Book Suggestions please!

[StephandOwen]

8 year old girl, Mom says she wants books at a "5th grade level". Mom wants to keep them family/old fashioned themed. Mom just bought her the Little House series so that's out.

Any suggestions??

[Daffodil]

Maybe Understood Betsy, Caddie Woodlawn, or something by Eleanor Estes or Lois Lenski?

[LynnS6]

My dd is currently reading the Main Street series by Ann Martin. They're a 4th-5th grade level.

She's also liked the Animal Ark stories.

[velochic]

My dd (same age) really enjoyed the original Nancy Drew series.  Not "old fashioned", but classic with no questionable content.  I think they are targeted for 4th or 5th grade.  Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Black Beauty and the Miss Piggle Wiggle books have all been hits as well. 

[ollyoxenfree]

Old Fashioned books from old fashioned times: 

Anne of Green Gables and all the sequels were my first thought too. 

Emily of New Moon and its sequels, also by LM Montgomery, are even better than the Anne books, and then there are quite a few stand-alone novels and short story collections that could keep her reading for a long time. 

The ballet books by Noel Streatfeild. 

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome, as well as the rest of the series, might be a little more advanced, but they are listed for 9 to 12 y.o.'s on Amazon. 

Peter Pan by JM Barrie

Little Women by LM Alcott, and its sequels, and her other books (Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom etc.) 

The Secret Garden or The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett 

Old Fashioned Books written more recently:

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jaqueline Kelly

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (although it is about a single parent family)

[beanma]

I agree with the Eleanor Estes suggestion. My girls loved Pinky Pye.

Another contemporary title with an old fashioned feel that my girls have absolutely adored is The Penderwicks. It's set in current times, but it's very much a family adventure (4 sisters and their dad). The mom has died of cancer 4 years before the story starts and there are a few references back to her and her death, but I think that's a lot more sad for the grown-ups. My girls are pretty sensitive and it didn't really bother them. The plot carries the kids right along. There's a second Penderwicks novel too and the plot of that one revolves around the dad's sister trying to get him to date and he and the girls not wanting him to.

Interestingly enough, the dads in both Pinky Pye and The Penderwicks are professorial/scientist types.

Oh, wanted to add, you might check out Chinaberry for book suggestions. They do an excellent job of hand picking books for their catalog and reviewing them.

[StephandOwen]

Thanks for all the suggestions!!! I'll be looking into each one and decide what I want to get her. Thank!!

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by LynnS6 

She's also liked the Animal Ark stories.

I ended up getting her 8 of these stories (the first in the series and then the rest are all holiday/winter related). She wants to be a vet when she grows up so I think she'll really like these. I hope, anyway!! HUGE thanks for all of the suggestions everyone!