Books for Eight year old granddaughter

I loved Family from one end street as well! And the Anne of green gables books I dont know if theyre still politically correct ? I liked the moomins and narnia books too.

We’ve started reading Ballet Shoes and she is enjoying it so far so I will be encouraged to buy the others in the series and then move on to other classics.
Thank you all for your recommendations. Funny that most of us enjoyed the same books as children.

I have been an avid reader all my life and have been pleased to encourage reading with any child. For an old story Children of the New Forest was good I remember, and many of the above recommended books are really great. But one thing I would suggest , is that the actual edition of the book is looked at. I am not suggesting spending a fortune, and these days more books seem to feel quite nice, but I didnt like those cheap editions where the pages actually feel rough to the touch. I have always felt that the actual feel and smell of a new book were all part of the joy of the christmas books my granny used to buy for me every year. Still always have a book by my bedside, and if I wake up in the middle of the night in pain, a while reading is always a help.

Grandmabatty

Give them a go. If you read them to her, ask if there are words she doesn't understand. I would start with Ballet Shoes.

There’s a wonderful podcast about Ballet Shoes on the Backlisted podcast ( one of my favourite podcasts and, even though it reviews quite serious books a lot of the time has me laughing out). It isn’t a book I was familiar with as I’ve never read it but it ( and the whole series of books) sounds wonderful and as I’m hiding from real life by reading children’s fantasy literature I’m tempted to buy a copy. My granddaughter ( now 9) seemed to straight from Harry Potter to The Hunger Games so I’ve given up trying to work out what books she would like!

Three men on Bummel; Jerome K Jerome, Just William; Richmal Crompton, Narnia series, Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and the timeless Charotte's Web

I loved the Chalet School series and still do. I think I was a bit older before I read them though

Black Beauty definitely my grandaughters loved it, as did I.

When she’s a bit older say 10 she might like the Chalet School series by Elinor M Brent-Dyer. Written quite a while ago but set in Europe full of adventures and interesting detail.

Much better and more well written than any Blyton school series

Basgetti

Wyllow3

Another for Secret Garden.

And... Enid Blyton's The Faraway Tree. Magic.

Is that the one with Saucepan Man? If so, big no from me! Still have the occasional nightmare about his horrible face (at 61!)

Oh yes, Pooh Corner, definitely!

Oh dear, Basgetti sorry you were traumatised, I don't even recall him.

What I recall is the Land where everything is made out of sweets and chocolate. My Dad brought me the book when I was in bed with measles, and being good staying in bed so the other children wouldn't get measles (they did, of course)

and it was so special that he could buy it for me, and the smell of New Book all for me!!!!

I've forgotten Saucepan Man. but there was Dame Slap, which maybe wont be allowed these days ....

Another vote for The Family from One End Street.

The House at Pooh Corner.

“The Borrowers” by Mary Norton.

The secret garden! Definitely that one.

Wyllow3

Another for Secret Garden.

And... Enid Blyton's The Faraway Tree. Magic.

Is that the one with Saucepan Man? If so, big no from me! Still have the occasional nightmare about his horrible face (at 61!)

Another for Secret Garden.

And... Enid Blyton's The Faraway Tree. Magic.

I have loved A Christmas Carol for as long as I can remember. I didn’t necessarily understand all of it but that somehow didn’t matter. We read it to our children every December from around 6 or 7 and they still love it as adults.

'The Family From One End Street' is a neglected classic.
One of my GCs, just turned nine, is reading 'Animal Farm' at the moment and seems to be enjoying it.

More obvious choices would be the Narnia books and books by Roald Dahl particularly 'Matilda' or 'The Witches.'

My all time favourite books were 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking glass and What Alice Found There' but my DCs and GCs failed to warm to them.

LW&W, what could be better, so many different voices, magical

I agree with Ballet Shoes, and would add another vote for Charlotte's Web.

Tom's Midnight Garden

The Children of Green Knowe

It’s a long time ago now but I just remember it being her favourite book, so much so that she bought another copy of it years later. I believe children today are much more protected from anything potentially ‘difficult’. Think about Grimms fairy tales which could nearly all be gruesome.
I am sure she will enjoy Ballet Shoes and I googled books for 8 year olds and there are many books recommended online. Including Ballet Shoes.

Go ahead and read her anything you like. If she isn't enjoying it she will soon tell you!

I gave my DD Black Beauty to read when she was perhaps slightly older than my DGD and she cried buckets so I think I'll give than one a miss for the time being and I think Mr Tom is perhaps a little old for her yet, although a lovely story.
I have ordered Ballet Shoes as I know I will enjoy that too and I know there are other books in the series if she likes it. She does read avidly herself, mummy and daddy read to her as well and she's been through most of the Enid Blytons and Narnias as well as
lots of the Roald Dahl books etc. I was just wondering if the classic books that I enjoyed would interest a modern eight year old and if any GNs had experience of that. I know I would enjoy reading them to her Thank you for your responses, please keep them coming.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, and Rosina Cooper which is about a neglected horse that becomes a show horse due to being loved by her new owners, both available on Amazon.

I'm not saying she shouldn't read it, but her emotional age needs to be taken into account too. It's really meant for older children for a reason.

Child abuse by the mother, neglect and death of a baby are heavy things to deal with