Girls First Novel

DGOBS

Hoping for some guidance.

My 7 year old girl (1st Class) is reading beyond her class, last PTM her teacher said she was reading about 13 months ahead of the class (she loves reading!)

She is just coming to the end of Tree Tops (stage 13) and want to get her first novel over the rest of the holidays, anyone recommend a good suitable book for her?

byhookorbycrook

Would the Judy Moody series be too easy for her?The Worst Witch series?
http://www.judymoody.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/series/55367-worst-witch

Both would be suitable content-wise.

Would the Little House on the Prarie books appeal?Some of my very able girl readers are really enjoying them at the moment(1st class.)
Pippi Longstocking also appeals to this group.

Moonbeam

I loved Ramona books,Naughty Amelia Jane,Ronald Dahl and back then everything Enid Blyton at that age.
I loved reading.

Icarus Wings

Just to make things a small bit easier on yourself, it might be a nice idea to ask her if there are any particular topics she is interested in or would like to read about at the moment. The list is endless - animals, sports, space travel, exploration, history, hobbies etc.

If I had to recommend one author, I don't think you can go too far wrong with Roald Dahl as Moonbeam mentioned. There's a huge range of interests covered across his books that it's difficult not to find something that would suit your child. There's an entire list here. Jacqueline Wilson also might have some nice books suitable for girls in particular here.

Best of luck and hopefully it will lead to lifelong love of reading and literature!:)

byhookorbycrook

Not a fan of Roald Dahl at all and don't think much of Jacqueline Wilson either!!(How odd am I??)

Cailin CoisFarraige

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Not a fan of Roald Dahl at all and don't think much of Jacqueline Wilson either!!(How odd am I??)

:eek: surely that's heresey byhookorbycrook!!

I'll second the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary. Great fun.

Also it's very topic-specific, but if she happens to have an interest in animals, you can't go wrong with the Animal Ark books. Should be just about the right level for her.

byhookorbycrook

No, my college lecturer in children's lit agreed that Dahl, in his own way is as stereotyped and sexist as Enid Blyton.

Icarus Wings

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Not a fan of Roald Dahl at all and don't think much of Jacqueline Wilson either!!(How odd am I??)

Haha not that odd!! I went through a phase of reading nothing but Roald Dahl books when I was around 7 years old while other family members hated them! Dahl's writing really seems to have a Marmite element to it - some absolutely love it while others can't stand it.

Might be worth trying the classic Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne as well - light and imaginative as an introduction to novels. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren is a fun novel for girls as well - with a main character who fights to avoid becoming the stereotypical girl!

thesimpsons

mine never liked Dahl either and some Jacqueline Wilson books can be very advanced for a 7 year old. I'd recommend bringing her to library and asking librarians for advice. good thing about library you can take out 4/5 books for free and while each book mightn't suit her, there'll always be one that interests and from that you can find style/authors that suit her. Always found Marita Conlon McKenna good at this age - Under the Hawthorn Tree, etc.

DGOBS

Thanks so much for all the suggestions, she just finished her first Moody Judy, and loved it,she was also very proud to finish her first novel!
By half way, she was picking it up in her room in the evening without being prompted, so all good.

Will look into lots of the other suggestions as she progresses, Pippy Longstocking is now at her bedside, thanks again.

byhookorbycrook

Glad she likes Judy Moody, is the level ok reading abilty wise?

DGOBS

Yes, she can manage, but is still challenged by them.

Have also bought Matilda, but have looked over it, think it maybe a few months off.

byhookorbycrook

The Worst Witch would be a similar-ish level, and the illustrations are lovely too!

Orion

At that age (advanced readers also) my girls loved Judy Moody, Enid Blyton (famous five was a big favourite), Jacqueline Wilson (be careful - some of her books are for teens and put on the wrong section in bookshops), Harry Potter (first 4 or 5 books only at that age), Roald Dahl, Michael Morpurgo, the damn list is endless.

In a year or so there's The Hobbit, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys.

byhookorbycrook

Enid Blyton is in big demand by many of my younger exceptionally able children. I always explain to them about the sexism etc. and how the books were written in a different era.

I agree that Murporgo has some smashing books for this age/abilty.

echo beach

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Enid Blyton is in big demand by many of my younger exceptionally able children. I always explain to them about the sexism etc. and how the books were written in a different era.

I think the dangers of Enid Blyton are overstated. I read everything she wrote when I was very young but still managed to be a feminist. In fact I thought George from the famous Five was a wonderful example of independent womanhood.:)
I quickly out-grew them and moved on to Agatha Christie. There wasn't much choice in those days for a child living in the countryside away from bookshops or libraries so you read whatever you got, which wasn't a bad way to find out your own taste and become a judge of what is good or bad.

byhookorbycrook

I don't see them as dangerous, but I do like to explain the context.

DubiousDude

I never thought I would hear Enid Blyton and dangerous in the same sentence. Oh dear, what a mess these feminists have made. Yes, in this politicaly correct experminant we are all living in (allbeit forced upon us), we are all androgynous with exact equal cabalities and sensitivities. Maybe we should take "nature" to court and sue her/him for sexual discrimination?

RainyDay

DubiousDude wrote: »

I never thought I would hear Enid Blyton and dangerous in the same sentence. Oh dear, what a mess these feminists have made. Yes, in this politicaly correct experminant we are all living in (allbeit forced upon us), we are all androgynous with exact equal cabalities and sensitivities. Maybe we should take "nature" to court and sue her/him for sexual discrimination?

It's not just about feminism. I was reading 'The Naughtiest Girl in the School' to mine this week. I had to explain why it wasn't OK for a boy to grab the naughty girl by the hair and pull her around.

byhookorbycrook

echo beach wrote: »

I think the dangers of Enid Blyton are overstated. I read everything she wrote when I was very young but still managed to be a feminist. In fact I thought George from the famous Five was a wonderful example of independent womanhood.:)

I did a study of themes in Enid Blyton in college so looked at them as an adult in modern society . George was constantly being laughed at for not being a "proper" girl. The boys did all the deciding, the villains were invariably not middle class and looked down on for this and in other Enid Blyton books, as already pointed out. it seemed ok to drag a girl by the hair.rhaps you need to re-read them them now, to see why I place them in contect for my students. No doubt you would object to the old Buntús where mammy was always in the kitchen and daddy "at work",this is no different.

Can we move back on topic please?

Miss Lockhart

Personally, I loved Enid Blyton as a child. That's what I read from ages 5 - 8. I wasn't blind to the sexism and I was well able to see it in the context of the era in which it was written. I would still recommend them for young readers.

I think the Marita Conlon McKenna famine series are also a great suggestion.

I would also recommend Carrie's War by Nina Bawden.

CookieMonster.x

I absolutely loved Enid Blyton when I was younger! Can't remember what age I was so some may not be suitable but I was also an advanced reader so maybe some of these may be of help. I loved Dick King Smith's series of books about a girl called Sophie (one of the titles is 'Sophie'). I also read Cathy Cassidy books but again I can't remember what age I was. Michael Morpurgo books are really good too. I loved Roald Dahl's Matilda too.
I was always reading when I was younger, I'd stay up past 12 reading if I could! I'll come back if I think of more.

lilmissprincess

I loved those Sophie books, and the many Enid Blyton boarding school ones. Not sure how old I was though.