Mumsnet Talk

Have read almost all Roal Dahl, far away tree and magic chair, mr gump, horrid henry, she doesn't like rainbow fairies.

Does like battersea dogs series but a little too basic, she likes the idea of Jacqueline Wilson but story line is a little beyond her grasp in suitcase kid and another she has that I don't remember the name.

Looking to replenish for Xmas plus she has come off reading scheme at her request as she told her teacher that the easy reading books where taking up too much time when she could be reading what she wants. and I have agreed to use own books until school are able to purchase some free choice books for her.

Any ideas based on these likes, her reading has really taken off and struggling to keep up with her. Would like a series suitable for her ability that isn't a over her comprehension.

Enid Blyton
Swallows and Amazons

Little House on the Prairie series
The Worst Witch series

My 6yo DS is an advanced reader and loves both of these.
Also, Usborne Books does an excellent series of abridged classics.

Thanks, liking the idea of some of the classics well written and not to grown up story lines.

Dd1 loved the first three or four Harry potter's at that age. Se didn't like the last ones as she felt they were too grown up, but she loved the first ones. It was perfect timing, as when she moved into y2, the class groups were named after the Hogwarts houses.

Dd2 loved Michael Morpurgo books, and ds1 loved the Cressida Crowell ones. The older kids went back and read them too, as they were such great fun.

Dd2 tried Percy Jackson etc, but decided to wait - 8 was more reasonable for that, along with the septimus heap/ Angie sage books.

Milly Molly Mandy
Swallows and Amazons
The Wombles
Just William
My Naughty Little Sister
Anne of Green Gables
What Katy did Next
Ballet Shoes

She has never shown an interest in Harry potter, when watching the films with her cousins she found them boring. Not sure she is a fantasy or even scfie type person she loves adventure and drama and is into sports big time. She is very practically minded still very young in her own thought process which is why she has loved Roal Dahl so well. Danny champion of the wold fantastic mr fox have been her favourites.

Dd1 was like that too - she adored Ronald Dahl. No idea how she ended up reading HP!

Michael Morpurgo might be a goer. What about lemony Snicket? She might be a year or so 'young' but if she gets the language play it might be an option?

I had her look at lemony snicket in the book shop the other day but she was more interested in the moshi monsters annual grrr. I think she would like that. She also loves Madeleine the rhyming in those stories keep her interest.

I just ordered Millie Molly Mandy, I remember my sister loved those stories as a child too and would read them to me, so would be lovely to share them with my dd.

Not sure if you're old enough to remember the tv programme Jackanory, but they published books too, which are good for young children who are good readers. Some were written especially and others were stories that were adapted to make them suitable for the 1970s children.

D has enjoyed my old Little Nose stories and PussyOwl - both Jackanory books. I think it's easy to pick these books up secondhand.

Little Nose is fab!

If she likes Milly Molly Mandy, I recall DD also liked My Naughty Little Sister.

How abotu The Borrowers? Maybe a bit of a challenge but super story.

YY to Michael Morpurgo but watch out as he writes for all ages, somethign like Dancing Bear or Butterfly Lion maybe better for a 6yo than Private Peaceful.

I don't think anyone has mentioned the Judy Moody books and Humphrey the Hamster ones, DD (Also 6) has Aldo recently read and enjoyed them.

Secret seven, my naughty little sister, flat Stanley series, asterix, Malory towers

If she likes non-fiction: horrible histories, usbourne eye witness books

DS1 also loves the dinosaur cove books and the narnia books.

What are you reading to her? I have just finished wind in the willows with my two (7 and 4).

I haven't read anything with her for a while I tend to read what ever she picks up, fantastic mr fox, but she has wanted to read on her own lately in bed where she has read most of the batersea dogs books. I did start suitcase kid with her a few nights ago but the story was a little out of her grasp and she said she didn't want to read it anymore so we started glubslyme but I'm not sure that suits her too much either.

Fantastic mr fox is the last one I read with her, that should have said.

Arabel and Mortimer series by Joan Aiken. Ronia the Robbers Daughter. Little House in the Big Woods. Philip Pullman has some good ones for younger readers- the firework makers daughter, I was a rat, The Scarecrow and his Servant.

Ramona the Pest
My Naughty Little Sister
Secret 7
The Owl who was afraid of the dark
Flat Stanley

Dd (also 6) loves lots of Michael morporgo, especially the butterfly lion, sausage lion, kensuki's kingdom.
Also dick king smith (sheep pig, hodge heg etc)
My naughty little sister (although I hate these!)
Secret seven
Stig of the dump.
Charlotte's web...

