Birthday present request

[barbarianoftheuniverse]

This sounds easy, but I cannot think of anything.
Could anyone help me with adventure stories for a 10 year old girl- not fantasy, not historical, not Jackie Wilson (read already)- sort of like a modern Enid Blyton (best bits anyway). I need half a dozen or so to post to a child living in Germany. Thanks.

Helen Creswell, Bagthorpes series. First one is Ordinary Jack, 2nd, Absolute Zero, Then (I think) Bagthorpes V the World. Very funny, about a disfunctional family of geniuses. I read them at about that age. Think theres about 8 in the series, and think you can still get them, Amazon might be your best bet.

I think if you look through Michael Morpugo's enormous output you will find some good options - some of his are historical, but not all.

Thank you Bink, and GHPB. I shall Amazon Morpugho and Cresswell. Anyone else?

Ruling out fantasy & historical is what makes it hard I think. Otherwise I would have suggested the Wolves of Willoughby Chase sequence - there's about 10 of them, and they're really good adventures - but being set in an alternative past probably makes them both fantasy and historical!

Yes, absolutely, it's the contemporary/everyday setting that is difficult. I was thinking of the Nancy Drew stories, as well - but I haven't ever read those & can't say whether they're good.

Ds (who's 10) is reading Robert Westall (a wonderful writer, and not well enough known - I'd recommend him to anyone - though, reservation, he can be Spooky) at the moment, but most of his have historical settings as well (often WWI/WWII).

My DSSs devoured the Anthony Horovitz Alex Rider series at that age.

Thanks, hadn't thought of Horovitz and I know she's seen the film. She has already read (or at least I have sent) Anne Fine, Joan Aiken, Philippa Pearce, what I call the modern classics and isn't really ready for Louise Rennison etc yet. I am now trying to think of pony/dog/school stories with a 21st Century setting.
I agree about Robert Westall, if he wrote the Machine Gunners (I think he did) but think it might be a bit too old at the moment. As is David Almond.

Machine Gunners is what ds is reading

what about annie bryant's Beacon Street Girls series?

I haven't read these but was investigating for DD

I've read one of the "sleep over club" series, and think it fits your needs. I'm also looking for that kind of book , teh parcel I just sent had "the family from one end street" by eve garnett, "Dear Olly"Morpurgo, and "katy's exmoor" can;t remember who by.
I think I'll try Swallows and Amazons for christmas.