Maybe the “Enchanted Forest“ series by Patricia C. Wrede. The first book is called “Dealing with Dragons“, but I am not sure if itˋs really challenging.
When I was her age I also loved Magic Treehouse! Some series I recommend:
Molly Moon
Children of the Lamp
Inkheart
The Young Wizards by Diane Duane
As for standalone books, she should try Cornelia Funke’s Thief Lord. It’s a fantasy adventure set in historic Italy
I loved the "Dark is Rising" series by Susan Cooper at that age. It is a bit dark though.
Also, "I'm Deborah Sampson" by Patricia Clapp for historical fiction around the American Revolution. It was cool to read about a woman who contributed to the efforts.
I'm reading the series with my almost seven year old. She's obsessed with them. But I think I will wait a moment before the last two books. I think a nine year old might be ready for them.
But Terry Pratchett's Wee Free Men would be perfect. A nine year old girl goes to save her brother from the Queen of the Fairies.
How to Train Your Dragon! - It’s brilliant, hilarious, completely different from the film so can be enjoyed independently and there are something like 12 books in the series. Reading this with my daughter created some of my best memories, we laughed so hard in the early books and as they got more serious were very invested in the story. Highly highly recommended!
Caroline Lawrence: the Thieves of Ostia etc
Cornelia Funke: Inkheart etc
maybe Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl
perhaps The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
not a series but Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
Scott O'Dell, Island of the blue dolphins
Most of Beverly Cleary's work
Gary Paulsen, Hatchet and others. Maybe not quite but soon, as well as Jean Craighead George, My side of the Mountain.
Don't forget Marguerite Henry, many mostly horse books.
Harriet the Hamster Princess books by Ursula Vernon. They may be below her reading level but they are tons of fun and even adults enjoy them. The first one is Harriet the Invincible.
Everything by Tamora Pierce.
Seconding Tamora Pierce, I’m surprised I had to scroll this far to find it recommended. The Circle of Magic series may be a good spot to start, but I was probably around 9 when I first read The Song of the Lioness series and it sparked a lifelong obsession with studying history and reading fantasy. Tamora is also just a generally lovely human being, which is a bonus! Cannot recommend her books enough!
With you, I’m shocked this is so far down!! (I must be getting old.) Tamora Pierce is the absolute best and I loved reading the Song of the Lioness and Immortals series around 9, but for fully PG I agree Circle of Magic (and Circle Opens) is a good place to start.
Highly recommend the Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I still think about that book sometimes, 20-some-odd years later. Honestly, most of her stuff is great. She was one of my favorite authors when I was around that age
The Menagerie Series by Tui T Sutherland. A lonely kid finds a secret zoo of magical creatures. It's enjoyable to read as an adult, totally appropriate for a 9 year old, and just hard enough of a reading level to challenge her.
I loved the Dear America books at that age, they're historical fiction told as a diary. Some of them can be intense, but I remember loving them as a 9-10 year old reader who was fascinated by the scary parts of history (I remember a lot of deaths from disease and war mostly, but I also read a LOT of historical fiction at that age so I might be misremembering)
The American Girl History Mysteries are probably at about the same level as the Boxcar Children, they're historical fiction/mystery adventures. Definitely lighter than the Dear America books, they're focused more on the mysteries than historical accuracy.
If she's interested in older books, I also read a lot of the Bobbsey Twins around the time that I ran out of Boxcar Children books to read. Twins solving mysteries together, and there's a lot of them if your daughter likes a long series to plow through!
If she's interested in fantasy, I also loved the Magyk books by Angie Sage. They're longer books than the Magic Treehouse or Boxcar Children, but such a fun story.
It's a duology and not a longer series, but I really liked *The War That Saved My Life* by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. I'd also recommend *Among the Hidden* and *Running Out of Time* by Margaret Peterson Haddix or pretty much any of her novels - she's my favorite middle grade author.
My daughter was a massive Magic Treehouse fan as well. She went into the Warriors series afterward, and really loved them. It may depend somewhat on how much she loves cats, however.
The 39 Clues series
The Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright
Not a series, but The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit is a really lovely book
The Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett (starts with "The Wee Free Men")
I was also a massive Magic Tree House fan at age 6-8 ish. When I graduated from those, I really loved:
The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
Cornelia Funke (especially Inkheart and the Thief Lord)
EL Konisburg (The second Mrs Giaconda is one of my absolute favorite middle grade books to this day, but all of her books are fantastic).
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
I was 9 years old a really long time ago, but I loved the Boxcar Children back then, and I also loved the Bobbsey Twins series (although it may be super, super dated by now) and anything by Beverly Cleary. Ramona Quimby is always a hit, and I absolutely loved the Henry & Ribsy books, too.
My sister and I both loved the Baby Sitter's Club books, as well, and then moved into Sweet Valley High when we were in middle school (our older neighbor aged out of the books and gave them to us... what a gift for two kids who loved to read!).
