Chrysalis Academy Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 I seem to need to ask for suggestions for this child every few months. She has such idiosyncratic reading interests! I have a hard time predicting what she will like and she often rejects my suggestions just because she can. But I like to keep a stack of interesting books around, just in case. About her: she's a good reader. She's read the first 4 Harry Potter books, but decided not to finish the series till she's older. She's currently re-reading the Percy Jackson series, for the 2nd or 3rd time. She's also been reading Dr. Dolittle - she read the first two books in the series and loved them. She likes a snarky, sarcastic, quirky voice - she loves Junie B Jones and refuses to give up her books, and still goes back and reads through them for fun every once in a while. When I asked her why she likes them so much, she says because Junie is so bad, it's funny and shocking. She doesn't relate to Junie but she likes reading her. She liked the Ivy & Bean series, but she doesn't like more "clean" nice-girl series, she finds them boring. She has enjoyed Ella Enchanted and books like that. Some of her favorite books of all time were The Cricket in Times Square and its sequels - she read them all in 2nd grade. TIA for any suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 Anybody? No suggestions for a 9 year old girl who loves Percy Jackson and Dr. Dolittle? I miss Lori D.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 She sounds similar to dd when she was that age. Other favorites at that point: - mysterious Benedict society - Penderwicks series - Ramona and beezus series - george series (by Stephen hawking) - lemonade war series - Gregor series - everything Roald Dahl - understood Betsy - Hugo cabret - incorrigible children series - my side of the mountain series - little house on the prairie - the girl who circumnavigated fairyland series - the sisters Grimm series - the great brain series 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minerva Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 I just asked my nine year old dd for recommendations. She has similar tastes as your dd. The Mysterious Benedict Society. So good! Igraine the Brave. Anything Roald Dahl The Year of The Dog Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Princess Academy She says lots of her friends are reading the Warrior (cats) series. She hasn't read them yet. She also says that your daughter "has to" listen to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings on audiobook.It's not the modern voice that your dd likes, but my dd thinks they are the best thing ever. She is now saying don't forget A Wrinkle in Time. Nothing earth shattering here, but hopefully something. My dd says she will try the Dr. Doolittles! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Eva Ibbotson's kid's (not YA) books were great for kids that age. Also, Coraline and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, though they're both a bit creepy... But in a good way. Maybe the Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett -- the protagonist starts off age 9, but the series is more aimed at young teens. Still, it was my daughter's favorite book at that age 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Colin Meroy's "Wildwood" trilogy is great and has a quirky, sarcastic female protagonist. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Mine with somewhat similar interests has recently discovered she really likes Enid Blyton (author). She *just* picked up A Wrinkle in Time for the first time and likes it so far. If you never did Series of Unfortunate Events it's a great age for them. Very quirky, dry sense of humor. Great vocabulary words. The author of Ella Enchanted also wrote several other stories of the same flavor. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making and sequels 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 She says The Guardians by William Joyce. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbyribs Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 The Eloise books because she's also funny and shockingly bad. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Not all are quirky or sarcastic, but here's some things to try: Ronia, the Robber's Daughter Pippi Longstocking series The Light Princess Holes, Sideways Stories from Wayside School (Louis Sachar's books were loved around that age here) most of Roald Dahl's stuff Coraline, The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, Fortunately the Milk (and others by Neil Gaiman) Mary Poppins Nurse Matilda Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes The Search for WondLa The Wonderful O Baby Island The Mysterious Benedict Society The Sisters Grimm series A Series of Unfortunate Events Liesl and Po Doll Bones The Spiderwick Chronicles 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mrskatiefitz Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Here are some titles that star "sassy" female characters who are a little older than Junie B. Kate the Great (Except When She's Not) by Suzy Becker Quinny and Hopper by