Best Books for Girls--According To Girls!

(By Grace, Emily, Mom and Dad)
Grace (11) and Emily (8) independently rated some books they had read, and the following books scored top marks from both of them. The girls loved these books. And there aren't many books that can appeal so strongly to an eight-year-old and an eleven-year-old with vastly different personalities.

 




For this post we will only include the books that are about girls (but of course boys can enjoy them, too). The girls will tell why they liked the books. If you want to know more, click on the links below to see information from Amazon.

By the way, values are very important to our family, so expect only wholesome content in the books listed below. The authors promote good values and morals.

BEST GIFT BOOKS FOR GIRLS (from the perspectives of Grace and Emily)

The Mandie Collection, Volume 1
Grace (11): "They are wonderfully interesting. There is a bit of everything--geography, history, romance, Christianity, mystery, adventure, and lots more. It's rare to find such a great series."

Emily (8): These are great books that everyone will love. Mandie is a girl that always seems to get into a mystery, and then somehow she always finds the answer. And it's simple--good for young readers.

Mom:  If you want historical fiction from a Christian perspective for a fluent reader of chapter books, these are a great choice, and the 5-in-1 volume edition makes them a great deal. My children (and their friends) have all loved these books.

Original Nancy Drew Series
Grace: In the first book of the Nancy Drew series, Nancy is introduced as a loving daughter, a wonderful detective, and a loyal friend. You may come across other books using the names of Carolyn Keene and Nancy Drew, but these are the originals, really written by Carolyn Keene.

Emily: These books are fascinating to me. I especially like the exciting endings when she solves the mystery.

Mom: Yes, these are the same books I read when I was a kid. And yes, once my children are reading chapter books well, they enjoy them just as much as I did.


The School Story

Grace: This book is about a passionate 12-year-old author and her agent (friend) of the same age. It shows what real friendship and courage can do in all of our lives.

Emily: This book shows that if you are patient and believe in yourself, you can do anything, especially with the help of good friends and adults.

Mom: I love this book. Clements has a gift for painting strong characters in an exciting plot. As a plus, without the readers thinking about it, they're getting an education on the book publishing industry. Beware, though, your child might not want to put it down to help with chores.




The Sisters Club

Grace: It's a contemporary fiction novel that has shown me the relationship between my sisters and myself in a clearer way. Plus, it's interesting!

Emily: The sisters in this book relate to my own life as a sister, and teach me how I can communicate better to my sisters.

Mom: This is a fun book, told from the perspective of the middle child about very realistic, strong relationships with her sisters. It's like holding up a mirror for my family of girls, and some good understanding of each other has resulted.





Island of the Blue Dolphins
(Note: click first picture for softcover, second for hardcover)

Grace: The Island of the Blue Dolphins is about a courageous girl who finds herself alone and trapped on an island. You will be at the edge of your seat wondering what will happen as she fights her enemies, the wild dogs, finds food for herself and makes her home.

Emily (8): This book tells how a girl survives in the wilderness when she is separated from her family. She makes friends with animals, and they help her a lot. It taught me to be kind to animals.

Mom: A great survival story for the fluent, mature reader of advanced chapter books.


 Fairy Series by Daisy Meadows
  Grace: The fairy-tale adventures that two girls take together are something that even more advanced readers can enjoy.

Emily: Two friends who meet on a ship have magical adventures with fairies. There are many sets inside the series: adventures about jewels, flowers, music, and much, much more.

Mom: My children like store-bought bread, and I like homemade, and I think this book is like store-bought bread with its predictable plots, stereotyped characters and convenient magic to get the heroines out of scrapes. That being said, my children love them, especially when they're just starting chapter books, and the books are pretty harmless, despite the goblin villains.