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Books for a 9 year old girl with female lead characters that aren’t about fairies or cute animals..

170 replies

PurpleCloak · 24/07/2021 20:45

I need some help with my 9 year old DD - her favourite books are the “The Boy Who Grew Dragons” series, would love anything similar to this but more female character focussed? Or just anything generally focussed on female characters that like being active, sporty and aren’t about fairies or cats etc. However, nothing with too much peril or talk of death (we are going for through a sensitive period with those subjects 🤣). Thank you!

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buckleten · 24/07/2021 22:33

The Malory Towers and St. Clares series are both brilliant. Also try when Hitler stole Pink Rabbit, she may be slightly too young still but it's a lovely book, mine read at around 11. I would also second Monica Edwards, I grew up on those storiesand still remember wanting to be the female characters in them!

YellowBellyCat · 24/07/2021 22:32

The Ramona Quimby books.

Corcra · 24/07/2021 22:29

Mrs smiths spy school for girls.
Also my daughter loves graphic novels like Raina Telgemeiers.

user1471530109 · 24/07/2021 22:28

Classics (to me!):
Worst witch
Ramona
Naughtiest girl

But also things like famous five that although weren't classic 'female lead' were not 'female bit part'. Yes old fashioned, but I think that's quite important at this age. I wish my dd was more a reader. She loves being read to and will reluctantly get into a book if I bribe her Sad

Helenluvsrob · 24/07/2021 22:26

Dick king smith Sophie books. She’s small. Very determined and wants to be a lady farmer.

Not an orphan. No trauma just good clean fun oh and farmings woodlive n stuff 🤗

PurpleCloak · 24/07/2021 22:25

Amazing, thank you. Haven’t heard of loads of these - really helpful.

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Maggiesgirl · 24/07/2021 22:23

Try books by Ross MacKenzie.
The Nowhere Emporium
Evernight
Shadow Smith

Or Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

lots33 · 24/07/2021 22:22

Ramona series by Beverley Clearly. V funny!

HoneysuckIejasmine · 24/07/2021 22:22

@EdithGrantham

The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce was one I enjoyed, was maybe a little bit older than your DD but looking back at the plot it seems like it would be ok.
Was going to say this too. All her books are excellent.
RoseAddict · 24/07/2021 22:21

Pippi Longstocking! We love the book with illustrations by Lauren Child. My 9 year old finds them v funny and loves how strong Pippi is

Mercedes519 · 24/07/2021 22:21

The Starfell books by Dominique Valente. Witches and dragons but not at all cutesy

PurpleCloak · 24/07/2021 22:20

Some great suggestions, I’m off to look in to them all and get ordering - thank you!

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PurpleCloak · 24/07/2021 22:18

@ZenNudist we tried Train to Impossible Places (me reading to her) as it looked right up her street from the synopsis. But we both struggled with it, just seemed to take ages to go anywhere and was hard to follow. Maybe didn’t give it enough of a chance though.

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Athenajm80 · 24/07/2021 22:18

I loved Ronia, the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren when I was younger. Well, I say younger, I bought a copy recently and I still love it. After I bought it, I found my original copy so gave the new one to a woman in work for her girls, they also loved it and it has now done the rounds of all the 7-12yr old daughters in the office.

Apparently there was a TV series too but I've heard it didn't compare favourably.

PashleyB · 24/07/2021 22:17

I was just about to suggest Ruby Redfort and see I have been beaten to it :)

daisypond · 24/07/2021 22:17

Little House on the Prairie series.
Malory Towers series.

minniemoll · 24/07/2021 22:17

Pippi Longstocking!

ChristmasShearwater · 24/07/2021 22:16

Ruby Redfort by Lauren Child

EssexCat · 24/07/2021 22:16

The strangeworlds society series. My 10 year old loves these and the lead is a girl who is very strong and independent.

cheeseisthebest · 24/07/2021 22:15

Definitely murder most unladylike series.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 24/07/2021 22:14

The Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett would be a good starting point to get her hooked on Discworld.

I saw a meme somewhere that said “If you get your child into crafting, they will never have money for drugs” - I think the same applies to reading!

MargaretThursday · 24/07/2021 22:13

Looking down my bookshelves:

Another set which my dc liked but aren't generally in print are the Monica Edwards books. They were marketed as pony books, but other than the first aren't really. There's generally boys around, but the girls are very much the leads.
However the prices can be quite high. I'd recommend "The White Riders" as a good start, but that's one of the ones that prices have rocketed, so maybe "Summer of the Great Secret" is a bit cheaper as a start off book. You may find some at a second hand book shop a bit cheaper.

Little White Horse-by Elizabeth Goudge is another good girl lead.

A Spoonful of Jam is a WWII story. It's the second in the series but the one based around a 12yo girl and reads well on its own.

Some of the Arthur Ransome stories have good girls in them. "The Picts and the Martyrs" is probably the most girl heavy as it doesn't have the Swallows in it, so John isn't there to take the lead. Also "The Big Six", where Dorothea is as close as any come to taking the lead.

I think some of the Eva Ibbotson books have good female leads too, but can't remember which ones offhand.

A lot of the Noel Streatfields have female leads. "Thursday's Child" and "Far to go" have a feisty girl at the centre. The Gemma series, if I remember rightly, the only boy is Robin who is the youngest. "The Painted Garden", "Wintle's Wonders" and "Curtain Up" (I think recently released as Movie Shoes, Dancing shoes and Theatre Shoes) all have girls as the main characters, as do several other of her books including Ballet Shoes. I think generally if there is a potential boy lead, they're often a twin of the eldest girl and away for boarding school for part, and fairly equal even when they're there.

EdithGrantham · 24/07/2021 22:13

The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce was one I enjoyed, was maybe a little bit older than your DD but looking back at the plot it seems like it would be ok.

PurpleCloak · 24/07/2021 22:12

Thank you all; I have just remembered we have some Terry Pratchett that I bought ages ago so will dig those out. I have steered clear of the Noel Streatfeild because I was worried about the death/orphan scenario..she is really sensitive about those sort of subjects at the moment. Maybe time to try and see.

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lljkk · 24/07/2021 22:11

If you can forgive the cute animals: Charlotte's Web

I read a lot of Nancy Drew at that age

DD read Cat Royal, Jane Blonde

Older DS quite liked Double Act (J Wilson) : it's quite funny & not upsetting

Dork Diaries was very popular with younger DS & peers (the boys & girls)