Books @ Y2 level suitable for 4yr old

[abeltasman]

My son is the youngest in his school (not 5 until August), and 'young' for his age, but reading (and writing, and maths) at Y2 level. He loves, loves, loves reading. He found ORT hideous (don't we all?!) and the school has 'run out of books' (their words) as he has suddenly accelerated his 'consumption'.

Although he can quite happily trawl through encyclopedias for hours, he does love a good story. But I seem to have exhausted my supply of 'fun' reading books, as all the ones I bought last year he has streaked through. We do go to the library, but he loves having the books for weeks - frankly it's cheaper to buy them from TheBookPeople than pay library fines!

What books could you recommend that would engage him but wouldn't scare him? This is a child who is too sensitive to watch Toy Story, Madagascar or Ice Age (believe me, I have tried!). [He is a big fan of Studio Ghibli eg Totoro, etc, and obsessed with engineering documentaries thanks to Richard Hammond!]

All the books I have found so far for his 'reading age' are to do with monsters and bests (Beast Quest, Dinosaur Cove etc). He would quite frankly be freaked out - not so much reading it, but not sleeping afterwards due to bad dreams (he is VERY sensitive, and has a very good imagination).

I heard that Astrosaurs is good - is that funny enough to subvert any 'perilous' moments?

I am currently purchasing the Horrible Histories set as he LOVES the TV program (quote of the day: "Mummy why didn't you show me this program before? I love it!"), and I thought it would be a good tie-in. But those again are not 'stories' per se.

I know there are good books out there, but would love some guidance from those who have been there before. (I was a prolific early reader, but due to no $$ I just read the bible 100x over. DS is in a very church school and I think he gets that enough already LOL!)

ps I had wondered if I should put this post in CBooks, but it is more suited to G&T as I want a response where you would have a better understanding of the problems of suitability of books aimed at 7-9 but read by much younger ages.

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

Hi We had this problem.

Roald dahl (some of them but it depends on the child as some are a bit scary)
Dick King Smith
Esop's Fables
Horrid Henry
Ds liked Astrosaurus
The Horrible Histories/science/geography are good books, it's important that they read different types of books so they all have a place. Joke books are very good aswell, you can tell whether a child understands them because they laugh.

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

I really struggle to remember what he was reading at 4. He skipped the ORT, there was no point.
IIRC, the wind in the willows books were good

Pop to the public library, you won't have to buy books then.

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

Don't forget the Dr Seuss books

[lovecheese]

Am always very confused when a school says they have "run out of books"! Is it an infant school, presumably it is, otherwise why cant they pop over to juniors? My own DD is currently bringing home stamped with "XXX Junior School" (she is in yr1) and a good supply of these higher level books are kept in the infant building. Anyway, back to your question, have you thought about The Reading Chest? Yes I know they are scheme books and you have to subscribe, but they have books levelled up to ages 8-9 and have fiction and non-fiction, and your child can write book reviews and get very excited when they see them used! I use it and have been impressed.

[ermnopecantthinkofanewname]

I have this problem too. Non-fiction seems a good move. The Usborne books e.g. 'Eggs and Chicks', 'Cats', Dogs' etc. are really informative but probably around typical year 2 level.

[singersgirl]

DS2 at that age also enjoyed Sophie and other short Dick King-Smith. He really liked the Teddy Robinson stories by Joan G Robinson (there's a compilation in print and I got some old ones from Amazon for about 20p); they are very funny and gentle, and he's been re-reading them this week at nearly 9! Other older books like Milly-Molly-Mandy and My Naughty Little Sister are good too.

Jill Tomlinson's books, including 'The owl who was afraid of the dark', are not scary.

I second the Usborne non-fiction books too. DS2 also enjoyed the DK readers, particularly ones about superheroes. If he's very sensitive I'm not sure Horrible Histories are a good idea; they're pretty gruesome in parts and DS2 used to refuse to listen to some audio versions we had. Joke books are excellent and also you could try poetry; there are some wonderful anthologies around.

Of course, not all the books he reads have to be at the 'right' reading age - lots of picture books are fantastic and comics are fun too.

[Seeline]

A bit old fashioned perhaps but the Famous Five books aren't too scary. My DS loves them and treats them as 'historical' stories lol!

[abeltasman]

Thanks for all your help so far. Some good recommendations. I do go to the library - it's just a bit of a trek and DS likes to reread a lot of his. I just reserved the Astrosaurs books (1-5) for him so will see how he goes with those.

[sethstarkaddersmum]

have you tried the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder? My nephew loved those.

I am thinking this really shouldn't be too hard as what you are looking for is books that are intended for parents to read to 4-5 year olds but your ds will read by himself, so there should be stuff out there.

I was reading Famous Five at only a little over that age, and Secret Seven is a bit easier IIRC.

[mumtoone]

Muddle Puddle Farm is a good one. Its all about animals which should be good for a sensitive 4 year old.

www.amazon.co.uk/Mudpuddle-Cock-Doodle-Do-Michael-Morpurgo/dp/0007270127?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[treas]

Have you tried any poems - nonsense poems particularly would be good e.g. Edward Lear The Jumblies and The Owl and the Pussycat or event Carroll's Jabberwocky.

