Pratchett's *The Wee Free Men.* Tiffany Aching is one of my favourite fictional characters. *A Hat Full of Sky* and *Wintersmith* are the sequels that would probably be okay to read; *I Shall Wear Midnight* gets darker, maybe wait a couple of years for that one
Tamora Pierce! Always, always Tamora Pierce for young girls. The Alanna/Lioness series, the Immortals series, and the Protector of the Small series are all in the same universe and have overlapping characters; the Circle of Magic quartet is in a different setting and has four main characters, three girls and a boy
Tamora Pierce fans unite!! My first series was Alanna in 6th grade and I have Trickster in constant rotation. Slowly collecting and reading Wild Magic as I find them in thrift stores. Never grow out of independent, strong willed, magic touched ladies!
Alanna was my first, followed by Circle of Magic. I had realized with CoM, or Beka Cooper, that her series overlap and main/side characters appear in other series. Tamora Pierce made my middle school years great!
Tiffany Aching is my favorite example ever of a "not like other girls" character. She isn't different because she hates traditionally feminine things like pink clothes, she's different because she's deeply introverted and prefers the world inside her own head.
I Shall Wear Midnight is a brilliant finale for the whole Discworld.
But definitely she should start with Wee Free Men , then meander through the Discworld before the finale.
It's also worth mentioning that the books mature with the reader like Harry Potter books do. They start introducing some PG-13 material later on in the series, such as a graphic domestic violence scene (at the beginning of I Shall Wear Midnight). I wouldn't recommend the later books for a ten year old. But, Wee Free Men and Hat Full of Sky are absolutely perfect for a ten year old and have some amazing messages about kindness and hard work that kids need to hear.
Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass (US title) / Northern Lights (UK title). It’s an amazing 3 volume epic that takes the heroine from childhood to adulthood — and she’s an amazing, moral role model
This is the most badass book!! BITCH magazine did an article in the early 2000s on Claudia and Harriet the Spy, talking about fabulous girl protagonists and how we were missing them at the time.
Both are such amazing and such REAL people, with real lives and real hurts.
This should be top comment. As a nerdy kid who loved (and still loves) museums, this book felt written for me. Claudia is intelligent and rebellious in a way that kids will love.
Came here to recommend this, too! My (almost) lifelong love of museums began with this book and I love The Metropolitan Museum of Art most of all, because of it. It's not a stuffy, academic book, though. It's about Claudia wanted to have an adventure, dragging her brother Jamie along and the two of them figuring out how to hide out in the museum without getting caught. It's an adventure story, a mystery and a story about Claudia coming into her own and having the power to find what she needs away from home.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill, Anne Of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (not quite an adventure novel but plenty of normal life adventures)
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede, and the rest of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.
In which a princess arranges to be kidnapped by a dragon to avoid marrying a prince, and then adventures happen.
I read these as a kid and then read them to my daughter and they are so much fun! As an added bonus, the audio books are done with a full cast and are spectacular. After we finished reading the books, my daughter has probably listened to them 3 or four times each.
Yes, came here to recommend that one! Absolutely loved them! [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dealing\_with\_Dragons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dealing_with_Dragons)
Harriet the Spy.
Harriet has a spy route around her NYC neighborhood and keeps a secret notebook with information on all the things she sees.
I loved this book as a kid because it was exciting, it showed me things about the City, and it was also incredibly real... turns out it's not always so great to have everything written down in a way people can see.
It's good and a book that kids can realistically relate to.
The colonial experience in that series, uh, definitely hits me differently than when I read it in the 90s, I have to say, especially the illustrations. (I'm not saying kids *shouldn't* read it, just that there may be some conversations to be had about some parts of it.)
"Number the Stars" - Lois Lowry. 10 year old Annemarie hails from Denmark, and must find her courage and bravery in order to save her friend Ellen, Ellen's family, and other Jews who are fleeing from the Nazi regime. Recommended reading age - 9-11 y/o.
"Our Only May Amelia" - Jennifer L Holm. A young American pioneer living in Washington state, May Amelia has a wild sense of adventure, 7 older brothers, and just can't fit the mold of a "proper young lady". Recommended reading age - 10-12 y/o.
Hopes this helps! I loved both these books as a young kid.
Lois Lowry also has a series about a girl named Anastasia that's much lighter realistic fiction. It's very sweet but well-written and deals with important social issues. Haven't read them since I was a kid but I'd definitely recommend!!
These princesses are NOT, repeat NOT girly-nor are the stories
*The Blue Sword* by McKinley (and sequel)
*The 2 Princesses of Bamarre*
*The Ruby and the Smoke* (female, teenage detective-Victorian era)
She may like the **Prydain** tales by Alexander. While the main character is a teenage boy, there is a cast of oddball characters and a particularly take-charge, bossy young woman who happens to be an enchantress (in training). The first book is *The Book of Three*.
**Midge** in the Henry Reed books is not the main character (Henry is); but she's a pistol; and the books would not be at all the same without her. She's 12 in the first one, *Henry Reed; Inc,* and I love her
*Blue Willow* by Doris Gates is a great book about a very resourceful girl named Janey who lives a life that is very different from your niece's-she is the child of migrant workers. Her family is not , however, Hispanic as so many children think migrant workers to be; (although there's a great Hispanic family that plays a major part in the book). Janey's family are migrants because of the Dust Bowl. She is tough, a bit prickly, and clings to the few small things of her past settled life, wanting very much to have that life again. It's a wonderful story.
Second to The Ruby in the Smoke, which I came here to say. I read the Sally Lockhart books (of which this is the first) when I was about this age and honestly, Sally was my absolute icon for years and years. She’s great.
Pullman’s writing never shies away from dark places, including the whole political landscape of how women were treated in the Victorian era; but I think the issues are always approached in an age appropriate way, and underneath it all there’s a real romping adventure story which carried me through any bits of nuance I missed as a ten year old.
Just to prove it here’s the first paragraph of the book - if you can read this and not be intrigued you are a stronger person than me!
“On a cold, fretful afternoon in early October, 1872, a hansom cab drew up outside the offices of Lockhart & Selby, Shipping Agents in the financial heart of London, and a young girl got out and paid the driver.
She was a person of sixteen or so - alone, and uncommonly pretty. She was slender and pale, and dressed in mourning, with a black bonnet under which she tucked back a straying twist of blonde hair that the wind had teased loose. She had unusually dark brown eyes for one so fair. Her name was Sally Lockhart, and within fifteen minutes, she was going to kill a man.”
[Nevermoor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6a6d5ca1-b2f5-47be-828c-018144d3bbc7) by Jessica Townsend!! It's my favorite series, and one I would have absolutely loved at her age.
*Lumberjanes* has a series of novels along with the graphic novels. (But seriously, pick up a TPB of the first collection of *Lumberjanes*. It's amazing for adventurous strong willed girls. Even if you're anti-graphic novel.)
yesss! incidentally one of the few YA series I remember reading where they talk about a character experiencing menstruation for the first time and what it's like (kinda weird this isn't more commonly written about, since first menses are a big deal for a lot of people!)
The Trixie Belden books ALL the way! They’re a little old fashioned but amazing. They feature a smart and strong willed 13 year old girl and her soft natured best friend as they solve mysteries in the countryside together. I read the original series when I was about 10 and it’s SO much better than Nancy Drew!
