Book series for stepdaughter?

[la79al]

My stepdaughter is 6 but above her grade level in reading and math. I want to get her books for Christmas and because I collected a book series when I was young, thought it would be cool to get her started with a series. Or maybe she is too young for an entire series so maybe a collection? Suggestions on which one?

 

[rt2dz]

Try the Magic Tree House series. It's great for younger readers. Those that are advanced can read it themselves too without much trouble, while still remaining interesting to those that are a bit older.

 

[t-beri]

My son is considered "highly gifted" and also reads above his reading level (currently in 3rd and reading 8th) and he loved the Junie B. First grader books. Even though they were on grade level they were about things a first grader is going through so he really enjoyed them. The magic tree house books are also a great series for that age. They are a good way to break readers into series reading. I will check some others when I'm at the house. But I know he LOVED these two.

HTH...t.

 

[CastleCreations]

I was also going to mention Junie B. My daughter who is 6, loves them. She has a little reading light, and reads to herself before she goes to bed each night. She says I don't do the voices right, so she'd rather read them to herself..

 

[momxx5]

At her age content is so important. I agree that the MT House books and Junie B Jones are great series.

Have you thought about the Little House series or even the American Girls series, I think would be appropriate.

 

[Tam1067]

My kids have liked the Junie B. Jones (though some parents have issues because she uses improper grammar when she speaks) and Judy Moody series. Also, my boys were both reading Harry Potter by the end of first grade when they were seven.

Others include Bailey School Kids, A to Z Mysteries, and the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary.

 

[t-beri]

The biggest problem w/ HP books is made up words. My son always preferred I read HP to him as "our" reading time every night. He's reading Tom Sawyer (the original) now and would rather read the older style language than the made up stuff in Eragon or HP. It's kinda funny b/c he LOVES those series, but despite his accelerated reading level he has difficulty understanding make believe words.
But that was just our experience, I started reading the first HP to him when he was 4 (how crazy was that-but he always could tell me what part of the book we were at!)
If you are considering a series like that I think Lemony Snicket is more "readable" though I'm a HP geek, I've dressed up for the last 3 book releases and even wore my griffindor colors to work the day the last movie came out.. showing my house pride!!- I am such a total DORK.

Also I think that at that age getting through a book and onto the next in a timely manner is important. They feel a sense of accomplishment when they move onto the next book. HP is 500 pages to magic tree houses 100. Now, my son(whose 9 and in 4th grade btw) feels that sense of pride when he reads an epic book like the later HP's or Eragon or a book at the farthest level of his approved reading level-show off!!where as when he was younger it was all about how many books of the series he'd gotten through.

...t.

 

[sahm1000]

I love the Harry Potter series too and think they are okay level for a young reader. If they are able to read it, let them! I loved the Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume books at this age. Frecklejuice, Fudge, Ramona, etc. were favorites of mine. I agree with T-beri on the Series of Unfortunate Events too. Great series and perfect for that age. I also know lots of kids that age love Captain Underpants too. Good luck!

 

[Terry36]

My 8 y.o. DD likes to read the Amber Brown series by Paula Danzinger.

 

[mickeylove2]

My 6 year old DD reads at a higher reading level than her classmates but she loves to read Junie B., The Cul de Sac kids, Lemony Snicketts, she even has books that tell the story of each of the children in the Chronicles of Narnia (not a series) she's reading Bridge to Terabithia now. The great thing about the Junie B and Cul de Sac Kids series' are that they are very inexpensive to buy. I think at Walmart the Junie B books are $3 and the Cul de Sac Kids are at our local Christian book store for $3 but they always have them B1G1 half off, so for 2 books I pay $4.50! Shes getting the AG books for Christmas this year, I don't know what the reading level is for those we'll see how she likes them!

 

[Nicolepa]

My stepdaughter is 6 but above her grade level in reading and math. I want to get her books for Christmas and because I collected a book series when I was young, thought it would be cool to get her started with a series. Or maybe she is too young for an entire series so maybe a collection? Suggestions on which one?

My daughter is a very advanced reader as well. When she was younger I really preferred the series. It helped her to already know all the main characters and not have to figure them out each time. At 3 we read Magic Treehouse, at 4 she read A to Z Mysteries, 5 was Junie B Jones, 5 & 6 she did lots of Beverly Cleary, 6 she loved the Animal Ark, now at 7 she has started the Anne of Green Gables series. Oh and she just read Because of Winn Dixie and loved it.

She did not enjoy reading the Harry Potter books, but we have been listening to them on tape and both my 5 & 7 yo love them.

 

[mommylicious]

I am not really a fan of the Junie B Jones books. I have boys and DS was not interested in it as he thought it was a "girl book" but to be honest, I'm glad he wasn't. I don't like the bad grammar or some of the things Junie does and/or says. Others love them and if they get your child reading the GREAT! DS loved the Magic Treehouse series, Bailey School Kids, Cam Jansen (also about a girl), and the Boxcar Children.

