My 9 year old is an avid reader and is always looking for a new reason to use her clip-on book light. She loves the Little House on the Prairie series and the usual classics like Little Women, Charlotte’s Web and The Swiss Family Robinson. But we have also discovered a few lesser known titles that might be interesting for your kids too.
The Circle C Ranch Series by Susan Marlow
This is a series about a girl named Andrea Carter and her experiences growing up on a Californian horse ranch in the late nineteenth-century. The greatest part of this series is that the stories are interesting and age appropriate for the level of reading. Marlow also created a younger version about when Andrea is younger and called Andi. These shorter chapter books are fun for younger readers and can be used as a supplement to any literature unit for school because Marlow offers a free 20 page PDF you can download to complete along with the story. Additionally, Marlow wrote a series that follows the main Circle C books which follows Andrea’s life as she continues to grow up. This series should keep your reader’s book light on for a while!
Trixie Belden by Julie Tatham and a number of other authors
Trixie is a girl detective living on a crabapple farm near the Hudson Valley in New York. She solves crimes and mysteries around town with her good friend and neighbor Honey. These stories are comparable to Nancy Drew. The books were originally written between 1948 and 1986, so the names are a little dated and the books might not be in your library (but are sold online). I found a few of the older copies for $1 at a used book store.
Fantastic Flying Journey by Gerald Durrell
A shorter, wonderfully illustrated story about an incredibly fun great uncle and his giant hot air balloon. He takes his nieces and nephews on a journey around the world to discover unknown points of interest. This story is so engaging when read aloud, it even captures the attention of active four year olds!
Fairy Realm Series by Anthea Sharp
This is an easier to read series than many of the ones listed above in which a team of fairies solve problems. Each book highlights a different fairy. This is a good summer reader or something to take along camping. All of our local libraries have this series.
So, hopefully your kid’s clip-on book light batteries hold out long enough to enjoy these titles. What would you add to this list?
Lindsay Banton is a caffeinated mother to three great kids. She never expected to homeschool, but has found that it is a wonderful addition to their lifestyle and wouldn’t change it for the world. In addition to homeschooling, Lindsay works alongside her husband in campus ministry at a large university in Connecticut. She grew up in Virginia but has settled into life in New England, learning to love the long winters, cool springs, green summers and gorgeous autumns- and has built a boot collection to meet all the demands. She is currently blogging at www.oaksreplanted.blogspot.com.