parents of girls 6-10- come over here and let me pick your brains a minute

[CitizenPrecious]

Right.

I am now officially sick of reading my dds Magic Puppy/Kitten/Pony/Tortoise and Princess Magic Fairy Ballerina books.

[bleh]

So instead I am going to write some myself, (c'mon, how hard can it be?? ) with some nice Positive Role Models, and No Pink.

What do you (or your dd) think are the key ingredients in a story?

My dd says small girl animals, and it has to be about girls and not boys. She says she doesn't mind if boys are in a story, as long as it isn't about them.

Any more?

[dolphindotty]

Holly Webb writes great animal books which aren't pink and sparkling. Many of them are about lost animals although sometimes there is a boy main character - often the animal. Her animal magic series has a girl as a main character and are great although no pictures. Apart from that has the dd tried Genie Us/Genie and the Phoenix by Steve Cole and Linda Chapman? Magic but no pink, just lots of wishes going wrong and adventures - they're quite long books. Or the Anna Wilson puppy and kitten books, funny, modern and with nothing very pink and sparkly in them. Or the Silver Dolphins series by Summer Waters.

[cazzybabs]

Ohh defiantly Clarice Bean - sooo funny, Mr Gum books (herione - Polly), ditto the Pippi Longstocking books which are fab, Rumour Godden books are all fab fab fab and very very girly.

DD1 has also liked the secret seven

[polepole]

The Daisy Chapter books by Kes Gray. They are funny and have a very 'real'feel about them.

[Clary]

OK bookmarking this for self to read more carefully for suggestions for DD.

[Jux]

Lady Grace series by Grace Cavendish (9+)

Roman Mysteries by Stephanie Lawrence for slightly younger readers (7-10ish)

[pollywollydoodle]

mrs pepperpot is great, she gets rides on cats and animals help her when she has shrunk

don't know if elidor would be a bit old for her?

would second the worst witch series and matilda

the darcy bussell ballerina books aren't as sickmaking as most with pink sparkly covers

dd loves this we got it for £1 from a cheapie book place red house/bananas somewhere like that

[CantSupinate]

If OP wants inspiration (I think that's what she wants), I think stories about animals, and little girls helping animals, and them together righting injustices (but not in a frilly-magical way, more in a I can stand my ground way) would be nice.

So you can think of Charlotte's web, where there's a bit of magic with the talking animals but Fern is mostly otherwise just quite lovely ordinary, and Charlotte the spider is the best role model of all.

[madamehooch]

If she's keen on animals, then try the 'Sophie' books by Dick King-Smith - all about a little girl who wants to be a farmer.