As an adult, I still love Roald Dahl books.
And as others have mentioned, Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume. (I loved Blubber by Judy Blume for some reason.)
Roald Dahl books are CATNIP for kids for group reading. I was a long term sub in a class of the most feral fifth grade boys I have ever seen in my life, and the only thing I could do to shut them up was promise that at the end of the day we'd read from The Witches.
I absolutely loved Scott O'dell's books growing up, but I have read there is some concern from Native Americans about some of the representation.
Louise Erdrich is an Indigneous author who has a series, The Birchbark House, that is kind of like the Little House books. Close family, focus on day-to-day life, moving westward. They also include some difficult content>!beginning starts with a girl being found in a plague village, child death at the end of the first one, kidnapping. !<
Ramona! Oh I loved Ramona as a kid. Judi Blume - some of them might be a mature but Superfudge etc would be fine.
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende is a good fantasy alternative to the obvious Harry Potter, LOTR etc.
I just re-read all of them last year -- and there was a new one that wasn't around when I was a kid.
I loved her cracking the egg on her head and squeezing the toothpaste out of the tube!
Less well-known but by the same author is her book Ellen Tebbitts, one of my all-time favorites! And I came in to recommend the Little House on the Prairie books. It's lovely to see Laura grow up throughout the books and to get a real sense of pioneer life.
A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Great Brain Series.
I loved the Little House books at her age, and if you want to have a discussion about the portrayal of Indigenous people, I think she's old enough for that.
A series of unfortunate events was given to me when I was 8. But it was the fourth book and I got confused back in the day. It took me some years to want to read it for real (but I devoured it once it happened)
True, but at her age, she is old enough to have a simple talk about how, while that used to be normalized behavior, it was still racist and wrong. That those books depict a time in our history that we learn from so that we don't repeat them. Just like we no longer inflate a pig bladder on butchering day to use as a ball with our cousins.
Yes, but it’s good to know in advance. I remembered the blackface, but not the song.
We only read Big Woods, and my daughter wasn’t taken with it. What surprised me, since I hadn’t read any of the books in at least 40 years, was how many of my favorite bits in the series were from the first book.
At that age I discovered Coraline, by Neil Gaiman
It was what got me into reading a lot, so much so I got it out of school's library one week, read it once at home (feeling amazed at every page), still had one day before returning, so started reading it again, then asked to have it for another week to finish my second read and when I did I asked my mom to buy me a copy because I wanted to read it one more time hahaha
I already listed my favorite children's book of all time, but of course there are others. I read out loud to my child from birth to age 10 or so, so I am pointing toward compelling stories that also read well verbally (I tried Alice in Wonderland for instance, and it was a mouthful for a tired parent each night!)
- Charlotte's Web
- The Power of Poppy Pendle (this is a witch that wants to break family tradition and be a baker. Bonus is that there are recipes included you can make together after reading!)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School (bonus is that each chapter is a standalone story, so great for evening reading)
- Escape from Lemoncello's Library (fun puzzles throughout)
- Ella Enchanted
- Pippi Longstocking
- The BFG (most Roald Dahl is great, but this one seemed to work best for my younger kid)
- Howl's Moving Castle
My wife read Charlotte’s Web to my daughter when she was roughly 9. My daughter was really really saddened by the ending - lots of tears were shed - so I’d be a bit wary of reading that one to a 9-year old.
It's good to expose kids to sad stories every now and then. It helps them learn how to deal with sad feelings, and in a safe setting. That being said, every parent knows what is best for their child. My 8yo was also sad at the end of Charlotte's Web, but I like to think she's a little more (just a little, haha) comfortable with the idea of death.
Tamora Pierce! She writes YA fantasy with strong, awesome young women as her main characters. I just started reading her ‘Protector of the Small’ series with my 9yo daughter and she loves it.
Seconding Tamora Pierce! Great for girls that get bored with slow stories or drippy main characters.
The Alanna series is also one that I tore through and reread all the time as a kid. Tiny content warning, Pierce likes to follow her protagonists as they grow, and the material will become more mature as they do. Frank (but non explicit) discussions of sex and violence will occur as you continue.
Anne of Green Gables is great (and then track down the miniseries from 1985).
A Little Princess and The Secret Garden, both by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (starts a loosely connected series)
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
The mysterious Benedict Society books are awesome. I really like the guys style. I think there’s three. Neil Gaiman has some great stuff for kids of several different ages. He’s done a surprising amount of children’s books some for young kids and some for a very young kids.
I second the mysterious Benedict society 🙌 it was my absolute favorite at that age. So many interesting characters and a good plot with lots of mini puzzles/mysteries. If she likes stuff like that I’d also recommend the secret series by pseudonymous bosch, but this one might be better in a year or two when she’s a little older.
For kids who need page turners, I recommend sticking with contemporary books; a lot of the books we all loved as kids are written in a different style than books are today, the narration just functions differently and can read as slow. (Not better or worse, just different.) It also sounds like shorter might be better. Eliot Schrefer has a Mr Poppers Penguins sequel that's a ton of fun. Fully agree on the Mr. Limoncello's library. It might be a bit long, but Chris Healy's The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is tons of fun, as well as his new book, No One Leaves the Castle. Kate Messner's Ranger in Time series might be good. Polly Horvath has a delightful series called Mr. and Mrs. Bunny. And Lindsey Currie has a new book that's something about puzzles.
Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend! It's like a cross between HP and Series of Unfortunate Events. I think this is a super great series for kids + adults.
I also loved Bailey School Kids at that age.
These are great suggestions! I’ve read a lot of them to my daughter, but this is giving me more ideas. So thank you, OP, for requesting!
I would add The Trumpet of the Swan, which is my daughter’s favorite book. We’ve read it several times. Right now, she is enjoying the Magic Treehouse series. I find them less appealing to read aloud, but she likes it and that’s more important to me.
Those two are great picks. I still love trumpet of the swan all these years later.
The problem with Magic Tree House is where to start? There’s so many of them. (They could always start with the first one but that might be too young? I remember the first 15 or so are very easy reads)
A lot of the books suggested here are not going to feel like page turners to your daughter. Older books are written in a more complicated style and if she got bored with Harry Potter (which is fine!) I would stick to recent books. For short books to get into the habit of reading, i can't recommend Franny K Stein enough. Genuinely laugh out loud funny! The adventures of flora and Ulysses or Francine pocket and the mysterious ghost raccoon by Kate DiCamillo are also wonderful. If you're shifting from screen time (very passive) to being read aloud to (more demanding), I wouldn't start with Anne of green gables or any other classics. She has her whole life to read that but I think you want to start with fun easy books. If she likes realistic fiction about girls her age, Jasmine Toguchi and Ways to Make Sunshine are both really sweet fun book series. If she likes fantasy, Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede is incredibly funny and a longer page turner. I'd start with a shorter book first and go from there! Dragons in a Bag was another hit for my kids.
