Reddit mentions: The best friendship books for children

I second the Tamora Pierce suggestion. Also definitely Gregor the Overlander! Suzanne Collin's lesser known series (she wrote Hunger Games). I recently finished reading (it's a 5-book series) and it was FANTASTIC. Just amazing. It's a YA series. The House of the Scorpion is also great, might be for your stronger readers. Eragon series is fun, and Dealing with Dragons is still one of my all-time favorite dragon books/series. Bruce Coville is a great author, and his work might be a little young but it's good to have a mix. I absolutely loved everything of his I have read, but especially Aliens Ate My Homework and the rest of that series. Most of these will appeal to the young men, hopefully.



When I was a young lady, I read pretty much anything, but I know a lot of boys like books with a boy main character. I really was a bit horse crazy, so here's some you might look into for your young ladies. The Saddle Club is a very long series about 3 girls and their horse-y adventures. It was really fun and it's great to find longer series because, if they like the first one, there's a lot to enjoy. (Oh a thought - you could always get the first one in a series, then just tell them to get the rest from the library or something, if there's budget concerns) I also liked the Thoroughbred Series and the wonderful Marguerite Henry horse books, especially the famous Misty of Chincoteague but really any of her books is a good read. My all time favorite horse series was and still is The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. Oh, how I loved that book.


There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom was fantastic the first time I read it, and I also like the "Wayside School" books which are both by Louis Sachar. Judy Blume is fun as is Beverly Cleary. Redwall gets a lot of kids into reading, you also might consider some high-level comics/graphic novels to reach a different audience. The Hobbit Graphic Novel has great illustration and I loved reading it so much when I found it one day in a store.


I found history pretty boring so avoided those books but I did enjoy The King's Swift Rider about Robert the Bruce and Scotland, might be the only vaguely historical book I remember reading around those ages. I tried to avoid mystery books more or less, but I loved Encyclopedia Brown (even though according to Amazon it's for younger ages). I enjoyed Harriet the Spy she was a pretty cool girl role-model at the time. My Side of the Mountain was absolutely fantastic and such a great adventure, though I enjoy everything Jean Craigshead George writes. I feel like Julie of the Wolves is pretty standard reading material, maybe not anymore, but what a great story. Oh my gosh, I just about forgot The Indian in the Cupboard, that was such a good story. Anything Roald Dahl is wonderful as is Jane Yolen, I especially recommend the Pit Dragon trilogy. The Golden Compass, So You Want to be A Wizard, Animorphs, Goosebumps, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Kiki Strike, Dinotopia, Song of the Gargoyle and The City of Ember.


I am sure that is way more than you need, but my mind started racing. It was hard to stop once I started -- thank you for that enjoyable tour through my past. Lots of great memories of time spent reading. Hope you find some of this helpful, at least.

I apologize for responding to this post at a time so late after it was originally posted! I saw it and saved it so that I could respond when I had a lot of time at the computer!

1. Don't Let Me Go (#1)
   
2. Where You Are (#2)
   
3. Just Between Us (#3) by J.H. Trumble
   
4. Openly Straight (#1)
   
5. Honestly Ben (#2) by Bill Konigsberg
   
6. Geography Club (The Russell Middlebrook Series Book #1)
   
7. The Order of the Poison Oak (The Russell Middlebrook Series Book #2) by Brent Hartinger
   
8. The Porcupine of Truth by Bill Konigsberg
   
9. More Happy Than Not
   
10. History Is All You Left Me
    
11. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
    
12. One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva
    
13. Whatever.: or how junior year became totally f$@cked by S.J. Goslee
    
14. Wonders of the Invisible World by Christopher Barzak
    
    
    Sorry for the incredibly long list but all of these books are freaking phenomenal! I think they're all YA (young adult) but that shouldn't stop anyone from reading these treasures! I thought I'd link each title to Amazon so that you could read the description of the book!
    
    
    Books 1, 2 & 3 by J.H. Trumble were some of the first LGBT themed books I'd ever read and absolutely loved them! The three books don't necessarily have to be read in that order but some of the characters, if I remember correctly, from the first and second book are mentioned later down the line. Reading it in order might make it a bit more cohesive!
    
    
    4 & 5 by Bill Konigsberg feature two amazing characters that really shine and in due time you'll want to reach inside the pages of the book and force them to be happy together yourself!
    
    
    6 & 7 were fairly quick reads. Definitely enjoyable. There are more books in the series that I've yet to have read.
    
    
    8 is another book by Bill Konigsberg. It's about two kids who go on a road trip to find a family member. It's not as LGBT-themed necessarily as the others but it has a nice chunk of LGBT history in the third act that makes it's a really worthwhile read in that it makes you feel closer to the characters!
    
    
    9, 10 and 11. Jesus. These books will stay with you for ages. I swear. They're so damn good and incredibly well written! Adam Silvera knows how to write a good story and intriguing characters that will stay engraved in your memory days, weeks, and months (for me) after you've read them. These three books could be read in any order as the characters in each book are different. 10 was really good but in my opinion 9 and 11 are much better because the characters were way more memorable.
    
    
    12 was a really enjoyable read. The main character, Alek, is in summer school and befriends a kid named Ethan. They have totally different interests and personalities but they fit together like puzzle pieces! Alek also has a friend named Becky who has some great comedic lines.
    
    
    13 had its hot and heavy moments, that's for sure! In this book Mike is coming to terms with his sexuality and has a funny group of friends, plus it had some hilarious moments where I just couldn't help but bust out laughing!
    
    
    14 is a supernatural themed book with it's tiny share of LGBT moments. The supernatural element and overall story is really fascinating! It was a good book!
    
