tammyw Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 (edited) We haven't read a lot of the series that others have, so I'd love the names of the absolute *best*. My absolute favorites have been: - Mysterious Benedict (we love all four) - Harry Potter (of course!) DD9 has read and enjoyed: - Little House - Ramona & Beezus - Henry Huggins (really she's read all Beverly Cleary) - Sisters Grimm (just on book 2) - ALL of the American Girl books We own but have yet to read: - Anne of Green Gables series (have only read book 1) - Prydain series I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch. OH! We've read the first three Narnia books. We got them from the library and enjoyed, but wasn't sold on whether we should continue or not. Thoughts? Edited May 24, 2012 by tammyw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 I loved the Narnia and Oz books when I was growing up, plus the Little House and Anne of Green Gables books. Definitely finish Narnia. Ariel's only just started, but I plan to read the whole series with her. I've ordered the first three Redwall books, but haven't read them yet, and I have the Wizard of Earthsea series, but have yet to read them. I read the first one in middle school and remember liking it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidirenata Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 So many favorites series here. Miss Pickerell and Trixie Belden are favorites from my childhood. DDs are looking forward to the Mandie series and the Addie series. All the Little House, including the earlier ones (Charlotte Years, Rose Years etc). My boys LOVED Jean Craighead George's Julie, Julie's Wolfpack etc. and the Eragon books. Time Warp Trio series is a fun read. Girls are just about to start Magic Tree House series as independent read. Also Redwall series and Percy Jackson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 (edited) Not crazy about the first Narnia book. I can't quite put my finger on it. A bit.. Contrived, perhaps? I don't know. We love the Harry Potter series here too! Ds8 is on the fifth book, and I am enjoying them all over again through Jim Dale in the car :) Ds loved the Magic Treehouse stories, but I think he has outgrown them. I am all ears for more good series. I know many like the Percy Jackson series, and ds has just started on the Encyclopedia Brown series. He is truly delighted that there are 28 books in the series. :bigear: Edited May 24, 2012 by sagira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
three4me Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 We love Little House, Old Mother West Wind books, and the Betsy-Tacy books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Ralph Moody's Lil Britches series is great and you get maturing subjects as he gets older (not bad mature just serious). You start with him as a young boy learning to teach a horse tricks, but by the last book, you'll watch him save a little town by trading on the cattle future's market in a wise creative way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 For young children I suggest TumTum and Nutmeg. It was such a fun joy to stumble upon in our library and my girls enjoyed it so much we ended up buying the books to keep in our home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 (edited) Adventurers Wanted series Blackhearts in Battersea series Paddington series The Princess and Curdie + Princess and Goblin Narnia Enid Blyton series Black Stallion series Children of the Lamp series Pseudonymous Bosch series Seekers series Warriors series L. Frank Baum 'Oz' series Edited May 24, 2012 by shukriyya added more series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 My favorites are: N.D. Wilson's series 100 cupboards (3 books) and Ashtowne Burials (book 2 out soon). Anything by Rick Riordan.... patiently waiting for book 3 in Heroes series. We've read a total of 9 books by him. Also love Artemis Fowl series by Colfer. When thet were younger we read LeFavers: Nathanial Flood; Beastologist series (4 books). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 (edited) We've done Harry Potter, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Narnia as read-alouds. Also several of the Redwall books, she is pushing for more but I'm kind of bored of them . . . Miss P has read the Betsy-Tacy books, and some goofy mind-candy series from the library that she grabs when we go and reads in half an hour. She's also read a bunch of the American Girl books I just got her the "second" book in the Oz series, I'm hoping she latches onto that, I read and loved them all at her age. We've done WoO together, of course. Future plans include the Little House series with both girls (Miss P and I read the first two or three when she was little, probably too little), the Phillip Pullman, Madeline L'Engle, Joan Aiken . . . probably others I'm forgetting. As a kid I loved the above, as well as the Black Stallion series, Anne of Green Gables, Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Bobbsey Twins . . . Edited May 24, 2012 by rroberts707 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 The Boxcar Children - I'm suprised how much we are all loving it Enid Blyton - anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted May 25, 2012 Author Share Posted May 25, 2012 (edited) I forgot a bunch ( and probably more): - Theodosia - all of a kind family We've not read Enid Blyton books. Please recommend something great to start with! Edited May 25, 2012 by tammyw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 The Betsy-Tacy series, especially for your daughter. My all-time favorite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I'm surprised sometimes by how many series we've read and how many are waiting in the wings of our bookshelf. Magic Tree House Narnia Lord of the Rings Harry Potter Series of Unfortunate Events Junie B Jones Redwall Rats of Nimh Ramana Quimby and Henry Huggins books Loyd Alexander Book of 3 books Christopher Paolini Catwings American Girl Laura Ingalls Wilder Raggedy Ann and Andy books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 The Penderwick books are the only series that I'd recommend that I haven't seen on the list so far. I second so many of the others, especially Tumtum and Nutmeg and the Mysterious Benedict Society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 The Enchanted Forest series, which starts with "Dealing with Dragons". It is marketed for young adult - but makes a perfect read aloud for any kids ready for that length of book. Freddy the Pig books (with the exception of Freddy Goes to the North Pole) by Walter Brooks. One of his books is actually similar to "Animal Farm" but was written years before Animal Farm. If you are just going to read one Freddy book start with the first one "Freddy goes to Florida" or the third one "Freddy the Detective". Green Forest books by Thornton Burgess. You can get most of them online here: http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupname?key=Burgess%2C%20Thornton%20W.