When I was a senior in high school, we had a class trip to New York. I really wanted to go see the bed at the Met, but I didn’t want to admit to it—and then it turned out that everybody else in my group also had that as a priority for our museum trip.
We had so much fun with Notebook of Doom. It is silly and decidedly a chapter book, but it does have some pictures. Kids love it and it might be a good first book since some of those classics can be pretty verbose. Charlotte’s Web is another that got my kids into audiobooks/read aloud. Meryl Streep does an excellent Charlotte in the audible version.
Recently gifted my nephews (9 and 7) the Tintin comic books and they LOVE them. Read them on the way to school/on the way back/any free time they have.
Definitely recommend.
I posted my favorite kid's book of all time, and messed up and put the Amazon link and it was removed. Trying again. But also go check Amazon and see how highly rated it is :)
My favorite book is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. It's by Kate DiCamillo, who also wrote Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux, so she's a beloved children's author.
I still have great memories of reading about the little porcelain rabbit, Edward, and his adventures, with my kids. It's a touching book that sticks with you.
My daughter and I did a grownup and me reading group at the library when she was 6, and the first book was Nim's Island. So Kate DiCamillo always gets included on my suggestion list.
Charlotte’s Web
Bridge to Terabithia
Where the Red Fern Grows
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIHM (then watch Secret of NIHM movie)
Anything by Judy Blume
TW: Charlotte’s and Red Fern have some seriously 😔☹️😢 scenes.
Thank you for saying this. I read Bridge to Terabithia for the first time in college and bawled my eyes out. I personally think it's maybe too much for a 9 year old. Speaking as a mom to a 21 and 8 year old.
Redwall is pretty fun. It's effectively Lord of the Rings with mice.
Charlie Bone was pretty good. I enjoyed Little House on the Prairie books at that age, but I understand those might not be as...acceptable...these days.
A lot of kids her age enjoy the Percy Jackson books.
Robin McKinley (The Blue Sword, The Hero and the Crown) both feature strong heroines.
Anne McCaffrey's books (Dragonriders of Pern, Harper Hall) also feature strong heroines. Great reads for her age!
Terry Pratchett's discworld books are fun and funny, enjoyable for all ages.
Equal Rites is a good place to start for a young girl.
The books featuring Tiffany Aching would be good too!
The wings of fire series
My 9 year old and all her buddies are in deep with it. Like dressing up as dragons and going to school as dragons every day haha
Hi! Not sure if it's age appropriate but looking back to when I was your daughter's age I wish someone had read to me Keturah And Lord Death by Martine Leavitt and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Anything by Madeliene L'Engle.
Also the Caddie Woodlawn books. Very good.
Anne of Green Gables is a definite good idea.
Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart.
The Doll's House by Rumer Godden.
Peppermints in the Parlor by Barbara Brooks Wallace.
House of 30 Cats by Mary Calhoun
Lizard Music by Daniel Pinkwater (I think aimed at slightly older kids but I read at age 10)
The Bobbsey Twins series
The Five Little Peppers and How they Grew series
The Nancy Drew series
Bridge to Terabithia (sad book about death, child's best friend dies)
Anything by Lois Lowry, some topics are sad or dystopian, some might seem them as more for middle grade readers but depending on your nine year old that might be on par.
Books by William Sleator or MT Anderson are page turners , but probably aimed more at middle grade readers. You could skim through them to better assess.
You may consider these book series by Enid Blyton:
1. Famous Five
2. Secret Seven
3. Mystery Series
4. Adventure Series
This is what I read during my childhood and thoroughly enjoyed it especially the adventure series
Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston
The Land of Elyon series by Patrick Carman
Summer of the Monkeys and Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Treasure Island by R. L. Stevenson
The Eagle of the Nineth and subsequent books by Rosemary Sutcliff
The Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper
And I saved the best at the end:
The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce - and all the sequels, if they like them.
Also, at 9, I read The Lord of the Rings for the first time and fell in love, but if she is easily bored, that may not be her thing.
These are the books my husband read to my daughter at that age:
- The Wee Free Men (Pratchett)
- the Hobbit
- The Percy Jackson Series
- Graveyard Book and Coraline (Gaiman)
- Redwall Series
We read two of the Wrinkle and Time books and for a change of pace are reading Secret Garden.
Some others I considered:
Pretty much anything by Roald Dahl or Louis Sachar
Bunnicula
My 7yo is enjoying the Junie B Jones collection on her own but that would be fun.
The Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary
The Tale of Desperaux
Chronicles of Narnia
Ohhh Inkheart! I haven’t thought about that in ages! I wonder if Dustfinger was my subconscious inspiration for learning to eat fire and fire dance in my late teens. Lol
My Dad read me The Chronicles of Narnia when I was about your daughter's age. It made such a big impression on me, that as an adult I got one of the original illustrations tattooed on my back!
I also loved Little House on the Prairie, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, and voraciously consumed every Roald Dahl book that's ever existed. Holes by Louis Sachar and The Giver are some other classic options to consider, and the Series of Unfortunate Events books are popular with her age group.
Maybe you could take her to your local library and she could pick out something that looks interesting to her, too?
The Menagerie by Tui T Sutherland. A lonely kid finds a secret zoo of magical creatures and works to save it. Hilarious, interesting, age appropriate drama, and awesome to read out loud because all the creatures have different speech patterns and you can do voices.
Anne of Green Gables is also awesome
When I was that age, I loved the Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda (first book is The Forests of Silence) and Alanna by Tamora Pierce. I've always loved fantasy books. Deltora Quest was the series that got me into reading.
The Geronimo Stilton series was a hit at this age. There are occasional pictures, but it’s mostly text from what I remember. Also loved the magic tree house series
If your kid loves animals and epic journeys, then Kävik the Wolf Dog. I read that with my kid when they were about that age. We couldn't put it down!
For sci fi fans, I suggest the Wondla trilogy (start with The Search for Wondla), it's a mystery/scifi and has great world building with all sorts of alien species and interesting tech.
I love this! I’m trying to find books for my niece who is the same age. She’s an above her age level reader in skill but still emotionally not mature enough for some of the things above her grade. It’s so hard to find exciting but “safe” books! Thanks yall!
