Sue G in PA Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 We are Christian so Harry Potter is out (not to start a debate about HP or anything...just our personal preference :)). She just got finished reading the Faithgirlz series called Sophie. It doesn't have to be a "Christian" series. She's already read all 13 of the Series of Unfortunate Events. She likes mystery and adventure, historical fiction (like the Dear America series). This is for pleasure so it can be a bit "below" her level. Any suggestions? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 DD loved the Trixie Beldon mysteries - in fact is re-reading them and writes her own. Nancy Drew too - but not as much as Trixie Beldon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FourOaks Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Here are some that my girls have enjoyed since you aren't really concerned about the levels: Winnie the Horse Gentler series by Dandi Mackall The Story Girl series by L.M. Montgomery The Door Within Triology by Wayne Thomas Batson Sisters in Time series by various authors Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene The Borrowers series by Mary Norton (read these aloud) The Moody Family series by Sarah Maxwell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Dd loved Nancy Drew at that age! Make sure you get the older ones. Dd and her friends have also loved the Viking Quest series. I haven't read this one, so I'm not sure of the age. I think she was 13 when she did them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoraida Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 There is a new mystery series out called The 39 Clues Series. Each book is written by a different author but features the same brother and sister detective team. My youngest daughter is reading the third book in the series and says the books remind her of the Lemony Snickett books. The brother and sister in the series are orphans and there are a lot of eccentric characters. Also for adventure, try the Redwall series by Brian Jaques. Our series is falling apart because the kids have read these books over and over. Blesssings Zoraida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Has she read the Mandie series by Lois Gladys Leoppard? I loved these at her age. They are historical, mysteries, and Christian. Very good for young girls. Here's a link to some on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Mandie-Collection-Cherokee-Bandits-Forbidden/dp/0764204467/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237477397&sr=8-2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 How about The Shakespeare Stealer series or The Roman Mysteries series beginning with The Thieves of Ostia. The Roman Mysteries are actually a Christian series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in MI Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 My dd 12 is reading Anne of Green Gables, she also enjoyed the American Girl series and the Warriors saga, it's about cats, the first one is called Cats of the Clan. She loved the Narnia series too. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie in Oh Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 My kids are loving this series. It is about 2 sisters, great great grand daughters of the Grimm fairy tale guy and they solve mysteries involving the fairy tale characters, so they run into Jack and the Beanstalk, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, etc. They are fun-- about 5th grade reading level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 I just read The Mysterious Benedict Society. My Dad gave it to me for my birthday, thinking it was something I would have liked as a kid. :) It was very fun. A friend's 12 yr old daughter told me she loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virginia Dawn Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Time at the Top and its sequel by Edward Ormandroyd (sp?) The Westing Game The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Books by Blue Balliet Books by Carol Ryrie Brink Boooks by Jean Fritz Books about Henry Reed by Keith Robertson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 (edited) I wouldn't think a 12 year old is too old for The All of a Kind Family series. My mother read these to me when I was about 9 or 10, and I read them to my children around the same age. They are about about a conservative Jewish family in NY at the turn of the (last) century. I also wonder about the Artemis Fowl series. It's magical, but does not have the same impact as Harry Potter...it's about the fairy realm (author is Irish) and not about good/evil. Artemis is a genuis, and sometimes an evil one...(with a heart). He has parents, but his mother is sick and out of commison and his father has been kidnapped. So, he's not actually disobeying...It's clever and fun, imo. My dds also enjoyed The Dragon Chronicles. (trilogy) I haven't read all of these...but a strong, loving girl, grateful for the dragon milk that once saved her life, sets out to save dragons...she can communicate with them...is that like Harry Potter? lol My dds really enjoyed this series... In the dragon venue, I really enjoyed reading Dragon Slippers and Dragon Flight to my dd. These are newish, and quite fun. Maybe I am not good at this...lol Edited March 19, 2009 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemywhirlygirls Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Sue, You might try these http://www.lifeoffaith.com/category_15_Books.html. The children's director at my church is a homeschooler and her 13 year old daughter has read through these many times and LOVES them. She recommended that I start with Millie for my 8 year old because of heavy topic matter that Elsie deals with in her book. I haven't ready any of them yet, but I completely trust the lady who recommended them. There are apparently dolls and everything a la American Girl. Hope this gives you another good option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 (edited) My kids are loving this series. It is about 2 sisters, great great grand daughters of the Grimm fairy tale guy and they solve mysteries involving the fairy tale characters, so they run into Jack and the Beanstalk, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, etc. They are fun-- about 5th grade reading level. My 9 yr old loved these! She pulled out our very traditional (read creepy) Grimm Brothers heavy tome so she could get all of the references. I wonder if your dd might like the Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator, as well? The reading level is less than most 12 yr olds would appreciate, I think, but a younger child might enjoy them. I would put Spiderwick Chronicles in this same category. I want to put in a plug for the Nim's Island books for the 8-11 or so set. We have not seen the movie, but the books are on our fav list. Maybe older kids would like them as well. I am in my 40's, afterall. :) In fact, I would recommend Wendy Orr's other books. Sweet, sweet stuff. A newly reading child would probably be enchanted by Ark in the Park, for one. Edited March 19, 2009 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 Awesome suggestions! Thank you so much. We went to the library and she decided to start on The Borrowers series (since her LLATL had some dictation selections from that book) and some Nancy Drew. I'll make a list of the others. I need to stick with what our library system has right now since finances are tight. She does enjoy the Elsie Dinsmore books (she has a few) and other Life of Faith books. But, I can't afford anymore right now! Perhaps for Easter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 We are Christian so Harry Potter is out (not to start a debate about HP or anything...just our personal preference :)). She just got finished reading the Faithgirlz series called Sophie. It doesn't have to be a "Christian" series. She's already read all 13 of the Series of Unfortunate Events. She likes mystery and adventure, historical fiction (like the Dear America series). This is for pleasure so it can be a bit "below" her level. Any suggestions? Thanks! well, not to start a debate about HP or anything, but..... We are Christian so Harry Potter is in. :) Christian symbolism throughout the series. I just wanted to give Yet Another Thread a heads up that blanket statements aren't really conducive to getting your point across, especially when they do nothing to establish your premise. ;) and here's another plug for Artemis Fowl, Dragon Chronicles, and Wrinkle in Time / L'engle books. My late-into-reading 11.5yos is liking these. i agree w/ LaurieNE -- the artemis series doesn't have so much a good vs evil boundary, which almost makes it more questionable than HP from some perspectives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 When I was that age I read a series called The Tower of Geburah by John White. You mentioned no Harry Potter which is what made me think of it. It reminds me of the Narnia books but more overtly Christian from what I recall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 (edited) snip and here's another plug for Artemis Fowl, Dragon Chronicles, and Wrinkle in Time / L'engle books. My late-into-reading 11.5yos is liking these. i agree w/ LaurieNE -- the artemis series doesn't have so much a good vs evil boundary, which almost makes it more questionable than HP from some perspectives. Yk, you're right. Artemis' world often seems very gray, area-wise. I am, however, hopeless. I love Eoin Colfer. Whenever I read anything by him, I wish he'd been my 7th grade English teacher. lol http://www.eoincolfer.com/ Edited March 20, 2009 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deana FL Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Sue, These are WONDERFUL retellings of major Biblical stories...in a different time and place. They really make you look at the traditional stories from a different angle. I loved them, and my 11 dd did too. They are written by Paul McCusker...the same guy who writes Adv in Odyssey. My library has them...I hope you can find them, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loupelou Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Here's another plug for Artemis Fowl, Shakespeare Stealer and how about Eragon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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