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Literary but unstreetwise books for 8+

32 replies

tuppy · 27/07/2007 10:54

Sorry about the clunky title, but can anyone advise on authors, series books etc. for an 8yo girl with a high reading age, a voracious appetite for reading, who just loves a good story - whether it be a school setting, a straightforward adventure - anything ! I'd prefer to steer clear of streetwise "issues" books, and am not keen on the preteen Jacqueline Wilson type stuff.

She has read a lot of Enid Blyton (gets through these v. quickly - in an afternoon - and now finds them a bit thin). We have a lot of the classics already, eg Eleanor Farjeon's Little Bookroom, lots of myths and legends, Noel Streatfield, Philippa Pearce etc.

What else is out there ? Help ! We're going on holiday soon and I need to fill a book bag for her.

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Ellbell · 31/07/2007 14:54

Just had to resurrect this thread to tell you that I've just spent a small fortune on Amazon (with this thread open in another window) buying dd1's holiday reading! Thanks all!

RosaLuxembourg · 27/07/2007 22:28

Did anyone mention the Family from One End Street? I saw it in Waterstone's recently as part of a promotion of classic children's books. DD1 loves it.

Majorca · 27/07/2007 22:00

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Ellbell · 27/07/2007 17:26

Happy Birthday to your dd3 Rosa.

RosaLuxembourg · 27/07/2007 16:13

It looks wonderful. I love her books - I Coriander is one of DD1's favourites and DD2 loves Lucy Willow. Pity it is DD3's birthday today and we've already bought her loads of books - but I'll definitely get it at some point.

Ellbell · 27/07/2007 14:56

The Glass Heart

Ellbell · 27/07/2007 14:54

Go to Venice out of season if at all possible. We were there last Easter and gave up on the idea of seeing anything other than the outsides of buildings (which is enough, maybe, on a first visit) as there were mile-long queues to get into S. Marco, up the bell-tower and all the rest.

Talking of Venice, I have a beautiful picture book called The Glass Heart which is a fairy tale, but all set in Venice (though it isn't named as such). Definitely worth taking with you on a trip to Venice.

MrsBadger · 27/07/2007 14:54

oh, oh, Arthur Ransome

RosaLuxembourg · 27/07/2007 14:51

My DD1 is crazy about the Roman mysteries - we have promised to go in a couple of years when DD3 is not such a pain in the arse to travel with essentially - and do Ostia and Pompeii. I will insist on Florence and Venice too though if I get a chance!

Ellbell · 27/07/2007 14:46

Ooh, great! Florence, here we come ! Actually, am planning a short trip to Rome in October half-term - including a visit to Ostia, of course... it'll be the Flavia Gemina tribute tour!

RosaLuxembourg · 27/07/2007 14:38

Yes, I reckon the Medici book would be fine for a child who copes with the Roman mysteries. The main character in is thirteen - but nowhere near as sophisticated as Flavia and co!

Ellbell · 27/07/2007 11:54

Sorry for misspelling your name Rosa. Do you think that the Medici book would be readable by a bright 7-y-o (who copes with the Roman Mysteries)? Sounds great... Dd wants to go to Rome now, but I could quite fancy shifting her in the general direction of Florence. [Selfish Italy-obsessed mother emoticon!]

RosaLuxembourg · 27/07/2007 11:42

You've had some great recommendations for classics already so here are some newer ones.

The Lionboy trilogy by Zizou Corder - a great slightly futuristic adventure about a boy who can speak to cats and has to rescue his parents from a bunch of scary kidnappers with the help of some circus lions who are trying to get back to Africa. Really, really good.
The Medici Curse - Matt Chamings. Matt is a mate of mine, but nevertheless I recommend this book purely because it is a great read - set in 15th century Florence and featuring Lorenzo the Magnificent and Leonardo da Vinci. And only £3.99 on Amazon.
Someone else on here, Marina or Roisin I think, was recommending the Ingo trilogy by Helen Dunmore and it sounds terrific, am planning to get it for DD1 soon.

Dinosaur · 27/07/2007 11:35

Ooh, and another oldie - Charlotte's Web - quite short so it won't keep her going for long but DS1 read it in the Easter hols and really enjoyed it, and DS2 is reading it now.

Dinosaur · 27/07/2007 11:33

DS1 read Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass earlier this year and really enjoyed them.

witchandchips · 27/07/2007 11:32

tuppy think you might be right here, i think its to with girls not having a period post fairies and baby stuff and pre boys where they just have fun and do stuff.

Original poster
tuppy · 27/07/2007 11:23

Some great ideas here, thanks ! We've got The Hobbit, all of Narnia (she's read most of them), she's read Prairie series, but to my shame I'd forgotten E. Nesbit. .

She has 2 older brothers so if they allow, we could raid their shelves..plus I'm going to buy Varjak Paw, having just looked it up on Amazon.

She's beyond Animal Ark etc.; I'm finding this a tricky age in that she is intelligent and reads very well but some of the issues and emotions brought up by some of the writers I'd consider for 11+ ish kind of age are a bit beyond her still.

Also, as an aside it's noticeable quite how many of these writers (Pullman et al excepted) are of our generation if not of the one before; does anyone agree ? Maybe it's a reflection of market demand - either that or there remains a gap in the market for new literary writers for this age group.

OP posts:
OrmIrian · 27/07/2007 11:22

I second loads of those mentioned already. Plus The Little White Horse but Elizabeth Goudge

Lilymaid · 27/07/2007 11:13

Susan Coolidge - What Katy did - What Katy Did at School - What Katy did next
Pamela Brown - The Swish of the Curtain
Philip Pullman - not the Dark Materials as yet but he has written other books/series eg the New Cut Gang books

witchandchips · 27/07/2007 11:13

Philip Pullman (in part to counteract some of the dodgy messages in the Narnia books which are a brilliant read but..)
Pollyanna
The Flambards series (KM Peyton)
Geraldine Symons series about two girls pansy and atlanta (they become suffragettes, catch a spy in the first world war etc.)
i am david
Haroun and the sea of stories (salman rushdie)
Harriet the Spy

MaloryTheExciterTowers · 27/07/2007 11:12

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Ellbell · 27/07/2007 11:11

Malory... I went to a (RL) school called 'St Clare's'. Wish I'd thought of spelling it like that!!

Ellbell · 27/07/2007 11:10

She might also like the 'My Secret Unicorn' series (there are about 12 of them now, I think). Dd1 is very into these.

MaloryTheExciterTowers · 27/07/2007 11:10

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Ellbell · 27/07/2007 11:08

Indian in the Cupboard Trilogy