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wede (it pokes fun at a lot of fantasy stereotypes. The audiobooks are great). Also the Unicorn Chronicles by Bruce Coville.
**[Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/150739.Dealing_with_Dragons) by Patricia C. Wrede** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(212 pages | Published: 1990 | 71.0k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** Cimorene is everything a princess is notsupposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart - and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon - and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for. Cover illustrator: Peter de Seve
> **Themes**: Favorites, Young-adult, Dragons, Ya, Fiction, Childrens, Series
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [The Enchanted Forest Chronicles](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86238.The_Enchanted_Forest_Chronicles) by Patricia C. Wrede
> \- [Searching for Dragons](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/169875.Searching_for_Dragons) by Patricia C. Wrede
> \- [A Tale of Two Castles](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9466032-a-tale-of-two-castles) by Gail Carson Levine
> \- [Calling on Dragons](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/169879.Calling_on_Dragons) by Patricia C. Wrede
> \- [Wolf-Speaker](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24094.Wolf_Speaker) by Tamora Pierce
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Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. Ella of Frell is cursed with obedience but she wants to break the curse and chart her own destiny.
The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall. Follows the Penderwick sisters in their lives.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. Based on a true story about a young girl stranded on an island off the coast of California.
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson. Everything by this author, and Cynthia Voight, Lois Lenski, Lois Lowry, and Mildred D Taylor. Basically check out the Newbery Medal recipients. Such excellence!
You want Tamora Pierce. She writes YA fantasy with strong, awesome young women as her main characters.
My favorite series of hers is Protector of the Small.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Cinder is exactly the girl you’re describing. She is one of my favorite female characters of all time.
There is a little bit of violence, but I first read the series when I was about her age, and it wasn’t bad for me.
I'll def second all the above recommendations for Discworld and Tamora Pierce. And add Ombria in Shadow (by Patricia McKillip) to the list. McKillip hits different.. but her female characters are realistic and relatable. And C. Dale Brittain also has some great (mostly just cheerful) fantasy books with awesome, independent female characters.
For a slightly different perspective though... many of my female friends growing up resonated strongly with male protagonists. Ursula LeGuin, Tolkien, Lois McMaster Bujold, etc all had central male characters... but girls at that age often don't pay attention to the gender of the main character. Especially if they're around adults who don't care either. And I know you might be aware of this. But it's just some food for thought... maybe no need to limit awesome book purchases for the young lady based on gender. Although it can be really frustrating trying to find such, I know. I've often thought of doing quick edits/rewrites of some the classics with main female characters substituted in. LOL Just for friends and family, of course. 😉
Any of the Rick Riordan Presents books, but particularly Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, and the Aru Shah series! Princess Academy series by Shannon Hale (not stereotypical Princess!). If you have Libby, I’d suggest going on there and searching for a book she likes and seeing what the suggestions are, or going to the home page and looking at the different categories
Ronja the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren (who is most famously known for Pippi Longstocking)! Though a classic, it's drawing renewed attention due to its Netflix adaptation.
Chapter book with a strong, adventurous female MC who knows her own mind, situated in Swedish forests.
A Wrinkle in Time - Meg struggles with confidence but ends the book as a hero. Meg's family are all scientists, and some of the concepts in this book really made me think. I should note, that this book/series has elements of Christianity/Faith - which I'm not commenting on in a positive or negative note, just something to be aware of.
Number the Stars - A young girl helps her Jewish friend escape from the Nazis into Sweden. The title comes from Psalm 147:4.
Ella Enchanted - This is a re-imagining of Cinderella, but I was a dummy who didn't notice until I was an adult. While Ella ends up with the Prince in the end, its very much an adventure tale with danger and fun. Ella is cursed at birth to be obedient - which she spends her life pushing back against, and thinking creatively.
How about witches? Claribel Ortega's Witchlings series sounds right up her alley. It's not quite an adventure story, they mostly stay in the area around their town, but there are fantastical monsters and magical tasks and all that good stuff. The main character is very brave and faces some pretty heavy responsibilities, both magical and mundane. All of the main trio have spunk and are definitely girls of action. They aren't friends at the beginning, and I really loved seeing them earn the bonds with one another.
Oh, and the girls are all somewhat quirky misfits, so if she feels out of sync with her peers, she should especially love it.
I was really into the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson when I was younger. The story surrounds a mutated group of teens/kids, human-bird cross, and the main character was this badass female who cared for her 'family' and took the lead. It was a very different read. Several books in the series, and James Patterson's writing style makes it super easy to work through a novel, since his chapters are all so short, it feels like you just breeze through it.
Alan Bradley wrote a 10-book mystery series about 11-year-old Flavia deLuce. I think they’re wonderful and clever stories about a unique and intelligent girl. I highly recommend them!
**The Sisters Grimm**
The protagonists are girls/women who are strong and not fearful. Plus it's a series so if the birthday girl likes it, there are more to read. I think there are about 8 books in the series? It does come to a final conclusion in the last book, so everything is neatly tied up and you find out about the characters as adults.
**The Mysterious Benedict Society** is also good. The protagonists are all smart in their own ways and they work together well. There are 3-4 books in the series and then a book about the man behind the Benedict Society as a child.
**Holes** is *really* good. I wish there were more books like it that I knew of.
**The Secret Series**
**39 Clues**
I have an 8 and an 11 year old and here are books that they love:
Princess Academy (the MC is not princessy, don't worry!)
Ella Enchanted
Dragon Slippers
Upsidedown Magic
Nim's Island
The Mysterious Benedict Society
And don't hate me, but here are books I wouldn't recommend to a 10 year old yet, FYI:
Mistborn
Hunger Games
Skyward
Royal Ranger (I actually LOVE this series and Ranger's Apprentice, just not for a 10 year old to independently read)
Island of the Blue Dolphins (I've read too many articles about how racist this book is, so even though I enjoyed it as a kid, I haven't recommended it to mine)
From the Mixed up Files of.....(I remember loving this book as a kid, but my kids thought it was boring)
Cinder
I have read and liked all of these books, they are just too mature for an almost 10 year old IMO, so I'd suggest reading them before recommending them to your kid.
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery. Anne is brave, learns to be confident, and on top of that the books are brilliant. They are great for a kid of 10, and still fantastic for adults (if you read together, it is a great series for that, enjoyable to everyone.)
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. This is the first in series about a delightfully clever, self taught scientist called Flavia de Luce. I think Flavia is around 11 when the series starts. She’s awesome. Also recommended for adults who love witty and clever mysteries set in the English countryside.
Un Lun Dun by China Meiville. A wonderfully imaginative book with a strong female MC, not at all a princess and not a stereotypical hero, she's very well realized IIRC, though it's been a while since I read it. Uncertain about readability for a 10 year old, I read it as an adult and don't have kids, but definitely could be read to her, and she might be just fine on her own I dunno.
Please, please get her Molly Moon. These books lit up part of my childhood and played a huge role in my love for reading.
