I was working through some of my old teaching stuff and came across some books I used to LOVE reading to my students (ages 8-11). These were the ones I knew would make them sit on the edge of their seats, hanging on to my every word. These were the ones I couldn’t WAIT to start reading to them, and the ones that made them howl in protest whenever I stopped for the day and inserted my bookmark. These were the ones that gave us fodder for rich and deep discussion on real-world topics– the stories they remembered years later. There are millions of wonderful chapter and picture books out there, but here are some of my favorites!
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Chapter books
School Story
(9-10 yrs)
While Frindle
By the Great Horn Spoon
(9-10 yrs)
This one takes a little while to get into, but is worth the initial investment. I love the rich description and history in this book, and once the students get used to the setting and storyline, they fall in love with the characters and can’t wait to hear the next chapter! Get past the first few chapters of this one, and your child will be begging you to “please read just one more chapter” with them!
Maniac Magee
(10+ yrs)
This one is a little heavier, and perhaps more appropriate for a more mature audience. Jerry Spinelli delves deeply into topics of racism and the socioeconomic divide. I appreciate that he goes there and have used this book as a diving board to talk about some of the bigger issues in our society, especially as we approach the third Monday every January (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day). Spinelli uses beautiful figurative language and weaves such complex and believable characters that readers cannot help but find themselves wrapped up in the story line.
Holes
(10+ yrs)
Do not let the title or front cover deceive you. This book is great. It is captivating from the get-go, and will not let you go until you have finished the very last page. I would have never given it a chance if it hadn’t been for a fifth grader of mine who, in 2006, told me it was the best book she had ever read. I had to give it a shot. You should, too!
Picture books
The Widow’s Broom
(8-10yrs)
One of my first Chris Van Allsburg books, and one of my favorites. This is a great read leading up to Halloween, and one of my go-to texts when I start teaching students how to write about characters. Students will be drawn in to the fate of the broom and love the ending! Note: It does involve a witch and a magical broom, in case that’s not your cup of tea.
The Sweetest Fig
(8-10yrs)
Another of my Chris Van Allsburg favorites, this thought-provoking story is a classic “you get what you deserve!” story. I like that this story takes place in a time closer to our present-day world, but is still full of Van Allsburg’s trademark magic, fantasy, and surprise.
The Wreck of the Zephyr
(8-10yrs)
Yet another of my Chris Van Allsburg favorites, this magical story picks students up right out of the classroom and plops them onto the sandy beach in another place, another time. Van Allsburg captures our imaginations and takes us on a delightful ride while teaching a little lesson on pride and humility along the way.
The Wretched Stone
(8-10yrs)
This unforgettable story will make your students laugh in delight, cringe in horror, and reflect on their own habits as you read and experience Van Allsburg’s masterful storytelling once again. (Seriously, I love this author– can you tell??) Whip this book out when you’re tired of telling your kids to stop vegetating in front of the TV. Give them this good book to read that tells them to find a good book to read (without them realizing exactly what you’re up to ;)). Tip: You might have to read this together with them and guide them a bit to figure out what the author’s message really is. A great opportunity to practice using inferences!
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick
(8-10yrs)
This original and captivating book offers few words and leaves a lot to the imagination. It begins with a story of how the editor once had a mysterious visitor who left these fascinating illustrations behind, but never made it back to deliver the stories they came from. These stories will forever remain a mystery. Students (and teachers!) explode with curiosity and imagination as they study the spellbinding illustrations and titles in this book.
Tuesday
(8-10yrs)
Without using a word, David Weisner takes us on a fun flying adventure that is bound to spark your child’s imagination and inspire fits of giggles. Also consider David Wiesner’s Flotsam
Amos and Boris
(9-10yrs)
This book is full of beautiful descriptive detail and figurative language. In my writer’s workshop, I use it to teach… beautiful descriptive detail and figurative language! Some of the vocabulary might be a bit advanced for some students, so a preview of some unfamiliar words can help make this one more accessible to everyone.
Fly Away Home
(9-10yrs)
This book is a heartbreaker, but in a way that hopefully moves your students to action. It gives the readers a glimpse of the life of a boy and his father that live at an airport while his father is out of work. This is a book you can use to start conversations on socioeconomic realities and encourage more compassion, care, and empathy in your students.
Those are some of my top picks– what are yours?? Would love to hear any of your favorites from any age level!
10 responses to “My Favorite Books for 8-11 Year Olds”
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“By the Great Horn Spoon” fits right in with our CA History unit on the Gold Rush. I always follow the book with the movie adaptation “Bullwhip Griffin” (1960’s Roddy McDowell – Classic!) Then we have a good discussion comparing the book to the movie. I haven’t heard of many of the books you mention. I will have to check them out. Thanks for the suggestions!
Yes! I always read it in conjunction with our Gold Rush unit =) They remembered a whole lot more from this book than they did with our textbook! We also followed it up with the same movie adaptation and discussed similarities/differences! Do you have other favorites to recommend?
Love, love, love your book picks! I get so excited thinking about all of the great literature I will get to share with my own kids in the not too distant future. Thanks for sharing! I often wonder what the top book picks are for other teachers.
Thanks!! I TOTALLY agree. My shelves are bursting with books that I have to stop myself from reading to her (since most are completely not age-appropriate) but I can’t WAIT to introduce her to in a few years!! 😀 What are your top picks?
Thanks for these tips Joellen! I am embarrassed to admit I haven’t read (or heard) of most of these books. I’ll definitely be keeping this list for future when Jaylee’s older. 🙂
There are a MILLION children’s books out there– no need to be embarrassed! Glad you find the list helpful!
Great list! I have read most of them but did add a few to my library list. For wordless books I love Mercer Meyer’s A Boy, A Dog and a Frog books and of course Good Dog Carl. I was a middle school librarian for many years and used picture books in so many ways. I read mostly children and YA books to this day. There are so many wonderful authors. I love teaching history with fiction because it fills in the lines between the facts they read in their history books. Thanks for sharing.
There is something different about children and YA books that I enjoy, too :). Thanks for the recs, Dawn!
Such an awesome list… (and funny, because I’m working on a post of little kids books that we love). I LOVED Maniac Magee as a child and read it over and over. Other than Holes, though, I haven’t read any of the others. I’ll have to check them out, especially as Munchkin gets older. I have a Pinterest board where I try to keep track of books that I loved to share with him later.
That’s a great idea to start the Pinterest board! I just assume we’ll come across it in the library at some point or another, but I guess my memory isn’t always perfect so a Pinterest board may be the way to go. I look forward to seeing your list!