What did you read?

PinkLipgloss

Ooooh MrsB - I forgot about Pollyanna - I loved reading that!

Gillyx

jackieb wrote: »

My daughter reads a lot. We go to the library every couple of weeks. Jacqueline Wilson is one she just doesn't like. She says that they're all about dysfunctional families.

I loved her books when I was younger Maybe that appealed to me because my family was what you'd consider "average"

Just thought they were maybe a bit more "modern" than the other suggestions.

I also liked Judy Blume, but they're of a similar stead I'd say..

bylromarha

I have a 7 year old avid reader and have learned that what I and OH enjoyed as children isn't necessarily sons cup of tea.

He loves Enid Blytons Wishing Chair, Faraway Tree, Famous 5, Secret Seven, 5 find outers stories.
Enjoys being read Narnia, but less so reading it himself.
He really enjoyed the old OLD classics like original Jungle Book, Peter Pan - currently into King Solomons Mines.
The Hobbit was a fav, which pleased OH no end!

Me - I loved Nancy Drew and Judy Blume at that age.

BUT having said that, there are some fantastic modern series' of books which are really good. Look up Charlie Bone, HIVE (AMAZING - OH, DS and I can't get enough of these - they're stories around a training school for villans), !!!!!! king smith, saxby smart and many others. Appreciate you're buying for a girl, but have a look in the library to see if they're her sort of thing, and ask in library as librarians will be able to guide you to popular requests.

msb5262

mrs_marty wrote: »

I think as part of her Christmas I am going to do a book hamper with some of your fab suggestions and include a dictionary and thesaurus to help her along.

Sounds great!
I heard a lovely interview on the radio a year or two back where a woman in her sixties talked about the reading diary which she had kept since she was a child. She just noted title/author, date and added comments if she felt like it but it made really fascinating reading when she looked back at it.
Maybe you could consider putting in a nice little notebook too so your DD could record all the books she's reading if she fancies this idea? I really wish I'd done this myself. Perhaps it's not too late, I'm only 45!

jackieb

Gillyx wrote: »

I loved her books when I was younger Maybe that appealed to me because my family was what you'd consider "average"

I thought they might have appealed more to youngsters who were going through some turmoil themselves. But it looks like in your case you were just curious as to how other people coped with adversity at home.

shorelines

A Hundred Million Francs - Paul Berna (does have lots of French road names in but it's a great kids book

Emil and the Detectives - Erich Kastner - love this! so exciting!

milliebear00001

There are some fab suggestions here, but don't ignore modern authors...Michael Morpurgo, !!!!!! King-Smith, Phillip Pullman (for later)...

Although lots of the books mentioned are fab books, a lot of them are way beyond the remit of most 8 year olds. In particular, Lord of the Flies isn't a children's book at all! Some will be too difficult now, but will be great when she's a few years older.

My eight year old adores the 'Sophie' stories, all Roald Dahl, My Naughty Little Sister, Mr Gum series and the Faraway Tree books.

I read nothing but Enid Blyton until I was about 12. They would be at the bottom of the list for my daughter's reading list though!

caffinated_geek

I loved Terry Pratchetts childrens books stuff like:
Wee Free Men
Carpet People
The Amazing Maurice

Then there classics like the hobbit and tressure island.
I used to love Eynid Blyton as a kid too, mostly the far away tree books and the magic wishing chair.

jillymit

I loved Charlotte's Web as a child although it made me cry I've never forgotten it

mrs_marty

milliebear00001 wrote: »

There are some fab suggestions here, but don't ignore modern authors...Michael Morpurgo, !!!!!! King-Smith, Phillip Pullman (for later)...

Although lots of the books mentioned are fab books, a lot of them are way beyond the remit of most 8 year olds. In particular, Lord of the Flies isn't a children's book at all! Some will be too difficult now, but will be great when she's a few years older.

My eight year old adores the 'Sophie' stories, all Roald Dahl, My Naughty Little Sister, Mr Gum series and the Faraway Tree books.

I read nothing but Enid Blyton until I was about 12. They would be at the bottom of the list for my daughter's reading list though!

I must ask my parents when I read Lord of the Flies, I just always have it in my head I read it young, granted my Dad's favourite book, so maybe I always remember it being about much longer than I actually read it.