We're currently reading the lion, the witch and the wardrobe to her and dd2 (4) which is a huge hit with them both, (although probably beyond dd1 reading ability if she was reading it herself)

In year 1:
Dd1 read: All the Harry Potters that had been released (I think down to 5 or 6)
Arthur Ransome (SWallows and Amazons)
Narnia
Famous Five
Roman Mysteries
Joan Aiken (Wolves of Willowby Chase and sequels)
What Katie did and sequels
Little Women
Malcolm Saville

Dd2 read: Famous Five/Adventure series
Jacqueline Wilsons (some are fine-Candyfloss was her first)
Little House on the Prairie set
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Little White Horse and others by Elizabeth Goudge
Arthur Ransome
Gwendoline Courtney (stories from 60s I think)
Monica Edwards (Wish for a pony and others)
Secret Garden
Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe/Magicians Nephew/Horse and His Boy (she was scared by Prince Caspian and didn't continue)

Ds (currently in year 1) is reading all the library's collection of books on WWII and aeroplanes. Makes for interesting discussions "Did you know mummy that the bouncing bomb Lancasters had to be specially adapted...?"

David Walliams mr stink is fab and very roald Dahl like he has written thers too but dd not read those yet.

If she likes moshis Asdas have a set of find your own path moshi books for £4. They are like the old choose your own adventure stories but with moshis.

My DDs have loved the David Walliams books (all of them - Gangsta Gran prob the favourite). Have you tried Eve Ibbotson, e.g one boy and his dog?

Second (or third) Michale Morpurgo. Not all of his books are suitable at that age, but try the 9 lives fo Montezumo, Butterfly Lion etc.

We found this age group/ability a struggle:

Lots of short stories, fairy tales from around the world, myths & legends stuff.
Marcia Williams - comic books but myths & legends, Dickens etc
Ottoline - Chris Riddle which leads on to lots of others.
Wizard of Oz
Charlottes Web - loved
Stig of the Dump-not so keen
Enid Blyton
Not keen on Harry Potter at this stage so save for later.

I'd tread carefully tbh.All of mine were the same at 6 however no way would they be reading Harry Potter etc a)I wanted them to love HP and get the most they could out of them b)6 is a tricky age re comprehension c)you push them too far you'll turn them off and they won't read so much d) you'll run out of decent stuff to progress to.

Yes they could read the weighty stuff easily but comprehend every word and meaning no.

My dd loved Ottoline,Ivy and Bean,Naughty Little Sister,TumTum and Nutmeg,Bella Donna,the easy JW,Pippi Longstocking,Mirror-Belle,Madame Pamplemousse,Humphry books,Daisy books,Flat Stanley,Secret Seven,Famous Five....

All the above are easy to comprehend but she will go through them quick,not a big issue imvho.At 6 I wanted them to be working on becoming confident readers building a lifelong love of reading.It's also easier to build on the comprehension skills they're supposed to do and the book talk with a shorter book at this age.

Now they're all enjoying the heavier stuff.Ds 9 is re-reading the Harry Potters,sooo glad we waited.

DS is still going on Horrid Henry and Dirty Bertie, but also likes Jeremy Strong. Usborne stories, he's enjoyed the series 2 ones recently. Then he likes "scary stuff", Kaye Umansky. Probably joke books are his favourite at the moment though . I have bought various other things but those are his favourites, leaving Enid Blyton for now. Oh yes... The Beano.....

The Mr Majeika series of books might be worth a look too.

Yes we love The Beano and The Phoenix.Horrid Henry is fab too.

Lots of great advice thanks everyone. I completely agree polkadotcircus I think HP would very much turn her off and no way am I up for pushing her too much, she reads all the time is either on the PC, ipad or has a book in her hand. I seem to replenish her books over Xmas, will take atrip to the charity shops and see if I can pick up some of the suggestions, I have bought milly Molly Mandy and lemony snickets off amazon so will try and pick up some others just to give her a selection in her room and what we can pick up from the library.

She loved beno I was going to get her a subscription for Xmas

Has she read any of the Noel Streatfield books? I was obsessed with the Shoes books between 6-9.

The Incorrigibles of Ashton Place is a fantastic series (I think that books 1 and 2 are now available here).

