I've been buying books for my friend's almost 3 yr old son and also her niece who's somewhere between 8 and 10..think she's 2nd grade. It's kinda hard because she was reading in kindergarten and I didn't start reading until around 1st or 2nd grade and not chapter books until maybe 3rd grade.

She likes cats and I'd gotten her some animal ark books from someone here and she loved them(just can't rmember which ones I got her LOL!) and I've given her some boxcar children books and a few by Carole Marsh? the one who writes mysteries that are supposedly educational - chocolate town and another one. since she likes cats I got her 3 that I saw recommended on amazon(one a friend's daughter really likes) and got her the first book in the Warriors series about cats, Fashion Kitty, and a Nancy Drew that had a mystery with cats. Then I just browsed the section at Borders for 8-12 yr olds and found books I liked from 3rd -5th grade figuring that might be her reading level now at 2nd grade! I passed on The Secret Garden since I thought it might be too hard(it was challenging for me being set in India and England with the strange words) though I'm thinking maybe next month for her bday...also got her LIttle House in the Big Woods, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlotte's Web, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great. She seemed super-excited with all of these.

I'm debating the next ones to include The Secret Garden, On the Banks of Plum Creek, and then figure out which of the cat series she's liked but would also like some other recommendations! I was afraid the Warriors book she wouldnt' like but she was t hrilled with it - had read one of the other books in the series.

As she grows up keep in mind the original books that sparked Disney movies -- the real books.  Pinnochio, Bambi, The Little Mermaid, etc.  Give it a couple of years.  My daughter ate those up.

Edward Eager has a good series -- Half Magic comes to mind.  The trick with a child who is an advanced reader is finding books at their reading level that don't deal with the social issues they aren't ready for.

I have a list in my signature below where people have listed and voted on their favorite children's literature. 

There is a great series with animals (including a cat) by Garth Williams.  My favorite (and my childrens') are "The Cricket in Times Square" and "Chester Cricket's Pigeon Ride", but all of them are great.

thanks!

Hi, I've got a girl that age myself and I like the Magic Puppy and Magic Kitten series.

I was just going to suggest The Cricket in Times Square..my daughter loved that book and read it more than once.  She might try Amber Brown books by Paula Danzinger,  Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls by Meg Cabot (might be more 3rd/4th grade), Beverley Cleary books like the Mouse and the Motorcycle or Ramona the Pest were popular with the 3rd grade crowd.  My Second Grader(boy)  is reading the A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy but I remember my daughter reading them in second grade too.

ETA: Oops didn't realize this was a month old..oh well maybe this will help for next time you are in need to recommendations:)

I'm still looking LOL! right now she's reading Charlotte's Web that I got her. I saw Beverly Cleary and thought those looked good. i've never read Cricket in Times Square - I'll look for that one.