Wabi Sabi Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I'm looking for some good books (a series would be great!) for my 6 year old. She reads lots of sweet stories about animals (Mercy Watson, Poppleton, Beatrix Potter, etc.) and loves the Little House picture books. She's drawn towards the Ivy + Bean and Junie B. Jones kind of books, and they're the perfect reading level for her right now- not too easy, a little challenging but not too hard. However, the characters in those books tend to be on the bratty side, IMO. She loved the Ramona books too, but we've already done them all as read alouds and besides, they're a bit dated. She also loves the Penderwick series, but we do those as read alouds as well since they're still way above her reading level. Any suggestions for a easier to read series with characters who are modern, current day children who aren't celebrated for their misbehavior and name calling that would appeal to a 6-7 year old girl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmyboys Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I love the Clementine books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 The Cobble Street Cousins by Cynthia Rylant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I second Clementine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 (edited) My 6yo DD and I started the first Spiderwick Chronicles this week, but I wouldn't call it sweet exactly. The siblings do start out picking on each other, but they're working together by the middle of the story. (If you've seen the movie it's a combination of the first five books.) Cam Jansen is a modern girl detective. Edited September 5, 2023 by SilverMoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 The Lighthouse Family. The characters are all animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Ivy and Bean have the distinction of being the only series of books I have semi-banned from the home. (I mean to say that the girls can buy them with their own money or take them out from the library, they aren't *banned* banned, but I won't spend my money on them, even if asked.) No, I tell a lie, I also refuse to get any Judy Moody books, as I don't like how the main character treated her brother in the three or so that I read. It never improves. That said, I like the Clementine books a lot. She has a much healthier attitude. Any girl who writes "NO PEANUTS" on her brother's forehead when dealing with a strange sitter clearly cares about him very much. She's a little rambunctious, that's all. But those books are definitely harder than Ivy & Bean or Junie B. Jones. If she likes books with pictures, she might well enjoy the Bink and Gollie books. I mean, really, who doesn't? They might be a little easier for her, though. Let me think. Babymouse would be about as hard as the books she's reading now, and other than the fact that the main character is a *mouse*, very realistic. Also very tied to school, though, if that's a concern. Everything happens in her school. Her locker is a main character. How about Cam Jansen? Or the Julian books by Ann Cameron? Magic Treehouse isn't quite what you're looking for, but it definitely involves contemporary characters. OOH, I just remembered, the girls really loved the Nikki and Deja books at that age, as well as the Keena Ford books. Man, I spent several minutes trying to think of the names of those last two series. Thank goodness the main characters are black, I finally had to resort to googling "African american chapter books". Don't know how I would've found them without that detail. And on that tangent, they also were fans of the Ruby Lu series, which I bet is also right up your kid's alley. Hm. Oh, you know what? The author of the Fancy Nancy books has come out with a slightly harder series, the Nancy Clancy books. If your kid liked the first series, she might like the second. Haven't read any of those, the girls are too old to be interested much in those now. Edit: When googling, I came across this list of multicutural early chapter books. At the bottom, the author has a list of other compilations on different themes, all sets of early chapter books. That might be just what you need! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 The Rainbow Magic series is easy and the girls don't seem bratty to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 Thanks for all the suggestions! I've requested several of them from the library already. Also, while looking some of these up, I came across the Violet Mackerel series that also look like they could be perfect for her too: http://www.amazon.com/Violet-Mackerels-Natural-Habitat-Branford/dp/144243595X/ref=pd_sim_b_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=124J8CGR58C859JVSYN6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underthebridge Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Some more suggestions for you Ottoline books by Chris Riddell The Worst Witch series by Jill Murphy Madame Pamplemousse by Rupert kingfisher Humphrey series by Betty Birney The worst witch will be dated but the others were written more recently. Also, arabel's raven by Joan Aiken is a classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 How about the American Girl series? I'm currently reading one before reading it to my.kids and it doesn't seem batty so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Early readers my girls loved Amanda pig. The Nancy Clancy books are good too. If you are still in early reader stage, we enjoyed fly guy. American girl has a mini series, hopscotch hill. And the young can Jansen. Also, there are LOTS of easy non fiction readers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 How about the American Girl series? I'm currently reading one before reading it to my.kids and it doesn't seem batty so far. I'm looking for something to bridge the gap in between things like Mercy Watson and American Girls. She's an American Girl doll fanatic, but they're just a tiny bit too challenging for her to read just yet. She needs slightly larger print and more white space on the page. Thanks to all of these suggestions though, I've got some Magic Tree House, Cobble Street Cousins, Violet Mackeral and Princess Posey on hold at the library right now. I'm sure that by the time she reads through a few of those that she'll be onto American Girl in no time at all. There's a good chance that Santa (or more realistically, Granny) will be bringing her the Samantha doll and books this Christmas, and I'm pretty sure she'll be ready to read them by then... :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 Early readers my girls loved Amanda pig. The Nancy Clancy books are good too. If you are still in early reader stage, we enjoyed fly guy. American girl has a mini series, hopscotch hill. And the young can Jansen. Also, there are LOTS of easy non fiction readers. Why have I not heard of these until now?! They look perfect too! Thanks for the suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 You might also consider Dick King-Smith's Sophie books. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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