    
    The last book I read was the same as yours, Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda! It was SO good and I was really left wondering once it started reaching the end! I hope you get what I mean as that's all I'll say so that I don't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet!
    Over the years that I've read all of these books each one has made me long for what each of the characters had with the other character that they loved so dearly. They've all left a lasting impression on me, some definitely more than others, and I am always looking forward to reading more. I just got back from the library today with a couple more LGBT themed books and can't wait to read them! If any of them really stand out I'll let you know!!

Here are some books my kids love:

Picture books:

• Boot and Shoe by Marla Frazee - Sweet story of two dog brothers
  
  
• Look! A Book! by Bob Staake - Fun, funny I Spy type book but with an absurd silliness and fun rhymes
  
  
• And it's not really obscure since it's a NYT Bestseller but I'd be remiss if I didn't plug The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt since he's an old friend of mine. Plus my kids love it.
  
  Chapter books:
  
  Most of the chapter books my kids read are part of a series so they aren’t really obscure but my kids love them so I figured I’d note them in case you hadn’t heard of any of them:
  
  
• The Magic Treehouse series is a good series to start with for chapter books
  
  
• Bunnicula is hilarious
  
  
• Encyclopedia Brown – I loved them and now my son loves them
  
  
• Stink – My son loves that Stink and his friends are a lot like him and his friends. Their adventures are very relatable
  
  
• And my five year old daughter and I love Ivy and Bean and their antics. They’re laugh out loud funny and it’s great to have girl books that are about girls horsing around and getting into trouble. Ivy and Bean are real kids, not just precious little princesses in training.
  

Most queer coming-of-age stories are young adult (YA) literature, a genre I've liked since I was an actual young adult. These days YA writing is better than ever and most books are only classified as YA because the protagonists are young adults.

One of my favorites is Honestly Ben by Bill Konigsberg. Ben's story isn't the typical struggle with sexual identity and Ben is a character I'd actually like to know in real life and I'm sure I'll read Honestly Ben again. Honestly Ben is actually a sequel to Openly Straight. Openly Straight is also very good (with a modern twist of an openly gay teen tired of being The Gay Kid and wanting to have a "normal" high school life) so read it first (though you don't have to, Honestly Ben, which I think is the best of the two books, can stand alone).

Another favorite is True Letters From a Fictional Life by Kenneth Logan . It's a well written coming-of-age story featuring a guy who is just an ordinary guy dealing well but not simply with the fact that he's gay. The dialog between he and his friends was particularly good.

The Year of Ice by Brian Malloy. Senior year of a gay guy in 1978. The main character's thoughts and issues (which are minor) were realistic and somewhat humorous.

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera is a sort of sc-ifi novel, though the slight sci-fi bit is there to facilitate a story of identity and self acceptance.

Silvera's History Is All You Left Me is a well written sad tale of dealing with loss. And, as I said, it's a sad tale, but it's really good,

At the Edge of the Universe by Shaun David Hutchison is another sci-fi novel that isn't exactly sci-fi. Hutchinson's We Are the Ants is a similar novel. Both are good reads, and essentially deal with similar issues. I liked Universe better.


The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle isa good read. Somewhat funny.


David Levithan has written or co-written several coming-of-age books. He's very popular but I haven't really liked any of his books except You Know Me Well which is co-written with Nina Lacour.

​

Dave Holmes's Party of One: A Memoir in 21 Songs is a good coming-of-age memoir that mostly focuses on college years and shortly after. The book is enjoyable without any knowledge of who Holmes is, I'd never heard of him until I read this book. (Holmes was an MTV VJ in the late 90s and is now co-host of the really great podcast Homophilia.)


I found all of these books via libraries. I'd probably never have stumbled on any of them just by searching book sellers.

I have a few ideas. But I have no idea how easily available any of these will be for you.

Geronimo Stilton is a really popular series. It's not "my first chapter book" like Magic Treehouse, but closer to Nancy Drew or 39 Clues in reading level.

If he likes animals, there's the Warrior Cats series which is a large series as well. Somewhere between Nancy Drew and Harry Potter/Percy Jackson reading level.

The author also writes Seekers which are similarly animal themed.

If you're looking for something lovable and good, try The Middle School Series by "James Patterson" or Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (this one is very popular).

If he was a fan of the movie, How to Train Your Dragon is actually a set of books too. Same goes for Rise of the Guardians (the movie about Santa, Jack Frost, East Bunnymund, not owls. Though Guardians of Ga'Hoole has a series as well).

These following books are closer to Harry Potter in level.

Haddix is immensely popular.

Redwall is about rodents on epic adventure.

Rick Riordan has 2... 3? series that take place in the same Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus world. They're a fun series, he should really like them.

The School for Good and Evil is fun.

The Land of Stories seems more like a boy-friendly version of Sisters Grimm but I have no idea how boys feel on reading about girls.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head. I hope something works out :D

Chilespicedmango gave an amazing comment! I have a couple recommendations for audiobooks that you can listen to or read along with. I struggled with reading comprehension as I got older and following along with audiobooks really helped me. Plus some have great voice actors. Make sure you get unabridged!

Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman, read by Lenny Henry
A great adventure story, incorporates mythology and cleverness and tricksters. Also the hero's quest of ordinary man-becomes great hero.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, read by Stephen Fry
I memorized this as a child. I can probably recite it to you now. It's a hilarious story of an Englishman and his alien compatriot who escape the Earth right before it's destroyed and have adventures around the galaxy. Originally written as a radio serial, so it's episodic and might help with comprehension.

The Harry Potter Audiobooks
You may have heard of Harry Potter? Jim Dale does some fabulous voices - though his Hermione always bugged me.

