Good book series for 6 yr old girl?

[cdlamis]

DD#1 is a HUGE reader- she loves books and goes through them like crazy. I am not a fan of Junie B Jones (attitude!) and am looking for a sweet, good series of books to get DD.
She loves the Hopscotch Hill series (made by American Girl) but they don't make them anymore and we already bought all of them on Ebay.
Any ideas? TIA!

[sariana]

Can she handle sad stories? The Heartland series may be a bit old for her (I think it is geared for ages 8-11), but it is a series about a teenage girl who takes over her mom's business when her mom dies (the sad part). That business is rehabilitating horses on the family's farm. The main character has her faults, but she is a strong female character with good values and a strong work ethic. The series technically is complete with 20 volumes, but "special editions" are released periodically. The author is Lauren Brooke. You should be able to find info on the Borders or Barnes and Noble web sites.

[graciebellesmomma]

I can't stand Junie B Jones, either. She uses words that we don't use and her attitude is
rotten! I can't believe that it's such a popular series.

My 6 yr old daughter is a huge fan of The Magic Treehouse Series, as well as The Magic Schoolbus. They keep her entertained.

Ivy and Bean look cute.
Dick King Smith has some cute books for girls that we picked up in Ireland. Sophie's Snail and a few other.

[citymama]

I second Magic Treehouse and Schoolbus series. My 7 yr old niece and 6 yr old twin niece/nephew love them and I've enjoyed reading both series to them, esp. the Treehouse books.

[skygoddess]

My faves for this age:

Betsy-Tacy
Little House on the Prairie

My 6-year-old DD's current faves, OTOH, are:
Ivy and Bean
Rainbow Magic

[Aarohismom]

I second the magic treehouse series.

[shishamo]

My 6 year old loves to read as well. She did read all the Junie N Jones and most of magic schoolhouse that's out there already. I actually don't mind Junie B (as long as I am not reading it aloud.)

Anyway she absolutely loved all these:

Rainbow fairy series
Puppy place series (this is about fostering different breed of dogs)
Araminta Spookie series (this is a not so scary vampire family story)
Frannie K Stein series (this is about a little girl who is a mad scientist)
I know there was an another fairy series that I am forgetting...


These are a little harder than Junie B but not that much harder, I think.

Judy Moody series
Geronimo Stilton series
Stink series (Stink is Judy Moody's brother)
Fudge series by Judy Blume
Wayside school series (she just finished these books and loved them, very funny)
And of course, The little House is the Prairie series.


I do want to clarify that I have not read any of these books myself. Happy reading!

[karin4]

Not a series, but my 6-year-old loves Dick King-Smith's books. Animals are often if not always the main characters, and the books are very sweet, but funny and not at all too precious. He wrote the books that the movies Babe: The Gallant Pig and The Waterhorse were based on (far too loosely in the case of The Waterhorse! Like it would have killed the movie to let the girl be the main character? And why the explosions and war stuff? But I digress.), but some of our favorites are A Mouse Called Wolf and The Invisible Dog.

They are beyond my 6-year-old's reading ability, but I like reading them to her. :)

[o_mom]

Cynthia Rylant books are good - Lighthouse Family series and other ones.

[AngelaS]

Pony Pals and The Boxcar Children series have been favorites here.

[egoldber]

Are these for her to read to herself? Or for you to read aloud to her?

We just started the All of a Kind Family series by Sydney Taylor. Sort of in the same vein as The Boxcar Children (similar era and writing style). These are probably at about the same level as the AG chapter books.

A *huge* second to the Cynthia Rylant Lighthouse Family series. Just lovely stories with beautiful illustrations.

There are several fairy series in addition to the Rainbow Magic, including the Fairy Realm by Emily Broda and the Flower Fairy series.

The Sister Magic series is fun.

Other series that I don't recall seeing mentioned are:

A to Z Mysteries
Capitol Kids
Jigsaw Jones
Puppy Place
Animal Ark
The Secrets of Droon
Dragonslayer's Academy
The Adventures of Riley (picture book length but non-fiction about animals and environmental issues)

[Piglet]

RAMONA QUIMBY by Beverly Cleary!! My 7 year old son had the same problem - his reading is too advanced but he is still a young kid. I kept saying that I wanted something like the Ramona Quimby books but for boys. I never did find anything quite like it. I devoured Ramona books as a kid! Heck, I still like reading them when I take them for DS.

[egoldber]

Beverly Cleary has lots of books that are great for boys. :) There is Socks, the Henry Huggins books and also the Ralph Mouse series.

[Melaine]

As pp said, the Boxcar children. I LOVED the old Five Little Peppers books when I was little. http://www.amazon.com/Little-Peppers-Dover-Value-Editions/dp/0486452670/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233064711&sr=8-2
You've probably already thought of Little House on the Prairie?
I get really excited when I think about my girls learning to love reading as I did!

[boolady]

We just started the All of a Kind Family series by Sydney Taylor.

I absolutely LOVED these as a kid and read them over and over again from the library. I have started making sure I can find them for DD, even though she's only two, and keeping my fingers crossed that she'll want to give them a try when the time comes.

[maestramommy]

Ramona Quimby and other Beverly Clearly books? Little House? Magic Treehouse?

[Piglet]

Beverly Cleary has lots of books that are great for boys. :) There is Socks, the Henry Huggins books and also the Ralph Mouse series.

