# Looking for non-depressing book for 6th graders **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 23, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954 "2015-07-23T14:14:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/81 "2015-09-06T22:21:09Z")
Well, since this thread’s been kicked up the pile again… Someone mentioned Kate Di Camillo earlier. I bought _Despereux_ for my 6th grade daughter for her birthday. Then I sat down over a cup of coffee and inhaled it in a couple of hours. Yum! Then I gave it to the Taller Girl and _she_ inhaled it over the course of the first day, in between lessons. Yum! Fantastic book - just as well she got other books for her birthday too, though! ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/82 "2015-09-06T23:08:45Z")
[The Master of the Grove by Victor Kelleher](http://www.amazon.com/Master-Grove-Puffin-Victor-Kelleher/dp/0140313869) > [@](#): > > When soldiers destroy Derin’s home, he sets out on a puzzling and difficult journey in search of his missing father. But Derin’s people are caught up in a war between the people of the mountains and the people of the plains, and his private quest takes him into the very heart of the conflict - to a confrontation with the powerful _Master of the Grove_. > > This is the story of a young boy’s search for truth - and a sorcerer’s misuse of knowledge . . . Won the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year back in 1983! I read it in Year 6 and I’ve just started reading it to my son - it’s still a cracking read. Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan trilogy [http://www.amazon.com/Leviathan-Trilogy-Scott-Westerfeld/dp/1416971742/ref=sr\_1\_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1441580762&sr=8-3&keywords=leviathan](http://www.amazon.com/Leviathan-Trilogy-Scott-Westerfeld/dp/1416971742/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1441580762&sr=8-3&keywords=leviathan) A sort of steampunk recasting of WW1: > [@](#): > > It is the cusp of World War I. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ genetically fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet. > > Aleksandar Ferdinand, a Clanker, and Deryn Sharp, a Darwinist, are on opposite sides of the war. But their paths cross in the most unexpected way, taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure….One that will change both their lives forever. ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/83 "2015-09-07T04:15:06Z")
I’ve recently discovered that “Ella Enchanted” has the mark of death on it, er, I mean the “Newbery Medal” imprinted on its cover. Could this be the Holy Grail of Newbery Award winners (a winner that isn’t ungodly tragic and depressing?) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/84 "2015-09-07T16:39:50Z")
I don’t have time to reread this thread, but has anyone (including me) mentioned Larklight by Philip Reeve yet? It’s brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/85 "2015-09-07T16:44:38Z")
I remember “The Halfmen of O” from when I was a kid My nephew recently studied Percy Jackson for literature - but I’m not so sure about that ---
**Author:** ![GuybrushThreepwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@GuybrushThreepwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuybrushThreepwood)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/86 "2015-09-08T21:56:39Z")
I second _Holes_ - anything by Louis Sachar, actually.\* The Cardturner \*was phenomenal. It deals with some serious themes/plot points (old age, blindness, relating to weird old relatives, stubbornness, true love) while being engaging and upbeat. I want to go re-read it now. How about the Horatio Hornblower series? They’re aimed at about middle-school aged kids (maybe a little older). The book that scarred me the most as a YA was _Bridge to Terabithia_. I bawled all night when I finished that one. Don’t do that to those poor kids. I’m sure you’ve made your lesson plan already and this is too late but I love YA lit and am only moderately ashamed of myself for it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/87 "2015-09-08T22:48:04Z")
> [@The\_Butterfly\_s\_Ghost](#): > > The Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett. The first in the series is “[The Wee Free Men](http://www.amazon.com/The-Wee-Free-Tiffany-Aching/dp/0060012382)”. Gets my vote. Or The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. (Note, does have one snuffly moment) ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/88 "2015-09-08T23:31:15Z")
Ooh, ooh! The View From Saturday is really good. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/89 "2015-09-09T00:05:06Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Someone mentioned Kate Di Camillo earlier. I bought _Despereux_ for my 6th grade daughter for her birthday. Then I sat down over a cup of coffee and inhaled it in a couple of hours. Yum! Then I gave it to the Taller Girl and _she_ inhaled it over the course of the first day, in between lessons. Yum! Fantastic book - just as well she got other books for her birthday too, though! Yes–it’s amazing. I read it to my students every year, and I’m not making this up, every year when I reach the end, my students break into spontaneous applause. This doesn’t happen with read-alouds: kids love them, kids respond to them, but the applause at the end? It’s peculiar to **The Tale of Despereaux** , in my experience. The language of the book is perfectly beautiful, the character arcs are multifaceted, the plot is complex, there’s foreshadowing and symbolism. It’s excellent for lit study (I use it primarily for character arcs with my students, but I also talk about a lot of other things with it as well). Incidentally, I want to mention that it’s been six weeks since I told you all to go out and read **The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle**. The fact that none of you have come back to this thread gushing about what a kickass adventure yarn that was proves that none of you have followed directions. What gives? GO READ IT NOW! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954/90 "2015-09-09T00:24:24Z")
Back when I was in sixth grade, the 1966-1967 school year my teacher introduced our class to _The Hobbit._ Mr. Bradbury was cool, it was his first year teaching, and he liked scifi and fantasy. I was sure I wouldn’t like the book he was reading to us, one chapter a day. Then I realized I was looking forward to the next day, to hear more. Tolkien may seem old hat now, with the movies and all, but as my first exposure to fantastic literature it blew me away. I kept looking for more, and I can never thank Mr. Bradbury enough for what he did. BTW, I had the chance, at his retirement party, to tell him about this, so he knows I appreciate it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-non-depressing-book-for-6th-graders/725954.md?page=4)