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Original poster

Recommendations please for story books that will appeal to my almost 9 year old dd (reads below her age) to stop her reading Horrid Henry!!

56 replies

Eniddo · 21/10/2008 11:29

She has to read to me every night and atm is ploughing through Horrid Henry, I didnt realise there were so many books and the school library seem to have them all. Now, far be it from me to discourage her reading (it has taken enough blood and tears to get this far) I would love to find something else that would appeal to her without looking too young (this is a consideration as her friends all read much more 'advanced' books) and prefereably something new rather than a classic ( she feels embarrassed taking my knackered old books in apparently)

OP posts:
Blu · 24/10/2008 13:52

What about the Humphry Hamster books?The World according To Humphey is the first in the series

DS LOVES them - though the text is more dense and smaller than in the H Henry books.

motherinferior · 24/10/2008 13:51

I'm afraid I rather adore HH. I know I shouldn't, but I do.

I noticed that there are now Winnie the Witch chapter books - would this be too young for her? Also, the Ahlberg series about the Gaskitts is absolutely lovely: clear yet madly entertaining.

NicRob1 · 24/10/2008 13:45

Hi,

Elk mentioned the Pony Mad Princess from Usborne. There are a few ranges from Usborne that might be of interest to your 9 year old daughter. They do Fame School, Oliver Moon (along the lines of Harry Potter), Summer Camp Secrets, Totally Lucy. Oliver Moon range and Summer Camp Secrets have web pages for even more fun with the reading! See my thread on Usborne Books at Home

VintageGardenia · 23/10/2008 17:50

Bad Man then. Hope your dd enjoys. If final family consensus at end is No Good I'll refund your cash!

Original poster
Eniddo · 23/10/2008 17:29

the first one

dh thinks Not Proper Literature

but ignore him, he has no idea really

OP posts:
VintageGardenia · 23/10/2008 14:16

Which Mr Gum did you get & why does your dh disapprove, other than not by RLS, obv?

Original poster
Eniddo · 23/10/2008 11:43

she started mr gum last night

read very nicely

dh disapproves but will only be happy when she is reading Treasure Island from cover to cover

OP posts:
tigermoth · 23/10/2008 08:12

My 9 year old ds waved goodbye to Horrid Henry only when he was introduced to Captain Underpants.

I notice Captain Underpants books are classified in his age range at book shops. DS2 is also a bit of a late reader, so it looks like he's catching up.

lottiejenkins · 23/10/2008 08:10

What about Eugenia Lavender by Geri Halliwell........? I have just bought these for my friends daughter,,,,,,,

NotQuiteCockney · 23/10/2008 07:57

Oh, Mr Gum is great.

Other books that work for DS1 include:

  • Captain Underpants (rude!)
  • Astrosaurs + Cows In Action (same author)
  • the Roman Mysteries (v adventury, good strong female characters)
  • the Cresside Crowell series, vikings + dragons
Original poster
Eniddo · 21/10/2008 14:24

thank you all

vintagegardenia (ooh you sound nice!) I have just ordered mr gum they sound great.

OP posts:
VintageGardenia · 21/10/2008 13:11

A friend gave my ds some Mr Gum books and even though they are technically below his reading age (he's 10) he loves them and so do I. They are terrifically funny and very well written, slightly subversive, but without the sledgehammer approach of the Horrid H books. Highly recommend em.

He also reads Jacqueline Wilson (to my surprise), also have you ever tried Grimble? Excellent.

JackieNoHeadJustABloodyStump · 21/10/2008 13:05

Getting for Christmas, that is.

JackieNoHeadJustABloodyStump · 21/10/2008 13:05

Lol Tigerfeet. DD's getting a box set of 'The naughtiest girl in the school' (Enid Blyton) that I bought from Amazon, but can't now find on there . I'm looking forward to re-reading those.

TigerFeet · 21/10/2008 13:01

Whoops, I appear to have accidentally ordered the DKS and Roald Dahl box sets for myself dd

How careless of me.

JackieNoHeadJustABloodyStump · 21/10/2008 12:48

Only do the Rainbow Magic ones as long as she's the one doing the reading - they're really dire. Very samey. But good for getting them reading to themselves. DD loves them. Which is fine by me as long as I don't have to read them.

LapinsBeenMarried4Years · 21/10/2008 12:44

BookPeople also have those Rainbow Magic books in sets.

LapinsBeenMarried4Years · 21/10/2008 12:44

We do NOT do Horrid Henry, nor will we. I am already worried that DS will get called horrid at school!

Bumblelion · 21/10/2008 12:44

When my daughter was slightly younger than 9, she liked the 'Power Puff Girls' stories and also liked the Rainbow Magic books (although, again a lot to choose from). Also The Worst Witch (and only 2 other books to follow, I think).

TigerFeet · 21/10/2008 12:42

Ugh Horrid Henry - dd is 4 and found a copy belonging to my sister, now she's HH obsessed and we read a story every night.

They are truly hideous aren't they? I go all Mrs Judgypants at the parenting and clear favouritism of Perfect Peter. Awful.

I loved Enid BLyton at 9 and my sister who is a lot younger and diff generation liked Dick King-Smith and Jaqueline Wilson.

LapinsBeenMarried4Years · 21/10/2008 12:36

Fame School series or if you want her to read "classics", Classic retold for 8+

The BookPeople have a set of 15 Roald Dahl books for £15.99 (I am buying those) or how about a set of 6 Charm Hall books?

Elk · 21/10/2008 12:27

My dd isn't this age but a ideas may be:

Usbornes Pony Mad Princess Series (or would they be too young looking).

They also do a Horsey Series - Sandy L
The Book People Have a box set of Dick King-Smith Books (10 for £10) which I have just bought for my dd . She's too young for them but who cares it was a bargain.

Enid Blyton - Secret Seven Series.

Have you tried asking at your local library. My local librarians are excellent at finding books and ordering them in from all over the county.

PestoFangsLookGoodOnMeMonster · 21/10/2008 12:23

Another firm favourite you could try is

Milly Molly Mandy

Original poster
Eniddo · 21/10/2008 12:21

oh how could I have forgotton barrington stoke

dd1 said that SWAP was the best book she had ever read

OP posts:
PestoFangsLookGoodOnMeMonster · 21/10/2008 12:19

My dd2 is 9 and loves the

Arabel's Raven books.

Luckily I had kept mine from childhood and started reading them to the dds at bedtimes. However, DD2 has now claimed them for herself