When our DD16 was in sixth grade, she was supposed to read books older than high school - according to her aptitude. I went to her teacher and asked if she could read "popular" books more around her grade level. At this point, we had proved that she could read almost anything. She read books that the other children were reading and it made her happy and gave her something in common with others her age.
It has not "ruined" her reading or anything. It was just a small way for her to fit in.
This is what we have always done, too.
It's only been recently that DD has stopped reading at her level, and begun making noises of "it's too hard for me" and "I don't know that word" which ring so false.
It's as though she's decided that having something in common socially isn't enough anymore-- she has to actually try to choke the life out of that more proficient/advanced reader and actually BE a typical 13yo consumer of literature and media.
(Of course, she still hates Justin Bieber, so I think we're safe there at least...)