Harriet the Spy

From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwieler

The Ottoline books by Chris Riddle

Bezuz and Ramona books

The Penderwicks series

Paddington Bear
Phantom Tollbooth
Other Enid Blyton books, my favourite one when I was a child was Mr Galliano's circus
The Moomins

I had this issue with DD1 when she was six and we mainly found the solution lay in older books. She read all the E Nesbits that year, the first few Little House books (I think after Shores of Silver Lake Laura got too old for her to empathise with) and lots of Enid Blyton school stories - Naughtiest Girl, St Clares, Malory Towers. Also the Ramona books which someone has mentioned on here. There is a danger with the freakishly good early readers that you start giving them books that they can technically comprehend, but don't really get all the same. Things like the Roman Mysteries she could have read at that age, but a lot of it would have gone over her head emotionally for instance.

DD2 loved the Naughtiest Girl in the School series at this age. There are at least 8 if not more. And I agree with Themumsnot that you need to be careful re content (like the 'freakishly good early reader' term, I feel a lot less alone now...

E Nesbitt and Noel Streatfeild were my favourites at that age.

All Enid Blyton - Secret Seven, Famous Five, the school ones.
David Walliams
Pippi Longstocking
Alice in Wonderland
The Little Princess
The Secret Garden
Some Michael Morpurgo - dd found War Horse and Private Peaceful too sad at this age but enjoyed them at 8/9.
Moonin books
How to train a dragon series
Tumtum and Nutmeg

Oh yes, and did anyone say Mr Gum yet? No? Then I will.
Mr Gum.

I did mention mr gum myself though just checked OP and I actually wrote mr gump . But she has read loads and she loves them.

Oh so you did! Sorry! Has she read the Dick King-Smith Sophie books? And the Daisy and the trouble with... books?

Was going to say The Little Princess. Also we had success with:

Bad Cat Good Cat by Lynne Reid Banks
Oh Kitty by Bel Mooney (it's a whole series of short stories about a girl who gets into scraps - so short enough to read a chapter each night and simple stories but quite fun. Like a modern My Naughty Little Sister)

Easier:
My Secret Unicorn series, Linda Chapman
Other series by Linda Chapman
Animal Ark
Holly Webb

Harder:
Gwynneth Rees

And all the books / authors / series already suggested

I just got this for my six year old who is a good reader:

www.amazon.co.uk/Smallest-Girl-Ever-MAGICAL-CHILDREN/dp/1858817072/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354098918&sr=8-1

It's great fun, and there are a few others in the same series.

Daisy Dawson also went down well:

www.amazon.co.uk/Daisy-Dawson-Racing-Reads-Steve/dp/1406300802/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354098965&sr=1-1

This is pretty easy but lots of fun:

www.amazon.co.uk/Dragon-Test-Starters-June-Crebbin/dp/0744590183/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354098993&sr=1-1

horrible histories and moomines

hetty feather

I have the same trouble with my 6 year old, but her school are refusing to move her up or push her forward. She's enjoying the worst witch series at the moment, and I have picked up the Enid Blyton St Clare's series from the book people for christmas, they also have a winnie the witch box set of 40 stories in ten books. We did try lemony snicket, she could read it really well, but struggled with understanding some of it.

The school didn't seem to question or make it difficult. i had no idea dd was was going to ask. she came home one day last week and said she had asked the teacher if she could move up and the teacher said maybe then she had guided reading that afternoon and the teacher got her to read a few pages from a selection of the top colours and said I think you will be better having free choice books, but you will need to be patient until we can buy some harder ones for you to have and ask if we could record her own books until then. The teacher didnt even talk with me, this was all done off dds own back.

There are tons of good books that aren't in any uk libraries....
What about the Magic Treehouse Series - excellent, easy read, short chapters. There are tons in the series.
The Boxcar children - a sort of nicer version of the Famous Five
The Enchanted Horse - Brilliant
I would second my Naughtly Little Sister and Milly Molly Mandy.
The Littles - a bit like the borrowers but much easier chapter books, excellent and available second hand on Amazon (some new).

Lots of terrific suggestions. What about Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf by Catherine Storey, too?
We used to get 6/12 books from local libraries and quite a lot from charity shops.
I'd tend to read a couple of chapers and dd would generally know by then if the story gripped her and she wanted to go on.

Oh and another one - if she likes Horrid Henry she will love Francesca Simon's Don't Cook Cinderalla.