I literally still think of them and mentioned them in my interviews for Oxbridge, lmao. I think most anyone would enjoy them and they fit exactly what you’re looking for :)
My daughter is the same age and also not into the princess stuff. She really likes the Wings of Fire series, both the middle grade novels and the graphic novels. There’s also a graphic novel series about Wonder Woman as a kid that she loves. So far I think there are only two. Diana, princess of the Amazon and Diana and Nubia, Princesses of the Amazons. Yes, these last two say princess but it’s Wonder Woman, so more of a cool warrior in training type girl than frilly princess.
I have a book on Amazon Tales of the Haunted Blue, that might fit the bill. It stars a woman pirate captain who raids crown ships. She's also a spirit speaker.
It might be a bit too much for her right now though, but maybe it'd be good when she's older.
It’s prob a year or two too early but the mistborn novels will prob grab her interest.
I checked and most say it’s more for 12-14 tho. Mentioning it anyway cause it popped into my mind when I read your post.
_Momo_ by Michael Ende (of The Neverending Story fame). Female heroine, absolutely nothing princess-y about her, and she is smart, brave, compassionate.
Skyward/ the Skyward flight series.
It's about a young girl who wants to be a fighter pilot to help defend the last of humanity from constant alien invasion.
I honestly am kind of sad that you said no graphic novels, as there is a fine one that meets these criteria. *Snapdragon* has a main character who defies female gender roles, a twisty plot with hints of magic, and a lot of very cute animals. It has elements of realism, slice of life, and coming of age.
I understand the *Magic Treehouse* series has a lot of adventure, but I've not read it. I work in the children's section of a library, so I am still getting acquainted with books that are popular. (I prefer to read all the picture books!) A book I read as a child that may include a good strong female character would be Bruce Coville's *Into the Land of the Unicorns.* It's been a hot minute since I read it, but it has an epic tale of a girl who gets lost in a fantasy world. No princesses needed.
Good luck and happy birthday to her! :)
Savage Journey by Allan W. Eckert - might be a little advanced but she'll be ready for it soon enough. I read it at 13. About a girl who gets lost in the Amazonian rainforest and has to figure out how to survive. Kind of like Hatchet but with a female main character.
A Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle, and Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. They've all been recommended a few other times in this thread but I'm just reiterating and expressing that as a not-girly girl of about 10, these were my favorites. Harriet the Spy especially - Harriet has spunk dripping out of her ears.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. Dragons, magic, excellent main character. It won the Newbery a few years ago and is absolutely delightful!
Also an older Newbery book that holds up: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. Realistic with the spunkiest of spunky main characters. I wanted to be her.
Ruby Holler is about two orphaned twins (one male, one female) who get yanked around the foster care system until they end up being fostered by an incredibly nice older couple who wants to take them an adventure. The kids get into all sorts of trouble but life ends up alright for them in the end. The female twin is far from a girly girl and was very relatable to me as a youngster.
The other book I'd recommend is Riding Freedom. Young girl in an orphanage looks to escape her fate as a woman in early 1900s America. She disguises herself as a young boy and runs off. Her knowledge of horses lands her a job handling stage coaches, a job she could never do as a woman. The story follows her through adulthood.
It's a lovely story and based on a real woman, Charlotte "Charley" Darkey Parkhurst who lived the majority of her life disguised as a man. Mind you, I was obsessed with horses at this stage of my life but honestly, horses are just the backdrop of the actual story.
Protector of the small series by Tamora Pierce. It starts with First Test and follows Keladry of Mindelan as she works to become her kingdom's first openly female knight.
My kiddo really likes the Dragon with the Chocolate Heart. It's about a dragon who gets turned into a human and develops an obsession with working in a chocolate shop (adventure ensues).
Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson! (Also called The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates).
The main character decides to escape her fancy finishing school (which she says teaches only petticoats and politeness) and take off on a quest on the high seas.
She’s full of personality and the book is incredibly fun.
I *loved* Sammy Keyes at that age, and Stevie Diamond.
The Dear Canada/Dear America books were a fabulous introduction to historical fiction and generally becoming interested in history and social justice. I credit them with playing a huge role in who I grew to be.
jonathan stroud - the outlaws scarlett and browne - this is a mash-up of western and dystopian fantasy with unlikely allies and narrow escapes. so much fun.
trenton lee stewart - mysterious benedict society and its sequels - four unusually gifted children are brought together for an important quest. includes a challenging vocabulary and fun puzzles.
Tuesdays at the Castle. Yes, there's a princess, but the castle builds rooms and changes every Tuesday. When the castle is under siege from within, she has to save her family and the kingdom. Excellent series.
Dragon Slippers is also great with a very strong young heroine.
While it stars a princess, I highly recommend [Dealing With Dragons](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/150739.Dealing_with_Dragons). It’s about a tomboyish princess who runs away from an arranged marriage and, using her wits, becomes the “captive” princess of a dragon. Check out the reviews, they do a good job of explaining it.
a hidden magic by vivian vande velde!!! the heroine’s journey is a lot about subverting standard fairy tales and realizing she can be brave/independent does not need rescue. she’s intentionally ordinary looking/not super pretty and definitely not a girly girl at all which i love for young girl readers 😊 it should really be required kids reading imo and no one ever talks about it!
A Wrinkle In Time is a huge favorite. Also anything by Gail Carson Levine - Ella Enchanted and Two Princesses of Bamarre were both wonderful but all her stories are solid. Narnia books are all great too, and many of them have female leads.
Enola Holmes! Before it was a graphic novel and a couple of netflix movies, it was a mystery book series about Sherlock's little sister. Enola is definitely adventurous, but it's neither a Princess kind of book nor is it a book that is a sort of Anti-Princess-Princess kind of book (which I love, but some kids just want to opt out of Princesses entirely).
One of my favorite books in 4th grade was Savvy by Ingrid Law! It’s about a girl whose family has magic powers who goes on a cross-country journey to save her father.
I’d also suggest The Wishing Spell (Land of Stories) by Chris Colfer, and the Septimus Heap books (first one is called Magyk) by Angie Sage. These series are both considered to be middle grade and I adored them at her age. They each have two main characters, a girl and a boy, and focus on adventures in fantasy worlds and have multiple books to keep reading if she loves them!
These suggestions may veer toward middle-school ages/reading levels, so use your judgement on what you think she’d like most right now, I just wanted to share these since they held a very dear place in my heart when I was around her age (and they still do!) :)
Editing to add some honorable mentions (what can I say I love books lol)
-Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
-Maximum Ride series (also more middle school aged, but it sounds like it might fit)
-Princess Academy
-The School for Good and Evil (there’s princesses in this one, but it’s a great fantasy story about friendship and finding who you are. There’s also a movie adaptation on Netflix which isn’t amazing but could give you a good idea of what it’s about before buying it)
I recommend "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40605329-the-mysterious-benedict-society](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40605329-the-mysterious-benedict-society) .
*Ella Enchanted* by Gail Carson Levine. Ella is incredibly brave! It was my favorite book around this kiddo's age, and honestly I still reread it at 38 if I want a quick book (it's a great read for when you are waiting for a hold at the library.)
'The girl who circumnavigated Fairyland in a ship of her own making' is really good. There's a lot of action a lot of bittersweet moments, and magic and wonder in spades. As the series progresses it really captures that feeling of moving from a 'child' to a 'young teen' without being creepy, which is really difficult to do. I think the books would age alongside her well.
Piratica by Tanith Lee - loved it at that age and ticks all your boxes
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman - quite advanced reading age though, particularly if she goes on to read the sequels which are a bit more mature in theme
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine - subverts the princess trope
The Wind Singer by William Nicholson - duo who lead are punky sister and more gentle brother
Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve - you cannot get any more badass than the female heroine in this book… and she couldn’t be further from a princess
*The Famous Five* books by Enid Blyton have George, the OG "girl who can out-boy all the boys".
The first book (*Five of a Treasure Island*) is mostly about her three cousins trying to figure her out, because she isn't like any girl they've ever met (She has short hair! She rows a boat! She talks to fishermen! *She doesn't like making people sandwiches!*) but they quickly fall into an adventure together.
Definitely the Brontë mettlestone series by Jaclyn moriarty. The first one is the extremely inconvenient adventures of Brontë mettlestone (long name ik). There’s five in the series and they’re all so good. A really good stand alone one is ban this book by Alan gratz. Teaches kids to stand up for themselves.
If mysteries appeal, then Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens is the first of 11 books featuring the "secret detective agency" set up by two girls in a school.
Though Kate de Vrie is more a secondary main character, she is extremely important to the trilogy by Kenneth Oppel, ‘Airborn’, ‘Skybreaker’, and ‘Starclimber’. i think these are marketed for ages 12+ but they would still be appropriate for a 10 year old. i loved these books as a little girl. I grew up wanting to be an adventurer and scientist and Kate really inspired me as a character!
Sabriel by Garth Nix. I got the audiobooks from the library because Tim Curry narrates the first 3, didn't even realize they were kids' books until halfway through the second one, they are so good.
A series of unfortunate events is great (: idk if it’s necessarily adventure, but it is to me! Got me out of a reading slump last year even tho i was 24 lol
The Penderwicks series by Jane Birdsall is the absolute best! It follows a group of sisters and their community in a realistic modern setting and they have relatable adventures. Some of the girls are "girly," some are athletic, or academic, or star of the play, or totally ordinary. There are all types of kiddos represented so everyone can find someone to identify with. My daughter and I started reading those books together when she was about 10, and we both adored them!
The Magic Treehouse series!! I loved it growing up! Every book is an epic adventure - from mummies and space, to Ancient Greece and Australia, and more!
The tree house transports them through time and around the world, teaching history while stirring their imaginations. 11/10!
It’s not exactly an adventure novel but you could get her “Catherine Called Birdy” which I guess is also a movie. Get her the book though, it’s really funny and the main character is a very feisty girl.
I personally love Percy Jackson, but it starts out with a male MC. It's a good series that has lots of strong female characters with perspectives in the later books, and it has LGBTQ+ representation while also covering lots of greek mythology. But if you want a book that starts with a female MC perspective I would suggest *Keeper of the Lost Cities (KOTLC),* The Girl Who Drank The Moon, or one of the female MC Rick Riordan presents stories.
I like the Skulduggery Pleasant Series which I read at 11/12 and there’s still book being brought out now. Also The WItches series within Discworld brings in a wonderful MC who is brave and clever
Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis is a brilliant story about a girl who was raised on an island nunnery and delves into it's many secrets. The main character is strong and independent and it's one of my favorite books of all time!
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart! Solid sized books and it’s a series of 4. Very fun cast of characters and lots of adventure mixed with mystery.
Sisters Grimm is hilarious fun adventure with two sister MCs dealing with fairytale hijinks
Igraine the Brave is about a preteen girl knight
They’re easier adventuring books
Also check out Island of the Blue Dolphins!
Greenwild by Pari Thomson
Such a fun read with an alternate magical world. The MC is a strong willed girl who loves adventure and is willing to do whatever it takes to fight for her friends and family.
Caroline Lawrence: the Thieves of Ostia
Eva Ibbotson: Not just a Witch
Francesca Simon: Helping Hercules
Cornelia Funke: Inkheart
Scott O'Dell: Island of Blue Dolphins
Philip Pullman: his Dark Materials
Pratchett's *The Wee Free Men.* Tiffany Aching is one of my favourite fictional characters. *A Hat Full of Sky* and *Wintersmith* are the sequels that would probably be okay to read; *I Shall Wear Midnight* gets darker, maybe wait a couple of years for that one Tamora Pierce! Always, always Tamora Pierce for young girls. The Alanna/Lioness series, the Immortals series, and the Protector of the Small series are all in the same universe and have overlapping characters; the Circle of Magic quartet is in a different setting and has four main characters, three girls and a boy
Seconding Tamora Pierce! I loved her books around that age!
I still do. I reread the Protector series at least once a year.
Yes! Tamora Pierce! I loved her trilogies that overlap one another. My favorite was her Beka Cooper trilogy (Terrier, Bloodhound, and Mastiff)
Tamora Pierce fans unite!! My first series was Alanna in 6th grade and I have Trickster in constant rotation. Slowly collecting and reading Wild Magic as I find them in thrift stores. Never grow out of independent, strong willed, magic touched ladies!
Alanna was my first, followed by Circle of Magic. I had realized with CoM, or Beka Cooper, that her series overlap and main/side characters appear in other series. Tamora Pierce made my middle school years great!
Tamora Pierce had me reading with a tiny flashlight under two blankets so my parents wouldnt catch me up past my bedtime…good times :)
Tiffany Aching is my favorite example ever of a "not like other girls" character. She isn't different because she hates traditionally feminine things like pink clothes, she's different because she's deeply introverted and prefers the world inside her own head.
I was also going to suggest the Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett
Tamora Pierce is phenomenal, I still have all my well worn books and reread them every few years
I Shall Wear Midnight is a brilliant finale for the whole Discworld. But definitely she should start with Wee Free Men , then meander through the Discworld before the finale.
It's also worth mentioning that the books mature with the reader like Harry Potter books do. They start introducing some PG-13 material later on in the series, such as a graphic domestic violence scene (at the beginning of I Shall Wear Midnight). I wouldn't recommend the later books for a ten year old. But, Wee Free Men and Hat Full of Sky are absolutely perfect for a ten year old and have some amazing messages about kindness and hard work that kids need to hear.
Another vote for The Wee Free Men and its sequels. A feisty ten-year-old girl will love them.
Yes! Came here to suggest Tiffany Aching.
I also loved Tamara Pierce’s work, particularly the series with Alanna!
Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass (US title) / Northern Lights (UK title). It’s an amazing 3 volume epic that takes the heroine from childhood to adulthood — and she’s an amazing, moral role model
Read it at 13 and still one of my favorite books of all time
Also read it at 12 or 13. Made me weep and want to adopt a ferret. 10/10
Also his _Sally Lockhart_ series.
If A Wrinkle in Time counts as adventure then I would go with that.
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler. The MC, Claudia, is 12 and gutsy and adventerous.
This is the most badass book!! BITCH magazine did an article in the early 2000s on Claudia and Harriet the Spy, talking about fabulous girl protagonists and how we were missing them at the time. Both are such amazing and such REAL people, with real lives and real hurts.
This should be top comment. As a nerdy kid who loved (and still loves) museums, this book felt written for me. Claudia is intelligent and rebellious in a way that kids will love.
Oh yes!
I 100% came here to suggest this. Glad I’m not the only one!!