Best of luck! We are here to support you. Sorry you couldn't relate to the Regency female protagonists - they always bored me too, I guess I missed the part of female development where you're supposed to be in love with Mr. Darcy? But you're free of school-assigned books now! Hopefully the fact a book has a female protagonist won't discourage you from reading it. r/books has a lot of suggestions for exciting books (including scifi/adventure) with kickass female leads.

What matters most is making sure your son knows you have his back and that it's perfectly fine for him to like/play with/wear whatever he enjoys. If someone says "Boys don't play with dolls", you can just firmly reply, "This boy does!"

It might also help for your son to see his preferences normalized somewhere since he's getting so much negative feedback from those around him. There are some great picture books that emphasize the many ways to be a boy - I recommend Teddy's Favorite Toy, Want to Play Trucks?, Pink is for Boys, and Jamie is Jamie. All of these are about perfectly ordinary boys who enjoy playing with dolls, the color pink, etc. There are other good books about boys who enjoy wearing dresses, sparkly jewelry, nail polish, etc if your little one shows interest in those things down the road. Just have to keep repeating the message that there's absolutely nothing wrong with boys liking any of those things!

1. I love my job because I am trusted here. At my previous job I was never allowed to do anything without precisely 29054684318 checks done by other people. Here, my supervisors recognize that micromanaging is ineffective, and treat me like an adult who knows how to do their job, rather than a high school intern just there for credit. :) It's rather freeing haha
   
   
2. I would love The Scorch Trials :)
   
   Thanks for the contest! Glitter all the things !

Sounds like he views reading as a chore and not a form of entertainment. It may be that he hasn't found a book that clicks with him yet. Try focusing on his interests. Does he have a favorite movie? If its been adapted from a book, it might keep his interest.

Take clues from how he spends his free time. What kind of games does he play? Both Halo and Warcraft have their own line of books. I think it boils down to he need to find reading entertaining, and only he will be able to make that distinction.

He are some choices to try out:

• Scary Stories to tell in the Dark
  
• Redwall
  
• James and the Giant Peach ... heck, ANY Roald Dahl
  
• The Mouse and The Motorcycle
  
• Halo
  
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid - This one has been very popular with kids that didn't like reading.
  
  Calvin and Hobbes, Far Side, or even try manga, Naruto is very popular.
  
  
  Good luck with finding the something that he likes.

Hey, infants and toddlers need books too!

Yummy Yucky was a favourite in our house. So were Dinosaur vs Bedtime and Goodnight Gorilla.

Getting a little bit older, my kids loved all the Arnold Lobel books and so did I. They were/are among the very few of my kids' books that I never ever got tired of reading over and over again, night after night.

Personally I loved the Madeline books and the Babar books, my daughter liked them but I could never get my son into them.

This was a huge favourite for both my kids in the toddler/preschool years. I can still recite some of those stories from memory (and do).

The original Thomas the Tank Engine stories are really charming. If your nephew ends up taking an interest in trains and that sort of thing, this is a gorgeous book.

eta: almost forgot: Maurice Sendak is essential. My kids can both recite Chicken Soup with Rice from beginning to end.

Amy, regarding the Harry Potter books, I would highly recommend listening to Jim Dale's narration on audio book. He did a fantastic job.

The audio books are my go to when I'm feeling overwhelmed and need to unwind or get out of my mind for a bit.

Personally, I don't like the idea of just plugging kids into the audiobook. I'm looking forward to having kids in the near future and I most definitely plan to read these books to them. The audiobooks have helped me understand a lot of the context and emotion and make me feel like I'll be able to put my own twist on the character voices when the time comes. If you take the chance, I promise you will not regret it. Here is where you can purchase them on amazon (to save you some trouble).

Your work is amazing! This AMA has made me realize that there is a lot of your work I feel I should check out and will definitely get on that. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us!

Hi! First off, I LOVE your idea!!

I'm a new DM, so don't really have many experiences to share here in terms of feedback, but your story sounds similar to a book called "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau (http://www.amazon.com/The-City-Ember-First-Book/dp/0375822747) and I thought I would mention it as it may have some good ideas / themes in to help you. They also made a film (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970411/?ref_=nv_sr_1) if you prefer that.

Best of luck with it and let us know how it goes!!

My (3-year old) son likes some traditionally "girly" stuff and has been getting some flack from other kids about it at school. His teacher and my wife and I talked about strategies (his teachers are awesome) and one thing we did was check out a bunch of books about being different.

Two of them pull pretty strong on my heart strings:

Neither

https://www.amazon.com/Neither-Airlie-Anderson/dp/0316547697

Jamie is Jamie

https://www.amazon.com/Jamie-About-Being-Yourself-Playing/dp/1631981390/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31CS9009VZAPK&keywords=jamie+is+jamie&qid=1570198131&s=books&sprefix=jamie+is+%2Cstripbooks%2C137&sr=1-1

They're both great. The drawings (of all sorts of odd hybridized creatures) in Neither are fantastic, as is the story. It is the "younger" book of the two.

But Jamie is Jamie brings me (a reasonably masculine man) almost to tears. It's about a kid (Jamie) that likes doing girly and boy-y stuff, and their classmates like Jamie a lot and have an interesting conversation about whether they are a boy or a girl, then decide they don't care.

But what really makes it special in my mind is that it doesn't end there--it shows how after that, the other kids start playing with whatever they actually want to, regardless of gender norms, and are happier for it.

I think it touches me because I can remember being a kid and having interest in some "girly" things--gymnastics, dress-up, cooking... but never letting myself do those things. I think books like this would have helped me try things I wanted to do but was afraid to, and I hope it is that way for my son.

I hope you don't mind multiple suggestions!

Where's My Teddy? (and other Jez Alborough books)

I love We're Going on a Bear Hunt especially if you learn the song!

Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? (and other Bill Martin Jr. books)

From Head to Toe (and other Eric Carle books)

Caps for Sale (similar to Panda Bear and Head to Toe in its repetition but even more awesome)

I really like the Five Little Moneys series by Eileen Christelow.

