Need book opinions for daughter

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Originally posted by mayergirl:
I'm 20, and I just bought another Dear America book, lol. I LOVE them. They are incredibly well researched, and very well written as well, I completely recommend them. I wish I could recommend the Babysitter's club. I loved those, but they're out of print [img]frown.gif[/img] Nancy Drew is always bound to be a thrill.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I ALWAYS find plenty of Babysitter's Club books in used bookstores. In fact, I found a few in a thrift store today, but I didn't get them.

I love the Babysitter's Club so much. Though I haven't read a book for awhile, I've often thought of Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, Stacey, Dawn, Jessi, Mallory, and Abby as my friends!
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When I was six or seven, I loved to rent the Babysitter's Club TV show from Blockbuster. I don't think I even knew then about the book series. At one point, I read some of the books, but I stopped reading them after a while. I wish I hadn't stopped reading them.

Funny that you should ask this. We just picked up three new Doll Hospital books at B & N yesterday around 2:00 and by bedtime my 8-year-old had read all three. They are really interesting and entertaining books, especially if your daughter has seen any of the doll restoration albums on Hostboard. My girls LOVE them! Plus you can go to their website and print out full-color paper dolls of each doll along with their outfits.

We also have the "If you Lived" series and it is excellent. But for pure reading enjoyment, I'd highly recommend the Doll Hospital series.

I highly recommend the Dear America and Royal Diaries series. My DD has several books from both, and loved/loves them.

This isn't on your list, but a great set of books (By the same woman who wrote "Dear America...A Christmas After All' -- Kathryn Lasky) are the "Double Trouble" books. They are about two sets of twin siblings, who get into strange, supernatural situations. Of course, a lot of education and historical fact is tied into the stories as well, but not in a pushy way. The first book is called "Double Trouble Squared".

You guys are the best - thanks for all the recommendations! You've given me lots of good suggestions. I'm going to have to check our local bookstores for the doll hospital #2 book - it's the only one I can't get online and I like getting complete sets.

I always loved getting books for my birthdays, and I'm happy to say Kate feels the same way! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Actually, the Double Trouble Squared books are Starbuck Twins mysteries. There are three- each one is chockful of historical detail. One takes place in England, one in the Everglades, and one in New Mexico.

I also highly recommend the Swallows and Amazons series. It's British and very well done.

I saw the Doll Hospital book 2: "Goldie's Fortune" on Amazon just yesterday. There are several new or nearly new copies available from Amazon sellers on that site. If you just sift through the descriptions under the "New and Used from..." link, you should be able to find a copy that is acceptable. I've ordered several books through Amazon sellers, and they've always arrived promptly and in excellent condition (they depend on good feedback like ebay sellers do). I hope this helps!

Carla

If You Lived in Williamsburg in Colonial Days (Barbara Brenner)

If You Lived in Colonial Times (Ann McGovern)


We have both of these books and I think they are very nicely done. Lots of interesting facts and information. I would recommend them.

I also love the Dear America books.

How old is she? Does she like history? I read a LOT and I read a lot as a kid-I read entire librraies FULL of books! I can come up with some other suggestions.
If she can read Dear America and Royal Diaries easily, then My America and Doll Hospital will be too young for her. I read the Doll Hospital series and I enjoyed the doll restoration bits but the historical stuff was rather rushed and not very detailed so they are better for younger readers. I read some of the My America books and I really like the Italian immigrant ones since my family also came from Italy though Boston. The Civil War ones were OK and the Revolutionary War ones I read were TERRIBLE! [img]graemlins/thumbs_down.gif[/img]

I enjoyed Young American voices because I like the style and they were very informative, particularly the Dust Bowl Depression diary.

I love Dear America and my favorite authors are Kathryn Lasky and Kristiana Gregory.

For young adult readers I recommend Ann Rinaldi's books. I especially love <u>Wolf By the Ears</u> and her Revolutionary War books. Her latest novels haven't quite been up to the standards of her earlier ones.