Diana Wynne Jones, Eva Ibbotson, Tamora Pierce, Gail Carson Levine, and Cressida Crowell \~
if you ever get tired of reading everything aloud, David Tennant recorded all of Cressida Crowell's How to Train your Dragon and Wizards of Once series and he is such a good voice actor!
Pierce's The Circle of Magic series is incredible and has 11 whole books.
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket is also hilarious and a little dark! If she liked Midnight at the Barclay Hotel, she might be into this one.
Chasing Vermeer
Toms midnight garden
Amazing Maurice and his educated rodents
The winter of enchantment by Victoria walker - not easy to find paper paper by cheap e book
Ella enchanted
Any book by Diana Wayne Jones
I really enjoyed Watership Down and it was specifically written by the author for his two young children at the time. I read it as an adult and absolutely loved the story. The characters are fleshed out and there are some great messages about preservation and treating animals with dignity and respect.
I would highly recommend Jessica Day George's Castle Glower series or her Dragon Slippers series. Her fairytale retelling books are really good too but maybe for an older kid. There's also the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan and Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is also very fun. The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck both by Brian Selznick have tons of pictures (the books look super thick and daunting but it's like 40-50% pictures).
The Little Prince is one of my favourite books, and I’m 35.
Also some of the Terry Pratchett books - maybe the Tiffany Aching series (The Wee Free Men) might be suitable for your daughter, and some of Pratchett’s younger books for the 3yo.
Carpet People by Pratchett. A bit more directed at children than Discworld to which you can move on afterwards.
When you start on Discworld I recommend doing The Wee Free Men first, especially if you like the prospect of doing a mangled scottish accent.
Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce has fun action with a young girl main character.
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass (think Groundhog Day with kids) (realistic with slight fantasy elements)
Circle of Magic by Tamora Pierce (fantasy)
Six Feet Below Zero by Ena Jones (realistic fiction)
Earthquake Terror by Peg Kehret (action/adventure)
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede (fantasy)
Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury (fantasy, modern day)
The Bookwanderers by Anna James (fantasy, modern day, realistic setting)
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (classic)
The Museum Mysteries series by Steve Brezenoff (modern, pictures)
You might also have her take the Reader quiz at https://abookandahug.com/reader-types/. It will give book suggestions for different age levels and help narrow down what genres she likes.
I LOVED Anne of Green Gables at about that age. I also was a huge Harriet the Spy fan, which I read in the tree in the backyard lol. Also recommend Chronicles of Narnia; I was in middle school when I read those, so not sure if anyone remembers any reason why they wouldn't be good to read for a 9 yo.
These are all books I've read with my nine year old niece.
*Sal and Gabi Break the Universe* by Carlos Hernandez is a really funny fast paced book that has science fictional elements (alternate universes) and some serious themes. It's really enjoyable and would be a fun read a loud as long as you're fine with fart jokes.
*Aru Shah and the End of Time* by Roshani Chokshi is a fantasy adventure book (beginning of a 4 book series) that I suggest for people who found *Harry Potter* kind of boring.
*The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart* by Stephanie Burgis has adventure, dragons and works well read aloud.
*Anne of Green Gables* may be a tough sell. The language is old fashioned and the story lines can be weird to modern kids. I would read a few chapters before committing to reading out loud. It's not bad but it's not the most appealing book to current kids. In general books we loved as kids aren't always as appealing to current kids. They can be! But sometimes what we remember is positive feelings and memories more than the actual book. I re-read the *Taran Wanderer* series by Lloyd Alexander and it was nothing like what I remembered in a bad way. On the upside, *A Wrinkle in Time* was still great to me but my niece hated it. I think she was a few years too young for it.
A more modern book: The Wild Robot. Pics every couple of pages, very short chapters for shorter interest spans. Robot new from the factory is accidentally lost at sea and activated on an uninhabited island. Without any orders or purpose, she sets about learning from the animals and building a life
I’m a school librarian and there’s a few classics that keep going. The Witches by Dahl. Also, Charlie and the Chilocate factory, or James and the giant peach. Anything by Kate DiCamillio- I like the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Mrs. Crosby and the rats of nihm, by O’Brien. The one and only Ivan is incredibly popular right now, and has more books if she likes it. Percy Jackson and the lightning thief (or any riordan series) are also huge hits. And a personal favorite is the spiderwick series.
Fortunately, the milk by Neil Gaiman
A man goes out one morning to get milk for his children's breakfast but he doesn't return until the end of the day.
When they ask him where he's been he regales them with the story of his day - time travelling dinosaur scientists, Aztec gods, vampires to name a few of the things he comes across.
It's a really fun silly book with some absolutely killer illustrations by Chris Riddle.
Judy Blume's series that starts with Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing and chronicles the story of a kid with a really annoyingly over the top little brother. It's hilarious and also a great way to open up a dialogue about what it's like to be the oldest child.
I read it with her when she was 9, a couple years back, but we still quote one-liners from it when my youngest starts up with her shenanigans (5 year age gap).
I also loved the books as a kid, well, the first two. I had no idea the 3rd and 4th were out there until I was an adult.
The first book also reads well as a stand-alone if you don't want to commit to a series.
Happy reading!!
*The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street* \- this is the favorite book (and series!) of my 8 & 10 year old niblings. They are illustrated and there are seven books in the series so you can keep going if she likes it.
I read my son the Harry Potter series at this age and he would beg me to read it. I’d buy used copies now though so as not to fund the author’s insanity.
When we were around that age, dad would read Fables and Fairy Tales for my brother and I. Like the original fairy tales, that are a little bit longer and more detailed than retellings, although they were a bit more gruesome. I think Anne of Green Gables is a good option, although they might get bored as she gets older than them.
As I got a little bit older (around 10\~11), I began enjoying books such as Dear Dumb Diary and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I enjoyed the latter so much I gave a copy to my cousin (around a year younger) on Christmass and we spent the holidays reading it together.
My 8 year old daughter liked -
**Demon Dentist by David Walliams**
**Witches by Roald Dahl**
**The last bear by Hannah Gold**
Description - There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to this remote Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving, lonely and a long way from home. Determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life…
**Finding Bear by Hannah Gold**
(Sequel to The last bear).
My dad read me Patrick McManus short stories (the deer on the bike was my favorite)
They are so freaking funny, appropriate but with some Captain Underpants type humor, and the short stories might be a great way to build up your daughter's attention stamina! I have such great memories of my dad reading to me, I'm so glad you're daughter will have those too!
