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Ella Enjoyed: Books for 9th Graders

Unbelievably, Ella is going into 9th grade this fall. It’s wild to think how many of you have watched her grow up (I started my blog almost four years before she was born!).

Happily, she’s still an avid reader – here are some of the books she’s enjoyed recently!

books for 9th graders

Great Books for 9th Graders

Gregor The OverlanderGregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
Bart listened to this series YEARS ago (back before Ella was born!) and absolutely loved them. This summer, I bought the series on Audible for Ani (who is going into 6th grade) and they were such a hit that Ella couldn’t miss out. The premise is that Gregor discovers a strange world hiding below the laundry room grate in his NYC apartment building. In this Underland, the world teeters on the brink of war and Gregor’s arrival has been prophesied. And it might also be the key to discovering what happened to his father who disappeared years ago.

What Ella has to say: I loved The Hunger Games, so when I found out Suzanne Collins had another series I had to read it. Also, Ani was raving about them while she listened to them. So far I’ve read the first and part of the second, and they’re really good. The plot is a little strange, but I really like the writing and character development. This is an ideal fantasy adventure for all ages. 

The Scarlet PimpernelThe Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
This classic takes place during the French Revolution with the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel who rescues innocent people from death by guillotine. Naturally there is a French agent who is determined to discover who this mysterious man is and take him down.

What Ella has to say: I just started a little book club with some of my friends and this was our first book. I listened to this one on Audible and it was SO GOOD. I usually don’t love super old books because they are hard to understand (especially when all the names and phrases are in French), but this one hit it out of the park. 

A Plot to Kill the QueenA Plot to Kill the Queen by Deborah Hopkinson
This historical fiction was a good read aloud earlier this year – both the style of the story was fun and the historical events were a good baseline for understanding some of British history.

What Ella has to say: My mom read this book aloud to us a few months ago and I really enjoyed it. It’s not my all-time favorite book, but it was fun, quick read. As it is a historical fiction, I learned some new details about Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth, and Mary, Queen of Scots. 

bronze bow bookThe Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
I read this one YEARS ago when I was working my way through the Newbery winners. Like Ella, I had low expectations but then I absolutely loved it. I’d really like to go back and read this one aloud to all my girls!

What Ella has to say: This book was one of my historical fictions that went along with my history curriculum. I didn’t have super high expectations, but it was actually really good. The Bronze Bow was not at all like I thought it would be, which was intriguing. I expected it to be about hunters or something, but it was actually a book about a young blacksmith in Galilee at the time Jesus is teaching the people. 

Half Magic by Edward Eager
When I think of favorite books from my childhood, Half Magic is DEFINITELY one of them – I’ve read this one so many times and I think this was my third time reading it aloud to my kids (we went on this time to read The Time Garden and Magic By the Lake too!).

What Ella has to say: Half Magic is one of my all time favorite books for a younger audience. My mom has read this series to me and my sisters multiple times and it is so delightful each time. I love the characters and the creativity of the plot, and each book is such a fun, light read.

And if you’d like a printable copy of this list that you can take to your library or screenshot on your phone for easy access, just pop in your email address below and it’ll come right to your inbox!

P.S. YOU CAN SEE ALL OF ELLA’S REVIEWS HERE!

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