Good Night Gorilla

Big Red Barn

Depending on how long she will listen to a story, I have a healthy obsession with Leo Lionni lately. Maybe Little Blue and Little Yellow would be a good starting place.

I Went Walking - I recently read this book to my class. After, we went on a walk and took pictures of the things we saw. I made a book with the pictures and my children are still obsessed with reading it because they memorized the pattern.

I want to keep going, but green eggs and ham.

Edit: I just wanted to add that there have been some amazing suggestions so far. Also, I freaking love Mo Willems!

You're not alone. I just found out last night that my pre-school 4 daughter is doing the exact same thing. She's been telling us that she's been playing with some specific friends at recess, but in reality she's been playing by herself.

We plan on letting the teacher know that she's been very upset with not having any friends to play with, and to ask her for some advice on how we can encourage our daughter to join in with some of her classmates at recess.

She had a similar problem when she started school last year, but her teacher made it a point to help her get involved with her peers. She also recommended getting a book Join in and Play. It really did help her last year to get over the fear of rejection by her peers, unfortunately she lost that skill. We're hoping to rebuild it.

Do not fear. Help your son feel comfortable in his own skin and assure him that his peers are interested in playing with him and would enjoy his company.

Well, if she loves Harry Potter there are some great special editions out there.

The 20th anniversary edition is pretty sweet, you can get it in the colors of your favorite house.
http://www.harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/bookshop/20th-anniversary-editions/

I've got this illustrated edition. It's fully illustrated, and just beautiful.

https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Illustrated/dp/0545790352

I'm getting my best friend's 6 month old daughter a copy of the illustrated Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Which is wildly inappropriately for her age, but I figure if I give her one HP book every year for Christmas she will have the complete set by the time she's old enough for her mom to read them to her. Seems logical.

Edit: Thanks, everyone! I kind of thought it was a silly/dorky idea but I'm glad to hear that a lot of people would appreciate it. Makes me feel less anxious than I normally do about gift-giving. Also, if you haven't seen the illustrated HP books OMG you need to, they are beautiful!

Not your typical response, but I'm super excited to for the illustrated versions of Harry Potter! My husband and I are huge Potter fans, and these books are gorgeous.

All Ages (age ratings sourced from Comixology)

• The Backstagers | James Tynion IV
  
• Fable Comics | Charise Mericle Harper
  
• Fairy Tale Comics | Telgemeier, Thompson, Mazzucchelli, et al.
  
• Guinea Pig: Pet Shop Private Eye | Colleen AF Venable
  
• Hilda and the Troll, Hilda and the Midnight Giant, Hilda and the Black Hound, Hilda and the Bird Parade, Hilda on the Stone Forest | Luke Pearson
  
• Julia's House for Lost Creatures, Little Robot, Nobody Likes a Goblin | Ben Hatke
  
• Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, The Secret World of Arrietty | Yonebayashi & Miyazaki
  
• Lumberjanes | Stevenson, Watters, Ellis
  
• Marvel Age: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Spider-Man, Spider-Man Team-up | McKeever, Dezago, et al.
  
• Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Superheroes, Super Heroes (2010), The Avengers | Sumerak, Tobin, David, Bejamin, et al.
  
• Marvel Universe: Guardians of the Galaxy, Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers Assemble, Avengers Assemble Season Two | Caramagna
  
• Mighty Jack, Mighty Jack and the Goblin King | Ben Hatke
  
• Nightlights | Lorena Alvarez
  
• Nursery Rhyme Comics | Thompson, Mignola, Telgemeier, et al.
  
• Tamsin and the Deep | Brown & Cameron
  
• Thor: The Mighty Avenger | Roger Langridge
  
• TOON books: The Shark King | R. Kikuo Johnson
  
• Zita the Spacegirl, Legends of Zita the Spacegirl, The Return of Zita the Spacegirl | Ben Hatke
  
  Ages 9+
  
  
• Adventure Time | Ryan North
  
• The Adventures of Tintin | Herge
  
• Amulet | Kazu Kibuishi
  
• Asterix | Goscinny & Uderzo
  
• Atomic Robo | Brian Clevinger
  
• Bone | Jeff Smith
  
• Five Worlds | Siegel & Siegel
  
• Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away | Hayao Miyazaki
  
• Moomin | Tove Jansson
  
• The Nameless City, The Stone Heart | Faith Erin Hicks
  
• Power Pack | Simonson, Brigman, et al.
  
• Roller Girl | Victoria Jamieson
  
• Smile, Drama, Sisters, Ghosts | Raina Telgemeier
  
• Usagi Yojimbo | Stan Sakai
  
• A Wrinkle in Time | Madeleine L'Engle
  
  Ages 12+
  
  
• DC: The New Frontier | Darwyn Cooke
  
• Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant, Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling | Tony Cliff
  
• Giant Days | Allison & Cogar
  
• Gotham Academy | Becky Cloonan
  
• The Legend of Wonder Woman | Renae De Liz
  
• Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur | Reeder & Montclare
  
• Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard | David Petersen
  
• Nimona | Noelle Stevenson
  
• Star Wars | Aaron
  
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Eastman & Waltz
  
• Ultimate Spider-Man | Bendis
  
• Most superhero comics at DC and Marvel
  
  Resources:
  
  
• goodokbad
  
• comicbookresources
  
• comicsintheclassroom
  
• ilovelibraries
  
• pastemagazine
  
• /u/urko37’s [Recommendation] “What comics are good for my kids?”

Congratulations!

My kids are now adults, and I teach young children. Over the years, these are the books for very young children that I have found to have the most staying power.

Infant/Toddler/Early childhood books: (you can read these to a child under 1 year, he or she will appreciate the rhythmic sounds, and both words and pictures acquire meaning as time goes on.)

Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown (simply the best parental bonding books)

What Do People Do All Day by Richard Scarry

PeekABoo, The Jolly Postman and Each Pear Each Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
All three books have engaging text and illustrations that both child and adult can appreciate.

Little Blue and Little Yellow This book, in my opinion, is a work of art on several levels. Kids never get tired of its reassurance.

No, David by David Shannon (but IMO the other David books are not nearly as good)

Caps for Sale Another book with repetitive rhythms for children, with an amusing story

Blueberries for Sal A classic that has stood the test of time, I still read this to the class every fall.

The Lion and the Mouse This is Aesop's fable, told with no words, only Jerry Pinkney's amazing illustrations. Two, three and four year olds ask for this story over and over again.

Other favorites:

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney

Ferdinand the Bull

The Cat in the Hat

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Authors to consider: Jan Brett, Shel Silverstein, Judith Viorst, E. B.White, Frank Asch, Roald Dahl.

Robert Munsch gets mixed reviews but to me, The Paperbag Princess is a must.

My favorite book is queen of the damned its exciting and fun there is also a movie that was made from the book
also another book I would recommend is holes the story telling is beautiful and well written and there was also a movie made from the book that stars Shia Lebouf.

My Favorite Book!

I want this book because the trailer to the movie looks good but sadly they don't have the movie playing in my area so this would be awesome.

Maybe get her a nice set of books for a gift?

Like if she likes Harry Potter, find a good version of it (leatherback, graphic novel, something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0545790352/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_a8Clzb5BMGKNN)

The text in the North American version is different (i.e. rubbish is trash), I think the choice depends really on whether the you value the authenticity of the content of the visuals of the book more. Personally I like the American version because I really love the art style, but at the same time I am a more visual person and the differences in text don't bother me as much as some other people.

If it helps you should also think about the type of box it will be in if that affects you. The American version boxed set looks like this (Amazon for more angles). While the signature version looks like this (Amazon for more angles)

There is also the question of whether you want paperback or hardback covers.

I want to vent about my entire week.

Last Friday, I got my hair cut. It looked incredible and I milked that confidence boost all weekend long. Got so much stuff done.

On Monday, I met a new therapist. I've not been to therapy in more than 10 years, but I've lately felt a growing desire to come out to my parents again and wanted to talk to someone about it. The therapist was awesome and I think he'll be really helpful for me, but he's also an out-of-network provider. It turns out my health insurance deductible is $2000/year, so there's no way I'll get any reimbursement for therapy. That sucks.

I had a consultation for laser hair removal on Wednesday. I start that in a few weeks. That's also really expensive. They did a test on my shoulder (since I was on my way to work and didn't want my face to be swollen) and I could see absolutely no reaction to it later that day. Maybe that's a good sign.

I can afford both things, but they're going to make it a lot harder for me to meet my monthly savings goals. Lately, I've realized that there's basically no chance I'll be able to pay for surgery AND own my own home. So I guess I have to pick.

I also got my ears pierced again. The first time I did it, the holes healed pretty much right after I pulled the first set of earrings out. I'd always been scared to get my ears pierced because I thought it'd be a thing my parents would see and get sad about, but I did it as an incentive to force me to have difficult conversations with them before I see them again at Christmas.

I sneezed and threw my back out. :(

I read the book George (http://www.amazon.com/George-Alex-Gino/dp/0545812542/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464993961&sr=8-1&keywords=George) this morning and bawled. Thinking about sending it to my mom.

There's a 75% chance I'm going to come out to my best friend tonight. I do everything in the wrong order.

Well now that /u/c_mad788 did it I won't feel so bad, though I won't be so forceful shamelessly self-bumping my own work.

Although, in my book, the main character is not inherently female, but rather trapped in a female body and experiencing with what that's like. Definitely a lot of snark going on though, even more so with the deuteragonist, who were she the protagonist, would probably be exactly what you're looking for.

Another book I might recommend (though it's not fantasy, but a take on the superhero genre) is Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm a Supervillain by Richard Roberts. We both started our series in the same sci-fi/fantasy writer's meetup (though his book is enjoying hella popularity lol)

I agree with other comment- it depends on what she already has (also what she likes). But I recently was given the illustrated version of book 1 that came out last year and I love it more than anything! 1 and 2 are already out (with the 3rd being released in October) which means 6 more gift ideas for the future. ;)
It might seem silly to buy her books since she probably already owns them- but I find the illustrated ones so special! I love them so much and am happy to have them along with my original copies.

My daughter just turned 11 and OMG the pain. I know your pain. She also loves singing and art, and we just got these amazing 3d pens that were on sale at a Radio Shack going out of business. In case there isn't a RS going out of business near you, here is a listing on amazon.

As far as reading material, my daughter has really been enjoying "The School for Good and Evil." I actually read the first one, and it's pretty damn good.

For your younger daughter, this was one of (still is) my favorite books about horsemanship. It's absolutely inspiring.

If your family is into board games, this one is really fun (could be a joint gift?) and the perfect balance of challenging but not too hard.

Books for Young Children

• Good Night, Sam
  
• Skippyjon Jones
  
• Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse
  
• Those Darn Squirrels
  
• Oh the Thinks You Can Think!
  
• Bad Kitty Does Not Like Dogs
  
• The Itsy Bitsy Snowman
  
• The Littlest Elf
  
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
  
• The Good Dinosaur
  
  I Can Read - Books
  
  
• A Kiss for Little Bear
  
• Little Bears Friend
  
• Amelia Bedelia
  
• Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia
  
• Eloise Visits the Zoo
  
• Eloise Throws a Party
  
• May I Please Have a Cookie?
  
