Aibu to want more non-scary stories for older kids

[Meanmate]

My child is coming up to 10 and going through that phase where everything is scary. Loves books and is an advanced reader but still finds the Harry potters are too scary (can’t get beyond book 3) and lots of the other books seem to have similarly exciting/scary/slightly supernatural or spy type frightening themes which means child can’t then get to sleep. Anyone have any tips for funny or non scary books for a slightly sensitive child who reads voraciously? Still needs to be a really good story! Pref not old fashioned writing - couldn’t get into the secret garden , swallows and amazons etc.

Oh yes! Another vote for Judy Blume.

I think the classics can be hard to get into.
With my DD we used to share a book. I would read the first chapter to her, and then she could read the next before her ight went out. I would then read the next one to her the next night, before she read her bit.

We found it helped her get into the story quicker, I could explain any of the historical facts that she didn't understand, and we could look up the new vocab together. She soon began reading them by herself, once she got the hang of them.

She loved Ballet Shoes and other Noel Streatfield stuff, Five Children and It, the Phoenix and the Carpet, the Railway Children etc

Another modern author to try might be Lauren St John. The Blue Giraffe series, and the Laura Marlin books were good.

Poowilly - she’s definitely not that advanced! She’s fast and furious but not massively into erodite reading. That is my favourite book. Hope your daughter enjoys it!

Great shout on Judy! We’ve done a couple of the fudge ones but was waiting for the others as from memory they have whit adult themes and a bit of body dismorphia? We must increase our bust in AYTGIMM and the whole fat theme in blubber. But that’s a great shout.

Another trick with the classics is to skop the first page or two... Anne of GG starts with very dull exposition, but all the books are mesmerising after that.

Reading and trying to guess the meaning in the classics will help her a lot when she tackles English texts and also foreign languages later

Watership down
ducton wood There are 6 books in series in this series now
Professor Brain storm is funny

Thanks so much for all these suggestions, this will keep us going for ages. Keep them coming, i imagine this will be a useful tool for many.

Another slightly older one (but still in modern English) is the secret diary of Adrian mole, which is basically every tween /teen ever and very funny.

Sorry I'll stop spamming your thread now op! I just remember being in the same position as your dd, too advanced a reader for kids books, not really grown up enough for proper adult books. It was rubbish because I loved to read but there wasn't much to read. I would have loved my parents to ask for recommendations for me like you have for your dd. It's really lovely.

Enclume - I think that’s a really good idea for when she’s more settled.

Oh and what about Michael Morpurgo? I’m sure I was around year 5/6 when I read a few of his.

Billy that’s a brilliant shout! I loved Adrian mole. Doesn’t it talk about wanking though??? Might have to reread myself first!

Poobum she can’t stand MM, hates his stuff. I think she finds it a bit slow and depressing? I can see why, though I do like his stuff. Neither of my kids like him and they both read widely. Weird hey?

I should say for others that I’d highly recommend Michael M - most kids I know love his stuff, just mine that don’t!

I can't remember off the top of my head, that might be in one of the later books?

Michael morpurgo is good but if she reads little foxes make sure she has plenty of kleenex. I'm still traumatised by that one!

Maybe. That’s why she doesn’t like them billy. She is super sensitive. She cried for about a week when she first saw a homeless person and couldn’t get it out of her head. So maybe it’s too close to the bone for her.

How about the 2009 update on Malory Towers?

That should read - maybe that’s why she doesn’t like them billy...

Update on Malory towers???????? Off to get this for me!!

Have you tried Eva Ibbotson books? Mine loved the Abominables.
I second the Terry Pratchett idea - the 3 part series about the nomes is great, and there’s also a couple of compilations of short stories.
Is she into non-fiction at all? If so then you have all the horrible histories type books - there are also others for science, maths etc.

Is it still Enid?

Not heard of Eva Pipkin , thank you. Off to google, but the abominable sounds familiar for some reason, even though I know we don’t have it.

My DC (who loves Wimpy Kid, Tom Gates, Captain Underpants etc) has just moved on to Anthony Horowitz and is enjoying it.

That's exactly what I did. That's the only one I read because while it was a good story it was just so so sad.

Horrible histories are the dogs bollocks. I'm trying to get ds into them not so I can read them again no not at all

What about 20th century children's novels like 'Tom's Midnight Garden' (DH just read this to our 9 yo, DH had never read it and they both loved it), or 'Stig of the Dump' or 'Carrie's War' or 'The Wolves of Willoughby Chase' or 'The Machine Gunners' or 'When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit' or 'Mary Poppins' or 'The 101 Dalmations'. I do think a lot of modern children's novels are rather dumbed down in the language (not all obviously, just been reading Northern Lights to our 11yo and it's an absolute joy to read aloud - unlike HP!) and they seem to get more adult in theme rather in language but do that by being more violent and sexual rather than complexity of character. Have you tried reading with her, depends on the child though, DD1 would read ahead of me but DD2 only lets DH read to her and will never ever read ahead (has other novels on the go to read to herself).And maybe try library books so you can try a novel but there's no pressure to finish it if she doesn't enjoy it.