Just a couple of quick notes, NCPMom--I'm not spending much time online anymore, what with one thing and another...but it seems to me you have an 8 year-old boy, too, so here are some titles/authors of books mine has liked that I don't think I've mentioned here before, in case that helps with your shopping (I'm sure other people have lots of good suggestions, so this post is more by way of being a bump for you):
Noel Langley, The Land of Green Ginger (written by the screenwriter of the Wizard of Oz film, slapstick fantasy in the land of the Arabian nights, short, fun).
Alan Cumyn, The Secret Life of Owen Skye, After Sylvia, Dear Sylvia (epic little kid love story trilogy--nostalgic, warm family story, hilarious, sweet).
Eva Ibbotson--two sets of books--one for youngers (Which Witch? The Ogre of Oglefort, etc.) with supernatural characters, light, short (~100 pp), amusing; one for olders (Journey to the River Sea, The Star of Kazan, The Dragonfly Pool)--longer (~400 pp), more serious books, very well-developed characters, beautifully descriptive, thoughtful, excellent. ALL of Eva Ibbotson's books have well-delineated struggles between good and evil--the good always receive their just reward, and the baddies always get their comeuppance. Very satisfying, extremely well-written books.
peace
minnie
I've read the series and think that DD8 probably would enjoy it if she let herself.