When I was a kid I had a stepfather who beat me all the time for small reasons. I said "I love you" once too many times to my mother on the way to work. He didn't like how I drew him in a family picture. I wore my brother's jeans. I didn't want to 'wrestle' on the trampoline. I existed.

My school was not an escape because my brothers soured my teachers to people with my last name. We were poor and looked it, and I was a know it all, so bullying was rampant.

My grades were nonexistent because instead of doing homework, I got off the bus and ran straight into the woods with a backpack full of Tamora Pierce books. Those books saved my life, and not only because I hid out there to read instead of going home. As corny as it sounds, they sort of gave me an idea of how things should work. Bullies shouldn't win.

I waited for a hero like Alanna or Kel to show up, because I was an idealistic kid with an imagination. But heroes don't really show. Therefore I got my ass handed to me by pulling a Kel left and right pissing off kids who bullied other kids.

I also stood up to my stepdad and told him what he was doing was abuse and he should stop. But it's reality and I never said I was smart, so you can imagine how that went. It involved a wooden broom. :P

I'm sure this will be downvoted if read at all because it's kind of a tangent but I wanted to thank you for suggesting her books. People can say what they want about the writing style but they helped shape me, and I think OP's daughter could really benefit if she likes fantasy.

I'll probably delete this soon 'cause it's sappy and stupid, too long, and no one gives a shit, but thank you for posting this. >>