AIBU to want a spy/action/adventure book with female/girl leads for my daughter to enjoy?

[staveleymum]

My DS (9) has been reading Alex Ryder, Young Bond, Johnny Maxwell as well as Roald Dahl, David Walliams etc. These are all great books and I am sure that when it's time for my DS (6) to start on books some of these will appeal to her too. However, I've been looking around and trying to find books with strong female lead characters is rather thin on the ground in comparison to 'boys books' (FYI I dont advocate that there are books for boys or girls - just books) - but I would love for my daughter to have the choice to read books with strong girl characters that can also save the world!

We are on Worst Witch and have Naughty Little Sister for now but other than fairies, princesses, animal themed books I am struggling to find anything in the 7-9 age group that are more adventure based. I am going to try and find some Nancy Drew (I read those as a girl) but can anyone recommend any alternatives?

Harry Potter has good female characters.

My dd hated ruby redfort.

Journey to the river sea is very good
The secret garden
Definitely clever Polly

There are very few new kids books with tomboy girls in sadly

Oldies but goodies- the Joan Aiken series 'Blackhearts over Battersea' with the indefatigable Dido Twite ( urchin, brainbox, seafarer & adventurer) and the 'Wolves of Willoughby Chase'

The Cherub series by Robert Muchamore second series features James' little sister as the main character.
There's plenty of girls in the main series
(Did you mean Cherub? 5foot5)

The Monica Edwards Romney Marsh stories are good-try "White Riders".

I have issues with Nancy Drew, and prefer the Hardy Boys (written by the same consortium) because Nancy Drew does have the focus on how "pretty" she is and you get the Ned boyfriend coming in as protection.

Dido Twite set from Joan Aiken is good as well.

Muncle Trogg is fun

This list might give you some ideas www.amightygirl.com/mighty-girl-picks/top-read-alouds

I read a book called The Karate Princess when I was 6ish - here it is. She is a princess but she (literally) kicks arse!

The Little White Horse

Narnia - all of them have strong female characters but there are occasionally slightly dodgy bits about what women can and can't do.

Watching because dd needs inspiration.

Accidental Pirates series is great: www.goodreads.com/book/show/25689012-the-voyage-to-magical-north

I'd second the Robert Muchamore Cherub series - I'm enjoying them!

www.amightygirl.com/

A Mighty Girl. Everything you need. (Haven't read the whole thread yet so hopefully not reposting!)

Ruby Redfort

Girl spy

hercuflea by Sam Gayton

How to train your dragon has male protagonist but a questing, warrior mother - valharamma - and good female character in camicazi.

Although I had some issues with it, eg no girls from the protagonist hiccup's tribe were mentioned!

Came on to suggest good night stories for rebel girls, as PP says it's not exactly what you asked for but it is a brilliant book and my 6 year old DD loves reading it.

Lauren St John books are great - white giraffe series is great, and DD loved the Laura Marlin series (girl detective)
Some of the Eva Ibbotson ones are good - but watch the content as some are definitely for older kids
Also His Dark Materials trilogy - Philip Pullman

There are a couple of the Point books (Scholastic) that have strong female leads who go adventuring. Dragonsbane by Patricia Wrede plus the follow on books was brilliant - I must have been about 10 when i read it for the first time. A princess who is bored of being forced to act as a princess so goes off in search of adventure.

I do really rate Tamora Pierce too though. I've got ALL of them, all series, for my DD when she's old enough. Some are more for 11-14 though.

Tamara Pierce's books definitely, female leads in all, knights, spies and mages. Garth Nix's books are good, not sure of the reading age for these though.

The Sally Lockheart series of books by Philip Pullman (The Rugby in the Smoke, The Shadow in the North, The Tiger in the Well, The Tin Princess) are great. Read them in order though. I'm not too sure about age suitability, I think about year 5 onwards. I see that PP have mentioned Eva Ibbotson being good and agree.

How about The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly? A sci-fi action thriller with a female scientist/action hero main character. Maybe a bit violent, but good fun.

Thank you all posters - I'll have to make a list for my phone so I can look out for them in the charity shops! It's interesting that not one person has mentioned Jacqueline Wilson as an author. I personally don't like her books so have not introduced them to my DD (although still a bit big for her to read, I haven't read them to her). Given the lack of reference to them I assume I am not missing anything?

Because jw doesn't write adventure books as you wanted in your op?
My dd 6, loves jw books. She's devouring them. But they're not adventure books.

you should tell your children fiction is exactly that fiction and we have female prime minister

What don't you like about jacqueline wilson?

www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Millie-Slavidou/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AMillie%20Slavidou&tag=mumsnetforum-21

Millie Slavidou

(Think she's a MN'r as well)