The Wild Chicks — Cornelia Funke

The series that launched Cornelia Funke as one of the most beloved authors in German, THE WILD CHICKS is a middle-grades to YA series about a group of German girls who form the eponymous “Wild Chicks” gang. Funke began the series after her editor's request for a story “without fairies, ghosts, or pirates,” and was adamant about creating a realistic story, with relatable characters and adventures any child could have. THE WILD CHICKS pulls from Funke's own suburban German upbringing and takes place in the late 20th century―before the popularization of cellphones, Wi-Fi, and many of the things that children now use to amuse themselves indoors. The members of the Wild Chicks gang―Charlie, Freya, Trudie, and Melanie―don't have perfect families, but they have each other, humor, and plenty of adventures!