{"id":58372,"date":"2023-09-21T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-21T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/?p=58372"},"modified":"2025-01-15T03:01:30","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T07:01:30","slug":"books-for-11-year-old-girls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/books-for-11-year-old-girls\/","title":{"rendered":"25+ Books for 11 Year Old Girls"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

11 year olds are in such a sweet spot for reading middle grade books. I feel sometimes like most middle grade books are written for this age group. There are also way more middle grade books with female protagonists so you should have no problem finding books for 11 year old girls. As I always say in these posts, these books work just fine for all kids, not just girls, but this post is a great jump-off point. You’ll find several kinds of stories, including books about an aspiring artist, a girl fending off anxiety, books for mystery lovers, and so much more.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Join our Patreon community<\/a> to get the printable version of this li<\/b>st<\/strong>! You’ll also get access to other kid lit resources and perks, like our seasonal guides, book tasting menus, and book discussion guides, to inspire you. You can also\u00a0buy the standalone printable<\/a>\u00a0from our shop<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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25+ Books for 11-Year-Old Girls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are 25+ books for 11-year-old girls:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the Advanced 11 Year Old Reader<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your 11-year-old girl reads far beyond her age and peers, here are some challenging but totally enjoyable books for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lasagna Means I Love You<\/h2><\/div>
By Kate O’Shaughnessy (Author)
Published: February 21, 2023<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

11-year-old Mo is facing a hard life moment. Her Nan (and sole guardian) has died, and her uncle (and only surviving relative) has decided to pass on caring for her in favor of enlisting in the military. So, Mo\u2019s entering the foster care system. Her Nan\u2019s last wish for Mo was that she find a hobby, but Mo isn\u2019t sure about that \u2014 until she finds a book with family recipes. After one failed homing, she ends up in the home of a very well-to-do white couple who seem delighted to have her. There, Mo feels safe to try her hands out at recipes and even start a website to house all the family recipes she\u2019s been collecting. But then, Mo\u2019s world is turned upside down again. Will Mo ever find her own family? This is an achingly tender portrait of a girl searching \u2014 through food and recipes \u2014 for a family to belong to.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A Place at the Table <\/h2><\/div>
By Saadia Faruqi, Laura Shovan
Published: August 11, 2020<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sara has moved from her smaller Islamic school to the larger neighborhood middle school. Unfortunately for her, her Pakistani mother has also started teaching after-school cooking classes (in addition to her catering business) at the school. Sara is forced to attend those since her mother won\u2019t let her stay home alone \u2014 despite the fact that she\u2019s in sixth grade. Many of the kids in the class are rude and make fun of her mother\u2019s dishes while pretending not to understand her accent. But one student, Elizabeth seems to enjoy learning to cook. Sara and Elizabeth form an unlikely friendship when they discover that both their mothers are studying to pass the American citizenship test. This book was so good! The dual-perspective narration<\/strong> in this story helps you get into the girls\u2019 minds and see their individual struggles even before they eventually confide in each other.  <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Summer of June<\/h2><\/div>
By Jamie Sumner
Published: May 31, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

June is tired of having anxiety rule her life and has made a plan to kick it to the curb this summer. She\u2019s going to put herself out there\u2014she and her fierce single mom who works at the library. Fortunately, June meets Homer, a middle school boy who loves reciting poetry and believes in June! But there are a few bumps in the road for June. Will she win this summer? If you\u2019re looking for a book about anxiety (June is so anxious she pulls her hair out\u2014LITERALLY), summer, and friendship set in the library (June\u2019s mom works there!), don\u2019t miss this one! <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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For the Fantasy Addict<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your 11-year-old girl can’t get enough of fantasy stories, here are a few she will love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Split Second<\/h2><\/div>
By Janae Marks
Published: October 1, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

After a memorable birthday sleepover with her two best friends, Elise wakes up to realize that time has jumped by six months and her best friends no longer speak to her. With the help of an old friend, she works to figure out what happened and how to undo it. This is more fantasy time travel than sci-fi and has a slightly spooky feel for kids who like books about magic with a touch of mystery. I love that it’s short, highly accessible, and written from two points of view, while tackling hugely relatable themes like friendship and being brave.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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12 to 22: POV You Wake Up in the Future<\/h2><\/div>
By Jen Calonita
Published: August 16, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

On her 12th half birthday, her parents surprisingly gift her their approval to post on social networks. Thrilled, Harper starts posting TikTok videos like her idol, Blake Riley. Her first video goes viral and brings her closer to the popular crew in her school who only befriend her so she can teach them her edits. Their interest in her creates a rift between Harper and her best friend Ava. In the midst of the chaos, Harper tries a TikTok filter, which, combined with a wish to be 22, suddenly makes her 22! This is a seriously fun book! It\u2019s pegged as <\/em><\/a>13 Going on 30 <\/em><\/a>for middle graders <\/strong>and it\u2019s fairly spot on, although many middle graders who read this may not have even seen the movie. Still, the feeling is the same. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Aquanaut<\/h2><\/div>
By Dan Santat
Published: March 1, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sophia has been hanging out in Aqualand, the marine theme park her late father and uncle started. Her uncle is doing his best to finish Sophia\u2019s late father\u2019s marine project, and Sophia seems to have little or no zest for school work. Imagine her shock when a diving suit controlled by sea creatures appears in Aqualand. It turns out the suit is controlled by sea creatures who\u2019ve come to Aqualand looking for a place to call home. Unfortunately, they discover that Aqualand doesn\u2019t treat sea creatures in the best way. I\u2019m not a fantasy reader, but this one drew me in \u2014 and I have to say, I\u2019ve never read anything so inventive and poignant. I felt like this could easily be an animated movie<\/strong>. Santat explores a ton of important themes in the story without being preachy or in the readers\u2019 faces.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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For the Realistic Fiction Aficionado<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Realistic fiction is my bread and butter, and the books in this section are some of my all-time favorites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Kate in Between<\/h2><\/div>
By Claire Swinarski 
Published: May 18, 2021<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Kate McAllister\u2019s life is in need of a refresh. So when a bunch of popular kids seems to welcome Kate into their clique, she is torn about ditching her longtime best friend, Haddie. Things get complicated, however, when Kate is a passive participant in a bullying incident that leads to Haddie sinking on thin ice. Then, Kate is captured on camera, saving Haddie, and the video goes viral. While news outlets hail \u201cKate the Great\u201d as a shining example for tweens who should not be bullying other kids, Kate continues to oscillate between craving acceptance from the popular kids and trying to keep her friendship with Haddie, all the while maintaining her public image by appearing in newspapers and on popular YouTube channels. But how long can she keep up the charade? And, is Kate great? Or is she a bad person? This is a timely, complex, and engaging middle grade book about identity, popularity, bullying culture<\/a>, and going viral.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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