Welcome to our second last Gift Guide! I kept a certain three nieces up long past their bedtime for this list, but I'm sure we can all agree it was totally worth it (right kids?)
Here are ten (yes ten!) of this year's must have books for kids aged 8-11.
1. Just Crazy by Andy Griffiths
"Just Crazy! Yes! Add that to the list!"exclaims Miss A.
"JUST NO!" yells my sister.
And thus begins the most hotly debated book of our guide. Just Crazy, by Andy Griffiths (of Treehouse fame) is apparently the most popular book in Year 3. I can't tell you that much about it, because Miss A was laughing too hard to communicate with actual words, but I get the impression it's a collection of gross and funny stories ("and then he falls in the sewer!") that have kids in hysterics and parents grossed out. There's a whole series of them to "enjoy", including Just Doomed, Just Tricking and Just Stupid (among many, many others). My sister feels that I should warn all parents that sitting through them is painful (I'm pretty sure she used the word "horrifying"). In other words, it's the perfect present for other people's kids.
2. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
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Wonder tells the story of August (Auggie), who has a terrible facial deformity and, after 10 years of homeschooling, enters real school. All he wants is to be accepted, normal and ordinary but is that possible when the first thing that people notice is how you look? Very sad, moving and ultimately uplifting, this was a favourite of Miss M (10 years old).
This is a beautiful story of friendship, bravery and hope and for encouraging compassion and empathy. Miss M loved that each part of the book told the story from a different person's perspective so that you can understand where each person is coming from and how they see the world. In her words: "It makes you think and after reading it I'll never look at a disabled person the same way."
3. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
I've been a big fan of Lemony (aka Daniel Handler) for years now (“Wicked people never have time for reading. It's one of the reasons for their wickedness.” how could I not love this man?). About a year ago I attended a talk of his, which was brilliant, and one of many things he said that stood out for me was how we try to hide the darkness of the world from children but that they're much more aware, and capable, than we give them credit for. Enter A Series of Unfortunate Events.
My 10 year old niece S discovered these books after watching the movie a few months ago. Incredibly gloomy, and darkly funny, the series tells the stories of the Baudelaire orphans - Violet, Klaus and Sunny - who are placed in the care of their evil Uncle Olaf after their parents tragically pass away. Over the course of 13 books, the Baudelaire orphans continue to evade the evil Olaf (who is after their inheritance) and along the way discover a secret society known as the V.F.D.
This isn't a happy series (the first page is very clear about this) but kids will love witnessing the orphans outsmart Olaf again and again by using their smarts (and Baby Sunny's incredible bite). It's exciting and mysterious and pretty fun (tragic storyline aside).
4. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
My niece M and I have an ongoing debate, which she likes to raise every time I visit. Who is the best Dr. Who? I stand by my assessment that David Tennant is the true stand out and that Peter Capaldi is the worst. I think she's with me on David Tennant (though she's a fan of Matt Smith's fez) but frankly, we'll just have to agree to disagree on Peter Capaldi (once and for all M, as the one with the blog on the interwebs, he is the worst).
What we do agree on however, is that fantasy stories are the greatest. There's no better escape from the real world and the possibilities are limitless. So, the moment I read the first page of Howl's Moving Castle, I knew I was on to a winner for this kid's Christmas present.
Sophie is the eldest of three daughters and, after attracting the ire of the Witch of the Waste, finds herself transformed into an old lady. Her only hope of returning to her true self lies in the ever moving Wizard Howl's castle. Along the way she discovers there's much more to Howl, and herself, than she thought.
This is such a great book - the first in a trilogy - and is a particularly great one for girls as it features a strong, feminist lead. Boys will love the adventure of it as well - it's a great present for kids 10 and up who love fantasy and adventure (and Dr. Who. But not the Peter Capaldi Dr. Who).
5. A most magical girl by Karen Foxlee
When finding a new book, I have a simple criteria. The first line, and the cover. This book passed both with flying colours.
