Books for 9 year olds

[readingchick]

I also recommend the Ann Rinaldi historical fiction series. The Last Silk Dress, In My Father's House, A Break With Charity, The Fifth of March, and the one about Sarah Revere are all very good.

[hyzenthlay]

Terry Pratchett kid's books if she can read pretty well (also great for Mom/Dad to read aloud at bedtime)-

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
Wee Free Men
A Hat Full of Sky
Wintersmith

I didn't care for The Amazing Maurice, but the Tiffany Aching trilogy is excellent! And perfect for a 9 year old with a solid reading level. The heroine is bright and strong and funny, but still makes errors and is very much still a child.

I also recommend 'Talking with Dragons' by Patricia Wrede. I don't think the rest of the series was as strong but the firts book is excellent.

If any girls like unicorns the Firebringer Trilogy has them. Not the greatest books, but hey, unicorns!

I adored the Trixie Belden series when i was younger, but find them tedious now. But the Oz books still get an occasional read. Make sure to stick with the ones written by Mr. Frank Baum. Any by other authors are dreadful.

Adding support to "Matilda" by Roald Dahl.

Throwing in the first of the Potter books. Should be readable for a 9 year old with a solid reading level.

Also throwing in the Warriors series for boys (its about cats, think Tailchaser's Song). My 9 year old boy is going through the series at full speed.

[Ferrets]

A few of my favourite authors (either at age nine, or reading now. Yes I still love decent children's books. ), with sample titles recommended:

Jack London
White Fang
The Call of the Wild

Anne Fine - website at http://annefine.com/

Brilliant, brilliant children's author. Pretty much anything in her "middle readers" section, and most of the "older readers" ones.

Frozen Billy
The More the Merrier
Bad Dreams
Charm School
-------------
Goggle Eyes
Step By Wicked Step
Flour Babies
Up On Cloud Nine*
The Book of the Banshee

Jacqueline Wilson is also insanely popular over here. (N.B.: Some of her titles, such as the 'Girls...' series, have more mature, teenage-aimed content than others.)
The Suitcase Kid
The Lottie Project
The Story of Tracy Beaker
Double Act
The Bed and Breakfast Star
Midnight*
The Illustrated Mum*

*Not unsuitable for a nine-year-old as such, but darker themes.

Rosemary Sutcliff
The Eagle of the Ninth series
Sea Dragon [also published as Blood Feud]

Jan Mark
Thunder and Lightnings

Anthony Buckeridge
Jennings series

Capt. W.E. Johns
Biggles series

ETA - Joan Aiken
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase Alternate-history adventure

[bluebirds]

Sophie's World - I read it the first time around that age and it was fantastic; I couldn't understand everything, but it made me think.

Pride and Prejudice - again, one of those books that can be devoured, and then rediscovered every time you read them again 

Any Dickens novel will be good.

Ann Frank (again  )

Medieval romances - Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Merlin, etc...

Agatha Christie novels

[nolechica]

I also recommend the Ann Rinaldi historical fiction series. The Last Silk Dress, In My Father's House, A Break With Charity, The Fifth of March, and the one about Sarah Revere are all very good.

Haven't read those in years, but they are partly responsible for my history degree.  In My Father's House and Wolf By The Ears are my favorites.

[Sandi Papaya]

The All-of-a-Kind Family- Sydney Taylor. Details the lives of a Jewish family on the East Side of New York in the early 1900's with humor and warmth. Has a full series, if you can find it.

Until you mentioned this series, I didn't remember the name of it!! I was going to mention these books a lot sooner, but I couldn't remember the name...

[dietcokeofevil]

The Westing Game was a favorite of mine at that age.

[hyzenthlay]

The Westing Game was a favorite of mine at that age.

Ooo POD POD POD

I recently bought a copy after many a year missing it

[dietcokeofevil]

The Westing Game was a favorite of mine at that age.

Ooo POD POD POD

I recently bought a copy and many a year missing it

Yeah...I reread my copy a couple of times a year.

[DottyG]

Bumping up

[MrsODemus]

The Black Stallion Books - LOVE
Trixie Belden - do they even print these still? Those books were wonderful
The Wizard of Oz Books - I didn't realize until I was in my 20's there was a whole series and I loved them.

Best of Luck

[DottyG]

(Bumping up for Lindley.)

[jedikaiti]

How about one or more of Andrew Lang's Fairy Books - the <Insert Color Here> Fairy Books (Yellow, Red, Green, etc...)?

[mrsbrandt]

My 8 year old loves the Junie B. Jones books and the Judy Moody books. But for a 9 year old I'd recommend the Nancy Drew Juniors series.  My 8 year old is really beginning to love them. Also the Dork Diaries are really popular now too for around that age group.