If you’re looking for a book that captures the imagination of a ten-year-old girl, you’ve come to the right place. Among our top picks are Looking for Alaska by Elizabeth Strout, Autumn Term by Claire Legrand, Luvvy and the Girls by James Patterson, and The Book Thief by Kate Morton. These are all surprisingly readable and relatable for the 10-year-old set.

Looking for Alaska

The popular Looking for Alaska boarding school series has inspired numerous films and books for ten-year-olds. In this sassy tale, a solitary, lonely teenage boy named Miles goes to a high school in Alabama where there is minimal adult supervision. Upon arriving at his new school, Miles meets and bonds with Takumi, Alaska, and Chip, nicknamed “The Colonel,” who are all of varying ages.

One of the most popular YA books for kids is Looking for Alaska by John Green. Set in a small boarding school in Alabama, this novel depicts adolescence realistically and deserves praise as a result. Despite the book’s acclaim, the author has written at least 10 more books in a similar genre. If you’re looking for a book for a ten-year-old, consider starting with Prep or The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharpe.

Autumn Term

If your child has just started boarding school, a great book to read is Autumn Term by Antonia Forest. This first novel is set in 1948, and follows identical twins Nicola and Lawrence. Set at Kingscote School, it is the twins’ first experience of conventional education. The next book in the series, The Marlows and the Traitor, will take place in 1950.

This classic children’s novel is full of atmospheric descriptions and complex sentences that will keep your children engaged throughout the novel. This is an excellent choice for more able pupils in year 5. It features a school with a frightful Headmaster, and it will be a great introduction to figurative writing. Dinah Glass is also a great choice for younger readers, as she is the protagonist of the book.

Culver Creek

When Miles Halter decides to leave his boring and friendless life behind, he heads off to a boarding school in Alabama. There, he meets the sly and witty Alaska Young. When he joins the school, she pulls him into her labyrinth and catapults him into the Great Perhaps. Miles is hooked and is determined to make the most of his new school experience.

This novel is set at Culver Creek Boarding School, which is a boy’s equivalent to high school. It features three main characters: Miles Halter (who goes by the nickname “Pudge”), Chip Martin (a rebellious teenager), and Alaska Young, a naive young woman with wild ambitions. As Miles makes friends at the boarding school, he discovers that he has feelings for both Alaska and the Colonel.

The Secret Language

The Secret Language of boarding school books for ten year olds is an interesting book that explores relationships between young people. It was first published in 1960 and received good reviews. The author, Ursula Nordstrom, was an editor at Harper Row for over thirty years. In addition to the original Secret Language, she also wrote a sequel titled The Secret Choice. However, Nordstrom could not finish the second book and instead burned it. However, this book glosses over the violence in the story.

As the first in the series, this book follows Victoria North, who was sent to a boarding school when her mother’s job interfered with her caretaking. The novel follows an unhappy Victoria as she adjusts to life away from home and makes friends with Martha Sherman. After she makes a friend at the school, Martha insists on sending Victoria to Coburn for her last year. She is a student of her teacher, Miss Sherman, who initiates Victoria into her secret language and leads her on many adventures.