Christmas Presents part one

A good friend asked about books to get for her daughter for Christmas. She's reading upper middle grade books and can't get enough of them. I went to the Scholastic Book Warehouse sale on Friday and spent way too much money, but I got books for everyone, my own kids and extended family. And for so cheap. I got over twenty hardback picture books and eight or nine paperback books for twenty-five dollars, and they are new! It will cost more to ship them then buy them.

Anyway, I digress. The point is, books are such great gifts for Christmas. Really. My kids, who have way too many books already, still love getting them. So today I'll share some of my older girls favorites. These books would be for girls in anywhere from third to probably sixth grade. (These ages, by the way, are a huge estimate. I really think most kids will read above or below their level if the topic interests them enough.)

The Frog Princess series by E.D. Baker. There are eight of these babies now, and both of my girls love them. My mom is getting Lucy the whole series for Christmas (a request from Lucy).

I have no idea if these books are related to the Disney movie. I've never even seen the Disney movie, but I do know that most of these books came out well before the movie was made. Reading Level is supposedly grades 4-6.

The Mallory books by Laurie B. Friedman

I do not love these books, but my girls sure do. They always sneak off to the F section of the library to see if there are any new ones, and even Mary still reads them (though she's way too old!). Reading Level is supposedly grades 2 through 4.

The Dealing with Dragon series by Patricia C. Wrede

Oh, how we love these books! Supposedly grades 5 through 9.

Which reminds me of one of my favorite books for any girl over grade four:

The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye

The Babysitters Club Graphic Novels (done by Raina Telgemeier).

Actually, really fun. Really.

Roald Dahl books. These are obviously great for boys too. Try Matilda. George's Marvelous Medicine. The Twits. Esio Trot (hysterical!). The Witches (scary). And so on. Kids always, always love these if given a chance.

This, by the way, is a fifteen book set! Awesome.

The Penderwicks. If you haven't tried these yet for your girls, please do.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books by Betty MacDonald (these, by the way have a fabulous narrator if you want to try the audio).

Any age can listen to these, and once they get solid in their reading, these books will help them take right off. The vocabulary is pretty tough, but the stories are so funny and interesting, kids don't notice.

Lucy would like me to mention the Wizard of Oz books. There are nine or ten, I think, written by Frank Baum. We have them all and Lucy and Calvin both reread them regularly. These are hit or miss books in the sense that some of your kids will love them so much they will reread them all the time. Mary could take or leave them. Ozma of Oz is Lucy's favorite. (But she also likes Tick-tock of Oz and the Scarecrow of Oz and all the others (she says)).

And one more, because I really must stop though I could go on and on and on: Lisa Yee books.

She's got two series in particular to try. Millicent Min, Girl Genius is the first in one series and Bobby vs. Girls (accidentally) is the first in the other. These are fun. Fast-paced. Well-written and sure to entertain.

This series is a bit older, Grades 4-8. There are two other books and they are all the same story told through three different characters.

This series is a bit younger, Grades 2-5. Funny and very relatable.

Need anymore specific ideas? Please let me know. I'll move onto younger girls next time and then we'll head into boys and teens and little guys later!!! Maybe I'll even take a picture of the books my kids are getting for Christmas since they don't check this blog....