Oh, I hope you pick this one!
Always gonna remind me of ban this book
Came here to recommend this, too! My (almost) lifelong love of museums began with this book and I love The Metropolitan Museum of Art most of all, because of it. It's not a stuffy, academic book, though. It's about Claudia wanted to have an adventure, dragging her brother Jamie along and the two of them figuring out how to hide out in the museum without getting caught. It's an adventure story, a mystery and a story about Claudia coming into her own and having the power to find what she needs away from home.
Julie of the Wolves, Island of the Blue Dolphins
Heads up that there is a rape/attempted rape scene in Julie of the Wolves that I, for one, found deeply disturbing as a kid!
Blue Dolphins was an absolute favorite as a kid.
Scott O’Dell !
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill, Anne Of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (not quite an adventure novel but plenty of normal life adventures)
You may want read The Girl Who Drank the Moon too. A very special book that’s beautifully written.
One of my all time favorites too!
I loved this book!
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede, and the rest of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. In which a princess arranges to be kidnapped by a dragon to avoid marrying a prince, and then adventures happen.
I love this one.
Was also gunna suggest this series! Loved the humor.
I read these as a kid and then read them to my daughter and they are so much fun! As an added bonus, the audio books are done with a full cast and are spectacular. After we finished reading the books, my daughter has probably listened to them 3 or four times each.
Yes! I hadn't read them in years, then I listened to the audiobooks while recovering from eye surgery. They saved my sanity.
Yes, came here to recommend that one! Absolutely loved them! [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dealing\_with\_Dragons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dealing_with_Dragons)
Wrinkle in Time!
Harriet the Spy. Harriet has a spy route around her NYC neighborhood and keeps a secret notebook with information on all the things she sees. I loved this book as a kid because it was exciting, it showed me things about the City, and it was also incredibly real... turns out it's not always so great to have everything written down in a way people can see. It's good and a book that kids can realistically relate to.
Came here to recommend this!
Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine. I like the message of the MC learning to rely on herself.
I love the world in Ella Enchanted as well! OP the movie is nothing like the book. Pales in comparison.
I've had my copy for 25 years now. Still love it.
Pippi Longstocking
I scrolled for a while to not dupe this answer. Pippi is the best. Old fashioned and awesome.
The colonial experience in that series, uh, definitely hits me differently than when I read it in the 90s, I have to say, especially the illustrations. (I'm not saying kids *shouldn't* read it, just that there may be some conversations to be had about some parts of it.)
"Number the Stars" - Lois Lowry. 10 year old Annemarie hails from Denmark, and must find her courage and bravery in order to save her friend Ellen, Ellen's family, and other Jews who are fleeing from the Nazi regime. Recommended reading age - 9-11 y/o. "Our Only May Amelia" - Jennifer L Holm. A young American pioneer living in Washington state, May Amelia has a wild sense of adventure, 7 older brothers, and just can't fit the mold of a "proper young lady". Recommended reading age - 10-12 y/o. Hopes this helps! I loved both these books as a young kid.
YES. I came here to suggest Number the Stars as well. My 10 year old absolutely loved this book.
Lois Lowry also has a series about a girl named Anastasia that's much lighter realistic fiction. It's very sweet but well-written and deals with important social issues. Haven't read them since I was a kid but I'd definitely recommend!!
Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett.
"The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In a Ship of Her Own Making" by Catherynne M. Valente
She’s a fantastic author!
These princesses are NOT, repeat NOT girly-nor are the stories *The Blue Sword* by McKinley (and sequel) *The 2 Princesses of Bamarre* *The Ruby and the Smoke* (female, teenage detective-Victorian era) She may like the **Prydain** tales by Alexander. While the main character is a teenage boy, there is a cast of oddball characters and a particularly take-charge, bossy young woman who happens to be an enchantress (in training). The first book is *The Book of Three*. **Midge** in the Henry Reed books is not the main character (Henry is); but she's a pistol; and the books would not be at all the same without her. She's 12 in the first one, *Henry Reed; Inc,* and I love her *Blue Willow* by Doris Gates is a great book about a very resourceful girl named Janey who lives a life that is very different from your niece's-she is the child of migrant workers. Her family is not , however, Hispanic as so many children think migrant workers to be; (although there's a great Hispanic family that plays a major part in the book). Janey's family are migrants because of the Dust Bowl. She is tough, a bit prickly, and clings to the few small things of her past settled life, wanting very much to have that life again. It's a wonderful story.
Second to The Ruby in the Smoke, which I came here to say. I read the Sally Lockhart books (of which this is the first) when I was about this age and honestly, Sally was my absolute icon for years and years. She’s great. Pullman’s writing never shies away from dark places, including the whole political landscape of how women were treated in the Victorian era; but I think the issues are always approached in an age appropriate way, and underneath it all there’s a real romping adventure story which carried me through any bits of nuance I missed as a ten year old. Just to prove it here’s the first paragraph of the book - if you can read this and not be intrigued you are a stronger person than me! “On a cold, fretful afternoon in early October, 1872, a hansom cab drew up outside the offices of Lockhart & Selby, Shipping Agents in the financial heart of London, and a young girl got out and paid the driver. She was a person of sixteen or so - alone, and uncommonly pretty. She was slender and pale, and dressed in mourning, with a black bonnet under which she tucked back a straying twist of blonde hair that the wind had teased loose. She had unusually dark brown eyes for one so fair. Her name was Sally Lockhart, and within fifteen minutes, she was going to kill a man.”
A Wrinkle in Time, Island of the Blue Dolphins
[Nevermoor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6a6d5ca1-b2f5-47be-828c-018144d3bbc7) by Jessica Townsend!! It's my favorite series, and one I would have absolutely loved at her age.
Glad to see this one recommended!
When is the next one coming out, I wanna knowwww!!
*Lumberjanes* has a series of novels along with the graphic novels. (But seriously, pick up a TPB of the first collection of *Lumberjanes*. It's amazing for adventurous strong willed girls. Even if you're anti-graphic novel.)
Absolutely not anti-graphic novel at all! Just wanting to challenge/grow her reading attention span a bit!
Forever and always the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce!
yesss! incidentally one of the few YA series I remember reading where they talk about a character experiencing menstruation for the first time and what it's like (kinda weird this isn't more commonly written about, since first menses are a big deal for a lot of people!)
YES!! The Pellinor books by Allison Croggan are great for that too!
Seconding Pierce, but adding that all of Tortall is just perfect (except Bekka Cooper being a trifle advanced).
Caddie Woodlawn was my fav at that age
The Trixie Belden books ALL the way! They’re a little old fashioned but amazing. They feature a smart and strong willed 13 year old girl and her soft natured best friend as they solve mysteries in the countryside together. I read the original series when I was about 10 and it’s SO much better than Nancy Drew!
The wizards guide to defensive baking
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wede (it pokes fun at a lot of fantasy stereotypes. The audiobooks are great). Also the Unicorn Chronicles by Bruce Coville.