• Pete the Cat: At the Beach
  
• Mac and Cheese
  
• Splat the Cat
  
  Books for Older Kids
  
  
• Disney Fairies, The Never Girls Collection
  
• Ivy + Bean’s Secret Treasure Box
  
• The Ramona Collection
  
• Pippi Longstocking
  
• Mr Popper’s Penguins
  
• The Chocolate Touch
  
• Magic Tree House Boxed Set
  
• Girls Think of Everything
  
• Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids
  
• Owl Diaries
  
• 5,000 Awesome Facts
  

The Hilda series by Luke Pearson is really great. I think Hilda and the Troll is the first one, but I don't think they necessarily need to be read in order.

Also, all the Raina Telgemeier. She has Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts, as well as graphic novel versions of the Babysitter's Club books that are fantastic. And Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson.

Have you thought about the illustrated books? The third one was just released this past October. The illustrated versions are great for any fan, plus they’re great once your friends child is old enough because they can read to their child and show them the pictures as they follow along.

Amazon link to books

While not exactly chapter books, the Pooh books are wonderful. We also have the complete Beatrix Potter collection (Peter Rabbit). We also love to read and look at Nic Bishop nature books, Steve Jenkins" picture books, Thomas, and of course, Dr. Seuss. I know I didn't exactly answer your question, but these are books that worked really well for us. My boys are 5 and 6 now, and these books seemed to work better than things which stretched over days or weeks.

I love The Z was Zapped. It is a weird alphabet book. It is the first book I gave my nephew. Fortunately is another one I loved. But these are toddler level. As an older kid I got into classic fairy tales. Also my sister loved the BOB books for learning to read.

I have a list just for my nephew with some books on it.

The Mitchell books are great. My son loves them. Dad is a ginger, mom is... I'm really not sure, "brown." So the child is mixed race.


The Captain Underpants Series has a set of best friends, one is black and one is white... one also (spoiler alert) is gay in a time travel book.

A Bad Case of Stripes about a young girl who is so concerned about what others think, she gets stripes. I believe, in the beginning she's Hispanic(?.)

I love these new covers. Even though I grew up with the old ones, I feel like these new illustrated ones are just beautiful, and they really represent the magic of the reading experience.

After a bit of searching, I found the set on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Special-Edition-Harry-Potter-Paperback/dp/0545596270/

The image is black because its a place-holder, I guess.

someone literally posted this earlier today. the book the article talks about might help.

original reddit link

however for a more in-depth book I would recommend "George". it's a quick read (few hours) and it gives a much more relatable experience in my opinion.

as for resources

the Trever Prject

notable search results

• trans student education resources
  
• gender spectrum
  
• trans equality teaching guildlines
  
  hopefully this helps, and thank you for helping kids to understand this.
  

My daughter really likes the Ivy & Bean books. They are a pretty good read and I heard her giggling while reading a few times.

we got this beautiful illustrated version as a shower gift, and have been reading a little every night! i'm hoping to get my husband hooked on HP like I am :)
https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Illustrated/dp/0545790352/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501438835&sr=8-1&keywords=illustrated+harry+potter+book+1

I have this set. They’re pretty cool.

Harry Potter Complete Book Series Special Edition Boxed Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/0545596270/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9F9JDbPFG0PZA

Edit: Also a very good price right now.

Check out The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trails I haven't read Scorch Trails as of yet, but I found Maze Runner a very similar read to the Hunger Games. The third (and final) is currently set to release Oct 11, 2011. If it's ending is better than Hunger's this series will definitely be the better of the two.

Good reminder for Bob's Burgers. I've been meaning to get back to that.

​

Here's some books that we liked around Kindergarten:

• https://smile.amazon.com/Jimmy-Zangwows-This-World-Moon-Pie-Adventure/dp/068985563X/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423133080 ( We Are in a Book! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Gruffalo-Julia-Donaldson/dp/0142403873
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Day-Crayons-Quit-Drew-Daywalt/dp/0399255370
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Book-No-Pictures-B-Novak/dp/0803741715
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Press-Here-Herve-Tullet/dp/0811879542/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Case-Stripes-Scholastic-Bookshelf/dp/0439598389
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Have-Filled-Bucket-Today-Bucketfilling/dp/099609993X
  
  Really any Tony Diterlizi, Dave Shannon, or Mo Williams books are good.
  
  ​

How old are your kids and what are you looking for?

Roller Girl has been around for a little while and is popular. I liked it and my daughter just finished it and seemed to enjoy it.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0545596270/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_.KuXtb0EHHXMX

This is probably the best deal you will find, and free shipping!

The School for Good and Evil a YA series by Soman Chainani. I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I heard about these books on Tim Ferriss' podcast, but so far, it's a really great story.

I'd love this off my books list! Thank you for the contest!

So close!

http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Case-Stripes-Scholastic-Bookshelf/dp/0439598389

All of my kids enjoyed that book. The artwork is gorgeous.

I'll recommend the Harry Potter series (the new illustratred editions are beautiful) and Chronicles of Narnia. I read each of those series when I was younger and then sold off the books thinking I'd never read them again, only to re-buy them years later to read with my kids. Also something fun like the Discworld series, Hitchiker series or the Complete Calvin & Hobbes.

They're celebrating HP's and JK Rowling's Bday's, apparently. New artist, though.

They're here on Amazon and here is an explanation on Mashable.

board games are fun!! or read harry potter!! I was on bed rest for about 3 months after my appendix ruptured!

thank you for contest!!

Canadian Amazon has it here, it's kind of pricey though. I've never had a problem shipping from UK Amazon to the US, so maybe you can ship from US Amazon?

Here are some really good prices on Ebay, don't know how much shipping would be for you though.

Here is the audio book for Maze Runner if you'd rather listen.

