What books might an 8.5 year old girl enjoy reading over summer break?

[Earlybird]

I have vivid childhood memories of the excitement of leaving the local library at the start of summer break with an armload of books I couldn't wait to read.

I'm thinking ahead to the long lazy days of this summer, and would like recommendations of books that dd might enjoy - classics or more recently written.

All suggestions gratefully received and much appreciated.

Has she read :

Worst Witch series
roald Dahl
Hary Ptter
Gobbolino the witches cat
Black Beauty

Was in the bookshop yesterday and the lady recomemnded:

Judy Moody
Pippi Longstocking

DD1 currently loves :

The Baudelaire series
Asterix
Some god-awful fairy series that my sister smuggles to her.
Swallows & Amazons

E Nesbitt
Railway Children
Box of Delights
Arthur Ransome
Emil and the detectives
Mallory Towers?

Harry Potter

The Little house on the prairie books are wonderful, didn't read them till I was an adult.

Yes, at that age I loved all the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House books. Other favourites were:
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Joan Aiken
The Little White Horse - Eizabeth Goudge
Ballet Shoes, White Boots - Noel Streatfeild
The Ordinary Princess - M.M. Kaye

Septimus Heap series (begins with Magyk)
Anne of Green Gables

Any of the Narnia books
The Secret Garden

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Theif is modern take on greek mythologyt (sounds boyish I know but has a really good strond female character - kind of Hermione Grangerish)

Oh god, ballet shoes is GREAT!

And the E Nesbit ones, Five children and it, etc, are hilarious.

Ds1 would like to recommend the Cressida Cowell 'Viking' series as well.

I might have to read ballet shoes.

Oh yes, definitely 'The Secret Garden' and 'A Little Princess' too...
saintmaybe, there is a lovely BBC dramatisation of 'Ballet Shoes' on audio CD - great for holiday car journeys.

She has read Harry Potter (has been reading the 4th book off and on since Christmas - not sure why she hasn't finished, but definitely doesn't feel the same excitement/urgency as she did with the earlier ones in the series).

We have been reading the Little House series together at bedtime this school year, and have got up to 'By The Shores Of Silver Lake' (half way through, atm).

She has also read alot of Roald Dahl (Matilda, The Witches, Esio Trot, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory and Charlie & the Great Glass Elevator), but there are others she has yet to read so will look further for more books by Dahl.

She is currently on book 4 of a series (don't recall the name of it) about Cat Clans who live in the wild and battle for territory (Thunder Clan etc that she got from the school library)

She hasn't read the others suggested on the thread (thanks, btw!), so will start making a list with those on.

Any other ideas?

Here's another one...'The Wind on the Moon' by Eric Linklater. I was gripped by this at about eight. It was out-of-print for a while but has been reprinted by Jane Nissen books - they have some excellent titles. Here is the Amazon link.

Eve Ibotson books.

Famous Five.
Secret Seven.
Loads of Enid Blyton.
Anne Green gables.
Secret Garden.
Michael Morpurgo
Railway Children.

dd1 is 8 and reads all of the above.

The Demon Headmaster Series and the My Sister the Vampire Series. They are both a much easier read than Harry Potter so ideal for light relief.

I'm impressed by those of you who can remember what books you read/enjoyed at a specific age! I remember books I loved growing up, but have little recollection whether I read them at 8 or 11 or 14 (with a few notable exceptions, of course).

Subrata- it is obvious you are new, as otherwise you would know that one has to pay to advertise on mn, sorry.

Perhaps Charlotte's Web or The Chalet School series by Eleanor M Brent-Dyer (presuming the latter is still published).

www.amazon.co.uk/One-dog-Man-Ahmad-Kamal/dp/0595009905

This is completely wonderful, and is one of my absolute favourite books ever.

Not sure if it's a bit old for her, but she sounds like quite a sophisticated reader. Well worth getting for reading in a couple of years otherwise.

eve garnett - family from one end street (and sequels)
joan aiken - black hearts in battersea and all the rest of her books (from rosie's suggestion)

DD2 is enjoying these Historical House books at the moment.
She also loves the Naughtiest Girl in the School, St Clare's, Malory Towers etc.
And she loves The Lady Grace Mysteries too.
Also Caroline Lawrence's Roman Mysteries
DD2 is a history buff, as you will guess, but as the Little House on the Prairies series is one of her faves, she and your DD may have similar taste.

Sorry I have been away from this thread so long, but have had no internet access for several days.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

Anyone with other ideas, please post here!

Debi Gliori - Witch Baby and Me, or Pure Dead Magic series

Said - Varjak Paw

Minnie Piper stories (can't remember who writes them)

Nina Bawden - stories like Keeping Henry, The Peppermint Pig

How good a reader is she?

Astrid Lindgren is FAB (ds1 alsmot 7 but good reader is really into her right now)