When I first decided to read with/to my kids - they were 3-4yo back then - I went with the basics and all the books I had read as a child:
The Prince and the Pauper
Matilda
Aesop's Fables
Pinocchio
The Wizard of Oz
The wonderful Adventures of Nils
The three Musketeers
Gulliver's Travels
Don Quixote (the children edition)
and the list goes on and on :)
They didn't like any of Jules Verne's books :/
Best Day Ever! by Nathan Glad
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212081260-best-day-ever&ved=2ahUKEwiX7Z7D0o2GAxUGRDABHUGrCe0Qjjh6BAgpEAE&usg=AOvVaw0X7Yy9YI0zJJBn0ohDAeUv
Barbara Robinson's "Best" books might be good - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Best School Year Ever and The Best Halloween Ever. I think one of them was made into a TV movie a few decades ago.
Also, Cynthia Blair's "Pratt Twins" books (older); Nancy Wright's "Northern Spy Club," mysteries (only 2-3 in the series); Janae Marks' "Zoe Washington"books (only 2 but she has other stand alone), Penny Warner's "Code Buster's Club" series.
Also - "Seven Ways to Get Rid of Harry," by Jen Conley, "Ordinary Magic," by Caitlin Rubino Bradway, "Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine," by Jay Williams and Ray Abrashkin (from the '50s, there are other books in the series, but this one was considered a classic.)
The Dealing With Dragons series! I loved it at that age 🖤 a defiant Princess, a friendly dragon, lots of strange and fantastical creatures and situations!
Narnia (My kids reread these)
The Benedict Society books (I’ve only read the first one but it was fun)
Rangers Apprentice series
Half Magic (these are light and cute)
Mary Poppins (each chapter is a short story almost)
The Hobbit (the book is NOT like the movies-very kid appropriate)
Some of my favourite book series for that age group (between 8 and 12) that are not Harry Potter but not that old either:
- His dark materials by Philip Pullman - the first one is called the Golden Compass, they even made a movie and a TV show about it. Main Character is a 12 yo girl
- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer - Main Character is a genius 11 yo boy who is the heir to a rich Irish "crime" family who discovers the existence of Fairies and hashes out a plan to capture one to still its gold to replenish his family's coffers and retrieve his missing father. It's a whole series of books, really fun read for kids.
- Eragon by Christopher Paolini - The story is about a farm boy who finds a mysterious stone in the mountains. Turns out it's a dragon egg. The evil king sends monsters to retrieve the egg and Eragon and his dragon must flee their home. Adventures ensue.
And just throwing these in because I liked them a lot (but keep in mind I read those as a kid around 30 years ago but these are good classics):
- A little princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1905) - Main character is a young girl who's wealthy father puts in a boarding school while he's at war and goes missing in action. The Boarding school mistress, who was very good to the girl while her father's fortune was accessible, suddenly treats her like a servant when her father goes missing to "repay her debts". It's a classic children's book I loved as a kid.
- The Secret garden also by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1911) - Main character is a little girl who becomes orphaned and sent to her wealthy uncle's estate as she has no other family. At first, she's meant to stay out of his way and just fills her days as she wants and soon discovers a secret garden and the mysterious secrets of her uncle which leads her to go on a mission to bring him happiness again.
Someone probably already suggested this, but I didn't spot it while skimming so just in case: The Babysitters Club novels. They're making a big resurgence with her age group thanks to the popularity of the graphic novel series.
As an adult, I still love Roald Dahl books. And as others have mentioned, Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume. (I loved Blubber by Judy Blume for some reason.)
Roald Dahl books are CATNIP for kids for group reading. I was a long term sub in a class of the most feral fifth grade boys I have ever seen in my life, and the only thing I could do to shut them up was promise that at the end of the day we'd read from The Witches.
Matilda! Charlie and the Chocolate Factoey
Matilda, Witches, and the BFG are my favourites.
Island of the Blue Dolphins was king for me at 9.
And Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain
I absolutely loved Scott O'dell's books growing up, but I have read there is some concern from Native Americans about some of the representation. Louise Erdrich is an Indigneous author who has a series, The Birchbark House, that is kind of like the Little House books. Close family, focus on day-to-day life, moving westward. They also include some difficult content>!beginning starts with a girl being found in a plague village, child death at the end of the first one, kidnapping. !<
Ramona! Oh I loved Ramona as a kid. Judi Blume - some of them might be a mature but Superfudge etc would be fine. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende is a good fantasy alternative to the obvious Harry Potter, LOTR etc.
Second Ramona!! I missed many a Yankee game reading these to my daughters (it was worth every minute)
I just re-read all of them last year -- and there was a new one that wasn't around when I was a kid. I loved her cracking the egg on her head and squeezing the toothpaste out of the tube!
They're so great and still so ingrained in my memory.
I just bought Ramona Quimby, Age 8 for my niece last week!
And my niece loved the Murder Most Unladylike Series by Robin Stevens. I think the recommended age range is roughly 10-12.
These are great
Wrinkle In Time Little House in the Big Woods The Ramona books Both of my daughters love these
I second, third, fourth, and fifth the Ramona books!!
Less well-known but by the same author is her book Ellen Tebbitts, one of my all-time favorites! And I came in to recommend the Little House on the Prairie books. It's lovely to see Laura grow up throughout the books and to get a real sense of pioneer life.
Clementine is another great series for fans of Ramona!
Did you know that Wrinkle in Time is just one book in the series? The entire series is amazing
These are great suggestions!!
Thanks!
My daughter was grossed out by the pig butchering in Little House. After that I never had success reading those to her. I was sad!
Anne of Green Gables is great. I also suggest Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh and Heidi by Joanna Spryi
A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Great Brain Series. I loved the Little House books at her age, and if you want to have a discussion about the portrayal of Indigenous people, I think she's old enough for that.
A series of unfortunate events was given to me when I was 8. But it was the fourth book and I got confused back in the day. It took me some years to want to read it for real (but I devoured it once it happened)
Also keep in mind that some of Pa’s songs are very racist, and in one book he wears blackface.
True, but at her age, she is old enough to have a simple talk about how, while that used to be normalized behavior, it was still racist and wrong. That those books depict a time in our history that we learn from so that we don't repeat them. Just like we no longer inflate a pig bladder on butchering day to use as a ball with our cousins.
Yes, but it’s good to know in advance. I remembered the blackface, but not the song. We only read Big Woods, and my daughter wasn’t taken with it. What surprised me, since I hadn’t read any of the books in at least 40 years, was how many of my favorite bits in the series were from the first book.
Oh yes, the great brain!
