Books about ‘ordinary kids’ and their lives

[Alakazam8]

I’m looking for something but I’m not sure it actually exists. My dd has read and loved Anna hibiscus books when she was younger and I’ve been trying to find something similar that reflects her life. Reading some of David Walliams at the moment and enjoyed the fairy book series but they obv do not fit that criteria. She is 10 but a younger reading age.
Is there another series that we could get into that does this at all, I’ve really tried to find one and run out of ideas- might have to try to write them myself!!!

Not really about normal UK children, but less outrageous, how about:

• Ivy and Bean series (www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0811849090/ref=as_li_tf_il?linkCode=gs2&creativeASIN=0811849090&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8&creative=399349&camp=217145)
• Beezus and Ramona series by Judy Blume
• From the Mixed up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler
• The Incorrigible series (www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0061791105/ref=as_li_tf_il?linkCode=gs4&creativeASIN=0062366939&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8&creative=399349&camp=217145)
• Penderwicks series
• Anne of Green Gables series

Unfortunately, my children read to escape ordinariness and were obsessed with Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.

What about the Daisy books by Kes Gray?
Or Tom Gates by Liz Pichon?
Both have lots of good illustrations, so she won't feel overwhelmed by text, and they're v funny, about ordinary children.

Oh they are great suggestions, thanks so much. We’ve tried some of the Daisy books but she wasn’t over keen on those for some reason- we haven’t tried any of the others yet so got some to work on.

Think we’ll give Tom Gates a try. Ivy and Bean are exactly what I’m looking for but worried they are too American. What would be ideal is a similar English series- will look at other suggestions later when after school clubs have finished!

Jeremy Strong, for example- Hundred Mile and Hour Dog, is good too

Second Jeremy Strong! Very funny and generally more "normal" families and storylines.
Jacqueline Wilson can be good too, just choose carefully.
My dd liked the Super Sister books by Gwyneth Rees.

My DD has enjoyed the What Katie Did series. She also likes books by Cathy Cassidy, Judi Curtin and Karen McCombie.

Ok had a look now and going to try some of the suggested ranges. It still seems hard to find something that she could relate too in the same way as Anna Hibiscus- a strong lead character going about normal family life. Maybe I’m being too picky or expecting too much!!

Thanks for all the suggestions- have looked at them all

The ‘My Naughty Little Sister‘ books have stood the test of time very well.

Think she’d like the naughty little sister books so I’ll look for on

Dork Diaries might be worth a look.

Michael Morpurgo, if historical real life is of interest?

That’s the trouble it’s not historical real life it’s something that depicts life as it is today, friendships/families/school etc..
Looked at Dork diaries before and seems a little too old for her but will have another look.
Thanks for the ideas

Am going with Clarice bean to start with and if those aren’t right then going to try Sophie Washington books. Got one of Tom Gates too so made some progress.

Iggy & Me books by Jenny Valentine are a modern day My Naughty Little Sister series.

The Casson family series by Hilary McKay
The Ally’s World Series by Karen McCombie
Any books by Cathy Cassidy

Ooh thanks - they look great

I suspect that the old original Animal Ark books might really appeal to your dd. You'd need to find second hand copies as they've been re-issued in new versions aimed at younger children, but the old style ones were definitely the right age group & exactly that every-day kind of book.

The first one is Kittens in the Kitchen, & you're looking for books featuring Mandy & James (new series has different children). If she likes them, there's an awful lot of them (and they're very cheap second hand)

Incidentally, while I was looking for them just now, I discovered that the same author has written a chick-lit series featuring a grown up Mandy who has become a vet, which is rather sweet.

I think she would like those too- but she spent a while only reading the rainbow fairy books so I’m not sure I want her to get into a similar series. (But haven’t looked at them before)

The My Funny Family books by Chris Higgins might be a good option. It is about a large family who do things like go on holiday, have a new baby and face their school potentially closing down.

Might be too American for you but the 'Clementine' series by Sara Penneypacker is good.

A couple more American (but not overtly so) authored books we’ve recently enjoyed are Thimble Summer and Twig... very gentle sweet stories.

The Indie Kidd series by Karen McCombie would fit the bill.

Some of the others mentioned here (eg the Casson Family series by Hilary McKay) are gorgeous books but probably a wee bit offputting in length/style if she's reading below her chronological age.