Books for a nine year old girl - back to basics gifts?

[lemondog]

I have a 9yo daughter. She is very into American Girl dolls, she also loves the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary and all of those crafty/artsy toy kits -- decorate your own jewelry box, make your own friendship bracelets, etc.

 

[goofy's friends]

Here's one I just thought of for DD11 that woud be good for you too.. Cupcake decorating book (there are a bunch of cute ones out there) and all the stuff to make cupcakes. A mixer, silicone holders, spatula, cake mixes, cupcake pan, frosting, look in book for some of decor she will need. I know my DD would LOVE it!!!

I also like the signing a special book idea!

One other idea: (not as good as the first though--LOL) there is a book of jumprope rhymes on Amazon --Anna Banana or something like that--give it with a long jumprope and the twirly toy that goes on ankle and maybe some sidewalk chalk. My girls keep this book outside and use it often.

There is also a quilting kit made by Alex (?) I believe that I've always thought would be a great gift.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I can tell you what my 9 year old dd likes. Recently she has done a couple hook rug kits. Also I bought her a very small counted cross stitch kit and she really liked that. She is just starting to like Nancy Drew books. She is asking for modeling clay. A drawing book with nice paper and good art pencils. That's all I can think of for now.

I hope someone can recommend some books for my nine year old granddaughter.

This year I just can't seem to come up with good gift ideas. I decided I AM going to cut down at least a little this year. I say that every year but this is the year I am going to do it. All of our children except our youngest (freshman in college) are grown, married, have children of their own and most of them make a lot more money than we do. Every year we spend more on Christmas because they all have everything they need and go and buy everything they want and I spend hours looking and trying to find something they might like.

Back to the nine year old, she is a precious little girl whose parents give her everything you can imagine as far as the newest and best. I'm thinking of going the other way, "old time" gifts that I hope she will like. A new series of books or several single books, maybe some artsy craftsy type things like bead stringing, a sewing box with some simple cross-stitch, maybe a kids recipe book with an apron, etc., maybe a small easel and a paint set.

Opinions, please? I don't want to disappoint her but I'm just out of ideas. She doesn't live in the same state we do so we don't see her often to judge her tastes.

Wish I could find some old time (from when our daughters were young) type toys. Seems like at that age they liked skates, maybe that toy that had a ring you put around your ankle and it swung around to jump it, a Jump-Skip maybe?

I decided her younger (five) brother is getting some John Deere tractors and equipment like my boys spent hours playing with - that baby needs to learn to play in the dirt, lol.

Penny

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

I would go with American Girl books. They are perfect for that age.

 

[kristina87]

I vote American Girl, Little House in the Big Woods series (my all time favorite), the Maida books, if you can still find them anywhere - i read my grandmas copies

I loved (and still do!) to get books, my favorite series was the baby sitters club and i still have every single book. she might like those. I like the idea of the cupcake decorating book and all the supplies, that could be something special you do with her! The stationery set is also a fabulous idea. I got a lavender set with unicorns on it when I was maybe 7 or so and I STILL have the address book, i loved it so so so much!

If she is into Disney i HIGHLY recommend the Kingdom Keepers books by Ridley Pearson. they are about a group of 5 middle schoolers who get chosen to be hosts in WDW and they realize that at night the characters in the rides come alive and the villains are trying to take over WDW, theyre a must for any young Disney fan

Agree with whoever mentioned the Warriors series by Erin Hunter, super fun especially if she likes cats!

Hope some of this helped

 

[PollyannaMom]

I think I got my nieces the "Little House...." books by Laura Ingalls Wilder when they were about that age.

 

[laughinplace199]

Books:
Harry Potter series
Percy Jackson series
Mysterious Benedict Society series
39 Clues series
Little House on the Prairie series
Anne of Green Gables series

Clothes/accessories/jewelry from Justice or Claire's

Scrapbook supplies (My DD11 has been doing scrapbooking for a couple of years now - she has officially taken over the job of making our family scrapbook after each WDW trip.)

There are a lot of fashion design and interior design art sets out there. DD11 got a fashion design one last year that she loved. I think I will get her an interior design one this year since she watches HGTV as much as I do.

 

[WDWMom]

When my dd was about 9 my mom bought dd several books and bought herself the same ones. They started a grandma/granddaughter book club. They would e-mail back and forth.