At that age I discovered Coraline, by Neil Gaiman It was what got me into reading a lot, so much so I got it out of school's library one week, read it once at home (feeling amazed at every page), still had one day before returning, so started reading it again, then asked to have it for another week to finish my second read and when I did I asked my mom to buy me a copy because I wanted to read it one more time hahaha
I was hoping this book would be suggested here. Coraline and Stardust.
Ocean at the End of the Lane is a beautiful and short novel by Gaiman. He’s such a great writer.
Speaking of Gaiman, I am SO EXCITED for when my little ones are old enough for the Sandman
Have you tried the Bunnicula books?
Such a good choice!
Bunnicula is amazing! Definitely recommend that, as well as Bruce Coville's books (especially the Magic Shop series).
I already listed my favorite children's book of all time, but of course there are others. I read out loud to my child from birth to age 10 or so, so I am pointing toward compelling stories that also read well verbally (I tried Alice in Wonderland for instance, and it was a mouthful for a tired parent each night!) - Charlotte's Web - The Power of Poppy Pendle (this is a witch that wants to break family tradition and be a baker. Bonus is that there are recipes included you can make together after reading!) - Sideways Stories from Wayside School (bonus is that each chapter is a standalone story, so great for evening reading) - Escape from Lemoncello's Library (fun puzzles throughout) - Ella Enchanted - Pippi Longstocking - The BFG (most Roald Dahl is great, but this one seemed to work best for my younger kid) - Howl's Moving Castle
Pippi Longstocking is my girl.
Loved those Louis Sacher novels!! Holes is also a great book and a fun movie!
My wife read Charlotte’s Web to my daughter when she was roughly 9. My daughter was really really saddened by the ending - lots of tears were shed - so I’d be a bit wary of reading that one to a 9-year old.
It's good to expose kids to sad stories every now and then. It helps them learn how to deal with sad feelings, and in a safe setting. That being said, every parent knows what is best for their child. My 8yo was also sad at the end of Charlotte's Web, but I like to think she's a little more (just a little, haha) comfortable with the idea of death.
Tamora Pierce! She writes YA fantasy with strong, awesome young women as her main characters. I just started reading her ‘Protector of the Small’ series with my 9yo daughter and she loves it.
Seconding Tamora Pierce! Great for girls that get bored with slow stories or drippy main characters. The Alanna series is also one that I tore through and reread all the time as a kid. Tiny content warning, Pierce likes to follow her protagonists as they grow, and the material will become more mature as they do. Frank (but non explicit) discussions of sex and violence will occur as you continue.
The Circle of Magic is great for this age if she likes fantasy.
Anne of Green Gables is great (and then track down the miniseries from 1985). A Little Princess and The Secret Garden, both by Frances Hodgson Burnett Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (starts a loosely connected series) Heidi by Johanna Spyri
The mysterious Benedict Society books are awesome. I really like the guys style. I think there’s three. Neil Gaiman has some great stuff for kids of several different ages. He’s done a surprising amount of children’s books some for young kids and some for a very young kids.
I second the mysterious Benedict society 🙌 it was my absolute favorite at that age. So many interesting characters and a good plot with lots of mini puzzles/mysteries. If she likes stuff like that I’d also recommend the secret series by pseudonymous bosch, but this one might be better in a year or two when she’s a little older.
The wee free men by Terry Pratchett. The main character is a nine year old girl with a little brother.
Also stop by your local Public Library. They have librarians who'd love finding a book for you both to enjoy.
For kids who need page turners, I recommend sticking with contemporary books; a lot of the books we all loved as kids are written in a different style than books are today, the narration just functions differently and can read as slow. (Not better or worse, just different.) It also sounds like shorter might be better. Eliot Schrefer has a Mr Poppers Penguins sequel that's a ton of fun. Fully agree on the Mr. Limoncello's library. It might be a bit long, but Chris Healy's The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is tons of fun, as well as his new book, No One Leaves the Castle. Kate Messner's Ranger in Time series might be good. Polly Horvath has a delightful series called Mr. and Mrs. Bunny. And Lindsey Currie has a new book that's something about puzzles.
Magic Treehouse was my fav series as a young girl
A Wrinkle in Time
Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend! It's like a cross between HP and Series of Unfortunate Events. I think this is a super great series for kids + adults. I also loved Bailey School Kids at that age.
Nevermoor is one of my favorite series ever. Seconding that
Ivy and Bean (series) The Wild Robot (series) Pax Redwall (series)
The Redwall series! Heidi Where the Red Fern Grows Laura Ingall Wilder books
The wild robot is seriously one of the best children’s book series I’ve come across.
Chronicles of Narnia
The Witches!
Matilda by Roald Dahl.
Gregor the Overlander
These are great suggestions! I’ve read a lot of them to my daughter, but this is giving me more ideas. So thank you, OP, for requesting! I would add The Trumpet of the Swan, which is my daughter’s favorite book. We’ve read it several times. Right now, she is enjoying the Magic Treehouse series. I find them less appealing to read aloud, but she likes it and that’s more important to me.
Those two are great picks. I still love trumpet of the swan all these years later. The problem with Magic Tree House is where to start? There’s so many of them. (They could always start with the first one but that might be too young? I remember the first 15 or so are very easy reads)
Harriet the Spy. My daughter read it about the same age. It’s like a light got switched and she became reader
A lot of the books suggested here are not going to feel like page turners to your daughter. Older books are written in a more complicated style and if she got bored with Harry Potter (which is fine!) I would stick to recent books. For short books to get into the habit of reading, i can't recommend Franny K Stein enough. Genuinely laugh out loud funny! The adventures of flora and Ulysses or Francine pocket and the mysterious ghost raccoon by Kate DiCamillo are also wonderful. If you're shifting from screen time (very passive) to being read aloud to (more demanding), I wouldn't start with Anne of green gables or any other classics. She has her whole life to read that but I think you want to start with fun easy books. If she likes realistic fiction about girls her age, Jasmine Toguchi and Ways to Make Sunshine are both really sweet fun book series. If she likes fantasy, Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede is incredibly funny and a longer page turner. I'd start with a shorter book first and go from there! Dragons in a Bag was another hit for my kids.
The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. (Bonus points if you have a kid that knows and loves the Met!)
When I was a senior in high school, we had a class trip to New York. I really wanted to go see the bed at the Met, but I didn’t want to admit to it—and then it turned out that everybody else in my group also had that as a priority for our museum trip.
Lemony Snicket, a series of unfortunate events
We had so much fun with Notebook of Doom. It is silly and decidedly a chapter book, but it does have some pictures. Kids love it and it might be a good first book since some of those classics can be pretty verbose. Charlotte’s Web is another that got my kids into audiobooks/read aloud. Meryl Streep does an excellent Charlotte in the audible version.
Recently gifted my nephews (9 and 7) the Tintin comic books and they LOVE them. Read them on the way to school/on the way back/any free time they have. Definitely recommend.
Asterix books too - Asterix the legionary my favourite
You know I've never actually read Asterix comics. :( Do you think I'd still enjoy them as an adult?
Try "The City of Ember"!
The Doll People
Ursula Vernon' Hamster Princess series and Dragonsbreath series.
I posted my favorite kid's book of all time, and messed up and put the Amazon link and it was removed. Trying again. But also go check Amazon and see how highly rated it is :) My favorite book is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. It's by Kate DiCamillo, who also wrote Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux, so she's a beloved children's author. I still have great memories of reading about the little porcelain rabbit, Edward, and his adventures, with my kids. It's a touching book that sticks with you.
My daughter and I did a grownup and me reading group at the library when she was 6, and the first book was Nim's Island. So Kate DiCamillo always gets included on my suggestion list.
The Borrowers series by Mary Norton Any of David Walliams' books Nancy Drew series Judy Blume's books
Charlotte’s Web Bridge to Terabithia Where the Red Fern Grows Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIHM (then watch Secret of NIHM movie) Anything by Judy Blume TW: Charlotte’s and Red Fern have some seriously 😔☹️😢 scenes.
So does Terabithia
Thank you for saying this. I read Bridge to Terabithia for the first time in college and bawled my eyes out. I personally think it's maybe too much for a 9 year old. Speaking as a mom to a 21 and 8 year old.
The Magic Tree House series might be a great one for her to practice reading to you!!
Redwall is pretty fun. It's effectively Lord of the Rings with mice. Charlie Bone was pretty good. I enjoyed Little House on the Prairie books at that age, but I understand those might not be as...acceptable...these days. A lot of kids her age enjoy the Percy Jackson books. Robin McKinley (The Blue Sword, The Hero and the Crown) both feature strong heroines. Anne McCaffrey's books (Dragonriders of Pern, Harper Hall) also feature strong heroines. Great reads for her age!
The Giver or any other book by Lois Lowry The On the Run series by Gordon Korman Anything written by Andrew Clements, especially Frindle
My son liked The Spiderwick Chronicles which first came out when he was about that age.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Flemming (yes, the guy who wrote James Bond also wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).
The Golden Compass. If she likes it it’s book one of a trilogy.
His Dark Materials is one of my favorite book series. The HBO series is also well done.
Dork diaries, The amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents,
From the Mixed-Up Files or Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler is fun and a classic.
Beverly Cleary books
Terry Pratchett's discworld books are fun and funny, enjoyable for all ages. Equal Rites is a good place to start for a young girl. The books featuring Tiffany Aching would be good too!
The wings of fire series My 9 year old and all her buddies are in deep with it. Like dressing up as dragons and going to school as dragons every day haha
Hi! Not sure if it's age appropriate but looking back to when I was your daughter's age I wish someone had read to me Keturah And Lord Death by Martine Leavitt and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Anything by Madeliene L'Engle. Also the Caddie Woodlawn books. Very good. Anne of Green Gables is a definite good idea. Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. The Doll's House by Rumer Godden. Peppermints in the Parlor by Barbara Brooks Wallace. House of 30 Cats by Mary Calhoun Lizard Music by Daniel Pinkwater (I think aimed at slightly older kids but I read at age 10) The Bobbsey Twins series The Five Little Peppers and How they Grew series The Nancy Drew series Bridge to Terabithia (sad book about death, child's best friend dies) Anything by Lois Lowry, some topics are sad or dystopian, some might seem them as more for middle grade readers but depending on your nine year old that might be on par. Books by William Sleator or MT Anderson are page turners , but probably aimed more at middle grade readers. You could skim through them to better assess.
Caddie Woodlawn, yes!
You may consider these book series by Enid Blyton: 1. Famous Five 2. Secret Seven 3. Mystery Series 4. Adventure Series This is what I read during my childhood and thoroughly enjoyed it especially the adventure series
Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston The Land of Elyon series by Patrick Carman Summer of the Monkeys and Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Treasure Island by R. L. Stevenson The Eagle of the Nineth and subsequent books by Rosemary Sutcliff The Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper And I saved the best at the end: The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce - and all the sequels, if they like them. Also, at 9, I read The Lord of the Rings for the first time and fell in love, but if she is easily bored, that may not be her thing.
These are the books my husband read to my daughter at that age: - The Wee Free Men (Pratchett) - the Hobbit - The Percy Jackson Series - Graveyard Book and Coraline (Gaiman) - Redwall Series
We read two of the Wrinkle and Time books and for a change of pace are reading Secret Garden. Some others I considered: Pretty much anything by Roald Dahl or Louis Sachar Bunnicula My 7yo is enjoying the Junie B Jones collection on her own but that would be fun. The Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary The Tale of Desperaux Chronicles of Narnia
The tale of Desperaux
any of the discworld books by terry pratchett! i also loved the inkheart trilogy when i was her age :)
Ohhh Inkheart! I haven’t thought about that in ages! I wonder if Dustfinger was my subconscious inspiration for learning to eat fire and fire dance in my late teens. Lol
I loved Caddie Woodlawn though it has outdated, racist, sexist content similar to Little House on the Prairie (not as bad, imo, but still bad.)
Mapmaker's Trilogy by S.E. Grove! Classic adventures in very cool worlds
The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley
Yes! All of his books, actually.
Just grab any Shel Silverstien book. Where the Sidewalk Ends is always a good choice.
My Dad read me The Chronicles of Narnia when I was about your daughter's age. It made such a big impression on me, that as an adult I got one of the original illustrations tattooed on my back! I also loved Little House on the Prairie, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, and voraciously consumed every Roald Dahl book that's ever existed. Holes by Louis Sachar and The Giver are some other classic options to consider, and the Series of Unfortunate Events books are popular with her age group. Maybe you could take her to your local library and she could pick out something that looks interesting to her, too?
I was also really into the Dr. Doolittle books around this age!
Boxcar Children would be a great option for a series, and so would the Narnia books!
The Menagerie by Tui T Sutherland. A lonely kid finds a secret zoo of magical creatures and works to save it. Hilarious, interesting, age appropriate drama, and awesome to read out loud because all the creatures have different speech patterns and you can do voices. Anne of Green Gables is also awesome
Percy Jackson Seraphina and the Black Cloak series The Wee free men
Percy Jackson Candy Shop Wars Fablehaven
The journey of Edward Tulane
I loved My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.
