My top five: Female characters

1. Laura Marlin from the Laura Marlin books by Lauren St John An orphan girl goes to live with her myserious and quiet uncle. One by one she solves the mysteries that surround him. She saves her hometown and stops criminals on her own, well with a little help from her dog! 2. Cecilia Undergarment from Northwood by Brian Falkner She is a great character and her name is not as weird as her dad's job and her house. One word: balloons! She stops an evil king, gets away from the black lions, saves a whole village of cheated people from the forest, rescues a badly treated dog and…need I go on???? 3. Beans (Beatrice) from Operation Gadgetman by Malorie Blackman When her dad gets kidnapped Beans deciphers a coded letter from her dad and rescues him using the spy kits he gave her and her friends. She does it all without her sneaky gran finding out. She's really cool. 4. India from Secrets by Jacqueline Wilson Her best friend, Treasure, is in big family trouble so India hides her just like her heroine Anne Frank. Also, she lives in a posh house, goes to a posh school and even has a nanny but she doesn't like any of the fancy clothes her mum designs and would rather be able to do BMX tricks like Treasure. 5. Mrs Frisby from Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C O'Brien Mrs Frisby is an old mouse who has many children to look after one of whom is ill. She manages, with the help of some of her animal friends, to get into the home of the rats of Nimh. She learns their amazing story and is prepared to help them even if it means facing the farmer's cat…