Books for 7-year-old?

[deains]

Having inquired around a bit it seems my nieces are hoping Santa will expand their libraries a bit this Christmas, so I'm looking around for some suitable books. :)

They're both reading at around 7yr old stage at the moment. I was thinking Beatrix Potter, plus one or two others if I can find some decent ones on Amazon. Ideally I'd like to get them a couple of books each (so they can swap if necessary), so all suggestions are welcome.

I've just bought Magic Beans and I must say I'm very impressed with it. Its a weighty hardback. It looks impressive and a 7 year old would probably be able to read it themselves. It has a good range of stories by good children's authors.

I have also bought this set by Jill Tomlinson www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&productId=232221&searchTerm=jill+tomlinson which was a bargain and DD will love.

Worst Witch

DD is 5.5, but a proficient reader (who needs a stealth boast eh!) and these are all in her Christmas pile.

Also Roald Dahl collection here has also been popular in this house

Good ol' Astrosaurs. Yes, my DD loves(d) them too.

DD2 is 7 and she loves the Rainbow Magic books. There is a big massive pack of 21 books on Book People for £15 just now (if you look you might find a 10 per cent off deal online too). They are £3 each in Tesco so its a brilliant price and you could split the pack between them.

Good shout with the Rainbow Magic books, found a couple with their names on, so they're going in. Shall bag a couple of the other suggestions too (if I can decide between them), thanks all for the ideas!

If they don't have them, Enid Blyton still seems very popular. My mum gave dd a box set of the Malory Towers books when she was around that age and they went down a treat.

Agree also with Astrosaurs, was very popular here too. The same author does another series, Cows in Action which apparantly is very funny (if you're 7 . . .)

If they're into animals, the Animal Ark books are nice, though worth checking whether they already have them as they're quite popular (ditto with Rainbow magic only more so, I would say).

I'd have thought beatrix potter too young... though along those lines, perhaps alison uttley's little grey rabbit? Or the brambley hedge books?
Pippi longstocking excellent too.

Little Grey Rabbit is lovely, we are currently reading Little Grey Rabbit's Christmas and DD loves it.

Am off to look at Astrosaurs and Cows in Action.

Lots of inspiration at www.redhouse.co.uk. It's not a subscription book club and no minimum buy. But they have reduced prices, and you can search for books based on age range - which I love. Good service and choice.

Malory Towers and St.Claires, but the original Enid Blyton ones, not the "extras" which have EBs name on but were written by some hag cashing in and NOT the same
The Five Find-Outers series also by EB
If they aren't "girly girls" and like a bit of adventure with wild animals, the Willard Price "Adventure" series is nice - the first one is Amazon Adventure. All the facts about animals in them are correct, and even though it's well over 30 years since I first read them, I still find the info sticks in my brain
Anne of Green Gables? although that could be my love of them, they are nice but might be a wee bit heavy going with the language use in them.
The Little House books went down well with my DD last year (she was 8 then). I got a nice box set on Amazon reasonably priced.