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Books to read to DS1 (5)

15 replies

Merrow · 08/10/2024 15:49

We've just finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and he enjoyed it so much that it made me realise we've had a bit of a dip in terms of the quality of the books I've been reading recently. Any recommendations? I struggle to find books for him as I don't want to read books that are really aimed at early readers (such as Horrid Henry), but I also don't want to go too over his head. I would say he's more into adventure / fantasy rather than books about going to school or animals.

He really liked the How To Train Your Dragon books, and one of the things he liked was all the facts about dragons in them. He thought Grimwood was really funny, and I've picked up the one that's just out in that series. I'd heard good things about Rabbit and Bear but they didn't really land here. He found the 39 storey treehouse series hilarious, but I decided after a few books they can wait until he can read himself! I've read a lot of mythology to him and that's generally something we both enjoy, but the few I've picked up recently have been a bit too much of a step up from the Orchard/Usborne ones.

Basically he loves being read to and so will happily listen to anything, but I'd like to find great books that he really connects with.

OP posts:
TwigTheWonderKid · 08/10/2024 15:57

Have a look at Eva Ibbotson books. She's written for children from littlies all the way to teenagers and they are all excellent.

MoneyAndPercentages · 08/10/2024 16:00

@TwigTheWonderKid she's my favourite author even now as an adult! 😍

We do lots of Famous Five, Wishing Chair, and The Magic Faraway Tree here.

Do you think he'd like Michael Morpurgo at all? Lots of them are fab (a few might not be age appropriate yet though)

GlassHeart1 · 08/10/2024 16:01

Have a look at London Eye mystery
Or a rhyming one, A voyage of arctic tern

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Merrow · 08/10/2024 16:23

Thank you! @TwigTheWonderKid I've picked up the Secret of Platform 13, which I've heard of but never read and sounds like something we'd both enjoy.

@MoneyAndPercentages We've read The Wishing Chair and The Magic Faraway Tree, but not tried Famous 5. Do you have Michael Morpurgo recommendations? I've seen Warhorse at the theatre, so dismissed him as a bit heavy for the moment!

@GlassHeart1 thank you! I'll check out these ones - the rhyming one is out of print but based on the description definitely sounds worth tracking down.

OP posts:
Himawarigirl · 08/10/2024 16:28

Frank Cottrell Boyce books are amazing. Runaway Robot or Wonder Brothers might be good ones to start as he is a little younger. Also Ben Davies. Eva Ibbotsen’s great ghost rescue or which witch are both great, and Katherine Rundell books once he is a little older. Also other Roald Dhal’s.

Himawarigirl · 08/10/2024 16:29

Willow Valley books are also nice

Singleandproud · 08/10/2024 16:30

DD enjoyed David Baddiels books, she read them herself when she was a little older but I don't think there was anything not appropriate for a 5 year old and ofcourse being David Baddiels they are very funny

MoneyAndPercentages · 08/10/2024 16:32

We loved The Puffin Keeper, The Dancing Bear, and Born to Run. War horse is incredible but yes will be saving that til DS is a bit older too!

Himawarigirl · 08/10/2024 16:37

Also the boy who swam with piranhas. If you get them on world of books they often have a buy 4 books get a third free offer.

Drivingoverlemons · 08/10/2024 16:40

Captain Underpants?

TwigTheWonderKid · 08/10/2024 17:11

A few more:

Bogwoppit by Ursula Moray Williams
The Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
The Clarice Bean books by Lauren Child

Vettrianofan · 08/10/2024 17:23

Beast Quest series

MargaretThursday · 08/10/2024 18:10

I started reading to ds at about that age. He liked history, and something to discuss, so we read:

Cue for Treason (Geoffrey Trease)
Lone Pine Series (Malcolm Saville) [Also read the Marston Baines series, but much older]
Biggles
Adventure series (Enid Blyton)
Tennis Shoes/Party Frock/Curtain Up/House in Cornwall/The children of Primrose Lane (Noel Streatfield)
The Players Boy/They Players and the Rebels (Antonia Forest)
Alex Rider Series (Antony Horowitz)
Storm Ahead/White Riders/Cargo of Horses etc (Monica Edwards)
The Black Rider series (Violet Needham)
Swallows and Amazon series
The Children Who lived in a Barn
Daughter of Time (Josephine Tey)
Stalky and Co
Wind in the Willows

Are the ones I remember off hand. I knew it was a success when he was begging me to read another chapter, or reading on his own.
This was over about 7 years. I know I started with Cue for Treason.
Sometimes there was a bit of explaining, but he loved history (as long as it was accurate) which helped.

Merrow · 08/10/2024 19:05

Thank you for everyone's suggestions! A lot of authors I'm not familiar with, so that's really helpful.

OP posts:
MounjaroUser · 08/10/2024 19:09

I would go into Waterstones and ask an assistant in the children's department what they recommended. I did that when I had to buy books for a 10 year old relative (my children are much older so I didn't recognise a lot of the authors) and she made some great recommendations.

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