Check out The City of Ember Series. It's cheap and it also has a movie! The second book in the series is my favorite, again haha.

Here is The City of Ember audio book.

AND Finally if you want, check out World War Z. It is a very good book with many different stories about a world filled with Zombies!

I easily got hooked into The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani. It's a bit like Grimms Fairy Tales thrown into a Harry Potteresque universe with a love story and Disney Villains.

What are his other interests? Might help in finding something he'll like (e.g. There are a ton of Star Wars and Star Trek books for every reading level).

Some popular books for boys that age:

• Ranger's Apprentice series (introductory medieval fantasy: boy trains to be a ranger with his mentor)
  
• Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld, which is a retelling of WWI where the British have genetically-engineered whale blimps and the Austro-Hungarians use mechas
  
• All the children's books by Roald Dahl
  
• Holes by Louis Sachar, about a boy cursed with bad luck and sent to a prison camp. (Also has a movie.)
  
• Captain Underpants comics
  
  Would also second the Artemis Fowl series (has a movie in the works) that /u/_wednesday mentioned.

These are it. I had to give him them... He picked up SS and It started his reading journey.


I couldn't deny him the love.

> This entire time this person I knew as being a guy was actually girl feeling ridiculous amounts of social pressures, resulting in her making pretend she was a guy?

That's about the size of it, yes.

> I can't even begin to imagine.

Check out the book George, by Alex Gino. It does a good job of conveying the way being constantly misgendered just wears on you. It's a quick, fast read and an excellent story. Very sensitively handled all around.

Srsly, go look at the customer images here. AMAZING.

I'll also add (again) Super Powereds by Drew Hayes is still ongoing, although he's finished the first three books and working on the fourth.
Or, if you're looking for something less involved but still fun: Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm a Supervillain by Richard Roberts. Has kind of a Worm-like plot, but with middle schoolers and considerably less dark and heavy.

There's a terrific graphic novel called RollerGirl.

This question comes up on a regular basis. Check the wiki on r/German and also see these threads:

/r/germany/comments/198ul5/german_young_adulteasiertoread_novels/

/r/germany/comments/1pcd5j/can_anyone_recommend_me_books_trying_to_improve/

/r/germany/comments/2bn477/books_for_learning_german/

/r/germany/comments/2umjjg/easy_german_books/

/r/germany/comments/3lf8xy/a_gentle_introduction_to_german_literature_for_a/

I personally recommend checking out Project Gutenberg. It is really annoying to find that a book that you picked is too hard for your current level of reading if you paid for it. But if you downloaded it for free you just shrug and move on to something easier.

I also remember somebody with a similar question/problem who raved about this book:


http://www.amazon.de/L%C3%B6cher-Geheimnisse-Green-Lake-Gulliver/dp/3407740980/

http://www.amazon.de/Holes-Louis-Sachar/dp/0440414806/

It's beautiful, when Hagrid & Harry sets off to London to buy supplies for his upcoming semester at Hogwarts!

It's from Jim Kay's Adaptation found in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: The Illustrated Edition (Harry Potter, Book 1)"

http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Illustrated/dp/0545790352/ref=pd_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0NDPN8ZZ8605ZFT1WBH6

It sounds like There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom. I loved that book and it made me desperately want my own collection of ceramic animals.

You should get this book its amazing!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0545790352/ref=mp_s_a_1_1/134-0214240-4023764?ie=UTF8&qid=1498706170&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=harry+potter+fully+illustrated&dpPl=1&dpID=51MIi4p2YyL&ref=plSrch this is the link to the newly released ones.

They're just the normal titles + "the illustrated edition".

The quality is wonderful.

Even if I don't win. This book is a must read for everyone. Really helped me look at the brighter side of things and changed my perspective for the better.

Holes - Louis Sachar
[Wiki Link](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holes_(novel)

Amazon Link - $6

http://steamcommunity.com/id/fatalflaw09

I downloaded the e-books and when I get the money, (unemployed high school student) I'm going to buy this or wait and get this and this
And thanks everyone for the tips and recommendations!

The City of Ember.

There is a whole series of "Ember" books that are really good.

http://www.amazon.com/Fortunately-Remy-Charlip/dp/0689716605
father of the meme would be proud that son finally speaks more than 2 lines.

What about the Wimpy Kid series? http://amzn.to/2C42wfv I know my kid loved it.

Relevant: this was one of my favorite books as a kid: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0689716605

CONGRATULATIONS! Roll Tide baby

My guess is 8:21 PM. Is the book for the older daughter or younger? I'm not sure of her age, but when I was young I really liked A Bad Case of Stripes, Madeline, Ruby the Copycat, Pigsty, or The Berenstain Bears' New Baby

got this one for the kiddo. hopefully they do this for all of them

They just released the first 2 harry potter books as illustrated editions and they look really cool.

https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Illustrated/dp/0545790352

TIL The spines of the books will create Hogwarts! http://www.amazon.com/Special-Harry-Potter-Paperback-Box/dp/0545596270/ref=tmm_pap_title_1?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

Amazon

Books A Million

Barnes & Noble

I ordered mine off of Amazon.

I think there are illustrated versions of Harry Potter

https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Illustrated/dp/0545790352

I would go to the store and look at this first rather than just buying on amazon though - just to make sure there are enough illustrations to keep him occupied. reading in silly voices may hold his attention through the bits with no pictures.

idk I read openly straight and it was ok.

Here it is on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Illustrated/dp/0545790352/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463993671&sr=8-1& (Unless the Wizarding World has another version). They're releasing the illustrated editions one at a time.

Link to Amazon posting. Cost: $60-100

Amazon has them listed right now for $58.50 (they were $50 to preorder when I bought them though)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545596270/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They also have straight up fully-illustrated harry potter books. I can't comment on the quality but it is something that I'll probably pick up whenever I have kids and they reach age ~10.

