Becoming an independent reader is a source of pride for kids. Newly voracious readers will want to read anything they can get their hands on, while others might need more help finding their niche. Some readers might cling to easy reads and need help with (or coaxing!) to tackle more challenging books.

As with my previous If Then lists, note that the "then" option is a title which I like much better than the "if" option.

If you like Junie B. Jones, then try Judy Moody by Megan McDonald.

If you like Mary Poppins, then try Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald.

If you like Amelia Bedelia, then try The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren.

If you like Pollyanna, then try Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.

If you like The Chronicles of Narnia, then try Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

If you like Pendragon, then try OutCast by Christopher Golden and Thomas E. Sniegoski. (Start with Book One: The Un-Magician.)

If you like A Series of Unfortunate Events, then try The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.

If you like Holes, then try Hidden Talents by David Lubar.

If you like The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, then try Four Dolls by Rumer Godden and Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy.

If you like The Tale of Despereaux, then try Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (re-released as The Secret of NIMH) by Robert C. O'Brien.

If you like Ida B., then try So B. It by Sarah Weeks.

If you want additional recommendations, leave a comment below.

Similar booklists: If Then for Teens and If Then for Middle School

Want something new, something classic, or something challenging for your middle school students? Here are some recommendations, with the "then" option being a title which I like better than the "if" option.

If you like The Clique, then try The Girls by Amy Goldman Koss.

If you like Eragon, then try The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende.

If you like Inkheart, then try Poison by Chris Wooding.

If you like Hatchet, then try Call of the Wild by Jack London.

If you like The Bartimaeus Trilogy, then try His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman.

If you like Al Capone Does My Shirts, then try Tru Confessions by Janet Tashjian.

If you like The Gospel According to Larry, then try Nothing But the Truth by Avi.

If you watch Life with Derek, then read Who Put That Hair in My Toothbrush? by Jerry Spinelli.

If you watch Phil of the Future, then read I Was a Teenage Popsicle by Bev Katz Rosenbaum.

If you want additional recommendations, leave a comment below.

Similar booklists: If Then for Teens and If Then for Elementary School

This time of year, many customers want to get the newest book in popular series for their kids. However, if the latest book in that series was released in the spring or summer, chances are that the kid has already read it and may even own it, if the tween or teen has his or her own pocket change.

Also, I like helping the kids upgrade. I like recommending new authors and series. I like giving them books that will challenge them. I am not saying one should only read classic literature or dire dramas. I like comedies and I often recommend lighthearted tales. I simply want to make sure that the kids are reading things of substance rather than only superficial stories, especially if they are impressionable. It's good to have a balance. I recommmend tales of action, adventure, mystery and fantasy alongside stories which are contemporary, realistic, and dramatic, as well as those which are just plain fun.

Here now are some recommendations for teens based on hot titles and popular series, with the "then" option being a similar title which I like better than the "if" option.

If you like Gossip Girl, then try The Principles of Love by Emily Franklin.

If you like Prep, then try Looking for Alaska by John Green and As Simple as Snow by Gregory Galloway.

If you like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, then try The True Meaning of Cleavage by Mariah Fredericks.

If you like Twilight, then try Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

If you like Cirque du Freak, then try The Gathering Dark by Christopher Golden.

If you like New Moon, then try Prowlers by Christopher Golden, the first of four action-packed thrillers.

If you like TTYL, then try Heart on My Sleeve by Ellen Wittlinger.

If you like All-American Girl, then try I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter.

If you like The Lovely Bones, then try Dead on Town Line by Leslie Connor.

If you watch CSI, then read Body Bags by Christopher Golden, the first of ten murder mysteries.

If you want additional recommendations, leave a comment below!

Similar booklists: If Then for Middle School and If Then for Elementary School