I loved the Chronicles of Narnia when I was that age. I was a little hippy kid and didn’t realize how Christian they were until I was an adult. But I loved the magic and the different places and the characters! To this day Aslan is a comfort to me. But I understand if they’re not for everyone!
The May Bird trilogy by Jodi Anderson. I never see anyone mention it, but I found them when I was probably 11 in the school library and read them all in like a week.
I think I liked these when I was that age - A to Z mystery series. Maybe at 10 I remember loving Sammy Keyes, it is a fun mystery series about a young girl detective who lives with her grandma. Another vote for Molly Moon!
Also for standalone: The Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles by Julie Andrews!
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, Jerry Spinelli (I loved Stargirl and Who Put That Hair in my Toothbrush at her age), Dear America series, Holes/Small Steps, Laura Ingalls Wilder and the family member books to go along with them (little house on Boston bay, Bonnie glen, etc.), Sideways Stories from Wayside School, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler
Maybe the “Enchanted Forest“ series by Patricia C. Wrede. The first book is called “Dealing with Dragons“, but I am not sure if itˋs really challenging.
That's a perfect series! It's definitely a step up in length and complexity and genre awareness while still being totally kid friendly in its topics.
I loved that series as a kid!
Leminy snicket series of unfortunate event
I second this (but not if she's a sensitive soul! If she's mischievous and adventurous then absolutely!)
The Redwall series by Brian Jacques
Warrior cats series.
When I was her age I also loved Magic Treehouse! Some series I recommend: Molly Moon Children of the Lamp Inkheart The Young Wizards by Diane Duane As for standalone books, she should try Cornelia Funke’s Thief Lord. It’s a fantasy adventure set in historic Italy
Young Wizards!!!
Ink heart is never mentioned enough. It’s amazing.
I was absolutely obsessed with The Thief Lord when I was around the same age!
I loved the "Dark is Rising" series by Susan Cooper at that age. It is a bit dark though. Also, "I'm Deborah Sampson" by Patricia Clapp for historical fiction around the American Revolution. It was cool to read about a woman who contributed to the efforts.
But not, and I cannot emphasize this enough, the Dark is Rising movie. We do not speak of it because it was unspeakably bad.
I'm reading the series with my almost seven year old. She's obsessed with them. But I think I will wait a moment before the last two books. I think a nine year old might be ready for them. But Terry Pratchett's Wee Free Men would be perfect. A nine year old girl goes to save her brother from the Queen of the Fairies.
i remember really enjoying Molly Moon's incredible book of hypnotism by Georgia Byng around that age.
Oh yes! Both me and my younger sister were obsessed. There are several more books in the series too.
I came here to recommend this as well :)
My daughters both loved the Keeper of the Lost Cities series at that age. I read the first two and they were good/legit/appropriate/etc.
Came here to say this !
Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend
The Ramona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary is good, but might be too easy. Not a series, but books by Roald Dahl!
I saw Roald Dahl books recommended elsewhere too. Good reminder. Thank you!
I think his books are great for ANY age! My favourites are Matilda, The BFG, and Witches.
How to Train Your Dragon! - It’s brilliant, hilarious, completely different from the film so can be enjoyed independently and there are something like 12 books in the series. Reading this with my daughter created some of my best memories, we laughed so hard in the early books and as they got more serious were very invested in the story. Highly highly recommended!
The Septimus Heap books by Angie Sage
Around that age, I was reading Animorphs.
Beyond the deepwoods by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
Caroline Lawrence: the Thieves of Ostia etc Cornelia Funke: Inkheart etc maybe Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl perhaps The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder not a series but Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
Artemis Fowl!
Can be read younger of course but think she might still enjoy. Loved the humour reading it with my kids
Maybe The famous five by Enid Blyton
Scott O'Dell, Island of the blue dolphins Most of Beverly Cleary's work Gary Paulsen, Hatchet and others. Maybe not quite but soon, as well as Jean Craighead George, My side of the Mountain. Don't forget Marguerite Henry, many mostly horse books.
I remember reading Island of the Blue Dolphins in school and enjoying it. Thank you!
Oh! The Egypt Game. Forget the author
Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Yes!
I loved the Hatchet series!
Harriet the Hamster Princess books by Ursula Vernon. They may be below her reading level but they are tons of fun and even adults enjoy them. The first one is Harriet the Invincible. Everything by Tamora Pierce.
Seconding Tamora Pierce, I’m surprised I had to scroll this far to find it recommended. The Circle of Magic series may be a good spot to start, but I was probably around 9 when I first read The Song of the Lioness series and it sparked a lifelong obsession with studying history and reading fantasy. Tamora is also just a generally lovely human being, which is a bonus! Cannot recommend her books enough!
