Suggested Books for a 6th Grade Girl Reluctant Reader who Likes Paranormal or Fantasy Reads

Nice long title for this blog entry, eh?  Ok, I have to admit that this was a tough one.  My daughter needed a book to read, and yes, she is a reluctant reader - it is very difficult to find something that interests her!  She loves graphic novels, and I have no problem with them, but in this particular case, she needed a "book".  Usually when she needs a "book" for a reading assignment, I can get away with finding non-fiction for her - she loves that - but in this case, it had to be fiction.  Well, I racked my brain, scanned the internet, read through numerous lists, and finally came up with these books to take home for her perusal.  Thought I would share it in case there are other parents out there trying to find a book for their 6th grade reluctant reader!

The Giver by Lois Lowry

In the story of a seemingly utopian city in a futuristic world, Jonas is singled out to receive special training from The Giver, who alone holds memories of pain and pleasure in life.

Pure Dead Magic by Debi Gliori

When their father is kidnapped and danger looms, the Strega-Borgia children, their mysterious new nanny, and a giant tarantula use magic and actual trips through the Internet to bring peace to their Scottish castle.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Nobody Owens is a normal boy, except that he has been raised by ghosts and other denizens of the graveyard.

Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan

Two boys who are best friends visit an illegal freak show, where an encounter with a vampire and a deadly spider forces them to make life-changing choices.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. (series)

Wings: A Fairy Tale by E. D. Baker

When Tamisin discovers that she is half fairy, she decides to find out more answers directly from the fairies themselves, including her mother, the fairy queen.

Wings  by Aprilynne Pike

When a plant blooms out of fifteen-year-old Laurel's back, it leads her to discover the fact that she is a faerie and that she has a crucial role to play in keeping the world safe from the encroaching enemy trolls.

Breathe: A Ghost Story by Cliff McNish

When he and his mother move into an old farmhouse in the English countryside, asthmatic, twelve-year-old Jack discovers that he can communicate with the ghosts inhabiting the house and inadvertently establishes a relationship with a tormented, malevolent spirit that threatens to destroy both his mother and himself.

Half-Minute Horrors edited by Susan Rich

An anthology of very short, scary stories by an assortment of authors and illustrators including Chris Raschka, Joyce Carol Oates, Neil Gaiman, Jack Gantos, and Lane Smith.

13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison

Bedeviled by evil fairies that only she can see, thirteen-year-old Tanya is sent to stay with her cold and distant grandmother at Elvesden Manor, where she and the caretaker's son solve a disturbing mystery that leads them to the discovery that Tanya's life is in danger.

Fat Vampire: A never coming of age story by Adam Rex

After Doug Lee is attacked by a vampire he is forced to remain overweight and fifteen for eternity and as he attempts to prove himself to the new Indian exchange student, Doug must navigate high school and avoid a persistent vampire hunter.

And I couldn't help but pick out a few new graphic novels for her:

Death: the high Cost of Living by Neil Gaiman

A graphic novel in which Death, going about her business ushering the about-to-die into the afterlife, meets up with Sexton, a New York teen who is contemplating suicide.

Simpson's Comics: Wingding! by Matt Groening
Simpsons #19. Don't cry for me Mr. Jebediah! -- Simpsons #20. The artist formerly known as Bart -- Simpsons #21. Stand & deliverance -- Simpsons #22. Little Big Mart -- Simpsons #23. Bart de Triomphe -- Hellfire comics--Citizen Shame.

Emily the Strange by Rob Reger
Emily the Strange, or Emily Strange, is a thirteen-year-old girl who has a rather dark outlook on life. (series)