to think there aren't enough books for 6 year old boys?

[becstarsky]

I'm hoping that you'll all say "YABU, here's a bunch of book recommendations" to be honest.

DS and I have been reading 'Beast Quest' - alternate pages with him reading a page then me reading a page - he's fine for comprehension but his reading isn't quite fluent enough for it - just on the cusp of being able to sit and read it alone (gosh but those books are awful though aren't they? I guess they're just sitting right in the gap in the market that I'm complaining about!). We're also reading 'The BFG' together with us reading alternate pages in the same way.

We'll be camping for two weeks in the summer, and I expect we'll get through a lot of books. So I went to Waterstones to stock up on books that he could read independently. He's just finishing Year One, and is 1A/2C with his reading (teacher put him as 1A but told me she hesitated as to whether to put 2C). Normally we go to the library for books, but I don't want to take library books camping as they might get ruined considering the weather we've been having!

Now I know that DS could read books about ballet and fairies but that is just not his bag, and I want reading to be fun, not an exercise in corrective socialisation (as I've just come off the 'typical boy' thread ). He was really struggling with reading at one point, and I'm keen to encourage him as he's made amazing progress this year.

So I'm walking around the children's book area at his level and it all seems awfully... pink. There are lots of picture books about tractors and diggers etc. but that is all waaaay too babyish for him. For older boys there are some gruesome stories which look fun for when he's older. But at his age range I just couldn't find anything.

AIBU? Please tell me that I am!

+1 for the Magic Tree House books. They are perfect first chapter books with plenty of illustration, relatively simple language and interesting topics.

They were the first books my DD was able to read "in her head" by herself and she still loves them. Every (short) chapter has a cliffhanger at the end and makes you want to keep reading.

Definitely Dirty Bertie books - my DS loved them and they are sooo much nicer than the Horrid Henry ones (as long as you are not offended by poo, farts and burps )
He also liked the Astrosaur books and Dinosaur Cove books
Jeremy Strong books were also popular - some are easier than others so flick through a few.
Might be a bit difficult just yet, but soon the Roman Mysteries would be within his range if he likes history.
Captain Underpants stories were funny and amused him.

My ds is 7 now and i do think their reading really comes om in y2. We did start reading some of these together whereas now he reads most of it. Some roald dahl are surprisingly short. The pound shop here does simplified horrid henry books (pictures and 3-4 lines per page but not babyish). My ds and dd love chapter books. They love the suspense and often ask to go to bed for the next chapter.

My now teenage sons were very keen on the Captain Underpants series, also Jeremy Strong books,like 'There's a Viking in My Bed', Horrid Henry, Roald Dahl, any DK factual books (lots of pics), Usborne Childrens Books are also very good (e.g. Farmyard Tales). For boys who like football there's 'Match' magazine.
I'd say just encourage boys to read anything they're interested in and can manage to read.Plus, remember that just because you might like/have liked certain books, remember they may not!

Astrosaurs have been mentioned lower down - they are great book. Dinosaurs in space, what's not to like. When dd was 6 I got her the Oliver Moon books - they were at a good level - slightly easier than some of the others but a level beyond the bog picture books.

Ds and his friends really got into reading at age 7 with the Beast Quest series. None of them could wait to read the next one (at least until they got to about number 40 and were bored).

try thebook people for ideas too - good value and you can sort by age too
www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=48107&filters=&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100

Seeline No I don't mind poo, farts and burps, and DS considers them the height of humour . It's not the naughtiness and yukkiness I mind in 'Horrid Henry' it's the nasty family dynamics (reading too much into it I know - but even DS has commented that Henry's parents aren't very nice to him).

I'm seeing a lot of votes for 'Captain Underpants' and Jeremy Strong... I'll check those out. Oh, 'Match' magazine! DH would read that with DS very happily!

Got to go and run some errands before school pick up and DS' activities, but I'll be back to this thread with pencil, paper, and library card at the ready!

when my ds was just starting to read independently we got a box set of The Little Animal Ark books (which are easier to read than Animal Ark books). He also loved Frog and Toad books (which you can get on Amazon) which although American do not have too many americanisms in (my ds thought it was hysterical when they refer to trousers as pants!). Probably more gentle reads than some of the other books mentioned above. DS also liked Horrid Henry, started with the Easy Readers ones and then moved onto the regular ones. Also loved listening to Famous Five, Paddington, The Wombles and then started to read the books himself when became a more confident reader.

Captain Underpants was way too American (cultural refs they couldn't get) & a bit mature for my kids, certainly not suitable before 9-10yo (keep in mind that I AM American).

At 6yo my kids would have read The Beano, Dirty Bertie, Boys Rule series, Horrid Henry, Calvin & Hobbes, TinTin, Asterix, simple readers at the library, not yet ready for Dino Cove, Astrosaurs or Roald Dahl or most the other series mentioned here.

DS is 8yo & only just ready for Wimpy Kid; I'm told he's a nudge above target reading ability for y3.

My 5 yet old loves factual books - question and answer books, books about space etc. he also loves Thomas tank books, Richard scarry books,

I don't know what level 1a/2c is because I'm not in the UK. But at that age these were things my younger son was interested in.

Lots and lots and lots of non-fiction. Mainly on sharks, space, egypt or dragons (I know, not really non-fiction but that style)
cartoon books -- he developed a great love for Garfield, Asterix and Calvin and Hobbes and then later Bone
Magic Treehouse, we had far too many of those lying around. I still remember being forced to read them at bedtime
Roald Dahl
Ask Magazine (and others in that group, we have had them for many years, my boys loved them) magazines.whsmith.co.uk/Magazines-From-Abroad/FAMILY/Youth/Ask.cfm
Captain Underpants
The Fudge books by Judy Blume
Mathy books like Penrose or The Phantom Tollbooth

I know I'm late to the thread but you did mention reading The BFG to him and you think that Roald Dahl might be difficult for him to read on his own but have you tried some of the easier Roald Dahl books. When I was younger I was introduced to Roald Dahl through Matilda and The BFG and wanted more so I was given George's Marvelous Medicine and Fantastic Mr. Fox. I found that they were at an easier level than some of Dahl's other stuff.

It just might be worth consideration.

Becstarsky - am surprised that your local Waterstones had nothing. Our shop has loads of age appropriate books for both boys and girls of that age, many of which are non-gender specific.

Would reiterate previous poster's recommendation that you ask for recommendations when you go in. We might be a chain but some of us have worked with children's books for many, many years, have children of our own, work with children in schools, see what children like to read and have read many of the books ourselves.

Another late comer to the thread but at that age my son enjoyed books by Jeremy Strong and also the Spy Dogs/Spy Pups range.

I have a6yr old son too. Will look into those recommendations as I thought the same thing as op. thanks to you all!