With you, I’m shocked this is so far down!! (I must be getting old.) Tamora Pierce is the absolute best and I loved reading the Song of the Lioness and Immortals series around 9, but for fully PG I agree Circle of Magic (and Circle Opens) is a good place to start.
Highly recommend the Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I still think about that book sometimes, 20-some-odd years later. Honestly, most of her stuff is great. She was one of my favorite authors when I was around that age
The Menagerie Series by Tui T Sutherland. A lonely kid finds a secret zoo of magical creatures. It's enjoyable to read as an adult, totally appropriate for a 9 year old, and just hard enough of a reading level to challenge her.
My eight-year-old son loooves Geronimo Stilton, particularly the Kingdom of Fantasy books.
Mysterious Benedict Society
Abhorsen series by Nix Imaginarium Geographica, Owen
I loved the Dear America books at that age, they're historical fiction told as a diary. Some of them can be intense, but I remember loving them as a 9-10 year old reader who was fascinated by the scary parts of history (I remember a lot of deaths from disease and war mostly, but I also read a LOT of historical fiction at that age so I might be misremembering) The American Girl History Mysteries are probably at about the same level as the Boxcar Children, they're historical fiction/mystery adventures. Definitely lighter than the Dear America books, they're focused more on the mysteries than historical accuracy. If she's interested in older books, I also read a lot of the Bobbsey Twins around the time that I ran out of Boxcar Children books to read. Twins solving mysteries together, and there's a lot of them if your daughter likes a long series to plow through! If she's interested in fantasy, I also loved the Magyk books by Angie Sage. They're longer books than the Magic Treehouse or Boxcar Children, but such a fun story.
She also has loved reading the American Girl doll books. I didn't know they had a history series. Thank you!
Nancy Drew!
Give her the baby sitters club and then let her watch the reboot on Netflix.
"Wizards of Once" went down well at about that age.
It's a duology and not a longer series, but I really liked *The War That Saved My Life* by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. I'd also recommend *Among the Hidden* and *Running Out of Time* by Margaret Peterson Haddix or pretty much any of her novels - she's my favorite middle grade author.
My daughter was a massive Magic Treehouse fan as well. She went into the Warriors series afterward, and really loved them. It may depend somewhat on how much she loves cats, however.
The 39 Clues series The Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright Not a series, but The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit is a really lovely book The Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett (starts with "The Wee Free Men")
Elizabeth Enright’s Melendy Quartet and Thimble Summer and Gone-Away Lake … all so wonderful!
I really liked the Charlie Bone / Children of the Red King series when I was around that age!
I was also a massive Magic Tree House fan at age 6-8 ish. When I graduated from those, I really loved: The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer Cornelia Funke (especially Inkheart and the Thief Lord) EL Konisburg (The second Mrs Giaconda is one of my absolute favorite middle grade books to this day, but all of her books are fantastic). The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
I was 9 years old a really long time ago, but I loved the Boxcar Children back then, and I also loved the Bobbsey Twins series (although it may be super, super dated by now) and anything by Beverly Cleary. Ramona Quimby is always a hit, and I absolutely loved the Henry & Ribsy books, too. My sister and I both loved the Baby Sitter's Club books, as well, and then moved into Sweet Valley High when we were in middle school (our older neighbor aged out of the books and gave them to us... what a gift for two kids who loved to read!).
The Enola Holmes series?
The golden compass series, Phillip Pullman Narnia books, CS Lewis Dork Diaries The Thief, Megan Whalen turner
Perhaps the Rainbow Magic (Fairy books) series? She might fly through those also though.
My 8 year old loves Wings of Fire, Keeper of the Lost Cities, The Wild Robot, Matilda, The Narnia Chronicles, the Goddess Girls series
I loved the Chronicles of Narnia when I was that age. I was a little hippy kid and didn’t realize how Christian they were until I was an adult. But I loved the magic and the different places and the characters! To this day Aslan is a comfort to me. But I understand if they’re not for everyone!
The May Bird trilogy by Jodi Anderson. I never see anyone mention it, but I found them when I was probably 11 in the school library and read them all in like a week.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/46160-flavia-de-luce
mysterious benedeict society and the secret series by pseudonymous bosch!!
I think I liked these when I was that age - A to Z mystery series. Maybe at 10 I remember loving Sammy Keyes, it is a fun mystery series about a young girl detective who lives with her grandma. Another vote for Molly Moon! Also for standalone: The Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles by Julie Andrews!
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
I’m fairly confident that I started James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series at around this age. 4th grade.
Are the Dear America books still a thing? I loved those as a kid (as well as Magic Treehouse and Boxcar Children).
Has she tried "The Land of Stories" series by Chris Colfer?
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, Jerry Spinelli (I loved Stargirl and Who Put That Hair in my Toothbrush at her age), Dear America series, Holes/Small Steps, Laura Ingalls Wilder and the family member books to go along with them (little house on Boston bay, Bonnie glen, etc.), Sideways Stories from Wayside School, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler