The American Girls Stories by Various
These stories are the books based on the fictional doll characters who live in a specific time. When I was seven or eight I loved these fun stories about 10 year old girls living in a historical environment.
The Ramona Collection by Beverly Cleary
These books feature a strong-willed girl from the age of five to nine. In each story she faces a life problem and eventually things all work out.
The Boxcar Children Bookshelf by Gertrude Chandler Warner and others
These short stories are fun mysteries for elementary-aged children. When I was a child I would read up to three a day.
Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder: Girls interested in the past will enjoy this series about a girl growing up in the late 1800s as a pioneer. I loved these as a child, but my younger sisters did not. It probably depends on the personality of the girl.
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
This is a fun story about a girl who is the daughter of a pirate who lives alone on an island. She gets into all kinds of trouble and adventures with her two friends.
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald
This story is about a lady who lives in a house with dozens of children. She has magic cures for each childhood problem, fault and ailment. This is a fun series that younger girls should enjoy.
Bobbsey Twins Complete Series by Laura Lee Hope
This series is a selection of syndicated books about two sets of twins in one family. They get into all kinds of adventures and usually figure out a mystery by the end of the story.
The Complete Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery
This is a period story about a young 11 year old orphan girl with a fiery temper. She has many adventures learning to control her temper as she grows up. Children should also enjoy the seventh volume in the series, Rainbow Valley, about Anne’s children.
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Heidi is a story of another orphan girl who lives with her grumpy grandfather. She is invited to live with an ill girl as a companion, and throughout the story she helps the ill girl get better, and her grandfather become loving.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
This story follows the adventures of orphan Mary Lennox as she learns to hold her temper, finds a secret garden, and helps her cousin learn to walk after being ill all his life.
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
This story follows orphan (there are a lot of orphans in older stories I guess) Sarah Crewe as she lives in a boarding school while her father is away at war. When he dies, she has to live as a maid in the attic, but she never looses her princess mindset.
A Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
This series is enjoyable for boys and girls. In this series of 13 books, four orphans must find the secret to their parent’s mysterious deaths. Lemony Snicket also works in unusual vocabulary words into the books.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
This is also a great series for boys or girls. I just forgot about it last week. In these seven books different sets of children travel to Narnia at different points in Narnia’s history. The story is allegorical for C.S. Lewis’ views on Christianity and heaven.
More Books for Girls
Girl-Power Books for Middle-Grade Girls
Are any of your favorite books missing from the list? I’ll add them!