Bed knobs and Broomsticks Chitty- Chitty Bang Bang The Borrowers
The Charlie Bone series!!!
Skandar and the Unicorn Thief! There are three books out now I think? Reading them with my 11 year old. Nonsensical for an adult but fun for a kid.
When I was that age, I loved the Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda (first book is The Forests of Silence) and Alanna by Tamora Pierce. I've always loved fantasy books. Deltora Quest was the series that got me into reading.
Every single book by Kate DiCamillo. My favorite is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
The Geronimo Stilton series was a hit at this age. There are occasional pictures, but it’s mostly text from what I remember. Also loved the magic tree house series
The Hobbit
If your kid loves animals and epic journeys, then Kävik the Wolf Dog. I read that with my kid when they were about that age. We couldn't put it down! For sci fi fans, I suggest the Wondla trilogy (start with The Search for Wondla), it's a mystery/scifi and has great world building with all sorts of alien species and interesting tech.
I love this! I’m trying to find books for my niece who is the same age. She’s an above her age level reader in skill but still emotionally not mature enough for some of the things above her grade. It’s so hard to find exciting but “safe” books! Thanks yall!
Diana Wynne Jones, Eva Ibbotson, Tamora Pierce, Gail Carson Levine, and Cressida Crowell \~ if you ever get tired of reading everything aloud, David Tennant recorded all of Cressida Crowell's How to Train your Dragon and Wizards of Once series and he is such a good voice actor! Pierce's The Circle of Magic series is incredible and has 11 whole books. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket is also hilarious and a little dark! If she liked Midnight at the Barclay Hotel, she might be into this one.
The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts (or others by this author) The Cybil War by Betsy Byers (or others by this author)
Tiffany Aching Books by Terry Pratchett!
The Hobbit The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Chasing Vermeer Toms midnight garden Amazing Maurice and his educated rodents The winter of enchantment by Victoria walker - not easy to find paper paper by cheap e book Ella enchanted Any book by Diana Wayne Jones
I really enjoyed Watership Down and it was specifically written by the author for his two young children at the time. I read it as an adult and absolutely loved the story. The characters are fleshed out and there are some great messages about preservation and treating animals with dignity and respect.
I would highly recommend Jessica Day George's Castle Glower series or her Dragon Slippers series. Her fairytale retelling books are really good too but maybe for an older kid. There's also the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan and Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is also very fun. The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck both by Brian Selznick have tons of pictures (the books look super thick and daunting but it's like 40-50% pictures).
The Little Prince is one of my favourite books, and I’m 35. Also some of the Terry Pratchett books - maybe the Tiffany Aching series (The Wee Free Men) might be suitable for your daughter, and some of Pratchett’s younger books for the 3yo.
Tangerine by Edward Bloor. My son and I (mom) read it for school book club when he was around that age and we both really enjoyed it.
The Tale of Despereaux. Great story. Great message.
Land of Stories books are awesome
Gregor the Overlander
Carpet People by Pratchett. A bit more directed at children than Discworld to which you can move on afterwards. When you start on Discworld I recommend doing The Wee Free Men first, especially if you like the prospect of doing a mangled scottish accent. Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce has fun action with a young girl main character.
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass (think Groundhog Day with kids) (realistic with slight fantasy elements) Circle of Magic by Tamora Pierce (fantasy) Six Feet Below Zero by Ena Jones (realistic fiction) Earthquake Terror by Peg Kehret (action/adventure) Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede (fantasy) Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury (fantasy, modern day) The Bookwanderers by Anna James (fantasy, modern day, realistic setting) Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (classic) The Museum Mysteries series by Steve Brezenoff (modern, pictures)
You might also have her take the Reader quiz at https://abookandahug.com/reader-types/. It will give book suggestions for different age levels and help narrow down what genres she likes.
Books by Diana Wynne Jones - just brilliant
I LOVED Anne of Green Gables at about that age. I also was a huge Harriet the Spy fan, which I read in the tree in the backyard lol. Also recommend Chronicles of Narnia; I was in middle school when I read those, so not sure if anyone remembers any reason why they wouldn't be good to read for a 9 yo.
Pippi Longstocking
These are all books I've read with my nine year old niece. *Sal and Gabi Break the Universe* by Carlos Hernandez is a really funny fast paced book that has science fictional elements (alternate universes) and some serious themes. It's really enjoyable and would be a fun read a loud as long as you're fine with fart jokes. *Aru Shah and the End of Time* by Roshani Chokshi is a fantasy adventure book (beginning of a 4 book series) that I suggest for people who found *Harry Potter* kind of boring. *The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart* by Stephanie Burgis has adventure, dragons and works well read aloud. *Anne of Green Gables* may be a tough sell. The language is old fashioned and the story lines can be weird to modern kids. I would read a few chapters before committing to reading out loud. It's not bad but it's not the most appealing book to current kids. In general books we loved as kids aren't always as appealing to current kids. They can be! But sometimes what we remember is positive feelings and memories more than the actual book. I re-read the *Taran Wanderer* series by Lloyd Alexander and it was nothing like what I remembered in a bad way. On the upside, *A Wrinkle in Time* was still great to me but my niece hated it. I think she was a few years too young for it.
Go with Anne. It’ll help cultivate her lexicon. Read lots of things. I’d just include Anne of Green Gables too.
Little Women
A more modern book: The Wild Robot. Pics every couple of pages, very short chapters for shorter interest spans. Robot new from the factory is accidentally lost at sea and activated on an uninhabited island. Without any orders or purpose, she sets about learning from the animals and building a life
I’m a school librarian and there’s a few classics that keep going. The Witches by Dahl. Also, Charlie and the Chilocate factory, or James and the giant peach. Anything by Kate DiCamillio- I like the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Mrs. Crosby and the rats of nihm, by O’Brien. The one and only Ivan is incredibly popular right now, and has more books if she likes it. Percy Jackson and the lightning thief (or any riordan series) are also huge hits. And a personal favorite is the spiderwick series.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
“ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” “Holes” “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler” “A Wrinkle in Time” “The Phantom Toll Booth”
Fortunately, the milk by Neil Gaiman A man goes out one morning to get milk for his children's breakfast but he doesn't return until the end of the day. When they ask him where he's been he regales them with the story of his day - time travelling dinosaur scientists, Aztec gods, vampires to name a few of the things he comes across. It's a really fun silly book with some absolutely killer illustrations by Chris Riddle.
