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Original poster

Books for 9 yr old dd.. she thinks books her age are babyish !

109 replies

Louisa111 · 05/03/2023 19:18

Need some advice .. our 9 yr old dd is complaining that a lot of her books are just not interesting her anyone but I'm
Completely stuck about what books to get.
She usually reads
Diary of a wimpy kid,
Harry Potter
Fairy books,
David Walliams books etc

Just lately she says these are a bit babyish and wants books that are more real life but I feel she's too young for teenage books .. she is quite grown up for her age so any recommendations would be appreciated 😊

OP posts:
LilyLemonade · 27/05/2023 14:48

Strongly agree with the suggestions of Murder Most Unladylike, Malory Towers, and Percy Jackson.
Also Lemony Snicket - A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend was popular with my DD.

Latenightreader · 27/05/2023 14:40

MissDollyMix · 05/03/2023 20:05

Just asked my DD, she says, Lottie Brooks series, Murder most unladylike, a book called How to Be (she can’t remember the author!), Resist by Tom Palmer. Her school teacher has been great at recommending books for her so if a librarian is unwilling then teacher might be an alternative person to ask.

Do you mean How to be Brave and How to be True? They are by Daisy May Johnson.

MojoJojo71 · 20/05/2023 14:49

My 10 yo DD recently read and loved the ‘Can you see me?’ series about a young girl’s experience of living with autism.

piedbeauty · 20/05/2023 14:38

Some of Jacqueline Wilson's books are aimed at younger kids. There's a list, with ages, on her website. They're definitely real life!

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 20/05/2023 11:00

@Louisa111 how is your DD getting on now? Has she tried anything new?

I was going to suggest Year of the Dog by Grace Linn* or maybe a Judy Blume?

SausageRoll2020 · 19/05/2023 14:50

Take her to a bookshop or library and let her spend as long as she wants browsing and choosing for herself.
I was reading teenage fiction at that age and have grown in to a normal enough adult.

ilovepixie · 19/05/2023 14:44

What Katy Did
The silver sword is an amazing book
The secret garden
The little princess
Enid Blyton
Ballet shoes
White boots

ItsCalledAConversation · 19/05/2023 14:39

Skandar 1&2, absolutely brilliant

MaxFortune · 19/05/2023 14:33

Perhaps Island of Adventure (not the Enid Blyton version) would be suitable.
Written for intelligent children who crave credible real life adventure stories. The boy and girl twins in the tale have equal prominence in this adventure.
Have a "Look inside" to get a feel for the book. Print and ebook.
Link to book on Amazon uk

Books for 9 yr old dd.. she thinks books her age are babyish !
MadEyeMoodysEye · 22/04/2023 09:30

The Marsh Road Mysteries and Tom Gates series' were big hits here. Also The Impossible Boy.

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euff · 10/03/2023 14:30

Geek girl series by Holly Smale or Ruby Redfort series by Lauren Child. Light fun.

boo1507 · 10/03/2023 13:47

How about adventure stories?

Helen Ross mystery series
Enid Blyton The Find-outers
The Adventures on Trains series by MG Leonard Is great - not babyish and not fantasy.

Other kids at school really rate Tom Gates books and David Baddiel at this age.

piedbeauty · 06/03/2023 06:53

Try Jacqueline Wilson's books for younger readers - her books are age graded on her website.

Michael Morpurgo
Philip Pullman
Or have a look here: www.booktrust.org.uk/booklists/1/12-great-books-for-9-year-olds/

My dc loved the 'my story' box of history books, all set in a different era.

HamishHero · 05/03/2023 23:00

SF Said's )
(Varjak Paw) new novel Tyger is amazing!

Sandysandwich · 05/03/2023 22:54

The 'real life' ones that mine liked from about 9-11 were
The cathy cassidy book- the Dizzy, Scarlett, Driftwood etc series and The Chocolate box girls series.
Totally Lucy- characters are 12-13 and has a similar feel to diary of a wimpy kid
The Pony Club Secrets series-

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 05/03/2023 22:30

Pamela Butchart, the Cookie series by Konnie Huq & if they are not too young & the pain & the great one by Judy Blume.
Be careful with Jacqueline Wilson - some of them are great but others have much more grown up themes.

CeliaNorth · 05/03/2023 22:26

Oh, and for genuine real life, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, by Judith Kerr. Semi-autobiographical account of Judith Kerr's childhood. 'Anna', who represents Judith, is ten in the book.

(There are two other books, following 'Anna' through her late teens and in adult life, but they have adult themes and are definitely not for 9 yos, however advanced their reading.)

I remember loving The Silver Sword, by Ian Serraillier, but I think I was slightly older when I read it.

wtftodo · 05/03/2023 22:26

My DD9 has enjoyed some Jaqueline Wilson, the Lottie Brooks series (didn’t love it at first but grew on her), and some Judy Blume eg Blubber. Plus Enola Holmes and also Invisible Girl by Kate Maryon, this was a big hit. Definitely real life - I was worried too gritty - but aimed at 9-12yo. The author has written others we haven’t tried yet

graphic novels always a hit here too, from the babysitters club series to Ghost/guts/smile/sister to Anne of Green Gables or Nancy Drew.

NaturaRagazza89 · 05/03/2023 22:25

Sorry forgot The Railway Children

strawberriesarenot · 05/03/2023 22:22

Katya Balan, Natasha Farrant, Emma Carroll, Lesley Parr, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Hilary McKay, Phil Earle and Lucy Strange are all writing really good books for her sort of age.

NaturaRagazza89 · 05/03/2023 22:20

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
The Silver Sword
Anne of Green Gables
Little Women
Narnia

33goingon64 · 05/03/2023 22:12

The very inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone. Well written, strong female characters throughout. And funny.

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