Adriana Brad Schanen Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. by Kate Messner Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright Katie John by Mary Calhoun (and sequels) Ten Rules for Living with My Sister by Ann M. Martin (and sequel) The Not-Just-Anybody Family by Betsy Byars (and sequels) Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis (and sequels) Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World by Candice Ransom (and sequel) The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami (and sequel) The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright (and sequels) A Lemon and a Star by E.C. Spykman (and sequels) Just Grace series by Charise Mericle Harper Marty McGuire series by Kate Messner The Sisters Club series by Megan McDonald Dear Dumb Diary series by Jim Benton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 My 9yo is also a Warriors lover, but these are other hits: Chronicles of Narnia Anything Kate DiCamillo A Hero's Guide to Saving the Kingdom (and subsequent books) Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls Fudge Series (though, read reviews because one of them talks about Santa) 39 Clues Fortunately, the Milk Roald Dahl Artemis Fowl Sister's Grimm Guardians of Ga'Hoole The Neverending Story Storybound and Story's End Ramona booksWizard of Oz and sequels Nim's Island Secret Garden Black Beauty 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanDiegoMom Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Has she read the Percy Jackson's Greek Gods? My daugter reads and rereads both Olympians series and the Greek Gods helped to provide some variety:-) She's read D'Aulaires Greek Myths but Rick Riordan's is told in a funny, snarky tone. I heard a lot of giggling. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Has she read the Percy Jackson's Greek Gods? My daugter reads and rereads both Olympians series and the Greek Gods helped to provide some variety:-) She's read D'Aulaires Greek Myths but Rick Riordan's is told in a funny, snarky tone. I heard a lot of giggling. Everything by Percy Jackson. Multiple times. It's almost all she'll read at the moment. That's why I was jazzed when she pulled Dr. Dolilttle off the shelf and loved it - finally something other than Percy Jackson!!! Thanks for all the great suggestions, guys. I've put a bunch of things on hold and will strew them casually, and I'm sure I'll be coming back to this list. There are some titles she's read and liked, or that we've read aloud, so I know you guys are hitting the target area with your suggestions! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 My 4th graders like a variety of books. My advanced reader spent much of the summer immersed in Marguerite Henry, but that doesn't sound like what you are looking for. This same kid enjoys Captain Underpants, Dork Diaries, Wimpy Kid and all that too. She is also enjoying Goddess Girls and a few other similar series. She also likes Calvin and Hobbes. We all enjoyed the Ramona series recently and we're now reading aloud Mr. Popper's Penguins, which has been fun. Say, have you tried Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle? If not, check her out. Each chapter starts with a kid who is over-the-top naughty and learns via Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's kid wisdom or magic to get over it. My kids enjoyed the first book of that series. The last book was not as good. (We still have to read the other two.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 My 4th graders like a variety of books. My advanced reader spent much of the summer immersed in Marguerite Henry, but that doesn't sound like what you are looking for. This same kid enjoys Captain Underpants, Dork Diaries, Wimpy Kid and all that too. She is also enjoying Goddess Girls and a few other similar series. She also likes Calvin and Hobbes. We all enjoyed the Ramona series recently and we're now reading aloud Mr. Popper's Penguins, which has been fun. Say, have you tried Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle? If not, check her out. Each chapter starts with a kid who is over-the-top naughty and learns via Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's kid wisdom or magic to get over it. My kids enjoyed the first book of that series. The last book was not as good. (We still have to read the other two.) Yep, she adores Mrs. Piggle Wiggle! She's read a bunch of them and we have the audio versions which she has listened to repeatedly. She's also a Calvin and Hobbes fan. Snarky, sarcastic, and misunderstood, that's her thing, for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I loved the Babysitter's Club books at that age. Not really snarky or sarcastic, but I thought I'd throw them out there for fun reading! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath If snarky and sarcastic but very well written is her taste, I think any of Polly Horvath's books could be great. I would second "Everything on a Waffle" and add "Mr and Mrs Bunny -- Detectives Extraordinaire" to start... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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