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Original poster

Short, funny books for 9yo struggling reader?

33 replies

MrSheen · 03/11/2014 14:18

Can anyone recommend anything for DD?

The only book she has ever liked was Georges Marvellous Medicine. She hasn't stuck with any of the other Roald Dahls. David Walliams a bit tricky. She can't keep a thought in her head so short is essential. She doesn't like books that are obviously targeted at boys (stuff about underpants etc). Her reading is quite poor but I don't want anything too babyish iyswim but picture books are fine.

OP posts:
Takver · 04/11/2014 08:48

Have you tried her on non-fiction? Esp if she has any particular interests - our library had loads of non fiction on all sorts of topics, and I remember dd found them easier when she was learning as it tended to be shorter amounts of text and lots of illustrations. Also remember a friend of dd's who wouldn't read at all other than books on tractors and agricultural machinery for ages.

Original poster
MrSheen · 03/11/2014 20:36

Thanks everyone

Tried and didn't like
Jeremy Strong (boring)
Daisy books (moany)
Eoin Colfer (All about boys)
Worst Witch
Winnie the witch
My Naughty Little Sister
(can't remember the particular shortcomings of those last ones)
Also rejected Jaquiline Wilson,Judy Moody, Clarice Bean and Enid Blyton and various other things that other people love.

I'll take a look at the others. The Ottoline ones look like they might do it but she is unbearably fussy.

She's dc3 (of 4 - dc4 is a similar reading level) and dc1 reads night and day so we have acres of books. I wouldn't mind her being one of those people who doesn't really read much if she could read a bit better but she is really at the stage where she needs to read to improve her reading.

She also doesn't like comics.

She does like poetry

Getting quite close to the end of my rope with her tbh.

OP posts:
LocalVelvet · 03/11/2014 20:13

Colin and the Curly Claw is funny and short, and stands repetition - all the family can join inSmile

And the Anna Hibiscus books are entertaining and funny too.

And my so called super sophisticated dd at 13 can still be amused by a Naughty Little Sister story, don't tell anyone....

Or the Worst Witch books? Or even just Winnie the Witch?

Or, last one, The Witch's Dog ?

wearymum200 · 03/11/2014 20:05

Maybe aimed at 7+, but not babyish
Penny Dreadful
Claude series
Madame pamplemousse

GrouchingTiggerHiddenSomething · 03/11/2014 19:45

Has she read any Jeremy Strong? The series that starts with "my dad's got an alligator" (then my granny's great escape, my mum's going to explode, my brother's famous bottom etc etc) is a big hit here with both DS and DD. He's written loads and they are funny with short chapters and some pictures.
HTH

Takver · 03/11/2014 19:40

Daisy and the Trouble With series by Kes Gray?

Short and sweet, they tend to say age 6+ but I think actually more suitable in terms of story for a 9 y/o, I don't think she'd find them at all babyish.

Booksteensmagazines · 03/11/2014 16:03

Eoin Colfer's books - The Legend of Spud Murphy or Captain Crow's Teeth. Weel written, funny, short, a few drawings. Excellent books

ClawHandsIfYouBelieveInFreaks · 03/11/2014 15:28

Ottoline is very good and there are a few in the series.

here they're funny and well illustrated.