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Children's books

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Original poster

Classic bedtime stories for 8yr old DS - what are your must-reads?

39 replies

Grockle · 04/06/2013 23:00

I still read to DS every night but need some inspiration. He's a good reader and loves listening to longer books. We've recently read:

Roald Dahl - almost all of his children's book
Harry Potter (1-4, 5 will be next but I need a break)
Other JK Rowling, HP-related ones
Moomin books
The Mouse & the Motorcycle (Beverley Clearly)
Treehorn
Flat Stanley
Famous Five/ Secret Seven

I tried to read:

Swallows & Amazons but the language was too old fashioned. Maybe when he's a bit bigger.

The Faraway Tree books (Enid Blyton) but he wasn't ready for them. Might be worth a try.

I also want to try Pippi Longstocking

What else?

OP posts:
Takver · 05/06/2013 16:17

Definitely the Little House books, but in particular I would read the one about her husband (Farmer Boy). I never read it as a child, but it is fantastic to read out loud, and it covers a year in Almanzo's life from 8 to 9, so especially interesting for dc of that age.

I love the Jennings books, but hard not to giggle when reading them aloud :)

lostintoys · 05/06/2013 09:36

My 6-year-old DS loved Five Children and It, despite the rather dated language. He also loved Charlotte's Web. Have you tried Tom's Midnight Garden and The Secret Garden?

13loki · 05/06/2013 08:32

DS is nearly 8 and has read all the Harry Potters and the Faraway Tree books. He also loved the Narnia books. Not classics, but he has read all the Percy Jackson books and is now on the Kane Chronicles, written by Rick Riordan, like Percy Jackson but with Egyptian gods. He loves the Astrid Lindgren stories, but I am holding off reading them with him (he's learning Swedish so I want to wait until we can read them in Swedish)

Non-fiction, but he loves the Horrible Histories books, and the Terrible Science collection.

Original poster
Grockle · 05/06/2013 08:19

Great suggestions, thank you.

DS was born in America & I love Little House on the Prairie so maybe we'll give that a go. It's a nice easy one to read. I've made a list of all these suggestions Smile

I have Stig of the Dump ready to read him, I'd completely forgotten about it so thank you! I loved it when I was his age. And the Phantom Tolbooth too but I don't remember the story at all.

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 05/06/2013 07:44

The Indian in the Cupboard series.

Louise1956 · 05/06/2013 07:40

The Jennings books by Anthony Buckeridge are good fun, set in a boys' prep school, if he likes Harry Potter he might enjoy them. Although they are quite old, they are not really dated, and the language is not difficult.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 05/06/2013 07:27

My DS loved Enid Blyton's Naughtiest Girl series, we're halfway through St Clares now.

Louise1956 · 05/06/2013 07:17

Stig of the Dump by Clive King. One of the best children's books ever written, and perfect for eight year olds. Absolutely marvellous book.

The Professor Branestawm books by Norman Hunter are very funny, most boys would probably enjoy them.

The Narnia books by C.S. Lewis. you can either start with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, the first one to be written, or The Magician's Nephew which is the first chronologically.

The Phantom Tolbooth by Norton Juster, a funny fantasy story with lots of Interesting characters.

All of these are books my sons loved when they were around eight years old.

neolara · 04/06/2013 23:23

My 8 year old loved the Lemony Snicket books.

feelthis · 04/06/2013 23:19

We too have tried some of the other classics like swallows and amazons and the railway children but the language has been a barrier.

Spydog dog books are exciting too. Found the David Walliams themes too grown up for my Ds who is only 7.

feelthis · 04/06/2013 23:16

Surprising as there is a picture of a girl on the front, the little house on my prairie trilogy has been a big hit with my dss. They are very practical evocative books and the matter of fact practical way of life in them seemed to grab my boys. Little House on the big woods is the first one - worth a try from the library.

BramblyHedge · 04/06/2013 23:07

My 7 year old loves the How to train your dragon series.

Iwearblack · 04/06/2013 23:04

Oh sorry just realised you meant 'classics' well they probably will be now!

Iwearblack · 04/06/2013 23:02

My 8yrold daughter loved Mr Gumm and also Diary of a Wimpy Kid (and I found them funny too!)