Beyond Harry Potter: Books you would recommend for younger readers

The Thief Lord, Cornelia Funke

The Mysterious Benedict Society, Trenton Lee Stewart

Eragon, Christopher Paolini

Eldest, Christopher Paolini

Hoot, Carl Hiassen

The City of Ember, Jeanne DuPrau

Gregor the Overlander, Suzanne Collins

Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine

Of course, Melinda!

Melanie, funny you should mention The Thief Lord because I'm reading aloud to the family right now. We're in the early chapters - no spoilers please *wink*

Inspired by the books mentioned so far, I would add Funke's Inkheart as well. That was a huge hit at my house.

The Trumpet of the Swan
Charlotte's Web
Stuart Little (Oh man, so much better than the movies)
(E.B. White)

Black Beauty (Anna Sewell)

Beezuz and Ramona (Beverly Cleary)

The Once and Future King (T. H. White)

The Edge Chronicles are excellent reading in parts of the series. Tanglewreck is an amazing Jeannette Winterson book for tweens/teens but completely and utterly absorbing for "grown ups." Percy Jackson/Lightning Thief books are fabulous. Chasing Vermeer and The Wright Three-very engaging. Muddle Earth books are perfect for your school aged child with a sense of humor. Umm yeah, I uh read juvenile books. Just to keep up with things and the kids.

_Cheaper by the Dozen_ and it's sequel _Belles on Their Toes_ (Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey). I was from a small family and this was a window on a world that was almost unimaginable to me.

I'd second the Wrinkle In Time Quartet--A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, Many Waters, A Swiftly Tilting Planet (Madeline L'Engle). They were an amazing voyage into a world where being smart was valued and anything seemed possible.

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings (Tolkien) because they taught me that even little people can do great things.

One that I adored as a child, because it was about a girl who felt so different from the rest of the world and who was searching for others like her..._The Girl with Silver Eyes_ (Willo Davis Roberts)

I'm also a big fan of _Am I Blue_ (Marion Dane Bauer and Beck Underwood), a series of short stories about GLBT young adults written by popular young adult authors. The stories are touching and beautiful, sad and celebratory.

I'd also agree with Melinda, above, The Chronicles of Narnia series (CS Lewis). Each one was magical and they all manage to come together at the end.

Dolphin Diaries series
Babysitters Club series
Anything by Cornelia Funke
American Girl books that go along with the dolls. They give a good story for little girls to read along with a good historical context so they can learn about that time period.

Mike Lupica, Bump and Run, Travel Team, Wild Pitch, Red Zone. Great for boys.

Melinda - I LOVED Babysitters Club. I also remember begging my mom for the newest one. I used to order them through Scholastic book orders!

Island of the Blue Dolphins (Scott O'Dell)

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series (I read this when I was 21 but it was written for tween and teen aged girls)
what about trying to get them involved with some of the classics? i wish i would have started on the classics at a younger age...The Great Gatsby, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimb, Charlotte's Web. In 5th grade I read a great book called Z for Zachariah with my class.

Wow, where to begin? I love that so many of these books also appeal to adult readers and aren't necessarily "written down" to younger readers.

Yes, definitely the Narnia series, with the caveat of starting with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, as it was the original story penned by Lewis. The order they are in now is chronologically correct, but doesn't grab you nearly as well. TLTWATW is the best of the series, and should be read first.

I live the Wrinkle In Time series, at least the first three. I finally was able to get hold of a copy of Many Waters recently, and I can't believe it, but I actually put it in the Goodwill box to go away - it was that BAD. Horrid, I can hardly believe the same author as the wonderful first three wrote this one. (And, this is another case of, it's out of order chronologically. But it was the 4th book written.)



Couple more books:

Bridge To Terabithia

Jacob Have I Loved

Julia:

If you like The Thief Lord, do rent the movie once you finish. It's very faithful to the book, and quite charming. :-)

Gregor the Overlander somehow got lost in the shuffle - probably because of Potter Mania. However, I think it will eventually become a much sought-after classic.

By the way, Cleary is currently work on a script adaptation for "Ramona Quimby."

Thanks, Melanie! I didn't realize there was a movie of The Thief Lord, that might be a big hit with the kidlet (who am I kidding, a hit with everyone) once we finish the book...

Diana, thanks for the scoop!

I'm not surprised to see the Narnia series listed here, but I'm sort of wondering why there is only one mention of the Little House series. It is a great "soft" introduction to U.S. history, and might encourage more reading along those lines.

I might also recommend two books by Sean Covey: Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens and The Six Most Importnat Decisions You will Ever Make: A Guide for Teens. Leave them around the house, they'll get read and they are excellent, concise and topical.

I remember enjoying "The Great Brain" series as a kid, and Matt Christopher sports stories; don't know if they're still around!