I had to split up the list of book recommendations for 11 year olds because it was getting too long. the first list of books is here, this is the second list. I hope this gives you lots of great ideas about what your 11 year old can read next and after that and after that. . .
more recommended books for 11-year-olds (6th grade)
list of books for 11 year olds
You are reading: Mystery books for 11 year olds
non-fiction books for 11 year olds
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate REALISTIC Crenshaw is the new book from the author of The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, and it’s another amazing story dealing with poverty. I read this book after my 10-year old who loved it as much as me. After having lost their home and living in their van for 3 months, the family is now about to lose their apartment. Although Jackson’s parents don’t tell him this, he knows the signs. He knows why they’re having a yard sale. He knows it’s not his dad’s fault for having MS but he’s mad and worried and alone. It isn’t until Crenshaw shows up and pushes Jackson to speak the truth to his parents that Jackson learns that he’s not facing this alone. Oh, and who is Crenshaw? He’s Jackson’s large, imaginary cat friend from when he was little returned to help Jackson in his time of need. I felt like it was a God metaphor. I wonder what you’ll think?
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson REALISTIC / GRAPHIC NOVEL Roller Girl shows the struggles of friendship and finding your place in the world as Astrid works hard to become a better roller derby skater, reconcile her ending friendship with her best friend, and develop a new one. (I recommend going to a roller derby event with your kids to help them know more about this cool sport for girls — it’s such a blast and would be helpful for reading this book, but not essential.) Well-written and relatable.
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A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord REALISTIC When Lily befriends Salma Santiago, a migrant worker’s daughter, Salma gives Lily a new perspective on life — to dream big, to see the possibilities in everything — even for Lily’s blind dog named Lucky. Salma also sees the possibility of winning the local Blueberry Queen pageant for a college scholarship. Lily worries that the community won’t accept someone who isn’t blond and white. This novel is a tender story about friendship and growing up.
Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds SUPERHERO Miles’ spidey sense is whacking out when he’s at school, especially in his history class. Add to that, he’s worried he will turn out like his criminal uncle. So, Miles, who is Puerto-Rican and African American, stops being Spider Man. Until he discovers a chilling plot of men named Chamberlain who work under the control of The Warden. Now, he must use all his skills to save the world from a racist threat. You’ll love the diversity, the two-parent family, and the complexity of Miles’ character.
The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner Magical Realism One of my favorite books of 2016, The Seventh Wish is a magically captivating coming-of-age story filled with friendship and family challenges and . . . wishes. charlie is struggling with her sister leaving for college and subsequent problems with drug addiction, lack of attention from her parents, and trying to find meaning in her life . So when she accidentally catches a wishing fish while ice fishing, she’s sure the fish will solve all her problems. just that’s not exactly what happens.
jack and the genies at the bottom of the world by bill nye and gregory mone mystery / stem (series) jack and his genie brothers, ava and matt, are orphans who start working for a scientist / inventor named dr. Spoon The three accompany their chief inventor to the Arctic for a scientific competition where they discover that one of the researchers has gone missing. Is it because he made the greatest discovery of his life and another scientist is jealous? a decent read for science and mystery enthusiasts, but be prepared for a slow pace.
heart of a samurai by margi preus historical fiction an award-winning historical fiction adventure set in the late 19th century about manjiro, a castaway 14-year-old Japanese boy who is rescued and adopted by the captain of an American ship. Americans are very prejudiced against the Japanese, but when he returns to Japan, he is rejected as an outsider there and imprisoned. excellent.
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sticks and stones by abby cooper realistic now that elyse is twelve years old, it’s not just the words other people say about her that show up on her skin, but also her own internal dialogue. the words stay about two weeks and the negative words sting a lot. because there are a lot of negative words at the moment since her best friend left her. anonymous notes encourage elyse to try new things and get out of her comfort zone. she does and is amazed at the positive results, including self-acceptance. this would be an interesting book to discuss with a reading group.
the lions of little rock by kristin levine historical fiction two good friends are separated by segregation in 1958 arkansas. but their friendship turns dangerous with kkk, threatening phone calls, and a police force that does nothing.
tony diterlizzi’s search for wondla the fantasy follows eva nine, a 12-year-old girl raised by a robot named muthr underground who discovers a planet with unusual creatures and no humans. the only trace of humanity she has is a piece of paper with the letters “wondla” on it. It’s a magical adventure you won’t want to put down.
the extraordinary journey of charlie price by jennifer maschari realist this book is a journey of pain with an enticing world of allegorical shadows where charlie and imogene price’s mother is “alive”. but all is not well in this world of shadows where memories are lost, especially the sad ones, to “feed” relatives who have died. Charlie is afraid of losing her sister, Imogene. forever to the world of shadows, as she did with her best friend, frank. Very well written, this is a thoughtful treatment of emotions and grief. I highly recommend it, especially for book club discussions.
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