Our favourite reads for girls 5-9 years old
We are mad about books in this house! When I decided to home-educate I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I did know that if I could help the kids to fall in love with literature and books it would unlock so much. So, we always have a read-aloud on the go, in the morning, throughout the day, at bedtime, and Heppy is always reading for herself too. Moses won’t be far behind I’m sure. I studied English and American Literature at school so I can’t wait to dissect books, discover, and see the joy and thrill as a new page is turned. Here are some of our recent favourites. They have mainly been directed towards Heppy. Some of them she has read for herself and some I have read aloud.
Heartwood Hotel series- Kallie George We were introduced to this series by a friend and fell in love. We’re are about halfway through the series of 6. The books are centred around a little mouse named Mona and her life in the wood and the Heartwood hotel as she finds what home is and means. Very easy reading with a cute little cast of characters and themes of kindness, friendship and being courageous. Suitable for young readers as it’s so gentle!
Abigail Series- Bethany McIlrath- Heppy has handled these ones herself and rattled through. There are 6 books in the collection. Pitched for girls aged 7+ the main character is a girl called Abigail and each book deals with core themes/life challenges as Abigail finds out what it means to have faith in every little thing.
Shell Keepers- Truly Johnston- A storyline with lots of discovering and adventuring and this was a welcome pace for us after Ash, Oak and Thorn. Corrine the protagnist picks up a shell on the beach amd doesnt expect to see a tiny girl inside it. The minitaure world is in danger and Corrine must try to save it! Lots of cliff hangers and excitement unfolding. A clear but not heavy, pressed on message of how to look after the world around us too.
The Wild Robot- Peter Brown- This felt a little different to our usual reads but we are trying to branch out a little (more on that in a minute). It’s a pretty mesmorising book. The uniqueness of the plot, the character development, wow… lots you could dive in to. Our go to books are cute and cosy with minimal conflict, and while this had many elements of that it felt like a step up and a step up we’ve been needing. The kids are both incedibly sensitive to films and so experiencing something together in a book and even me being able to change my tone, or alter the drama of a passage whilst reading if it is too intense feels like we can journey, and press through, and pause and stop. We decided to stop reading this one in the evening because it felt a bit much before bed but your kids may be able to tolerate a different level! Lots of great conversations around: What do we think about robots? How do we feel about something ‘artificial’ living in the wild? I also was very happy to know this was book 1 of 3 as the ending is different to what we imagined!
By Ash, Oak and Thorn- Melissa Harrison- this is a gentle lullaby of bedtime read rather than a thriller. It’s pretty mouthy, i didn’t find it completely natural to read aloud, but the content is magical and evokes so many stunning pictures and ideas. Based upon three tiny, ancient beings Moss, Burnet and Cumulus living in the forest, the characters must survive in an enchanting but disappearing world! The book opens up questions about the beauty of nature and how best to look after it. This is book 1 of 2. We’ve only made it through the first one so far!
Anna Hibiscus series- Atinuke- these were some of the first books I read aloud to Heppy, so gentle, free of conflict, and she loved the characters. The books are set in Africa, the author's home country They tell the stories about a little girl growing up in a big, beautiful compound filled with aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as her parents, grandparents, and her twin baby brothers, Double and Trouble. Atinuke’s writing is 3D as the towns, its people and the food come to life. Simple and short and laugh out loud funny. Books to treasure and once i’d read them aloud, Heppy read for herself. Atinuke has other wonderful collections of books too! There are 8 books in this series.
Beti and the Little Roundhouse- Atinuke- Ah! This has to be one of the most beautiful books I’ve had in my hands! I absolutely love the illustrations and because it’s a hardback, it makes it all the more special. It would make a really beautiful gift. The pages are warm invitations to Beti and her sweet family living in a little round house in the green woods under the mountains. She lives with Mam, Tad, Baby Jac and her very own tiny goat called Naughty. The book takes you on a journey through the seasons and the adventures Beti goes on. A magical sense of home and belonging that family brings.