 

[esk]

DS6 loves the Magic Treehouse Books.

However, I also second the Little House Series or Anne of Green Gables...I know I was still reading those at 10 and 12 but I am sure I started much earlier.

In a few years you can move her to Nancy Drew (I happen to, ahem, have the entire yellow collection, if those of you born in the 70s' know what I"m talking about)

 

[FatElvis]

Have you seen the Trixie Belden series? I LOVED that one as a kid. Still have most of them too.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I think it is important to determine what "above" grade level is. there is a huge difference between Junnie B. Jones, and Harry Potter. i also think I would just get one or two books in a series to see if she likes them AND if you are ok with what she is reading. DS LOVED the box Car Children books and was reading them by the start of 1st grade. I did not like the JBJ books because i found her sassy but not so bad that if he choose one I did let him read them, I just did not buy them. Be aware that one of the Judy Bloom books strongly suggest that Santa is not real (One of the Fudge ones???) but DS loved those as well. I love the Little house books but DS never enjoyed them much.
The Harry Potter books also require a little bit of caution with younger children. The first one is not too bad but the others can be pretty scary and they are so addicting. After one, you just want to keep reading them. DS cound read the first few by 1st grade but what we did was that I read them to him first and then he would read them on his own. It really takes two readings to digest it all and after the first time it is not so scary and you can discuss any thing she might not understand or you may have issues with. So wonderful she is becoming a lover of books!!!

 

[McKelly]

I have two above average readers and this is so hard, because you want to challenge them, but yet, you don't want them reading about concepts that are too difficult for them. When my daughter was that age, she enjoyed Junie B. Jones, Animal Ark, Beverly Cleary and Boxcar Children. There is also a new Disney Fairy series out that she enjoys. A new series, Main St. in Camden Falls looks fairly good as well, I was told it was similar to the American Girl Series (which she also loves), but these might be too old for her concept wise yet. I believe there is currently only two books out in that series, but that might be something to build on year after year, just a thought.

A little OT, I was in charge of our Book Fair this past month and the book "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" FLEW off the shelf and I saw many kids who hate to read, reading that book!! So if anybody is reading this and has "non-readers", that might be a good choice to get them reading!!

 

[Aristomommy]

What I would do is get a few different books such as Junie B Jones, Magic Tree House, Animal Ark etc. and then ask her which one she liked at this age it may be hard to start a collection especially if she is an accelerated reader. What she may like now is different from 2-3 years from now. DD8 is reading at 8th grade level, but chooses books from all different reading levels based on enjoyment. What she continues to read is Magic Tree House (she reads the entire book without a break), Animal Ark and Narnia series. I gave her many different choices and these were the ones that continue to interest her. HTH

 

[Gillian]

When I was young I liked the Little House books, Anne of Green Gables and Trixie Beldon. Those might still be a little advanced. You can get some of the Little House books in illustrated versions and they're really nice!

ETA: my friend's DD is the same age and like the American Girl books.

My son is 7 and in second grade but is just a regular reader.

Junie B - I don't like them (because of the grammar, sorry) and he isn't interested
First Harry Potter - he seems to be tackling it fine, but already knows the story.
Magic Tree house he really likes, but as he mentioned to me yesterday, the stories are all pretty similar, without much depth.
Series of Unfortunate events - he likes them read aloud but has trouble with some of the more difficult words. The sentence structure is more complex than the others.

Little house books - he is interested in them but finds some words too hard/old fashioned.

We got a box of used books and he was interested in"
A to Z mysteries
Edward Eager books (all magic-y, mostly easy enough to read)
Beverly Cleary

Have fun shopping!

 

[princesspwrhr]

I have to totally agree that the hardest thing about having a younger accelerated reader is finding books that aren't looked at as 'baby' books that have age appropriate content. It's very frustrating.

My oldest is 9 now and at 5/6 she LOVED Magic Tree House books, hated Junie B (her preschool teacher read them all to them), didn't like Cam Jansen, had no interest in A Series of Unfortunate Events, devoured Harry Potter, loved the Fudge Series, the Ramona series, and the Little House series - but preferred that as a read aloud. At that age she didn't like the American Girl books, but loves them now. There's a junior Nancy Drew series out.

She loves books and reads as many single books as series now, but that's what she liked at that age.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I agree with everyone about finding quality books for above grade level readers. I can't tell you how many books I have read to make sure they were appropriate for his maturity age! My son enjoyed the E.B. White collection in first grade. Charlotte's Web was definitely his favorite. You can get a nice hardback with Stuart Little and Trumpet of the Swan. I think Charlotte's Web is third grade level, and other two might be a little higher. I think they are books she would keep forever.

We have all the Magic Tree House, and I am keeping them for the younger two. My son read the first Harry Potter at 6. Now he gets one a year. I've read them all, but I just didn't think he needed to read them all at once because of all the boyfriend/girlfriend/ teenage angst stuff.

I loved the Anne of Green Gables series, but my DS would definitely not be into them. Hopefully, DD will be!!!