Yeah, but they still aren't as good as Ramona. He has read all the Ramona books and liked themfine, so it isn't a gender thing, but I think back to how much I LOVED them and I haven't quite found a series like that for him.

[egoldber]

About Little House....we just finished the whole series as a read aloud. It took us several months and we really enjoyed it. However, I'm not sure I'd want my 6 year old reading it without me there to help her understand it. Lots of things I didn't remember from my girlhood including racism, sexism, death of babies, routine use of corporal punishment, etc.

[vonfirmath]

Yeah, but they still aren't as good as Ramona. He has read all the Ramona books and liked themfine, so it isn't a gender thing, but I think back to how much I LOVED them and I haven't quite found a series like that for him.

Encyclopedia Brown?
The Great Brain series by John D. Fitzgerald (incl. the always getting into trouble part)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (E.L. Konigsburg has some other cool books too)
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Hank the Cowdog by John Erickson
The Tom Swift books
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Edward Eager books

You might also find non-fiction books, because many of the boys I know are more avid readers of non-fiction than fiction.

[crayonblue]

We are on the third book of Little House (DH and me taking turns reading it to DD). We have edited some, particularly the negativity towards Native Americans. DD LOVES Little House and talks about Ma and Pa all the time!

I read a lot as a kid and one thing my mom always upheld was that for every one fiction book I read, I had to read an autobiography/biography. Remember those orange hard cover books? I read every single one of those. I think they were great Americans or something like that. I learned a lot of history that way and plan to do the same thing with DD.

[Piglet]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll take this list to the library today. He has read a few of the books on this list and enjoyed all of them, so you have great taste in boy books, LOL.


Encyclopedia Brown?
The Great Brain series by John D. Fitzgerald (incl. the always getting into trouble part)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (E.L. Konigsburg has some other cool books too)
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Hank the Cowdog by John Erickson
The Tom Swift books
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Edward Eager books

You might also find non-fiction books, because many of the boys I know are more avid readers of non-fiction than fiction.

[zoestargrove]

Other books to add to the list of boy favorites.

My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles
The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes
The Roman mystery Series
The Witches or James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, BFG by Roald Dahl

[Asianmommy]

My DD loves The Magic School Bus, The Magic Treehouse, Ramona, Judy Moody, The Cobble Street Cousins, Rainbow Magic, and The American Girl series. Right now, she's reading Ivy & Bean, Pippi Longstocking, and Encyclopedia Brown.

ETA: Oh, I forgot to add Katie Kazoo.

[spanannie]

Not necessarily for a girl, but my DS loves the Boxcar Children series (as does my husband). Magic Treehouse is popular here, too.

[CiderLogan]

My 5yo loves the Rainbow Fairy series and the American Girl books right now. I also second the recommendation for nonfiction....my astronomy lover really enjoys all the excellent kids' books about space, for example.

[Globetrotter]

I can't stand Junie B. Jones, either!

Depending on their reading level:

The Mr. Men and Little Miss books are a big hit in our house!
Magic treehouse
Magic schoolbus
Cam Jensen mysteries
Encyclopedia Brown mysteries
Ramona Quimby series
If she's a girl scout, there is a series called Here come the Brownies!
Shel Silverstein poetry (Where the sidewalk ends, etc...)
Paddington Bear series
Chitty chitty bang bang
Bedknobs and broomsticks
The tales of desperaux
The mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Roald Dahl stories
Judy Blume Double Fudge series

If you can get your hands on these books, Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway Tree series and Wishing Chair series are purely magical and got my dd excited about reading around that age.

[Tracey]

My DD loves the Gooney Bird Greene books---much better attitude than Junie B. Jones.

[lizajane]

another vote for magic treehouse.

and how about ramona quimby? (beverly clearly.)

or the bobsy twins? might as well go old school. :)

[vonfirmath]

We are on the third book of Little House (DH and me taking turns reading it to DD). We have edited some, particularly the negativity towards Native Americans. DD LOVES Little House and talks about Ma and Pa all the time!


You might, instead of editing out and pretending it wasn't there, consider discussing the historical context of these books with your children. There's a reason for the negativity against them, its not just prejudice. They had actual fear for their lives going on. These books, more than most, are based on real people and real events. In the real world, they were dealing with the native population coming in and scalping people and taking their children captive, etc. Little House is amazingly cosmopolitan considering the times they were living in

[wendmatt]

DD (6) loves Magic Pony Carousel books by Poppy Shire. My Mom sent them from UK but I looked on Amazon and they have them. They are great, about a magic carousel, a different child each book and the pony becomes real and the girl goes on an adventure to save someone.
Nina Fairy Ballerina is a nice set also, by Anna Wilson.

DD also likes the The Fairy books by Daisy Meadows (as PPs said lots of different 7 book sets).
The Disney Fairy books are nice, pretty illustrations, we're reading Fawn and the Mysterious Trickster. The longer ones, Quest for the Egg and Quest for the wand were great reads too.
Magic Treehouse
I hate to admit it but she just discovered Captain Underpants! It has had her giggling.
Judy Moody

These are DDs faves right now, she is a good reader and will read most of these, but the longer ones she still prefers me to read to her.

[zag95]

Another vote for Gooney Bird Greene and Little House-

Do a search for Beverly Cleary Award Winners- a special award for younger children's books in 1-3 grades... like early chapter books, etc.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was also a favorite of mine!!! :)