Book suggestions for avid reader age 8

[dancingmuppet]

My 8 year old dd, in year 4, is an extremely avid reader, she's just been assessed at school as being level 5a (not sure why as I thought levels weren't going to be used anymore), which I assume is about 4-5 years ahead. I need ideas for books for her that will keep her interest but not be to old in content, any suggestions would be appreciated.

[var123]

Its more like 18 months - 30 months ahead. By the end of year 5, there will be a few children who have reached 5a and by the end of year 6, it will be quite common at least in the top set. (Its still very good though for year 4).

Books... I only have boys so there might be a poster along in a minute that can answer this better. However, my sons have read several books that I think are quite unisex... The Mysterious Benedict society, Percy Jackson series, the earlier Harry Potter books (later Harry grows up and the themes change and sometimes darken), Tom's Midnight Garden & Enid Blyton (esp Famous Five).

[lljkk]

EB White stories (Trumpeter Swan, Charlotte's web, Stuart Little)
Nesbitt, you know, Railway children lady
Swallows & Amazons (200 of them)
The Black Stallion series (if she's into horses)
Nancy Drew
the Secret Garden
Pollyanna (several of them)
Heidi is darker than you think, but not out of the question
Dd started reading Jacqueline Wilson at that age. I know sometimes controversial but they are a good way to talk about difficult issues in the world
Agatha Christie novels

[InMySpareTime]

The Strangeling's Tale by Carol Ferro.
It's a lot of smaller stories that come together in the end, nice challenging language but appropriate themes for an 8yo (my DD loved it!)

[MissMillament]

I agree with lljkk, classics are the way to go. My oldest DD was similar, and at that age she was reading E Nesbit, the Little House on the Prairie books, Anne of Green Gables, Narnia, Noel Streatfeild, Louisa May Alcott etc. The content is suitable and books like these will help her extend her vocabulary.

[dancingmuppet]

Thanks, classics are a good idea. I know we've got a copy of Anne of Green Gables so I might get her started on that, I loved that book as a child.
She's not keen on Jacqueline Wilson, which is a shame as we've got loads of them from my older daughter, she can be a bit dismissive of anything her older sister has read!

[dancingmuppet]

I haven't heard of The Strangeling's Tale before, just looked it up, it sounds right up her street.

[MyNameIsSuz]

What about the Lemony Snicket series? Those are great!

[Katiebeau]

What Katy Did series. Lovely books. Little House on the Prairie

[hambo]

The Indian in the cupboard, Coral Island...books by Wilbur Smith.....5 children and it.....Swallows and Amazons.....books by Helen Moss.

[Cathpot]

Second the Lemony Snicket series they are fantastic,they are very funny , there are lots of them and good for vocab. The 'being in the dark about being in the dark' section may be one of my all time favourites. Typical lemony snicket quote might be ' if you are allergic to things, it is best not to put that thing in your mouth, particularly if the thing is cats'.

My yr 3 child loves the chris riddell otteline stories - they are illustrated books but well written and she reads them over and over. Both my girls (other one in yr5) like the skulduggery pleasant books and are working their way through the Percy Jackson Lightning thief series. Ender's game is a fantastic book with a 7 year old hero in it. Might sound odd but the tintin series have good vocab in and get read over and over again.

[lavendersun]

8 year old girl here. Currently re-reading The Hobbit for the umpteenth time.

I bought used Nurse Matilda books recently which she read at the rate of one per afternoon.

One wish, 13 curses, 13 treasures and 13 secrets - a series, went down well.

All the classics above, Enid Blyton's Mystery series after Famous Five and Secret Seven.

Philip Pullman - Firework Makers Daughter and I was a Rat so far, Harry Potter - I have allowed up to and including book 5. Box of Delights and Animals of Farthing Wood along with National Velvet were Christmas gifts (yet unread).

Guardians of Gahoole series (15 books) are fabulous - we were lucky enough to get them from a relative in the US.

The Moffats (series) and Emil and the Detectives (series).

A Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones and the series that follows (DD only has the first one but once she needs more books that will be our next series.

I wish I had as much time to read as she does! It can be hard finding the right content for an advanced reader. I don't always get it right!

[JustRichmal]

Dd also loves Percy Jackson. Other books she liked:
How to Train Your Dragon
Inkheart
Frozen in Time
My Family and Other Animals

Dd also did not get on with Jacqueline Wilson, but did love Gerald Durrell. Do you think she would like Little House on the Prairie? She is 11.

[tenderbuttons]

DD, also 8, also avid reader!

Second all the Percy Jackson series, and you could try Mysterious Benedict Society too. E Nesbit was also a huge hit here.
She's been through a lot of the above, but you could also try:
Ruby in the Smoke - Philip Pullman
Jasper Fforde, the Quarkbeast series
Goth Girl, also by Chris Riddell
Roman Mysteries series by Caroline Lawrence

I will go and look at the library lending lists and see what else has been a hit too.

[dancingmuppet]

Some great suggestions. I'd forgotten about the 13 series, we've got all of those. She's read a lot of the Roman mysteries, which she's loved. She's also read the Rose books by Holly Webb and a couple of the David Walliams but wasn't that keen on him. Haven't managed to get her to try Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, not sure why, may be because her older sister loves them!

[var123]

Ds2 also won't try anything that Ds1 likes, on principle. For the times, I got around it, it was by saying that a slightly older boy we know loves such and such book.

[lostintoys]

My 8-year-old loved the Spiderwick Chronicles and the Roman Mysteries series. Also Philip Reeves's Goblins books and the Baker Street Boys series (Sherlock Holmes mysteries) and Anthony Horowitz's Diamond Brothers books.

[dancingmuppet]

Thanks again for the ideas. I will have to try your suggestion, var123, it might just work, I use to do something similar with clothes she refused to wear, if I said that they came from one particular friend all of a sudden she would wear them, it worked for both new and hand me downs!
She went to bed tonight reading Roald Dahl's autobiography, Boy!

[MrsPnut]

Dd8 is currently reading the warrior series about a group of cats. She tends to read mostly wildlife books and mainly non fiction but these have captured her imagination.

[take3]

We have 3 avid readers in our house.... and I have now made a book list...

Snow Treasure
The Swish of the Curtain and other Pamela Brown Books
EB White books
Books by B.B eg Little Grey Men etc
Ballet Shoes and all others by Noel Streatfield
5 children and IT
Dr Dolittle
Heidi
The Princess and the Goblin and others by George Macdonald
Beaver Towers series

are just some good ones...

[BlackeyedSusan]

will she read non fiction? dd is obsessed with non fiction books.

[stopthecavalry]

Found this thread useful so I thought I would add some of my son's suggestions. Sorry he didn't supply authors so you will have google those. He is an avid reader of the same age.

The Mysterious Benedict Society series
The Raven Mystery series
The Adventure Island series
The Laura Marlin Mysteries series
Nerds series
Nick and Tesla series
Dr Proctor Fart Powder series
The Wells and Wong Mystery series

[thoth]

Treasure Island
Just William
Chalet School?

[thoth]

Oh and Terry Pratchett- the Tiffany Aching series (starts with wee free men'?) and the bromeliead'- which is truckers, diggers, wings.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

My dd loves The Seeker series.
Its something to do with bears I think.

[Heels99]

Oh a trip down memory lane...how I loved the swish of the curtain...