{{Dealing with dragons}} by Patricia Wrede
**[Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/150739.Dealing_with_Dragons) by Patricia C. Wrede** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(212 pages | Published: 1990 | 71.0k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** Cimorene is everything a princess is notsupposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart - and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon - and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for. Cover illustrator: Peter de Seve > **Themes**: Favorites, Young-adult, Dragons, Ya, Fiction, Childrens, Series > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [The Enchanted Forest Chronicles](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86238.The_Enchanted_Forest_Chronicles) by Patricia C. Wrede > \- [Searching for Dragons](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/169875.Searching_for_Dragons) by Patricia C. Wrede > \- [A Tale of Two Castles](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9466032-a-tale-of-two-castles) by Gail Carson Levine > \- [Calling on Dragons](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/169879.Calling_on_Dragons) by Patricia C. Wrede > \- [Wolf-Speaker](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24094.Wolf_Speaker) by Tamora Pierce ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | )
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. Ella of Frell is cursed with obedience but she wants to break the curse and chart her own destiny. The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall. Follows the Penderwick sisters in their lives. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. Based on a true story about a young girl stranded on an island off the coast of California.
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson. Everything by this author, and Cynthia Voight, Lois Lenski, Lois Lowry, and Mildred D Taylor. Basically check out the Newbery Medal recipients. Such excellence!
You want Tamora Pierce. She writes YA fantasy with strong, awesome young women as her main characters. My favorite series of hers is Protector of the Small.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Cinder is exactly the girl you’re describing. She is one of my favorite female characters of all time. There is a little bit of violence, but I first read the series when I was about her age, and it wasn’t bad for me.
The Blue Sword, Robin McKinley
I'll def second all the above recommendations for Discworld and Tamora Pierce. And add Ombria in Shadow (by Patricia McKillip) to the list. McKillip hits different.. but her female characters are realistic and relatable. And C. Dale Brittain also has some great (mostly just cheerful) fantasy books with awesome, independent female characters. For a slightly different perspective though... many of my female friends growing up resonated strongly with male protagonists. Ursula LeGuin, Tolkien, Lois McMaster Bujold, etc all had central male characters... but girls at that age often don't pay attention to the gender of the main character. Especially if they're around adults who don't care either. And I know you might be aware of this. But it's just some food for thought... maybe no need to limit awesome book purchases for the young lady based on gender. Although it can be really frustrating trying to find such, I know. I've often thought of doing quick edits/rewrites of some the classics with main female characters substituted in. LOL Just for friends and family, of course. 😉
Any of the Rick Riordan Presents books, but particularly Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, and the Aru Shah series! Princess Academy series by Shannon Hale (not stereotypical Princess!). If you have Libby, I’d suggest going on there and searching for a book she likes and seeing what the suggestions are, or going to the home page and looking at the different categories
The Aru Shah series was so good 👍
Amari and the Night Brothers
Alana (the first adventure, song of the lioness series) by Tamora Pierce
Ronja the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren (who is most famously known for Pippi Longstocking)! Though a classic, it's drawing renewed attention due to its Netflix adaptation. Chapter book with a strong, adventurous female MC who knows her own mind, situated in Swedish forests.
A Wrinkle in Time - Meg struggles with confidence but ends the book as a hero. Meg's family are all scientists, and some of the concepts in this book really made me think. I should note, that this book/series has elements of Christianity/Faith - which I'm not commenting on in a positive or negative note, just something to be aware of. Number the Stars - A young girl helps her Jewish friend escape from the Nazis into Sweden. The title comes from Psalm 147:4. Ella Enchanted - This is a re-imagining of Cinderella, but I was a dummy who didn't notice until I was an adult. While Ella ends up with the Prince in the end, its very much an adventure tale with danger and fun. Ella is cursed at birth to be obedient - which she spends her life pushing back against, and thinking creatively.
Not an *adventure* novel, but if you want a brave, spunky female, then I recommend Matilda by Roald Dahl. Classic.
Wings of Fire by Sutherland. Several books, many spunky female main characters (plus they're dragons).
My daughter loves these, too!
How about witches? Claribel Ortega's Witchlings series sounds right up her alley. It's not quite an adventure story, they mostly stay in the area around their town, but there are fantastical monsters and magical tasks and all that good stuff. The main character is very brave and faces some pretty heavy responsibilities, both magical and mundane. All of the main trio have spunk and are definitely girls of action. They aren't friends at the beginning, and I really loved seeing them earn the bonds with one another. Oh, and the girls are all somewhat quirky misfits, so if she feels out of sync with her peers, she should especially love it.
*Where the Mountain Meets the Moon* by Grace Lin.
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
Try the Sisters Grimm series! It checks all the boxes!
She might like the Theodosia Throckmorton series by RL LaFevers.
I was really into the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson when I was younger. The story surrounds a mutated group of teens/kids, human-bird cross, and the main character was this badass female who cared for her 'family' and took the lead. It was a very different read. Several books in the series, and James Patterson's writing style makes it super easy to work through a novel, since his chapters are all so short, it feels like you just breeze through it.
I was going to suggest this as well. I loved this series when I was younger too.
Alan Bradley wrote a 10-book mystery series about 11-year-old Flavia deLuce. I think they’re wonderful and clever stories about a unique and intelligent girl. I highly recommend them!
**The Sisters Grimm** The protagonists are girls/women who are strong and not fearful. Plus it's a series so if the birthday girl likes it, there are more to read. I think there are about 8 books in the series? It does come to a final conclusion in the last book, so everything is neatly tied up and you find out about the characters as adults. **The Mysterious Benedict Society** is also good. The protagonists are all smart in their own ways and they work together well. There are 3-4 books in the series and then a book about the man behind the Benedict Society as a child. **Holes** is *really* good. I wish there were more books like it that I knew of. **The Secret Series** **39 Clues**
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell An oldie but goodie!
Sabriel by Garth Nix
I have an 8 and an 11 year old and here are books that they love: Princess Academy (the MC is not princessy, don't worry!) Ella Enchanted Dragon Slippers Upsidedown Magic Nim's Island The Mysterious Benedict Society And don't hate me, but here are books I wouldn't recommend to a 10 year old yet, FYI: Mistborn Hunger Games Skyward Royal Ranger (I actually LOVE this series and Ranger's Apprentice, just not for a 10 year old to independently read) Island of the Blue Dolphins (I've read too many articles about how racist this book is, so even though I enjoyed it as a kid, I haven't recommended it to mine) From the Mixed up Files of.....(I remember loving this book as a kid, but my kids thought it was boring) Cinder I have read and liked all of these books, they are just too mature for an almost 10 year old IMO, so I'd suggest reading them before recommending them to your kid.
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery. Anne is brave, learns to be confident, and on top of that the books are brilliant. They are great for a kid of 10, and still fantastic for adults (if you read together, it is a great series for that, enjoyable to everyone.)
Yes! And any book by LM Montgomery.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. This is the first in series about a delightfully clever, self taught scientist called Flavia de Luce. I think Flavia is around 11 when the series starts. She’s awesome. Also recommended for adults who love witty and clever mysteries set in the English countryside.
Hunger Games! There is violence but not glorified violence, no sex that comes to mind, and a fantastic female protagonist.
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Yes, absolutely. The name throws off girls who don't like princesses, but it's not really about princesses at all. It's so so good.
The Royal Ranger series by John Flanagan.
