Half-Magic was definitely a favorite of mine. And hey, she could try the Little House books--maybe some of the terror of being a pioneer (Indians! fire! shooting wild animals! scarlet fever!) would appeal, even if it's not consumption?

Terry Pratchett's got some kid's books out, too.

The great thing about the Little House books is that their level of sophistication matches Laura's at the time.

Barb, thank your daughter for me.

I always thought of Little Women as older, but I can certainly try her on it. I liked the pioneer books too.

Okay, now I'm just writing them all down. We'll get them, throw them at her, and see what sticks; except not the sparkly vampires. She has enough problems figuring out that she can be whomever she wants and there are no "girl rules". Even after we started going to a female pediatrician, she thought doctors were supposed to be boys and our doctor was an exception that proved the rule or something.

I love having a kid who loves to read. Nick reads, but not quite as omnivorously as Kara already is.

Would Lucy Boston's Green Knowe series work? It's sort of fantastic/historical, with time travel and an ancient house full of secrets.

I do have to say that my mother recently told me that she just realized that I probably should not have been reading Erica Jong and The Clan of the Cave Bear Series in 5th and 6th grade. I told her it did not really leave any lasting scars, that it was probably better that she did not get involved in my reading! Plus, I watched Soap Operas with my grandma.

I'll try it, Calli. Who knows? If nothing else, I'll get to read something I'd never heard of. Oh, Nick loved The Indian in the Cupboard. I should try that, too.

SHE IS NOT ALMOST SEVEN!!! NO WAY!!! OMG!!!

How is that possible??

I love Half-Magic. I just made my little cousin get Seven-Day Magic from the library.

Oh-- I loved Green Knowe!

Little Women is probably above her reading level, unabridged, but possibly interesting to read aloud, while the early little house books are more "young reader". Please note this is based only on my experience as a child and not as an adult or teacher.

I also have to reiterate The Boxcar Children, which was first read aloud to me, and then I would read on my own. The children's self sufficiency was fascinating-- they got dishes from the dump! And made Stew! and had a dog! It is also quite a "young reader" book-- I juist re-read, in fact, and there is a lot of repitiion of key ideas and words. After that book, there are a whole series of mystery books, but they don't ch the genius of the first book. But still fun to read. Again, I read one only a couple of months ago.

Oooh, oooh, oooh... I'm such a doofus-- one of my favorite books EVER (I'm on about my fifth copy and I reread it at least twice a year), The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare.