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Next step from Pokémon pocket comics

29 replies

ChillinwiththeVillains · 20/03/2022 07:42

8yo (nearly 9) has refused to read, only looks at picture. BUT we bought a Pokémon pocket comic on world book day and he is actually reading the words. I’ll buy the whole set in hope this continues but what after that? Thank you for any suggestions.

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clarkie78 · 22/04/2022 11:04

Bunny vs monkey are a great alternative & are broken into small chapters so your LO can read as many or as few at a time!

EnglishGirlApproximately · 01/04/2022 22:29

Glad you're making progress OP, it really is sometimes trial and error until something holds their interest isn't it?

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 01/04/2022 13:04

He loved the Investigators so I have bought the whole series. He stayed up late last night reading Evil Emperor Penguin (another Phoenix one) so I’ve also ordered the series. Plus trying the Phoenix dog detective one. I don’t think we’ve cracked it yet but he is genuinely enjoying the books. Thank you again to everyone who gave suggestions. We are doing guided reading on world book day books (resale on the good ones is way higher than retail) as not too thick and intimidating plus they are often from popular series that we have read to him. It amazes me quite how much work literacy has been for my two, objectively clever, kids. Debating whether we start on spelling work at the same time (whilst also letting him see friends, attend extra curricular stuff and keeping our relationship fun rather than just Teacher-Pupil).
Anyway, thank you again.

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 25/03/2022 08:38

Aah, I think I saw that series for sale in the works. I will go back and check today. He is very very suspicious of being “tricked” into reading but yes, magazine format non fiction seems to appeal more than chapter books. Debating dyslexia assessment as preliminary tests at school seem to indicate he meets NHS criteria but school now backpedaling and we don’t know if it would help him or label him. (The teacher who referred him for tests was a v keen newly qualified teacher, SENCO and older teachers not keen). But he read 15 minutes of B vs M to me this morning and remembered some of the tricky words so at least we can support whilst they/we decide what to do. Thank you again

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Needcoffeecoffeecoffee · 25/03/2022 08:08

It's this one
. There is a whole series if he can read on his own all the betterGrin
www.amazon.co.uk/Official-Pok%C3%A9mon-Fiction-Ashs-Challenge/dp/1408351838?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

My dc was able but reluctant and liked more fact based books that he could dip in and out of -pokemon handbook, maddy moat new book, 1001 facts from usbourne etc. And didnt realise he was reading!!

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 24/03/2022 21:41

@EnglishGirlApproximately Flember going on the list. Thank you. @Needcoffeecoffeecoffee I offered the treehouse prematurely a few months ago but might try again in a while. I’ll look up Pokémon story books too, thank you.
DD never tried Tom Gates but I know v popular, on list for future too.
Thank you, really appreciated as my children’s book tastes run 1890s-1960s and whilst he will listen happily to the stories they are much too dense to tempt him. And having his own genre of books that only he gets is also good. He might even engage at the library now that he knows what he likes.

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Needcoffeecoffeecoffee · 24/03/2022 21:06

13 story. I've just added an extra level Grin

Needcoffeecoffeecoffee · 24/03/2022 21:06

What about the 14 story treehouse books? A whole series to enjoy and they have lots of funny pictures throughout.
Pokemon do have some story books I think ash's tales?
Tom gates perhaps in a little while?
I hope he finds his spark for reading

EnglishGirlApproximately · 24/03/2022 21:02

If he starts enjoying Phoenix there are Flember books to look at. They're big and more book than cartoon so maybe a bit in the future but my son loves them.

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 24/03/2022 20:57

He is loving the box set of bunny vs monkey. I have to go on and tell him to stop reading as it is late! I am so grateful to you all and I now have some sort of game plan for books to gradually progress. Thank you.

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 22/03/2022 13:06

So I mean I don’t know how good for newly independent readers Mighty Jack would be.

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 22/03/2022 13:06

Ah, mine liked Mighty Jack (but read this to them maybe two years ago), would recommend. I have just subscribed to the Phoenix too from recommendations higher up the thread. This has been so helpful.

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Flame76 · 22/03/2022 13:03

I've also ordered Mighty Jack, but not given it to my son yet, so no feedback on how good it is.

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 22/03/2022 13:00

Ooh will look up Looshkin now. Thank you! And yes, I have promised him rest of the Investigators if he likes the first one. Will happily throw (too much) money at this if I can help him to enjoy reading.

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Flame76 · 22/03/2022 12:59

I have just been looking through my eBay/Amazon purchase history. Other books that worked for my son:
Bird & Squirrel
Ham Helsing: Vampire Hunter
Kitty Quest
Kitten Construction Company

Flame76 · 22/03/2022 12:52

I feel your joy, because I have been the same with my son! I'm glad he liked the look of Investigators. There are 5 books altogether, so if he likes the first one it is worth looking at the others. I have also just remembered that the Bunny vs Monkey creator has another character with a book series. It's called Looshkin. 2 books so far, about to be re-released together into one book.

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 22/03/2022 10:27

I ordered the Investigators. He really liked the look of it. Thank you for the suggestion. He has finished(!) the one library book of Bunny vs Monkey so we are waiting for the box set to arrive. I am quite excited and really really hoping that this works. He liked the Asterix book that I borrowed too so I think I’ll do an ebay trawl for some. Thank you.

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 21/03/2022 13:00

Wil look it up on goodreads, thank you.

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Flame76 · 21/03/2022 12:37

The Investigators series by John Patrick Green got my 9 year old reluctant reader into reading recently. He's a Pokemon and Bunny vs Monkey fan, so Investigators might work for you too.

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 21/03/2022 05:51

He loved bunny vs monkey and asked me to leave the light on so he could read some more by himself(!). I’ve ordered the box set. If this is the year that he becomes a reader I will be overjoyed. Thank you so much for the tips. I am really ever so grateful.

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Original poster
ChillinwiththeVillains · 20/03/2022 17:00

Found Bunny vs Monkey and some other graphic novels at library so going to try them all out. Thanks again. Works shop only had Pokémon early readers and I wasn’t sure if he would perceive these as babyish. So didn’t buy but might ask him.

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Legoisthebest · 20/03/2022 11:33

The Pokémon encyclopedias/character guides are really good. There were some for sale in The Works for a decent price.

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ChillinwiththeVillains · 20/03/2022 11:10

Thank you, all these ideas are really helpful. He has a Beano subscription- I wonder if he would be ready to read rather than just look at pictures. Dog man didn’t seem to do it - we had to read to him -but Bunny vs Monkey sounds good. Thank you. It has been a long and difficult journey to basic literacy and just keen to nurture it and not scare him off. We read much more sophisticated books to him but independent reading would be amazing . Even if they are all about Pokémon, sigh.

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EnglishGirlApproximately · 20/03/2022 10:17

@FavouriteGame has said exactly what I would! Dogman, Bunny vs Monkey and Phoenix subscription are my nine year olds favourites.
I also pick up old Dandy & Beano annuals whenever I see them in charity shops which he loves and we've started making them a regular Christmas gift

FavouriteGame · 20/03/2022 10:11

Dogman is a good call. There’s a weekly magazine The Phoenix which is a great comic, mine are keen comic fans and they love it and the books linked to some of the comics in it, especially Bunny vs Monkey.

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