Annabel Grey, a young, proper lady in Victorian England, discovers - to her horror - that she is magical. When her mother disappears and she's left in the care of two aunts, she is caught in a quest to rescue the Moreover Wand from London's dangerous underworld. Annabel teams up with a young witch, Kitty, to defeat dragons and trolls to save the city. This is a great story, fast-paced and beautifully written, best suited for kids aged 10 and up.
6. The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward
I picked this one up at our favourite book store the other week and almost brought it home, until Howl's Moving Castle jumped out at me. Still - this would be a great one for kids from 9-11!
The Potion Diaries tells the story of Samantha (Sam) Kemi, and her quest to find a cure for the Princess of Nova, who has fallen head over heels in love with her own reflection as a result of a love potion gone awry. Can Sam perfect her alchemy, compete with the best of the best, negotiate a romance with an arch nemesis and find the cure to restore her family's reputation? Easy, right?
This is a quirky, fun adventure and one that teaches the value of hard work and overcoming challenges. If you were looking for a series, the the sequel to Potion Diaries - Potion Diaries, The Royal Tour - was released in August 2016.
7. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
This was in the pile of books that M presented to me for this Gift Guide. I was so excited to see it in her list of favourites as it was always such a favourite of mine. I mean, who doesn't love this story?!
"As you wish".
"My name in Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die"
And the most beloved:
“I've been saying it so long to you, you just wouldn't listen. Every time you said 'Farm Boy do this' you thought I was answering 'As you wish' but that's only because you were hearing wrong. 'I love you' was what it was, but you never heard.”
It's the perfect mix of adventure, action, mystery, comedy and friendship (ok, ok, with a little romance thrown in) - I think it's a must have for all the adventure seekers from nine and up.
8. The land of stories by Chris Colfer
Remember this guy? Actor, Golden Globe winner, singer and Emmy nominee?
Well now he's writing novels. Frankly I think it's outrageous unfair - my theory is that everyone should have only one talent so that there's enough to go around. ONLY ONE, CHRIS COLFER!
Anyway. Fairness aside, these books are great. Recommended by a friend at work, who's just turned ten year old adores them, they're full of adventure, a little darkness and mystery and turn the Happily Ever After trope in it's head.
The Land of Stories tells the story of twins, Alex and Connor, who on their twelfth birthday receive a mysterious book from their Grandmother - The Land of Stories. When Alex falls into the book, and Conner swiftly follows her, they find themselves in a mysterious world full of their favourite fairytales...but not quite as they imagined. Goldilocks is on the run from the law and the Evil Queen (who might not be as evil as she seemed) has escaped prison.
There are five books currently in the series - great for readers eight years and up!
9. Friday Barnes by R.A. Spratt
Here's the skinny on this one according to M: Friday Barnes is a girl who was born on Thursday, but her parents named her Friday because they couldn't remember when she was born. After solving a local mystery she wins a bajillion dollars and enrols in High Crest Academy. Strange things start happening there and the books are all about how she solves different mysteries.
M started reading this series (there are currently six books) when she was nine and says they're great because Friday is funny, has great friends and uses her smarts to get out of trouble. The Principal never believes her but she always gets to the bottom of the case one way or another. This modern day Nancy Drew with attitude would be great for kids nine and up.
10. My Story series - Code Name Celine
My niece A is a huge history buff. I remember feeling this way too - understanding where we came from and how we got here - the sacrifices made by grandparents and great grandparents. The My Story series is fantastic for kids who are interested in history and want to relate to the people who lived through years gone by.
Codename Celine tells the story of a young girl in WWII who goes undercover to help the resistance. A loved this story as it gave an insight into things that happened in the war, by telling the story from the perspective of a girl just like her. She said that it was nerve-wracking to see how she kept her cover and sad, because so many people lost their lives in the war. She recommends this for history lovers aged ten and up.
