Book recommendation for a 10 y.o. with conservative Christian parents?

[riversong]

I'm way overdue on a Christmas present for this girl. I'd like to get her a book, but I don't know what 10 y.o.s like to read. Also, like it says in the title, her parents are religious and pretty conservative. Any recommendations? TIA

[ruthieroo]

If you are looking for strictly Christian books you could go to www.Christianbook.com and search in different age groups, I think. I am Christian (and was raised by fairly conservative parents) but I don't think I read all that many books that were specifically Christian. I adored the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, Anne of Green Gables and other books by LM Montgomery (actually, I think "The Story Girl" was my favorite.), Louisa Mae Alcott (Little Women, of course, but she wrote a whole bunch more and I think I read them all at one point or another).

I guess it would depend on her reading level and tastes. And admittedly I'm bad at remembering at what age I first read/enjoyed certain books. Is there a pretty "classic" book that you remember liking at a young age that would fit the bill?

[CherieBerry]

Harry Potter?

[chellemarie]

Originally Posted by CherieBerry

Harry Potter?

That was a less than helpful answer.

riversong - The children in my daughter's class (at a Christian school) are reading from the Magic Tree House and Boxcar Children series. Beverly Cleary's Ramona and Ralph S. Mouse books are good, too. I think these are your safest mainstream titles.

Narnia books are good too, but might depend on her reading level. Some kids in my daughter's class could tear through them while others would be discouraged.

I think our church and school are considered conservative. We're having a book sale this week at school. I helped set it up and someone else went through to see if anything needed to be pulled before the students saw it. I didn't notice anything missing yesterday when the children filled out wish lists.

Nearly every third grade student had the High School Musical book written down. I'll be surprised if those don't sell out.

Sure to sell out: Bridge to Terabithia. It's huge right now. Three copies in the school library and they're all checked out all the time this year. Most of my daughter's classmates had that one on their wish lists. My 9yo could read this as could most of her classmates. (I didn't read it until 6th grade, but I think that's because it was on the 6th grade classroom shelf and not in the school library. It was a very fast read at that age.)

Hope that helps.

[JessicaS]

Little Women
Anne Of Green Gables
Emily of New Moon
Little Princess
Secret Garden
Where the Red Fern Grows
Call of the Wild
What Katy Did
RedWall Series
Pollyanna
The Trumpet of the Swan
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

[Thalia the Muse]

How about Betsy-Tacy? -- Oh, someone else beat me to it.

Others (in addition to the great suggestions above)

The Black Stallion
The Saturdays (or anything by Elizabeth Enright, they're all wonderful and should be completely inoffensive)
Understood Betsy
The Westing Game (it's a "murder mystery," but as it turns out there's no actual murder)
Any of the Amy and Laura books by Marilyn Sachs, especially Laura's Luck (the characters are Jewish, don't know if that could pose an issue in this case)
The utterly delightful The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
For a newer book, The Penderwicks -- she's the perfect age, and it's perfectly wholesome
National Velvet -- A beautifully written book

I would tread carefully with Bridge to Terabithia, as wonderful as it is. It gets banned and challenged frequently, for mildly bad language as well as for the tragedy. And I think Boxcar children and the Ralph Mouse books might be too young for her -- I think of those more for first or second grade. Other Beverly Clearys would be great, though -- Emily's Runaway Imagination, for example.

[KittyKat]

I am a Christian, and conservative.

I LOVE Anne of Green Gables! Always have.

The Narnia books are a classic, and well-loved among Christian groups.

I loved the Beverly Cleary books too...

Let's see... I read SO MANY books over the years LOL!

Those were ones I wanted to read over and over though.

Little Women was another one I loved, and Little House on the Prairie series.
Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates
Caddie Woodlawn

I'm trying to visualize my old bookshelf from my bedroom when I was a kid, and what I would pull out to keep my company on a rainy afternoon.

Any of those should probably work!

[mammastar2]

I was going to suggest Caddie Woodlawn!

Also Girl of the Limberlost is a good classic.

[riversong]

Thanks for all your suggestions! I'm sure I will find something good for her from your lists.

[sapphire_chan]

Not so much now, but in a few years when she's approaching high school, "What Katy Did" is a good intro to old-fashioned writing.

[tinybutterfly]

The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Depending on her reading level, and how conservative they are The Hobbit and The LOTR's books by Tolkien.

I used to like Trixie Belden...I think those would probably be okay. They are like Hardy Boys for girls.

Black Beauty, Misty of Chincoteague, any of those horse books.

[riversong]

More thanks!

[redhotmama]

Don't forget Madeleine L'Engle....love love love her books!

[MamaBug]

Bethany House Publishers have a great selection of Christian authors. Also I know that Beverly Lewis writes some childrens books that you can look in to

[MountainLaurel]

Originally Posted by CherieBerry

Harry Potter?

Your mind works the same way mine does, except that I was thinking of one of those "what is happening to my body" books for kids about to hit puberty.

[chellemarie]

Originally Posted by MountainLaurel

Your mind works the same way mine does, except that I was thinking of one of those "what is happening to my body" books for kids about to hit puberty.

Does this mean you assume that conservative Christian parents don't tell their children about puberty?

If I told you were I attend services you would think, "Conservative Christian". That doesn't mean I want to squash my child's imagination by banning all fantasy fiction. I know you think you're making a joke, but this insinuation that a child of conservative Christians needs someone other than her parents to tell her about her body is lame.

[JessicaS]

The Series of Unfortunate Events books might be good.

[Jennifer Z]

I can't really remember what I read at what ages, but I know I really loved the Little House series, Caddie Woodlawn, and there was something called Strawberry Girl (but I don't remember at all what it was about...just happened to see it on the shelf at the bookstore recently). I also loved The Secret Garden and The Little Princess. I was raised in a Mennonite household if that helps.

I am not sure if she is old enough, but the Love Comes Softly series (and several other series that Janette Oke writes) are very Christian based and I loved them. They have some pioneer ones and one of the series is in the Canadian west.

[lorijds]

Do you have to get her a book?

What about a nice journal and a cool pen?

Or if you want to get a book, how about something nonfiction? About something she is interested in (rockets, horses, dogs, China, whatever). Or a how-to activity book--friendship bracelets, crocheting (which I personally find easier to teach kids than knitting, and faster, too, so there is some instant gratification), jump rope with jump rope rhymes, a book of gardening and some packets of flower seeds.

Another thing I always think is a cool gift for a kid of almost any age--a blank photo album and a couple of disposable cameras with gift certificates for developing. Or a cheap digital camera--they actually have them that are decent for kids and under $30.

[CherryBomb]

Originally Posted by chellemarie

Does this mean you assume that conservative Christian parents don't tell their children about puberty?

If I told you were I attend services you would think, "Conservative Christian". That doesn't mean I want to squash my child's imagination by banning all fantasy fiction. I know you think you're making a joke, but this insinuation that a child of conservative Christians needs someone other than her parents to tell her about her body is lame.

I agree. My SIL and her husband are both conservative Christians and their children are well aware of the facts of puberty and their bodies. And they all love Harry Potter, as well as my conservative Catholic Aunt, and my other conservative Christian Aunt!