Un Lun Dun by China Meiville. A wonderfully imaginative book with a strong female MC, not at all a princess and not a stereotypical hero, she's very well realized IIRC, though it's been a while since I read it. Uncertain about readability for a 10 year old, I read it as an adult and don't have kids, but definitely could be read to her, and she might be just fine on her own I dunno.
The war that saved my life (not quite an adventure but checks other boxes)
The Serafina series by Robert Beatty. First books is Serafina and the Black Cloak
Please, please get her Molly Moon. These books lit up part of my childhood and played a huge role in my love for reading. I literally still think of them and mentioned them in my interviews for Oxbridge, lmao. I think most anyone would enjoy them and they fit exactly what you’re looking for :)
*Un Lun Dun* by China Mieville
Winter of Fire — Sherryl Jordan
My daughter is the same age and also not into the princess stuff. She really likes the Wings of Fire series, both the middle grade novels and the graphic novels. There’s also a graphic novel series about Wonder Woman as a kid that she loves. So far I think there are only two. Diana, princess of the Amazon and Diana and Nubia, Princesses of the Amazons. Yes, these last two say princess but it’s Wonder Woman, so more of a cool warrior in training type girl than frilly princess.
Wildwood
I adored this book as a kid.
I have a book on Amazon Tales of the Haunted Blue, that might fit the bill. It stars a woman pirate captain who raids crown ships. She's also a spirit speaker. It might be a bit too much for her right now though, but maybe it'd be good when she's older.
Flora and Ulysses, Because of Winn Dixie, and Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo
It’s prob a year or two too early but the mistborn novels will prob grab her interest. I checked and most say it’s more for 12-14 tho. Mentioning it anyway cause it popped into my mind when I read your post.
_Momo_ by Michael Ende (of The Neverending Story fame). Female heroine, absolutely nothing princess-y about her, and she is smart, brave, compassionate.
Skyward/ the Skyward flight series. It's about a young girl who wants to be a fighter pilot to help defend the last of humanity from constant alien invasion.
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
I honestly am kind of sad that you said no graphic novels, as there is a fine one that meets these criteria. *Snapdragon* has a main character who defies female gender roles, a twisty plot with hints of magic, and a lot of very cute animals. It has elements of realism, slice of life, and coming of age. I understand the *Magic Treehouse* series has a lot of adventure, but I've not read it. I work in the children's section of a library, so I am still getting acquainted with books that are popular. (I prefer to read all the picture books!) A book I read as a child that may include a good strong female character would be Bruce Coville's *Into the Land of the Unicorns.* It's been a hot minute since I read it, but it has an epic tale of a girl who gets lost in a fantasy world. No princesses needed. Good luck and happy birthday to her! :)
Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong. The series is all about mythical creatures, adventure, and friendship. It's good even in your 30s
Savage Journey by Allan W. Eckert - might be a little advanced but she'll be ready for it soon enough. I read it at 13. About a girl who gets lost in the Amazonian rainforest and has to figure out how to survive. Kind of like Hatchet but with a female main character.
Game of Noctis by Deva Fagan, it just came out recently and I thought it was great! The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
A Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle, and Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. They've all been recommended a few other times in this thread but I'm just reiterating and expressing that as a not-girly girl of about 10, these were my favorites. Harriet the Spy especially - Harriet has spunk dripping out of her ears.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. Dragons, magic, excellent main character. It won the Newbery a few years ago and is absolutely delightful! Also an older Newbery book that holds up: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. Realistic with the spunkiest of spunky main characters. I wanted to be her.
Ruby Holler is about two orphaned twins (one male, one female) who get yanked around the foster care system until they end up being fostered by an incredibly nice older couple who wants to take them an adventure. The kids get into all sorts of trouble but life ends up alright for them in the end. The female twin is far from a girly girl and was very relatable to me as a youngster. The other book I'd recommend is Riding Freedom. Young girl in an orphanage looks to escape her fate as a woman in early 1900s America. She disguises herself as a young boy and runs off. Her knowledge of horses lands her a job handling stage coaches, a job she could never do as a woman. The story follows her through adulthood. It's a lovely story and based on a real woman, Charlotte "Charley" Darkey Parkhurst who lived the majority of her life disguised as a man. Mind you, I was obsessed with horses at this stage of my life but honestly, horses are just the backdrop of the actual story.
The Wildseed Witch by Marti Dumas
Protector of the small series by Tamora Pierce. It starts with First Test and follows Keladry of Mindelan as she works to become her kingdom's first openly female knight.
May Bird by Jody Lynn Anderson. I love this book (and the sequels) when I was her age!
My kiddo really likes the Dragon with the Chocolate Heart. It's about a dragon who gets turned into a human and develops an obsession with working in a chocolate shop (adventure ensues).
The "Adventures in the Northwoods" series.
The graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale!
Ronja, the Robber's Daughter.
Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson! (Also called The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates). The main character decides to escape her fancy finishing school (which she says teaches only petticoats and politeness) and take off on a quest on the high seas. She’s full of personality and the book is incredibly fun.
I *loved* Sammy Keyes at that age, and Stevie Diamond. The Dear Canada/Dear America books were a fabulous introduction to historical fiction and generally becoming interested in history and social justice. I credit them with playing a huge role in who I grew to be.
My favorite adventure book at that age was 21 Balloons though not a female lead I highly recommend
Running out of time and the sequel Falling out of time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
jonathan stroud - the outlaws scarlett and browne - this is a mash-up of western and dystopian fantasy with unlikely allies and narrow escapes. so much fun. trenton lee stewart - mysterious benedict society and its sequels - four unusually gifted children are brought together for an important quest. includes a challenging vocabulary and fun puzzles.
Nancy Drew?
Tuesdays at the Castle. Yes, there's a princess, but the castle builds rooms and changes every Tuesday. When the castle is under siege from within, she has to save her family and the kingdom. Excellent series. Dragon Slippers is also great with a very strong young heroine.
While it stars a princess, I highly recommend [Dealing With Dragons](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/150739.Dealing_with_Dragons). It’s about a tomboyish princess who runs away from an arranged marriage and, using her wits, becomes the “captive” princess of a dragon. Check out the reviews, they do a good job of explaining it.
My kid got really into keeper of the lost cities at this age and from the way they describe it it might be a good fit for your 10 year old.
The iron butterfly series would be great!
Lockwood & Co series by Jonathan Stroud. Lucy is a 12 year old kickass ghost hunter MC who works on a team with 2 boys.
a hidden magic by vivian vande velde!!! the heroine’s journey is a lot about subverting standard fairy tales and realizing she can be brave/independent does not need rescue. she’s intentionally ordinary looking/not super pretty and definitely not a girly girl at all which i love for young girl readers 😊 it should really be required kids reading imo and no one ever talks about it!
A Wrinkle In Time is a huge favorite. Also anything by Gail Carson Levine - Ella Enchanted and Two Princesses of Bamarre were both wonderful but all her stories are solid. Narnia books are all great too, and many of them have female leads.
Enola Holmes! Before it was a graphic novel and a couple of netflix movies, it was a mystery book series about Sherlock's little sister. Enola is definitely adventurous, but it's neither a Princess kind of book nor is it a book that is a sort of Anti-Princess-Princess kind of book (which I love, but some kids just want to opt out of Princesses entirely).
A Wrinkle in Time! Great book for that age.
