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Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

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!

OP posts:
Wobblington · 24/07/2021 21:06

Mrs pepper pot! She does race home to make her husbands tea but she’s otherwise awesome

MargaretThursday · 24/07/2021 21:50

The Dido Twite series by Joan Aiken
Some of the Diane Wynne Jones set-Howl's Moving castle comes to mind.

EmpressWitchDoesntBurn · 24/07/2021 21:52

My niece liked the Sophie books by Dick King-Smith at that age, about a ‘small, but very determined’ girl who wants to be a farmer when she grows up.

PurpleCloak · 24/07/2021 21:56

We have read Mrs Pepperpot and Sophie and love them, but thank you! I will check out your suggestions @MargaretThursday thank you

OP posts:
CrouchEndTiger12 · 24/07/2021 21:57

My favourite as a child was Enid Blyton's The Naughtiest Girl in School

Twizbe · 24/07/2021 21:59

Curious Pearl, Science Girl.

It might be a bit young for her but they are quite interesting

jeannie46 · 24/07/2021 22:00

Golden Oldies ?
Heidi
Anne of Green Gables
Little Women
What Katy did

CrouchEndTiger12 · 24/07/2021 22:01

Australian novel Hating Alison Ashley was another favourite. Recommended reading age is 9-11

It emphasises friendship and acceptance.

MrsPnut · 24/07/2021 22:02

Amelia Fang and Goth Girl, both different female lead characters.

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 24/07/2021 22:02

The Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett.

Flumo · 24/07/2021 22:05

The castle of tangled magic.

CrouchEndTiger12 · 24/07/2021 22:05

Sporty girls...Noel Streatfeild

Ballet Shoes
White Boots
Tennis Shoes

Etc

ZenNudist · 24/07/2021 22:06

Train to impossible places series. I think its more suited for older dc but am reading it with my 7yo.

Nevermoor series

12 minutes to midnight which mu 10yo is reading with his tutor. Language very hard so you could read it with her. No worse than Harry Potter.

DisplayPurposesOnly · 24/07/2021 22:06

Robin Stevens, Murder Most Unladylike
Marcus Sedgwick, Fang and Flood

Rainbowqueeen · 24/07/2021 22:07

Emily eye finger

CrouchEndTiger12 · 24/07/2021 22:07

I think Murder Most Unladylike is a bit much as OP said she is sensitive with peril and death

SydneyCarton · 24/07/2021 22:08

The Worst Witch series
Little House on the Prairie series (I think On The Banks of Plum Creek is when the author is also 9)

inmyplace · 24/07/2021 22:08

Journey to the river sea (Eva Ibbotson)

Teaandscone · 24/07/2021 22:10

The Firework Maker’s Daughter - Philip Pullman.

Nearlythere21 · 24/07/2021 22:10

Max Einstein series.

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)

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.

OP posts:
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.

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.

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!