Summer Reading

One would think that winter is the best time for reading, cozying up by the fire, sipping hot chocolate. In my mind, this is true, alongside white Christmas and Easter chicks.
However, practice proves otherwise. I mainly read during summer. Come April I browse through magazines and newspapers for the season's must haves. My favorite articles are those telling you witch book to buy according to your destination. I look forward to those!
This year the weather was rainy and I wasn't in the mood. However there are some books sitting in my virtual shopping baskets and at some point I'll go through them.

My Spring Reading Thing challenge is doing OK. I have read about half my reading list and I hope to share my impressions with you some time soon.

Callapidder Days does weekly giveaways, and so do some other nice people.
Joyful Days does another give away including the much talked about "Crime and Clutter". She also shares her lovely wedding story. She also asks us to tell a funny story about the wedding. I am not going to tell you the funniest one here, because it'll need time to say it properly. What I do remember is arriving at the church and going through the whole ceremony with my veil undone. It had some gorgeous embroidery but nobody helped me to move it forward!
A Peek At My Bookshelf also offers C&C (what is it with this book?), plus a $10 gift certificate at Christianbook.com.

Now, I have a favor to ask of you. Could you recommend some nice books worth reading by a 12 year old girl? F is not going to do any extra-curriculum activities during the summer, as she did last year, because I want her to concentrate on her English classes. We have met a lovely couple from South Africa and she is going to work with her over the summer so that she keeps up with it.
I am thereforelooking for books that could keep her interested and enrich her soul. I am thinking of The Little House series that I loved as a child. I know the Bible comes to mind, but I don't want to push her, as she hasn't received any formal religious education, apart from our religious practice at home. I need something gentle to ease her into the growing up and this new phase in life as she experiences puberty and goes on to High School. Thank you so much!
Read well!