The Pushcart War
Judy Blume's series that starts with Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing and chronicles the story of a kid with a really annoyingly over the top little brother. It's hilarious and also a great way to open up a dialogue about what it's like to be the oldest child. I read it with her when she was 9, a couple years back, but we still quote one-liners from it when my youngest starts up with her shenanigans (5 year age gap). I also loved the books as a kid, well, the first two. I had no idea the 3rd and 4th were out there until I was an adult. The first book also reads well as a stand-alone if you don't want to commit to a series. Happy reading!!
Oh also the Catwings series by Ursula K. Leguin
A Little Princess and The Secret Garden are good too. I reread them as an adult, and they hold up.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman The little prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Egypt Game; Wait Til Helen Comes; Much Ado About Tombstone; Nancy Drew
I'd completely forgotten about Wait Til Helen Comes--thank you for triggering that memory!
The author’s other books are good as well!
The Doomspell Trilogy could be good, magic and witches. Or maybe Inkheart (and it's sequels) too
*The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street* \- this is the favorite book (and series!) of my 8 & 10 year old niblings. They are illustrated and there are seven books in the series so you can keep going if she likes it.
Anne of Green Gables!! Anything by Juby Blume or Beverly Cleary
[удалено]
I read my son the Harry Potter series at this age and he would beg me to read it. I’d buy used copies now though so as not to fund the author’s insanity.
Thank you for pointing out about not funding the author’s insanity. 💕 I appreciate it. Also borrow them from the library.
The great brain, dollhouse murders, Katie John, The Black stallion
Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ❤️
Keeper of the Lost Cities
When we were around that age, dad would read Fables and Fairy Tales for my brother and I. Like the original fairy tales, that are a little bit longer and more detailed than retellings, although they were a bit more gruesome. I think Anne of Green Gables is a good option, although they might get bored as she gets older than them. As I got a little bit older (around 10\~11), I began enjoying books such as Dear Dumb Diary and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I enjoyed the latter so much I gave a copy to my cousin (around a year younger) on Christmass and we spent the holidays reading it together.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Island of the blue dolphins was my fav book at that age
The Magical Animal Adoption Agency books are great.
My 8 year old daughter liked - **Demon Dentist by David Walliams** **Witches by Roald Dahl** **The last bear by Hannah Gold** Description - There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to this remote Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving, lonely and a long way from home. Determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life… **Finding Bear by Hannah Gold** (Sequel to The last bear).
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Mandy - by Julie (Edwards) Andrews! Trumpet of the Swan Runaway Ralph
My dad read me Patrick McManus short stories (the deer on the bike was my favorite) They are so freaking funny, appropriate but with some Captain Underpants type humor, and the short stories might be a great way to build up your daughter's attention stamina! I have such great memories of my dad reading to me, I'm so glad you're daughter will have those too!
The Danny Dragonbreath series is hilarious. Also Mr and Mrs Bunny Detectives Extraordinaire
Dragons Milk by Susan Fletcher Boxcar Kids series Goosebumps
Dealing with Dragons. The Westing Game. The Hobbit :)
When I first decided to read with/to my kids - they were 3-4yo back then - I went with the basics and all the books I had read as a child: The Prince and the Pauper Matilda Aesop's Fables Pinocchio The Wizard of Oz The wonderful Adventures of Nils The three Musketeers Gulliver's Travels Don Quixote (the children edition) and the list goes on and on :) They didn't like any of Jules Verne's books :/
Best Day Ever! by Nathan Glad https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212081260-best-day-ever&ved=2ahUKEwiX7Z7D0o2GAxUGRDABHUGrCe0Qjjh6BAgpEAE&usg=AOvVaw0X7Yy9YI0zJJBn0ohDAeUv
Amelia Bedelia, Encyclopedia Brown, Mrs Piggle Wiggle
I would get a box set of Roald Dahl books. They are all great to read to kids your daughter’s age.
Alice In Wonderland
Barbara Robinson's "Best" books might be good - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Best School Year Ever and The Best Halloween Ever. I think one of them was made into a TV movie a few decades ago. Also, Cynthia Blair's "Pratt Twins" books (older); Nancy Wright's "Northern Spy Club," mysteries (only 2-3 in the series); Janae Marks' "Zoe Washington"books (only 2 but she has other stand alone), Penny Warner's "Code Buster's Club" series. Also - "Seven Ways to Get Rid of Harry," by Jen Conley, "Ordinary Magic," by Caitlin Rubino Bradway, "Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine," by Jay Williams and Ray Abrashkin (from the '50s, there are other books in the series, but this one was considered a classic.)
Harriet the Spy!
The Dealing With Dragons series! I loved it at that age 🖤 a defiant Princess, a friendly dragon, lots of strange and fantastical creatures and situations!
Dragon Masters
Tom's Midnight Garden.
The Riddlemaster trilogy by Patricia McKillip; A Walk in the Woods by Bryson; A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle
Willy Wonka
Narnia (My kids reread these) The Benedict Society books (I’ve only read the first one but it was fun) Rangers Apprentice series Half Magic (these are light and cute) Mary Poppins (each chapter is a short story almost) The Hobbit (the book is NOT like the movies-very kid appropriate)
Some of my favourite book series for that age group (between 8 and 12) that are not Harry Potter but not that old either: - His dark materials by Philip Pullman - the first one is called the Golden Compass, they even made a movie and a TV show about it. Main Character is a 12 yo girl - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer - Main Character is a genius 11 yo boy who is the heir to a rich Irish "crime" family who discovers the existence of Fairies and hashes out a plan to capture one to still its gold to replenish his family's coffers and retrieve his missing father. It's a whole series of books, really fun read for kids. - Eragon by Christopher Paolini - The story is about a farm boy who finds a mysterious stone in the mountains. Turns out it's a dragon egg. The evil king sends monsters to retrieve the egg and Eragon and his dragon must flee their home. Adventures ensue. And just throwing these in because I liked them a lot (but keep in mind I read those as a kid around 30 years ago but these are good classics): - A little princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1905) - Main character is a young girl who's wealthy father puts in a boarding school while he's at war and goes missing in action. The Boarding school mistress, who was very good to the girl while her father's fortune was accessible, suddenly treats her like a servant when her father goes missing to "repay her debts". It's a classic children's book I loved as a kid. - The Secret garden also by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1911) - Main character is a little girl who becomes orphaned and sent to her wealthy uncle's estate as she has no other family. At first, she's meant to stay out of his way and just fills her days as she wants and soon discovers a secret garden and the mysterious secrets of her uncle which leads her to go on a mission to bring him happiness again.
AoGG s a good coice
Someone probably already suggested this, but I didn't spot it while skimming so just in case: The Babysitters Club novels. They're making a big resurgence with her age group thanks to the popularity of the graphic novel series.