Recommendations, please, for jeopardy- and princess-averse 8YO girl

[CarmelitaMiggs]

Recent successes: Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, and Harriet the Spy (she has been completely silent all weekend with her nose in it -- says it's the best book she has ever read)

However, we are working with a tiny palette here. She has marked aversion to magic, ghosts, fairies, witches, wizards and mild jeopardy. Even the Famous Five is 'too scary'. Ditto Gobellino. Harry Potter -- well, I wish.

She has done the E Blyton school series, Clever Polly, the young-end Jacqueline Wilsons, Jeremy Strong, Horrid Henry, Ramona.

Any pointers? The chunkier the better. Harriet the Spy feels like a step on from her usual reading matter, and it has really engaged her, so I think she could be stretched.

[Takver]

The Swallows and Amazon books - no scariness, no princesses. And very chunky, plus there are 12 of them

Professor Branestawm?
Captain Underpants (too silly to be scary)?
Cows in Action (not chunky, but my 8 y/o loves the awful puns)

Also, might she like Murderous maths - no gory bits AFAIK

sure there are more, will peer at dd's bookshelf

[CMOTdibbler]

How about the Little House books ? Also Ballet Shoes/ White Boots/The Painted Garden. The Secret Garden, A little Princess, any William Mayne. Little White Horse would be good

[DumpyOldWoman]

The Humphrey Hamster novels.

[hatwoman]

I was looking for something today for my 10 year old and found this - thought it was really useful

[englishpatient]

There are other books by Rumer Godden, the author of "Miss Happiness and Miss Flower" (one of my favourites as a child, and DD loves it too): "The Dolls' House", "The Story of Holly and Ivy", "The Diddakoi".

MH&MF has a fairly nasty child in it and this sort of theme (nasty doll, nasty children) is repeated in the other books, but they are very good.

Also Dick King-Smith?

[cazzybabs]

oh my goodness your dd could by my dd...my dd is a big coward

she loves clarice bean, the hiccup series, the Rumer Godden books, swallows and amazons, and the children of green knowe

[CarmelitaMiggs]

thanks for pointers, have made several reservations at the library. Any others welcome.