What books do your 9 year old DDs like to read?

[WheresTheCat]

DSD really struggles with her reading. She loves being read to/listening to stories on CD, but struggles with comprehension so doesn't like reading by herself.
I'd like to get her a good book for Christmas, and was wondering if you have any recommendations. She's quite enjoyed Mrs Pepperpot recently. Any sugestions?

My dd turned 10 yesterday and she is a complete bookworm she loves to dip into factual Scientific books as well as fiction by the likes of Michael Murpago,Jaqueline Wilson ,Gwyneth Rees etc.

Our youngest dd is nearly 9, she loves Malory Towers and the Twins at St Clares, she read loads of magic kitten/puppy books last year and still will pick one up if looking for something easy. She quite liked Molly Moon as well, and Griffins Castle, and Aquila, and Woof, and Stig of the dump and (really big hit but not what I would have expected) Feather boy - can't keep up she consumes books and as she is the youngest of 6 there are lots about for her. At the moment she is reading Alison Prince 'My Royal Story Henry VIII's Wives', think she likes the fact the cover looks like a grown-up book, and there are others in the series if your dd is interested in a particular period of history. My older dd's at this age like point horror, point romance (not sure if they are still about), animorphs and Home Farm twins. The book youngest most enjoyed being read was The Animals of Farthingwood which she could manage herself now but a bit big so might be off putting if your dd not keen on reading to herself, maybe you could take it in turn - she reads a page then you a couple? I'd carry on buying the story CD's as well as she enjoys them, they still help comprehension and after a long day at school it's sometimes nice to just lay down and listen (oops that's me)

My DD is 10 and only very recently started to enjoy reading to herself (its still not her first choice though). She loved the Naughtiest Girl in School books and Kasper Prince of Cats by Michael Morpurgo. She also enjoyed the Terry Pratchet books for younger readers (I think that may have something to do with me really liking them too .

dd1, nearly 8, loved The Lottie Project by Jacqueline Wilson, this summer. BUT its not an easy read, for her (some tricky concepts, not just vocab) so we shared the reading.

She's also enjoying anything with a mystery flavour to it, 'The Secret Lake' (Karen Inglis) and various ghostly stories from the school library.

Another one who enjoys Michael Morpurgo

"The Ogre of Oglefort" and "One Dog and His Boy" by Eva Ibbotson helped get my 8 year old with limited stamina, hooked. Then a few months later, the Percy Jackson series which she couldn't put down and at the moment, the Cherub series, by Robert Muchamore.

How about the Daisy books by Kes Gray? Or Judy Moody? These are quite fun and not off-putting. There are those on MN who leap on threads such as this and recommend books which are clearly for the most advanced reader of the age group - I don't know what they're hoping to prove.

Another thought - what about the first Harry Potter? If she has seen the films then that would help her with the comprehension.

Michael Morpurgo
Milly Molly Mandy
Naughtiest Girl in School
Friendship According to Humphrey (I think there is a series of these by Betty Birney)
Faraway Tree
Pippi Longstocking

David Walliams
Wimpy Kid
Michael Morpurgo
Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

Some DD has enjoyed in the past few years, a bit easier reading:
The owl who was afraid of the dark - and all that series
Daisy books - Kes Grey
Horrid Henry

Agree with Gramercy - if she struggles with reading the last thing you want to do is put her off with too difficult stuff.
I second the suggestion of the Daisy books (Kes Grey) - short chapters, easy to read and very funny. Also Mr Gum (Andy Stanton) and How to Train Your Dragon (Cressida Cowell). They are all age appropriate but have big print and plenty of interest on the page with illustrations and funny typographical stuff, so shouldn't be off putting. Also there are some Winnie the Witch chapter books which might be good.

My DD(9) has only just got into reading this summer, she starting reading The Diary of A Wimpy Kid, very easy to read, lots of comic book style pictures to break up long bits of text. I can well recommend them, there are 5 or 6 in the series so far.

David Walliams does some funny stuff too.

My DD`s love the Wimpy Kid books & the Mr Gum books!!

My dd is just 10 but has really enjoyed 'Lady Grace' books for ages now.

I humbly submit that if the OP's DSD is struggling with reading, most of the suggestions on here would be too difficult! This is not a bookworm we're talking about, is it?

I also vote for comics of any description, such as Calvin + Hobbes, The Beano & Asterix, as well as Hiccup Horrendus, Diary of a Wimpy Kid & Mr Gum books. Also annuals/magazines for Binweevils, Moshi Monsters and Club Penguin.
Just getting her own magazine sub might be really good, lots of short interesting fact articles.
Poetry books for kids can be good, too, often quite simple language in them.
The younger-age Jacqueline Wilson books, too.

Thanks all - we'll have a look at these in the library this weekend, really appreciate all the suggestions.
She's not keen on comics but will read magazines with DD if they are playing. Will have a look at David Walliams too.

My DD is 8 and she loves the Humphrey series by Betty Birney, as well as the anything from Holly Webb (these are also animal stories), and she liked the Pony-Mad Princess series. She is also a fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and like Clarice Bean/Ruby Redfort.

Has she read Double dork Diaries..girly version of wimpy kid books. There are a few titles in the series but you can got one...red cover..with at least two stories..very thick book...entertains my Dd for hours...she is younger but the book is more suited to the 9 year old age group.

Aren't the Double Dork diaries really full of attitude, though? I remember thinking when I browsed one that it was already too much of what 10yo DD is too much like (for my comfort).

My 8 yr old likes Michael Morpurgo, Naughtiest Girl in School. She just about to finish the whole set of 12 books of the later.

Go for a series with a predictable plot line - Rainbow Fairies springs to mind (shudder) as does Horrid Henry, because although they seem young they will not put her off. She could go from Rainbow Fairies to Airy Fairy and then to Titania Woods' Fairy series and from Horrid Henry to Wimpy Kid perhaps. She needs to learn to follow and to anticipate the plot.

We get Aquila magazine for DD who is seven. No adverts.

Does she like re-reading books she already knows? What about getting her some books which she has already enjoyed having read to her or enjoyed in audio format?

Animal Ark is a series she may enjoy. It's widely available on audio and in paper format, so your library will probably have them, and there are dozens and dozens to keep her going.

Does she enjoy looking at pictures? Have a browse through the picture books next time you are at the library. I always think what a pity it is that so few older children bother having a good rummage through to find picture books which are intended for them. There are some really beautiful books which are not at all babyish. You might have to seek them out yourself if it is likely she will be appalled at having to flick past "Baby's first ABC" or the Spot books in order to find ones suitable to her. I am thinking of books such as Six Dinner Sid, Jeremiah in the Dark Woods, Half a Pig, Catkin, The Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business, The Mousehole Cat, and The Mitten. My dd had the advantage of having a much younger sister, so I was always looking through picture books anyway and discovering these forlorn overlooked treasures for older kids.

We stuck mostly to audiobooks and me reading to her until her reading "clicked" at nine. My main priority was to keep her enthusiasm going and give her access to more interesting material than she could yet read for herself.

Aquila magazine is unashamedly aimed at more academic children and has quite a lot of complicated stuff in it. Not the best recommendation for a 9yo that finds comprehension difficult, IMO.

The Mr Gum books by Andy Stanton are good - lots of illustrations and slightly disgusting characters that appeal to a 9yo sense of humour.

Your right, its quite dense, one to remember for the future maybe?

Mr Gum is good, has pictures and is nicely laid out on the page.