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Original poster

Hp replacement for keen 7 yo

56 replies

habibibibi · 20/09/2021 14:57

My 7 year old has got hooked on Harry Potter. Shes read (and reread) the first three and loved them. We have the whole series at home because she has older siblings so she's picked this up herself rather than us suggesting it. Her siblings were quite a bit older when HP interested them so age suitability wasn't an issue.

Now I've reluctantly put my foot down about the goblet of fire and the rest of the HP books as I don't think the content is right for her age. Dd is angry with me as she just thinks it'll be more of the same of the previous 3.

Any books that are more suitable for her age that young HP enthusiasts might enjoy? Her reading level is very good but her understanding is still that of a 7 year old!

OP posts:
BlueChampagne · 21/09/2021 10:29

Archie Greene series ddeverest.com/ would be a good alternative to HP.

SheABitSpicyToday · 21/09/2021 10:27

My 7 year old had read all of the hp books and was fine with them, possibly a bit bored with the last one.

She’s started the old goosebumps books which she is loving and we’re a firm fave of mine when I was her age!

TeaAndStrumpets · 21/09/2021 10:22

Oh, of course Diana Wynne Jones is great.

TeaAndStrumpets · 21/09/2021 10:20

My girls loved The Secret Garden and A little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Original poster
habibibibi · 21/09/2021 09:49

@Innocenta

The Hobbit is fine at seven, for a good reader. It's sad, but not graphic or otherwise mature. I'd only suggest avoiding it if a child is especially sensitive to character death (handled in a fairytale-like manner).
She's actually really interested in death (hoping this is normal!!!) We'll try The Hobbit then! I never got into it as a child myself - but I didn't get into HP either, I don't like that genre much personally (hence why asking about HP - I never finsihed the first book).
OP posts:
Innocenta · 21/09/2021 09:32

The Hobbit is fine at seven, for a good reader. It's sad, but not graphic or otherwise mature. I'd only suggest avoiding it if a child is especially sensitive to character death (handled in a fairytale-like manner).

jojojowo · 21/09/2021 09:31

She might like the Charlie bone series it's also about wizards but a bit younger

Original poster
habibibibi · 21/09/2021 09:24

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

With JW... there are some suitable, some not. My DDs enjoyed Hetty Feather recently.
I think we have hetty feather. Her sister LOVED It but, again, was older when she read it. I guess it's a little mature with child abandonment etc and there might be a lot of questions but that's fine. I'll see if I can dig that one out!
OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/09/2021 09:23

Adventures on Trains series.

Original poster
habibibibi · 21/09/2021 09:22

@AnUnlikelyCombination

I wouldn’t do Jacqueline Wilson at this age, no. The other recommendations are good - I’d add The Dark is Rising series and she might like Emily of New Moon (same author as Anne Of Green Gables, but pitched a bit younger).

Wimpy Kid etc will, I suspect, not satisfy her and take her so little time to read that is not worth buying them but just get them from school or the library.

She LOVES wimpy kid. We have most at home from the older siblings. But, yeah. she basically read and reread them all already. She likes me to read them to her and she almost knows them by heart and joins in with me!
OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/09/2021 09:22

Also, don't forget the Ikabog, the book JKRowling wrote last year.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/09/2021 09:21

With JW... there are some suitable, some not. My DDs enjoyed Hetty Feather recently.

AnUnlikelyCombination · 21/09/2021 09:17

I wouldn’t do Jacqueline Wilson at this age, no. The other recommendations are good - I’d add The Dark is Rising series and she might like Emily of New Moon (same author as Anne Of Green Gables, but pitched a bit younger).

Wimpy Kid etc will, I suspect, not satisfy her and take her so little time to read that is not worth buying them but just get them from school or the library.

Original poster
habibibibi · 21/09/2021 09:17

Hmmm, she's just decided to read Roald Dahl's "Witches" instead. Not sure that one is much better!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
habibibibi · 21/09/2021 09:17

@borntobequiet

Anyway, as a very early and prolific reader myself, I know I read for the story and simply didn’t notice the bits I didn’t properly understand such as unsuitable content, so maybe just let her read all the books? It’s actually good to re-read when one is older and gain that deeper understanding.
I was tempted as censoring books doesn't seem quite right - especially since we HAVE the books at home on the bookshelf (i.e. it's not that we've got to go out and get the books from anywhere). But on the other hand probably better she waits a bit until it's more age appropriate!
OP posts:
AngelicaElizaAndPeggy · 21/09/2021 09:13

Phew, so glad she isn't needing a hip replacement!! My son is in the exact same position. We have given him the Explorer series by Alex Bell - he's loved it! It's quite similar to Harry Potter but with a dash of Philip Pullman. But it's much less dark. I think, anyway.

Original poster
habibibibi · 21/09/2021 09:11

@Ricekrispie22
is the Hobbit for a 7 year old?

OP posts:
Original poster
habibibibi · 21/09/2021 09:10

We just spoke with the lovely librarian at school. He agreed that we shouldn't continue with HP for now (good DD heard him say that so now we have a professional judgement and not just a parental whim Grin )

He recommended some of the recommendations here (worst witch, enid blyton, narnia series, diary of a wimpy/dork kid) plus Jacqueline Wilson which is the only one DD hasn't read yet. However, I'm thinking JW might be the same problem as HP. Some of the themes in her books are quite mature.

OP posts:
KurtWilde · 21/09/2021 08:45

Amelia Fang
Spiderwick Chronicles
Chronicles of Narnia

HopingForOurRainbowBaby · 21/09/2021 08:30

@borntobequiet

Gosh, I read hip replacement.
So did I
mogtheexcellent · 21/09/2021 08:26

my 7yo is in the same place apart from I havent let her read/watch the 3rd film yet as shes a sensitive plant and not sure how she will cope with dementors. She loves Worst Witch and is working her way through Wizards of Once and I have got her the Wizard in my Shed book by the chap from horrible histories to read after. she needs another book with a strong witch character though.

borntobequiet · 21/09/2021 08:18

Anyway, as a very early and prolific reader myself, I know I read for the story and simply didn’t notice the bits I didn’t properly understand such as unsuitable content, so maybe just let her read all the books? It’s actually good to re-read when one is older and gain that deeper understanding.

fallfallfall · 21/09/2021 01:54

Yup, another one wondering why a 7 yr old was keen on a hip replacement.

Original poster
habibibibi · 21/09/2021 01:39

@borntobequiet

Gosh, I read hip replacement.
So did I when i reread this post and I wrote it 🤣
OP posts:
Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 20/09/2021 19:52

Chrestomanci series

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