I think this might be more appropriate for the reading level of your surrounding company.

This

This is for 8-to-12-year-olds, but The City of Ember is told from the perspectives of two main characters -- a boy and girl -- with the perspective swapping in each chapter.

The City of Ember?

http://www.amazon.com/The-City-Ember-First-Book/dp/0375822747

https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Complete-Special-Boxed/dp/0545596270/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1550091198&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=harry+potter+box+set+1-8+books&dpPl=1&dpID=51xvaHppZqL&ref=plSrch

Here it is!

https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Illustrated/dp/0545790352/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497028575&sr=1-3&keywords=harry+potter+and+the+sorcerer%27s+stone

or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harry-Potter-Philosophers-Stone-Illustrated-x/dp/1408845644/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497028624&sr=1-1&keywords=harry+potter+and+the+philosophers+stone+illustrated+edition

Here you go:


https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Complete-Special-Boxed/dp/0545596270/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542088880&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=harry+potter+kazu+kibuishi&dpPl=1&dpID=51xvaHppZqL&ref=plSrch

These are by far my favourite American covers.

https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Tank-Engine-Story-Collection/dp/0375834095

The first two books Illustrated Editions

https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Illustrated/dp/0545790352

https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Chamber-Secrets-Illustrated/dp/0545791324

Have you seen this then?

They're making illustrated editions right now. My daughter is 3, and when she's 7 I'm gonna start reading the illustrated versions to her. I'm so excited!!!

What about with the book "Holes"?

>http://www.amazon.com/Special-Harry-Potter-Paperback-Box/dp/0545596270/ref=tmm_pap_title_1?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

I pre-ordered them from Amazon! AND half off!

Maybe Stripes? https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Case-Stripes-Scholastic-Bookshelf/dp/0439598389

That Harry Potter is from this set, isn't it? I picked up the entire set last week and can't wait to get reading those!

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/harry-potter-1-7-audio/9780739352243-item.html?ikwid=Harry+potter+books+1-7&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0

$333 CND


https://www.amazon.ca/Harry-Potter-1-7-Audio-Collection/dp/0739352245/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmrnull_3?keywords=harry+potter+books+1-7+jim+dale&qid=1556381992&s=gateway&sr=8-3-fkmrnull

$329 CND

They're the cover of the newest (U.S.) books:

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0545596270/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the mobile version of your link

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0545790352/ref=mp_s_a_1_1/186-7438274-8673850?qid=1452636304&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=harry+potter+illustrated+book&dpPl=1&dpID=51MIi4p2YyL&ref=plSrch

You need this in your life

Here's the same art on the paper back versions via Amazon (Prime Eligible).

Yeah, but i read somewhere that the fonts are small, which is not very good for me...hmm

EDIT: http://www.amazon.com/Special-Edition-Harry-Potter-Paperback/product-reviews/0545596270

Some of my favorites when I was around 10 or so:

city of ember

Anthem

Guardians of Gahoole

Count of monte cristo This is the ebook which is free but perhaps an abridged version would be better. Also many of these classics are a bit brutal so perhaps when she gets a bit older.

Many of these are about failed utopias, and if she likes series of unfortunate events City of Ember is would be a good pairing.

You should be able to access the American version of Amazon, and purchase them that way. They're expensive, though. :(

For reference and to hear the lamentations of your wallet.

https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Illustrated/dp/0545790352
https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Chamber-Secrets-Illustrated/dp/0545791324
https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Prisoner-Azkaban-Illustrated/dp/0545791340

Found it! Nevermind. The book is called "A Bad Case of Stripes"

This reminds me so much of the book A Bad Case of Stripes!

You guys!!!! Look!!! I had NO idea this was a thing!!!

A bad case of stripes by David Shannon.

She stays home the first day of school with the rainbow stripes and the second day they change during the pledge of allegiance, which prompts her classmates to start shouting more colors to change her and she's sent home as a distraction.

You really are a sad sad man. I still can't find anywhere where JK makes the rediculous claim that she invented everything. She may have stated it's an original story or that things like wizards, magic, etc are playing by different rules than they traditionally do but until you can find me a source of her claiming credit for something that predates her by 1000 years I'm calling bullshit.

So, your problems are with the cover art? Him wearing a Griffindor scarf as a spoiler is among the most rediculous things I've ever heard. Griffindor doesn't even get introduced until a handful of pages before. Also, just to prove you wrong I took out my own copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and you're going to hate it.

First of all I've scoured the internet trying to find a cover with both King's cross and Harry with a Griffindor scarf and I can't find it. In fact, this is the only cover I can find depicting the Hogwarts Express and it doesn't show Harry so you're full of shit there.

My album of my own copy of Sorcerer's Stone is here. This is the original cover artwork and it does not actually show Harry wearing a Griffindor scarf (I remembered it as a Griffindor scarf as well but it's just red). The only cover I've found him wearing a distinctly Griffindor scarf is the movie poster. If you want spoilers though then this cover has them all! There are unicorns, snitches, flying brooms, castles, a boy (spoiler since Harry himself doesn't appear until page 15 of the book), and a three headed dog. Also, it's a continuity error since Hogwarts wasn't built on top of Fluffy, in fact Fluffy was on the third floor! How dare she! Also, page one doesn't mention a date at all. Page 2 does mention a Tuesday but the precise date of the attack wasn't determined until much later in the series so either it's a continuity error (every fucking piece of media has those, that's not a problem) or perhaps, and hear me out on this, it takes place in a fictional universe WHERE THERE ARE FUCKING WIZARDS!

I sincerely hope I never met you in real life. I have no doubt I am better off not.