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Original poster

What age/ability to read Sherlock Holmes?

60 replies

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 20:29

I've not read it so no idea. It's for ds.

TIA.

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Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 22:23

I could try him with Bill Bryson and see how he goes? A short history of nearly everything is a very good book.

I've never read Jane Austin I did buy Oscar Wilde's 'A picture of Dorian Gray' so I'm reading this at the moment. Ds has read more books then me, he's 10, I'm 31. . I'd like to try him with some poetry, make his reading a bit more varied maybe. He has a couple of books but it's hard finding poets that I 'get' so I wouldn't be able to go through what they are on about with him. God, I don't want to buy York notes for a 10 year old.

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janeite · 23/05/2009 22:03

I think that's certainly enough to show he understands them.

Chucks the complete works of Jane Austen at dd2 and demands a report back in half an hour, plus sufficient chuckling in the next ten minutes to prove she's reading it!

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 22:02

Yes, they sell them in Waterstones. Ds has gone through alot of books. There are some fab Dr Who books aswell. He may find these interesting.

Joke books are really good for boys, you can tell they understand them as they laugh at the jokes. Ds used to walk around the city centre reading them out to me. The old ladies thought he was adorable! He made them all smile.

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Wallace · 23/05/2009 21:58

Stars Wars books!?

I really think that might just be the carrot to tempt him over

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 21:54

Non-fiction books are cool Wallace. What about some science fiction, not quite non-fiction. There are star wars books you know.

Sometimes children stick with what makes them comfortable janeite. When she's ready she'll try something else. Charlotte's web's a good book.

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Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 21:52

I really don't know about comprehension. The old school told me this, I just hear him laugh, then he reads the bits out to me that he finds funny. I do ask him to tell me about the book (save's me reading it) and he does know. Is this enough to show he understands them do you think? I really wouldn't want him to sit reading something beyond him. He's been reading since he was three, as normal he went from reading one word one minute to a whole Mr Man book, then Roald Dahl. It's not normal!!

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janeite · 23/05/2009 21:42

Was only asking because my dd2 (12) also read very well and very early and had a high comprehension age but she still wants to read fairly 'simple' children's books (Corlaine / Charlotte's Web / Inkheart etc) and refuses to read at all if I try to suggest more 'mature' books.

Wallace · 23/05/2009 21:39

Oh, and I'll also ask my mum what my brother was reading at that age

Wallace · 23/05/2009 21:39

Crikey, he sounds fantastic. My ds is a very good reader, but only ever wants to read non-fiction. He doesn't know what he's missing...

The Willard Price ones may be a bit quick and easy but they are very enjoyable. If you could find the whole series in the library get them all out and that should maybe last him the morning

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 21:37

You're lucky!
I do try not to push him. The books do keep him off my laptop though. He's good at maths aswell, and science. It's hard knowing what to do for the best. I don't want to push him but he seems to pick up things so easily and very quickly. I'm hoping he'll level off but I've been waiting for a very long time. It's hard.

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janeite · 23/05/2009 21:32

OK. I have missed out on the delights of Mr Gum I think - never heard of him!

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 21:30

They assessed him at his last school for reading and comprehension, he was off the scale. It went up to age 16 and he was a 16+. I do have a chat with him after and ask him what the book was about, he does tell me. He laughs and reads the funny bits out so I think he understands.

He's got a silly streak which is where the Captain Underpants fits in. I don't mind him reading this to chill, reading should be fun so even captain underpants has a place on our shelves. I'd rather he enjoyed what he was reading (have refused to buy any more Mr Gum books though, I have to draw a line here).

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Bink · 23/05/2009 21:26

Also - Henry Treece, Geoffrey Trease, - plus someone whose name keeps slipping in and out of my mind, I'll post where I recall it. They're classic late 50s/60s Puffin authors -beautifully written serious (and wonderful) children's literature. See what your library has of them - they can be hard to find in bookshops.

janeite · 23/05/2009 21:25

Sorry - ignore me if you want but are you sure he's understanding them all fully? If he keeps returning to Captain Underpants he may be wanting something a bit simpler to chill with sometimes.

I've just remembered somebody he HAS to read - Neil Gaiman!

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 21:21

Done Jules Verne (journey to the centre of the earth, around the world, not 2000 leagues I don't think), he's done all of the lord of the rings (he did them all a few years ago), done the hobbit before lord of the rings. I'll write the rest down. Thankyou He goes for Captain Underpants in the library. I don't mind him reading this but he finishes it before leaving the library. It's easier if I just hand one to him and say 'here, try this'.

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janeite · 23/05/2009 21:20

Doyle's 'The Lost World' is v good fun too. That and King S' Mines and a couple of others have been released in a really nice looking series.

janeite · 23/05/2009 21:19

Yes, yes to The Hobbit - and thanks for the Charlie Higson info!

janeite · 23/05/2009 21:18

The Bond ones are by Charlie somebody. Higson maybe?

Has he read all of the Pullman books, including the Sally Lockheart ones?

What about the 'Across The Nightingale Floor' series? And the 'Windsinger' series? And the 'Mortal Engines' series?

Bink · 23/05/2009 21:18

Young Bond, I think (by Charlie Higson), not the original James Bonds by Ian Fleming. I think 10 is too young for the original James Bonds.

If he can get on with Christmas Carol, how about some of the other tougher classics - Jules Verne (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea); H Rider Haggard (She, Allan Quatermain, King Solomon's Mines); Moonfleet (J. Meade Falkner)? And Biggles, Ted Hughes's Iron Man, The Hobbit, even Lord of the Rings - that would keep him going for a week or two.

I'd let him loose in a library too.

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 21:10

I need books with alot of pages He's read 484 pages of HP since 10am so he gets through them a bit quickly. Something interesting, well written and long. It keeps him off my laptop!!

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Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 21:08

Are they as bad as 'You're a bad man Mr Gum' ? God, this was a terrible book!

There were no books in my house when I was a child so only started to read properly in secondary school. I read alot of Dickens then Sweet Valley high I can't see him going for these myself. He's done some Dickens (christmas carol). I'll get hold of some James Bond, thankyou for this

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Wallace · 23/05/2009 21:07

www.amazon.co.uk/African-Adventure-Red-older-fiction/dp/0099183714

janeite · 23/05/2009 21:06

The dragon ones are Eragon etc - they are not very good!

Wallace · 23/05/2009 21:05

What about the series by Willard Price - African Adventure and the like. Or would those be too young?

janeite · 23/05/2009 21:05

I thing he'd like the young Bonds, if he enjoyed Alex Rider - they are like that but a bit more graphic and it is actually James Bond as a teenager, rather than a modern day Bondalike.

Please have a look at the Darren Shans as well before giving them to him: I found them to be intent on the horror rather than on the quality of writing iyswim.