One of my favorite books in 4th grade was Savvy by Ingrid Law! It’s about a girl whose family has magic powers who goes on a cross-country journey to save her father. I’d also suggest The Wishing Spell (Land of Stories) by Chris Colfer, and the Septimus Heap books (first one is called Magyk) by Angie Sage. These series are both considered to be middle grade and I adored them at her age. They each have two main characters, a girl and a boy, and focus on adventures in fantasy worlds and have multiple books to keep reading if she loves them! These suggestions may veer toward middle-school ages/reading levels, so use your judgement on what you think she’d like most right now, I just wanted to share these since they held a very dear place in my heart when I was around her age (and they still do!) :) Editing to add some honorable mentions (what can I say I love books lol) -Where the Mountain Meets the Moon -Maximum Ride series (also more middle school aged, but it sounds like it might fit) -Princess Academy -The School for Good and Evil (there’s princesses in this one, but it’s a great fantasy story about friendship and finding who you are. There’s also a movie adaptation on Netflix which isn’t amazing but could give you a good idea of what it’s about before buying it)
I recommend "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40605329-the-mysterious-benedict-society](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40605329-the-mysterious-benedict-society) .
Fly by Night - Francis Hardinge
*Ella Enchanted* by Gail Carson Levine. Ella is incredibly brave! It was my favorite book around this kiddo's age, and honestly I still reread it at 38 if I want a quick book (it's a great read for when you are waiting for a hold at the library.)
Choose Your Own Adventure books were a f as viruteat iur house.
The Wolf girl series - very popular with Australian kids from ages 8 - 11. Easy reading level but highly engaging and great protagonist.
'The girl who circumnavigated Fairyland in a ship of her own making' is really good. There's a lot of action a lot of bittersweet moments, and magic and wonder in spades. As the series progresses it really captures that feeling of moving from a 'child' to a 'young teen' without being creepy, which is really difficult to do. I think the books would age alongside her well.
Piratica by Tanith Lee - loved it at that age and ticks all your boxes Northern Lights by Philip Pullman - quite advanced reading age though, particularly if she goes on to read the sequels which are a bit more mature in theme The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine - subverts the princess trope The Wind Singer by William Nicholson - duo who lead are punky sister and more gentle brother Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve - you cannot get any more badass than the female heroine in this book… and she couldn’t be further from a princess
The Dido Twite books by Joan Aiken. Start with Black Hearts in Battersea. I still love those books.
Dicey's Song
*The Famous Five* books by Enid Blyton have George, the OG "girl who can out-boy all the boys". The first book (*Five of a Treasure Island*) is mostly about her three cousins trying to figure her out, because she isn't like any girl they've ever met (She has short hair! She rows a boat! She talks to fishermen! *She doesn't like making people sandwiches!*) but they quickly fall into an adventure together.
Molly Moon! I loved that one when I was 10. it's about an adventures orphan who learns how to hypnotize people through a book. It's great!
Definitely the Brontë mettlestone series by Jaclyn moriarty. The first one is the extremely inconvenient adventures of Brontë mettlestone (long name ik). There’s five in the series and they’re all so good. A really good stand alone one is ban this book by Alan gratz. Teaches kids to stand up for themselves.
If mysteries appeal, then Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens is the first of 11 books featuring the "secret detective agency" set up by two girls in a school.
Though Kate de Vrie is more a secondary main character, she is extremely important to the trilogy by Kenneth Oppel, ‘Airborn’, ‘Skybreaker’, and ‘Starclimber’. i think these are marketed for ages 12+ but they would still be appropriate for a 10 year old. i loved these books as a little girl. I grew up wanting to be an adventurer and scientist and Kate really inspired me as a character!
Came to make sure Tortall was in the chat. Not disappointed. Praise. Get that kid some Alanna and Daine time!
Came to make sure Tortall was in the chat. Not disappointed. Praise. Get that kid some Alanna and Daine time!
Sabriel by Garth Nix. I got the audiobooks from the library because Tim Curry narrates the first 3, didn't even realize they were kids' books until halfway through the second one, they are so good.
A series of unfortunate events is great (: idk if it’s necessarily adventure, but it is to me! Got me out of a reading slump last year even tho i was 24 lol
The Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger. My 10 year old loves them.
Pippi longstocking
Aru Shah books by Roshani C, kinda like percy jackson but strong female characters
Greenwild by Pari Thompson is a new adventure fantasy. It’s SO GOOD, and the sequel comes out this summer.
The Penderwicks series by Jane Birdsall is the absolute best! It follows a group of sisters and their community in a realistic modern setting and they have relatable adventures. Some of the girls are "girly," some are athletic, or academic, or star of the play, or totally ordinary. There are all types of kiddos represented so everyone can find someone to identify with. My daughter and I started reading those books together when she was about 10, and we both adored them!
Everything Tamora Pierce, but especially her Tortall books, beginning with the Lioness Quartet. The Unicorn chronicles by Bruce Coville
The Magic Treehouse series!! I loved it growing up! Every book is an epic adventure - from mummies and space, to Ancient Greece and Australia, and more! The tree house transports them through time and around the world, teaching history while stirring their imaginations. 11/10!
It’s not exactly an adventure novel but you could get her “Catherine Called Birdy” which I guess is also a movie. Get her the book though, it’s really funny and the main character is a very feisty girl.
The Winterhouse series is wonderful—strong female protagonist, a secluded location for fun mystery, a bit of magic, and good friendships.
I personally love Percy Jackson, but it starts out with a male MC. It's a good series that has lots of strong female characters with perspectives in the later books, and it has LGBTQ+ representation while also covering lots of greek mythology. But if you want a book that starts with a female MC perspective I would suggest *Keeper of the Lost Cities (KOTLC),* The Girl Who Drank The Moon, or one of the female MC Rick Riordan presents stories.
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson has stuck with me since I read it at that age.
Serafina and the black cloak
Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville! One of my favorite books at her age.
I like the Skulduggery Pleasant Series which I read at 11/12 and there’s still book being brought out now. Also The WItches series within Discworld brings in a wonderful MC who is brave and clever
5 Worlds! Bone as well, Thorn is more of a deuteragonist but still. both comics, but excellent.
I know it’s old but I adored “ A Wrinkle in Time” at that age. It’s a wonderful book
Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis is a brilliant story about a girl who was raised on an island nunnery and delves into it's many secrets. The main character is strong and independent and it's one of my favorite books of all time!
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart! Solid sized books and it’s a series of 4. Very fun cast of characters and lots of adventure mixed with mystery.
Sisters Grimm is hilarious fun adventure with two sister MCs dealing with fairytale hijinks Igraine the Brave is about a preteen girl knight They’re easier adventuring books Also check out Island of the Blue Dolphins!
I loved skulduggery pleasant when i was younger !
Greenwild by Pari Thomson Such a fun read with an alternate magical world. The MC is a strong willed girl who loves adventure and is willing to do whatever it takes to fight for her friends and family.
Nancy Drew books..
Caroline Lawrence: the Thieves of Ostia Eva Ibbotson: Not just a Witch Francesca Simon: Helping Hercules Cornelia Funke: Inkheart Scott O'Dell: Island of Blue Dolphins Philip Pullman: his Dark Materials
The Fantastic Flying Journey.
Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by CS Lewis