loved lately?
guest
My 11 year old has been reading the Spy School series. Also really liked the 13 story tree house books.
guest
We really like Grace Lin’s Books- Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Where the Sea Turns to Silver. And Lin’s illustrations are beautiful!
cantaloupe / 6086 posts
City of Ember is on my list to check out soon!
All the Mysterious Benedict Society books were a hit here for our almost 10 year old. Harry Potter on repeat. And she just started the Apothecary series – didn’t hook her right away but by the end of the first book she was into it and asking for the next. She also enjoyed Wonder, some of the Kate DiCamillo novels … trying to remember what else she’s read in the past year!
guest
your kids’ book profile sounds just like mine! Our reader’s latest favorite series was the Keeper of the Lost Cities series. Also on our shelf right now: Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee, Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom by Sangu Mandanna; Thunder Gods (and Goddess Girls) series; The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander, Pilfer Academy by Lauren Magaziner, Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack, Saving Fable by Scott Reintgen .. Happy Reading!
coffee bean / 42 posts
my daughter loves the warrior cats series and several of her friends are into it too!
guest
My kids love the Green Glass House series as well as The VanderBeekers series. If you want something spooky for Halloween, Small Spaces by Katherine Arden (and the books that follow) are great for 8-12!
nectarine / 2210 posts
Definitely Front Desk! There’s two sequels to it, but I’ve only read the first.
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
My kids have read spy school, mysterious benedict society, warriors, vanderbeekers, 13 story treehouse, keeper of the lost cities and front desk. Their fave out of those series has been warriors and the treehouse series!