%20(Thornton%20Waldo)%2C%201874-1965 Dimwood Forest Books by Avi. This is a great series. (Warning Characters die in the series) Pippi Long Stocking Wizard of Oz and many others, but now I must go read to my boys. We love series books here. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted May 25, 2012 Author Share Posted May 25, 2012 The Penderwick books are the only series that I'd recommend that I haven't seen on the list so far. I second so many of the others, especially Tumtum and Nutmeg and the Mysterious Benedict Society. Did I forget the Penderwicks? Oh, how we love them!! I also have enjoyed The Happy Hollisters, though we've only read a few. We are also going to start A Wrinkle in Time soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Narnia The Great Brain Little Britches Ramona Henry Huggins Ralph S. Mouse (we love Beverly Cleary) We will read Anne of Green Gables this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Elizabeth Enright's The Saturdays (Melendy) series Gone Away Lake and Return to Gone Away Lake and so many on this thread are wonderful! We are going to read Harry Potter for the first time this summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Susan Cooper's Over Sea and Under Stone and the rest of The Dark is Rising series. Robin McKinley's Damar books: The Blue Sword and the Hero and the Crown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 If you want the absolute best, then I'm not sure I can recommend The Kane Chronicles, though DD would disagree - this series has given her deep love of Egyptian methodology to the point where our Roger Green book is bent. Initially I didn't like the snarky conversations, but the characters have bonded and the series has turned out better than I thought. Prachett's Bromeliad Triology Inkheart trilogy So You Want to be a Wizard, et al., which is supposedly better than HP. Moonintroll and other books Freddy, I suppose; the books produces fits of giggles from DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 OH! We've read the first three Narnia books. We got them from the library and enjoyed, but wasn't sold on whether we should continue or not. Thoughts? Of all the books we've read together over the years, the Narnia series is far and beyond our favorite. As soon as I finished The Last Battle (with many, many tears on my part) the dc demanded to start the series all over again. The books are so rich...so powerful! I think my favorite is A Horse and His Boy. If I read no other series, I would read this one again...and again...and again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Skylark series Cherry Ames All of a Kind Royal Diaries There is another series of 3 books that my youngest dd really liked, but I can't think of the name. It is about a brother and sister, Michael and Meredith, growing up in England just prior to WWII. They go mountain climbing in Swiss Alps, amoung other adventures, and wind up in the US as the blitz is starting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 … I think my favorite is A Horse and His Boy. … . :iagree: Along with Voyage of the Dawn Treader Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Robin McKinley's Damar books: The Blue Sword and the Hero and the Crown. Two of my all-time favorite books. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Not crazy about the first Narnia book. I can't quite put my finger on it. A bit.. Contrived, perhaps? I don't know. Which book do you consider to be the "first"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 The Borrowers The Rescuers (out of print; not Disney) Mary Poppins Mrs. Pigglewiggle Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boys Interesting, if you can find them: The Mantlemass series by Barbara Willard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeeves Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 There are so many good ones that you all have listed! Redwall is a particular favorite right now by my two olders. Here are a few more off the top of my head: Little House Paddington Hank the Cowdog (esp. on audiobook) Lord of the Rings Sugar Creek Gang Tree House Mysteries The Adventures of Tintin (!) That's all I can think of right now, but I'd love to hear what more people like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Some I haven't seen mentioned are Spiderwick Chronicles, Guardians of Ga'hool, and Imaginarium Geographica. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunriseiz Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 (edited) ds has just started on the Encyclopedia Brown series. He is truly delighted that there are 28 books in the series. :bigear: If he likes Encyclopedia Brown, dd would recommend Cam Jansen, A-Z mysteries all of the Carole Marsh mysteries and of course the Hardy Boys ;) ETA: there are a BUNCH in each series :D Edited May 25, 2012 by sunriseiz ETA: there are a BUNCH in each series :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Susan Cooper's Over Sea and Under Stone and the rest of The Dark is Rising series. Robin McKinley's Damar books: The Blue Sword and the Hero and the Crown. Ooh, yes. Except ants ate my copy of The Blue Sword recently. It was like a horror movie. I don't know if I can look at it the same. Seconding many of these mentioned so far. The Penderwicks, the Melendies, Narnia, Prydain... I didn't see anyone mention Edward Eager's Half Magic series, which we adore or the Arabel's Raven books, which were another favorite here. And, no list of awesome series would be complete without MOOMINS! I can think of more, but they're more teen/YA series, like The Thief, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 For my guy this is a read-aloud, but he and I are both lapping up A Series of Unfortunate Events. There is SO much in these books: vocab, puns, historical