Books for the kids' christmas stockings - ages 4.5 and 7 - need ideas please!

[EmGee]

We have tons for example: Charlie and Lola, most of Julia Donaldson/Scheffler, Princess Poppy, Shirley Hughes, some Roald Dahl chapter books, Rainbow Fairy books, Mr Men and Little Miss etc. I have also just got ordered some Enid Blyton (Magic Faraway Tree) and a couple of Dick King Smith's Sophie books to try out.

We don't live in UK so the eldest (will be 7 in December) reads in two languages but her reading in English is probably lower than your average 7yo in the UK system. She is currently reading Level 4 of these Ladybird early readers. They are probably a bit too easy for her even though she doesn't know all of the words.

I'm a bit stuck for ideas on what to get them - I like to get them books for their Christmas stockings and they enjoy receiving them. So far, I have got the younger one a Sabuda pop-up and The Fairytale Hairdresser and the Princess and the Pea. For the eldest I have some more Magic fairy books (I generally read them to both kids and ask her to read the odd paragraph - they are sooooooo boring though), Princess Belle and the Magic shoes and a book about Cinderella by the Horrid Henry author can't remember her name, Francesca something

I'm looking for books I can read to both girls at the same time. The youngest can get fidgety especially if there aren't many pictures.... We read George's Marvellous Medicine which caused much fidgeting although Milly Molly Mandy went down better.

Any ideas gratefully received!

[AnyTheWiser]

Astrid Lindgren:
Pippi Longstocking
Children of Noisy Village
Lotta books
Emil books
Carlson books

Tove Jansson's Moomins

Neil Gaiman's Fortunately the Milk

Chris Riddell's Ottiline books

Alex T Smith's Claude books

Johnny Duddle's Jolly Rogers series

Shirley Hughes and Claire Vuillamy's Dixie O'Day series

[jesterkat]

I love this one, but I'm a big kid
www.google.co.uk/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FStory-Little-Mole-Knew-Business%2Fdp%2F1856021017&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjOz_ipib3PAhVFtxQKHeRPDwEQFggkMAg&usg=AFQjCNGfwR5DnruWLpt7g9EZLc7-VHdHCQ&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[EmGee]

Thanks for the ideas. They like Pippi Longstocking. We have the poo book Jester!

[chamenager]

Have you had a look on thebookpeople.co.uk?

We're a bilingual family too and books in our non-local language are so expensive to get (no library, no second-hand shops). Everything is available (thanks to Amazon etc) but we have to buy most books new.

At least at thebookpeople you can get cheap sets :)

Perhaps look at this document www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0002/2553/Supporting_Booklist_BQRM.pdf for ideas leading on from Rainbow Fairies.

With my kids I find that they do not see books as special gifts (because I provide them with heaps of books all the time, probably ;) ) except when they are something that they really want (and is usually 'bad literature'). E.g. DS was hugely into a TV series, then when I got him a book on that series, he was very excited. So for my children if I were choosing books for presents, it would usually not be books that I liked very much or that would make for interesting reading, but rather, books that I know would make them happy and that I would perhaps not normally buy.

[EmGee]

Thanks chamenager - that is a great link. DD1 definitely not ready to give up on fairies yet! I do get a lot of things from The Book People, and also buy secondhand from Amazon France (works out at about 3€ a book inc P&P). Sometimes the choice is bamboozling though.

I am definitely going to get the Claude books, and some from the list you linked to.

[BlueChampagne]

Sophie and the Shadow Woods series for your 7yo. She might also like the Ottoline books.

Francesca Simon is the name you're looking for, "Don't cook Cinderella".

The Katie Morag stories would be worth looking at for your younger one.

[Leeds2]

Iggy & Me series by Jenny Valentine might appeal as it is about a girl and her younger sister (a modern day My Naughty Little Sister).

The Rescue Princesses series by Paula Harisson are incredibly popular in the library where I work. Slightly more difficult than Rainbow Fairies, but same sort of thing.

Magic Kitten and Magic Puppy book by Sue Bentley are also favourites.