What next after Jacqueline Wilson for DD (9)?

[fatsatsuma]

She is a competent reader but has only really been bitten by the reading bug recently. She has devoured a huge number of Jacqueline Wilsons, and I'm wondering what to get for her to read over the summer.

Have a look on red house books and the book people you can often get really good box sets for a reasonable price. You could try, Meg Cabot or Karen Mcrombie.

Cath Cassidy?

Those Windsnape mermaid books?

Thanks Danthe4th and pointydog.

I have looked at Meg Cabot on Amazon, but don't really know where to start. A lot of her titles sound rather grown-up for DD. Which would you suggest starting with?

Similiar question with Cath Cassidy and Karen Mcrombie actually. Am trying to order things through our library, so it's hard to know what the content is like.

Just off to look for the mermaid books.

Definitely Cathy Cassidy.

Any specific titles you would recommend deaddei?

dd2 (now 11) liked gingersnaps and the one about sundae something. She's not around just now so i can't ask her more.

Michael Morpurgo - The Sleeping Sword

Terry Pratchett - The Wee Free Men Series

L M Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables Series

Andrew Strong - Oswald and the End of the World, Moles

Terry Deary - Roman Tales Series

Not a Unicorn, Mermaid or bolshy best friend in sight!

Thanks treas. She has enjoyed some Michael Morpurgo so may look for The Sleeping Sword.

She may like Anne of Green Gables - it's so long since I read it I can't remember how accessible it is.

She does quite like mermaids and bolshy best friends...but I get where you're coming from

I think there is one called Sundae Girl, which dd2 liked a year or two ago.

Charlotte's Web?

At that age both my DD and my DS loved the Narnia books, and the Indian in the Cupboard trilogy (Lynne Reid banks). DD (a big JW fan) also v.keen on the Eoin Colfer books - but can't quite remember what age - they may be for slightly older.

(sigh) Noel Streatfield... but I'm possibly just projecting my own youth onto your DD as I have DSs (I love having boys but I'm sad I can't introduce them to Ballet Shoes)

Have you monitored her Jacqueline Wilson books? I found some of them (like, lola rose) quiet unsuitable!

Thanks for all these suggestions. We have read some of the classics to her already eg. Charlotte's Web, Narnia. And I was desperate for her to enjoy Noel Streatfield and ploughed through Ballet Shoes with her a year or two ago, but she just didn't click with it

2write we started off reading the JW books together, and I was actually really impressed with how well she tackled some topics which I might have considered unsuitable for DD. I'm not sure she's read Lola Rose - can you say what it's about? Some of the themes are certainly gritty but having read a few with her I've been happy for her to continue with them on her own - I hope I haven't been naive about their content.

Ooh, Ooh! - a bit of light relief would be the Nancy Drew Mysteries.

I remember reading my very first one when I was ill with chicken pox at 8/9 yrs - made me want to be a lawyer until I realised that it didn't involve any detection.

I never read Nancy Drew but all my friends loved them! Thanks - will have a look.

My 9 year old has just grown out of JW (I did censor them a bit, so she hasn't read Kiss, for example), and is now enjoying Malorie Blackman - she loved Pig Heart Boy, and is half-way through the Noughts & Crosses trilogy.

Lola rose is about a kid whose mum gets beaten by her dad, then he hits her too. I bought for did , but did not let her read.

However, I found The bed and Breakfast Kid book very good. DD is slightly pampered *see wrapped in cotton wool!!) and it was good for her to read about how hard life can actually be!

Yes to The Indian In The Cupboard and The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (the best of the Narnia books imho).

Dd2 was still devouring The Famous Five and Secret Seven at this age too. Also the F5 find-outers and dog.

Personally I don't think the Noughts and Crosses books are suitable for a nine year old - lots of does he/doesn't he fancy me, plus very complex issues around race and discrimination, as well as terrorism. They are very good (especially the first one) but personally I'd wait a while with them.

DD1 really liked the Mortal Engines series around this age and also Katherine Roberts' books - The Echorium sequence and the Seven Fabulous Wonders books Here

Eva Ibbotson - Star of Kazan (possibly better read aloud?)
Inkheart - C Funke
Charlie Bone series - can't remember author
Cathy Cassidy - some less "unsuitable" like Indigo
Little House on Prairie series esp older ones L Ingalls Wilder
Michelle Paver - Wolf thingumy

and I loved Diana Wynne Jones - Charmed Life etc
Gillian Cross - Great Elephant Chase, and all the Demon Headmaster books

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Noel Streatfeild's White Boots is easier to click into that Ballet Shoes

Tom's Midnight Garden
Goodnight Mr Tom
Skellig

Thanks everyone - some great ideas here, and some blasts from the past for me too

Tolstoy and Joyce, without a shadow of a doubt.

My 8.5yo DD really enjoyed "Do Not Read This Book" by Pat Moon. It's written as the secret diary of an 11yo girl. I also got her Pippi Longstocking for Christmas and we've already read it through three times.