references, metaphors/alliterations/internal rhymes, etc. I have discovered another parent at work who read this aloud, and when I see him and something in the environment harks back to it, we look at each other with exclamation (e.g. someone mentions TJ's Hot Wasabi Peas, and this father or I will exclaim to the other: "Remember when Sunny shouted WASABI?"), and my son does this with me, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Carolyn Haywood books (Betsy, Eddie, Penny) Enid Blyton (Noddy for Wee Girl, Secret Seven for Middle Girl) Rupert annuals Freddy the Pig Moomintrolls The Three Investigators Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 The Borrowers Betsy-Tacy Swallows and Amazons "Magic" series by Edward Eager Wolves Chronicles - Joan Aiken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Would 2 books so far in the series count? The Search for WondLa and A Hero for WondLa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Haven't read the whole thread to see if it got mentioned, but my dd is currently into the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz. After that I want to get her into the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series set in Africa. She's a bit older than your dc. Don't forget to look in the VP catalog too. They have some terrific series on the vikings, OT history, etc. that she has enjoyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 For my guy this is a read-aloud, but he and I are both lapping up A Series of Unfortunate Events. There is SO much in these books: vocab, puns, historical references, metaphors/alliterations/internal rhymes, etc. I have discovered another parent at work who read this aloud, and when I see him and something in the environment harks back to it, we look at each other with exclamation (e.g. someone mentions TJ's Hot Wasabi Peas, and this father or I will exclaim to the other: "Remember when Sunny shouted WASABI?"), and my son does this with me, too. My kids adored the Series, too, and we do the same thing! I really loved the amazing vocabulary and the very, very clever language in these books. I have to say, by about the 10th book, I was ready to be nibbled to death by ducks - I was soooo ready for them to be over! Had it just been Miss P, I would have probably bailed and made her finish the series on her own, but I couldn't do that to Mo (dd5), she really wanted to hear the end of it. She actually reminds me of Sunny, a lot!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intp4yhwh Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 The Great Brain series is a hoot. An older series, though, so might be hard to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 The Moffats The Littles All-of-a-Kind-Family & More-All-of-a-Kind-Family Cricket in Times Square, and its sequel, Tucker's Countryside Scripture Sleuth Encyclopedia Brown Boxcar Children My Father's Dragon Star Wars: Junior Jedi Knights :tongue_smilie: Mercy Watson Who Was ... ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intp4yhwh Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 (edited) Boxcar Children That was a series?!? I had what I guess was the first one when I was a kid and just loved it! That was one of my 're-read many, many times' books. :D Ooops - just looked it up - not the same one. Sorry. Edited May 27, 2012 by intp4yhwh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtothreeboys Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 The Great Brain series is a hoot. An older series, though, so might be hard to find. This was a HUGE hit in our house. Amazon has them for about $7 a book. In fact they loved these books so much I have not been able to find another book that they love. We've been through quite a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeteranMom Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 My kids all loved "The Great Brain" series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 My kids adored the Series, too, and we do the same thing! I really loved the amazing vocabulary and the very, very clever language in these books. I have to say, by about the 10th book, I was ready to be nibbled to death by ducks - I was soooo ready for them to be over! REally? I find them going faster and faster, and I really loved the point in the Penultimate Peril when Olaf is beginning to run out of options and says: "What else can I do?" His evolution into a complex character took me off guard, and I'm enjoying take off on the novel Island in the last book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 We haven't read a lot of the series that others have, so I'd love the names of the absolute *best*. My absolute favorites have been: - Mysterious Benedict (we love all four) - Harry Potter (of course!) DD9 has read and enjoyed: - Little House - Ramona & Beezus - Henry Huggins (really she's read all Beverly Cleary) - Sisters Grimm (just on book 2) - ALL of the American Girl books We own but have yet to read: - Anne of Green Gables series (have only read book 1) - Prydain series I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch. OH! We've read the first three Narnia books. We got them from the library and enjoyed, but wasn't sold on whether we should continue or not. Thoughts? I'm hoping to read this whole thread when I have more time. For now, just want to add a few. I suggest that you also try the Rose years series if as part of Little House you only mean the Laura part. It has a different author, and there were some negative comments on Amazon, but we gave it a try and ended up reading the whole thing. DS thinks it was possibly even better than many of the Laura ones. A Wrinkle in Time books. Now reading Rick Riordan books. Magic Tree House was great at the right time for it. Mary Poppins, though we only did the first 2. The Buddy Files, Hank the Cowdog (both easier and funny than things like Little House or etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy M Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Two of my all-time favorite books. :-) Also Beauty. It's beautiful. :) A retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy M Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Stuff by Lynne Reid Banks--Farthest-Away Mountain, Indian in the Cupboard. Also look for the authors Scott O'Dell and Avi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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