Book ideas needed for 11 yo girl who's scared of vampires!

[Vicky13]

DD is 11. She just got some book tokens for her birthday, but is struggling to know what to get.

She loves Arthur Ransome and has read nearly all of the Swallows and Amazons series. She also loves Eva Ibbotson and Jacqueline Wilson. She'd like to get something new, ideally a series, but all the teen fiction we can find is about vampires or wizards.

She's completely put off by anything scary or supernatural. Just won't even consider reading it. She tried A Series of Unfortunate Events but gave up on it because she didn't like it when the parents died. And that was on page 2!

She really enjoys fiction that's realistic (if that makes sense) ie no goblins / fairies etc. She had a very long-lasting Enid Blyton phase, and will still reread Malory Towers for the 30th time if she's tired.

Any suggestions? I can't remember what I was reading at that age. Would she cope with Anne of Green Gables yet? I can't remember how difficult it is. Any more modern books that aren't scary / supernatural?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[SoggyMoggy]

Anne of Green Gables seems like it would be a good choice to me, as would the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. In both cases, the earlier books in the series more than the later ones.

[Takver]

A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean
Flambards series (old, but dd enjoyed them - first one has been re-issued as a Puffin classic)
Gerald Durrell books if she likes animals esp My Family and Other Animals
YY to Anne of Green Gables, also what about Little Women?
Will ask dd for more suggestions . . .

[madamehooch]

The Secret Hen House Theatre

Elen Caldecott

[Arcticwaffle]

My 11yo dd has particularly enjoyed recently:
Wolves of Willoughby Chase series
Pig Heart boy (Malorie Blackman).
Lord of the flies (ok a bit scary but not supernatural).
Charlotte Sometimes.
Noel Streatfield
E Nesbitt
Hunger games (but that's scary and supernatural so probably no use).
David Almond.

12yo dd has different tastes and likes:
Michael Morpurgo
Philip Pullman
Patrick Ness.
and lots of fantasy stuff which is no use for your dd.

I haven't managed to get either of them to enjoy Swallows and AMazons which is annoying as DP and I both loved it and the dds even go sailing so they SHOULD like it.
Couldn't get them to like Little women either. They found it too dated.

[JennyPiccolo]

I really liked the terry pratchett books at that age. Johnny and the Bomb and the others in that series. Really witty and funny, even as an adult.

What about Adrian mole? Too old?

[LaCiccolina]

Animals of farthing wood series were fab. Very well written. Somewhere a cat is waiting. An orange prize winner. What Katy did series. Flambards trilogy.

All feature proper stories, good characterisation and a strong turn of phrase to develop her language.

Happy reading!

[dabdab]

E.Nesbit, Railway children, and others. Group of children having adventures (and well written!)

[dabdab]

Check out website amightygirl - American based, but some good ideas. You can filter by age.

[Vicky13]

Thanks everyone. Some really good ideas. We're off spending tomorrow so I will pass on some of the ideas. Especially My Family And Other Animals. I loved that book. Had forgotten all about it!

She tried Little House about 18 months ago and struggled with the language a bit. I might give that a go again.

And thanks for the website. Some really good ideas on there too.