As much as I love the American Girl books, my dd could read one in a day at age 9. They are short and not difficult. You may want to ask her mom about her reading skills. Little House books are 4th grade level. Check the back/bottom of most children's books and they will give you a reading level by grade.

I also think the cooking supplies are a good idea. I love the cupcake stuff. My dd would have thought that to be a super gift.

What about an inexpensive camera and scrapbook supplies. IF she plays sports or has a hobby you could buy paper and stickers for her to scrap. Or there is lots of girls SB supplies out there.

If she likes crafts what about lessons - knitting, sewing, quilting. Most places you can buy a gift certificate for those things and then she can take lessons.

I really love the idea of getting back to the basics with grandkids. Kids have so much these days.

 

[Dizneydaz-Funsize]

As an 11-year-old, I really enjoy the Warriors cats series. And when she's a bit older maybe the Cat Who... books by Lilian Jackson-Braun
Happy Reading Everyone!

 

[briannesmom]

My MIL lives in Florida and we are in NV. The kids only see Grammie and Grumps (yes that is what he prefers!) every few years.

The best "old fashioned" thing that my MIL did for DD was she sent her stationary and became her pen pal. Not an email pal but a true pen pal. It really helped my DD with her writing skills and she loves getting mail from Grammie. They started this about the time that DD was 8/9 and still do it to this day. Every Christmas DD gets a new box of some cute w/envelopes stationary. Grammie also now includes stamps in that box so that DD does not have to rely on us to get her letter mailed, she writes it and sticks it in the outgoing box.

I love that my MIL and my DD despite their distance have gotten to know each other, that is a very precious gift.

That would be a great gift!

 

[Tink888]

Last Christmas we gave our cousin's 9 year old daughter a scrapbook kit. She really liked it. It was designed for young girls/tweens.

Here's one I just thought of for DD11 that woud be good for you too.. Cupcake decorating book (there are a bunch of cute ones out there) and all the stuff to make cupcakes. A mixer, silicone holders, spatula, cake mixes, cupcake pan, frosting, look in book for some of decor she will need. I know my DD would LOVE it!!!

I love both of these ideas.

When I was young I loved The Boxcar Children's Series books. I still borrow one from the library every once in awhile to read out of nostalgia.

 

[becauseisaid]

Nancy Drew!

Now...how on Earth did this thread get revived?! Maybe the OP will come back and tell us what she finally decided on.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

I found it difficult coming up with something for my 9 year dd's birthday this year. I ended up buying a sewing box and filling with everything she could need. ie: different coloured cottons, needles, pins, pin cushion, tape measures, scissors etc. I also bought a selection of different materials, felt, ribbons and buttons, a pom pom loom, wool, cross stiches etc. It was a huge hit. I never imagined she would love it so much.
As far as books go. She's currently into Trixie Belden. I don't even know if you can buy them new anymore but she loves the mysteries and I happened to have a heap of them that I had saved from when I was a child.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

Oh I didn't even realise this was an old thread when I posted. Hopefully there is someone out there looking for new ideas that this can help.

And look, I should have read the thread in full before posting. Someone has already mentioned Trixie Belden. Oh, well.

 

[Help Please!]

I totally recommend the "Little House" series, there is also a cook book that you can get to go along with it to cook some of the old time recipes from the books, you could give her some fun cooking stuff to go along with it!

 

[lovesmurfs]

Don't forget card games! DD11 loves Uno, Monopoly Deal, Phase 10, and has for several years.

The book series mentioned are great, although I've had trouble getting DD to start reading them (particularly Anne of Green Gables -- what a wonderful experience she's missing; we're starting to read it together this summer).

How about a magnet set? There's something about magnets that intrigues kids! Also, DD received an Origami set when she was nine that she still loves to tinker with.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Now...how on Earth did this thread get revived?! Maybe the OP will come back and tell us what she finally decided on.

DOH! Suckered in again! I usually catch the zombie threads.

 

[natenapril]

It's hard, not knowing her. Dd9 is into clothes (Justice), sewing, reading http://www.percyjacksonbooks.com/, makeup (just for play), activity kits (perfume making, lotions, etc.). She's not into barbies, or any kind of figurines (gave them away). It's a hard age to buy for, especially if she already has a lot. Dd9 already has a cellphone, and wants an ipod touch (already has a flip video camera, ipod, dsi).

My DD9 also likes Percy Jackson books. She also likes the Monster High books.