You ds will have fun reading and will learn a new skill of reading with rhythm, something which is often not developed in children until they are older.

[capucine]

magic tree house
www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse/series.html

[exexpat]

Sally Gardner's children's books are really good - the Red House has a discount set of them here. Very imaginative, quite exciting, but not scary.

[runoutofnameideas]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned the Oliver Jeffers books. They only have one sentence per page but are fine for this level of reader and really lovely stories.

Harry and the Dinosaurs ones seem okay too.

[Devexity]

He sounds exactly like my DS at 4. Frankly, I let him skip fiction until this year (Y1), a) because he was on a non-fiction binge, and b) because he wasn't emotionally equipped to deal with 'perilous situations.' Even those as perilous as, er, Robbie Rotten.

Things that worked for him at 4 (all sourced from charity shops):
All the Horrible Histories/Science/Geography.
The Dead Famous series
Books of lists/records/saints/flags/scientists
The Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness series
The historical news series (Revolution News, Medieval Messenger, etc)
Cows In Action (nice blend of silly fiction with historical fact)
The Magic Treehouse series (ditto without the silly)

[WKMum]

Is there a moderator who could pin this thread somehow? I think it's a very useful topic, as I'm sure a lot of parents of G&T children have had problems in this area. My DD is eight now and was free-reading before she started school, but I remember this situation very well.

In fact, I still find it a challenge to get suitable reading matter for her, particularly since she would love to be reading those awful 'teen' fiction books that I think are inappropriate for her age group (although I am constantly being told I am a fuddy duddy!).

At age four, my DD loved non-fiction, such as DK books on horses, dogs, cats and, well, any other animals really! Good for vocab and nothing upsetting in them.

Also, the Winnie-the-Pooh books are nice, gentle stories (as is A.A. Milne's poetry), Michael Rosen's poetry is excellent for that age-group, and the 'Amelia Jane' series is fun, although maybe a bit too easy? As mentioned by others, most of Enid Blyton is great for that age. Also, Richmal Crompton's Just William series is a hoot and my DD enjoyed E. Nesbit's The Phoenix and the Carpet and Five Children and It.

Sorry if this is a bit of a random selection: I'm not really sure what 'year two level' is...

For anyone looking at this thread who has an able eight-year-old reader to keep busy over the summer holidays, my DD is has enjoyed these recently:

The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)

The Compleet [sic] Molesworth (Geoffrey Willans; illus. by Ronald Searle)

Mike and Psmith (P. G. Wodehouse)

The Borrowers Omnibus (Mary Norton)

I think Noel Streatfield's books, such as The Swish of the Curtain or Party Frock are good for this age, but my DD tells me they are too 'girlie'! I loved them at her age!

Keep the suggestions coming, I say!

[runoutofnameideas]

Ds and I are enjoying the Mr Men books. They have some quite fabulous words e.g. exceedingly.

Not great works of literature but they're fun and about the right level for the equivalent of year 2 I'd guess. I have the added bonus that I loved them as a child and so am having a trip down memory lane

[Lililili]

Jane Nissen Publishers: They publish lost minor masterpieces that have been out of print. Because they are older the content is innocent, but the reading level challenging. Four I can remember now are: "Green Smoke", "Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf", "The Wind on the Moon", "The Ordinary Princess". These four were read at about age 6, but there must be a range of difficulty. At 4 my daughter loved all of Roald Dahl and read them one after the other. She loved collections of fairytales, myths and legends and poetry. She also read loads of those (awful!) Rainbow Fairy books - avoid if you can! She loved non fiction too, including the encyclopaedia and thesaurus.

[kistigger]

The library should not charge you fines for children's books, especially if you use a child ticket!

My dd is rapidly getting to this stage, although because her nursery were, quite frankly, so crap noone has acknowledged that my dd can read, write, add or anything yet! It's frustrating when the school can offer no help!

I think it is simply a case of go to the library and flick through the books yourself to have a look at the level and the content for scare factor! If your ds goes too he can try while you're there so you don't take home lots that are going to be no good!

Have you tried the Spy Dog series, I'm not sure exactly what age they are aimed at, I guess about 7-9!

[PaintingRainbows]

If you get a pin number to go with your child's library card, you can renew several times online - ask at the library and they'll sort it for you. We have done this more than once late at night when we had forgotten to take them back!

[abeltasman]

@Kistigger, sadly they charge fines over 5yrs old - criminal, I know!

Thank you for all the suggestions. Since I posted the message in July his reading has gone through the roof, he has plowed through Dinosaur Cove, Astrosaurs, The Hobbit.. anything with words on it, including his clothes labels ;) ("Mummy what is HYPOALLERGENIC?").

Luckily this year, his new teacher has discovered his reading ability and has allowed him to become a free reader, which is great. Now, just to get the teacher up to speed on the maths.... ;)