There’s nothing quite like that feeling you get an hour or two past your bedtime as you sit, unashamedly turning page after page in a book you must see through to the next chapter. Your eyebrows are heavy, like soft lumps of clay, drying out your eyes. There’s this pinching feeling in your chest telling you to succumb to the beckoning dreamland.
But you just can’t tear yourself away. Reading is such a wild adventure; hopefully one of these books will be the one that calls out to you as you know you should be falling asleep.
Girls, Ages 8-12
- The Story of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting
A ‘people doctor’ that learns to talk to animals? Who would have imagined such a thing! This original story behind the motion picture will have you laughing and wishing you could talk to your pets, too.
- The Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate Di’Camillo
A mouse and a rat, a princess and a servant girl. This beloved story tells the tale of duty, love, heartache and redemption through the unlikely relationships between rodents and humans.
Opal, a little girl who just moved to Florida with her father, finds an ugly dog in a supermarket. They become unlikely friends, due to the dog’s strange sense of humor. This book is about friendship, responsibility, and what it means to be part of a family. Because of Winn-Dixie will tug at your heartstrings and remind you to be thankful for the little things in life.
- The Ember book series by Jeanne DuPrau
Jeanne tells a gripping story about a civilization that has never seen the sun. Tensions arise when the inhabitants start to realize they’re running out of supplies. They were supposed to leave many years ago, but no one knows that. Two young heroes decide that it’s their duty to save everyone. Be prepared to hold onto your seat for this one!
- The series, Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke
Meggie and her father, Mo live in a mysteriously beautiful world in which characters from books can be ‘read’ into existence. Danger, beauty, eloquence, and a plot full of discovery make this series a must-read for book lovers and fantasy buffs alike.
- A Wrinkle in Time (part of the Time quintet) by Madeleine L’Engle
Interstellar travel between worlds, a deeply evil creature that must be defeated, a family that must grow closer, all witnessed from a young girl’s point of view. At the time of its writing, A Wrinkle in Time was one of few books that did not underestimate children’s intelligence. This series offers deep questions that will make you think and question how life is meant to be.
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
This lighthearted, but deeply meaningful adventure will cause you to both laugh your heart out and question the very foundations of spoken language. Norton has cleverly created a timeless piece that will ‘wow’ children for many more years than it already has.
Source: https://readaloudrevival.com/girls/