[StephandOwen]

<p>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.</p>
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<p>Any suggestions??</p>

 

[Daffodil]

<p>Maybe Understood Betsy, Caddie Woodlawn, or something by Eleanor Estes or Lois Lenski?</p>

 

[LynnS6]

<p>My dd is currently reading the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=motheringhud-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB001QCXD78%2Fref%3Ds9_simh_gw_p14_d3_i2%3Fpf_rd_m%3DATVPDKIKX0DER%26pf_rd_s%3Dcenter-2%26pf_rd_r%3D16F2YH8FK70KFT2CGV2Y%26pf_rd_t%3D101%26pf_rd_p%3D470938631%26pf_rd_i%3D507846" rel="norewrite" target="_blank">Main Street</a> series by Ann Martin. They're a 4th-5th grade level.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She's also liked the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=motheringhud-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FKittens-Kitchen-Animal-Ark-1%2Fdp%2F059018749X%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fs%3Dbooks%26ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1290760038%26sr%3D1-1" rel="norewrite" target="_blank">Animal Ark</a> stories.</p>

 

[velochic]

<p>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. </p>

 

[ollyoxenfree]

<p> </p>
<p>Old Fashioned books from old fashioned times: </p>
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<p>Anne of Green Gables and all the sequels were my first thought too. </p>
<p>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. </p>
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<p>The ballet books by Noel Streatfeild. </p>
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<p>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. </p>
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<p>Peter Pan by JM Barrie</p>
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<p>Little Women by LM Alcott, and its sequels, and her other books (Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom etc.) </p>
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<p>The Secret Garden or The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Old Fashioned Books written more recently:</p>
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<p>The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall</p>
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<p>The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jaqueline Kelly</p>
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<p>Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (although it is about a single parent family)</p>
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[beanma]

<p>I agree with the Eleanor Estes suggestion. My girls loved <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=motheringhud-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPinky-Pye-Eleanor-Estes%2Fdp%2F0152025650" rel="norewrite" target="_blank">Pinky Pye</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another contemporary title with an old fashioned feel that my girls have absolutely adored is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=motheringhud-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPenderwicks-Summer-Sisters-Rabbits-Interesting%2Fdp%2F0375831436" rel="norewrite" target="_blank">The Penderwicks</a>. 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.</p>
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<p>Interestingly enough, the dads in both Pinky Pye and The Penderwicks are professorial/scientist types.</p>
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<p>Oh, wanted to add, you might check out <a href="http://www.chinaberry.com/" target="_blank">Chinaberry</a> for book suggestions. They do an excellent job of hand picking books for their catalog and reviewing them.</p>

 

[StephandOwen]

<p>Thanks for all the suggestions!!! I'll be looking into each one and decide what I want to get her. Thank!! <span><img alt="blowkiss.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/blowkiss.gif"></span></p>

 

[StephandOwen]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>LynnS6</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1281795/book-suggestions-please#post_16073937"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br><br><p>She's also liked the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=motheringhud-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FKittens-Kitchen-Animal-Ark-1%2Fdp%2F059018749X%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fs%3Dbooks%26ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1290760038%26sr%3D1-1" rel="norewrite" target="_blank">Animal Ark</a> stories.</p>
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<br><br><p>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!</p>