Books that are long/hard but suitable for younger kids (age 7)

Thanks for these Onjali Rauf recommendations. I really enjoyed The Boy at the Back of the Class when I read it with my son so I’ll give those other ones a go with him too. I found it really moving.

Call me Lion & Thirteenth Wish - both by Camilla Chester
Who Let the Gods Out series by Maz Evans
The Last Firefox series of 3 by Lee Newberry
Onjali Rauf books eg The Night Bus Hero, The Boy at the Back of the Class, The Letter with the Golden Stamp
Dick King Smith eg The Water horse
Pugs of the Frozen North & Cakes in Space - both by Reeves & McIntyre
Michael Morpurgo - Kensuke's Kingdom, The Butterfly Lion

I haven't read the whole thread but I have the same with my 7 year old so I'll list what he loves atm..
All the minecraft books
All the football heroes series
There's a dragon in my.. series
Horrid henry
Anything by david walliams
Roald Dahl
Artemus fowl series
Space penguins series
Diary of a wimpy kid

Yes these are great.
Also Wayside School series are v funny and somewhat wacky

Septimus Heap is very good, my DD liked it at seven.

She’s just 8 now and finishing the third Percy Jackson series which she loved.

My father's dragon is great - also the wild robot.

My daughter who is same age and also has a much higher reading age is enjoying Michael Morpurgo books at the moment. The first one she read was Toro Toro Toro

Molly Moon 1 and 2
The Boy who Grew Dragons series
Mr Majeika series
The 100-mile-an-hour dog series
The Worst Witch series
Magical Children series by Sally Gardner (the invisible boy, the boy who could fly etc)
The Faraway Tree

Have you come across Stuart Gibbs? DS used to love the Spy School series and iirc there was also a Jungle series and a Space series.

Wings of Fire series by Tui T Sutherland was another favourite.

He then went on to Alex Rider and Cherub but there are some more adult themes in some of those I think.

I understand the battle but I do think there becomes a point where you just have to let him read.

Join a book club.

Obviously avoid anything explicit.

But other than that. Go for it.

I was an 80s child. Read anything and everything.

To this day, cannot stand science fiction type books.

Other than that, I read it.

My first. Kane and Abel. Stolen from my mums bookcase and hidden. At that age. Mum found it. And let me finish.

Adult books and longer child books, go for both.

My brother watched horror films I wouldn't let my children near ever.

Other children play computer games far far too old for them.

Look for "happy" nice authors. Not necessarily children's but good solid books.

Friendships, experiences etc.

To be fair, Richmal Compton originally wrote the Just William books for adults rather than children, so you're likely to "get" them better (I did love them as a child though, but def appreciate the more now - I especially love his Dad trying to hide how amusing he finds his antics!)

My son loved Atticus the storyteller Greek myths

Has he read the morrigan crow books by Jessica Townsend? They are like early harry Potter. (But better imo, I love them!)

Roadl Dahl, classics such as the secret garden, treasure island, alice in wonderland, wizard of oz, jungle book, journey to the river sea, wind in the willows

There is a great second hand book store called Workd of Books that doo lots of offers @Highreadingability

I have an avid reader who is 11, but at 7 I would recommend

Alex Rider
Anything by Onjali Rauf... dd enjoyed The Boy at the back of the Class
Wonder by R J Palacio
Ben Miller's books are great
Wond in the willows
Water Babies

My friends son was into
David Walliams (dd wasn't a fan)
Diary if a Wimpy Kid

He will love Just William

If you can’t find big enough print in classics, have you considered a Kindle? Most of the classics are free or have a tiny cost, and you can adjust the size of the font.

These are great! My eldest DC loved these

I absolutely adored the Adventure Series. Read them over and over again.
I also loved Famous 5 but the adventure series was better.

I think the Adventure series characters had greater depth. And I loved Stuart Tresilian's illustrations. I still find them readable today, in fact. Valley was my favourite. (I didn't get that the treasure was Nazi plunder until I was an adult.)

If OP had a DD rather than a DS, I'd be mentioning the Chalet School. I think I was around eight when I started on thse, and there's around fifty of them!

OP, I get what you say about DS's understanding of Kindle vs paper books, but if you can find a way round that, or even for your own enjoyment, you might want to look at Faded Page It's a Canadian site that produces free e-books of titles that are out of copyright in territories where copyright is Life + 50yrs. 😉

Ivy and Bean series - I did have to buy them, don't think they were in the library. It's about two 7yo girls and is set in the US. So funny and perfectly age-matched.

what about the Just So stories?

Swallow and Amazon series?

Has he read George's Secret Key to the Universe? There is a series if he likes them.

If he liked the How to Train Your Dragon series has he read The Wizards of Once? It's a shorter series by the same author and has a very similar vibe.

I'd also recommend the Series of Unfortunate Events books.

My son is older but also an avid reader.
I'm guessing your son has read lots of these but these are some books that mine has enjoyed.
Alex rider
Magnus chase
Percy Jackson
Diary of a wimpy kid
Skander books
Tom gates
Loki series

How about some Greek/norse myth books?
Does he like non fiction?