chapter books with great illustrations?

[basildonbond]

dd (7) is a very fluent reader, but we've got to a bit of an awkward stage, where she's gone beyond the books in the 'young fiction' part of the library, but the subject matter of a lot of the books for older kids just goes way over her head.

She does, however, love illustrations (especially really detailed ones), and I'm looking for some children's novels which she can get her teeth into, but which have lots of pictures as well. She loved the Far-Flung Adventures and Ottoline books and has just read Ian Beck's Tom Trueheart, so books in a similar vein would be great. Her elder brothers are demolishing the Edge Chronicles at the moment, but I think they're a bit too 'boyish' for her at the moment

Have you read the Madame Pamplemousse books? I haven't got them for the DC yet, so not sure what the reading level is, but really like the look of them and they seem to be along similar lines to Ottoline.

Actually, not sure the Madame Pamplemousse books are as illustrated as the Ottoline ones.... Neither are Tumtum and Nutmeg but really liked the first one and it's got slightly more challenging vocabulary than other books in that bracket.
Will rack my brain re illustrated ones...

I haven't seen them, but I wonder if Pippi Longstocking illustrated by Lauren Child might be good?

Rather different, and they aren't super detailed illustrations, but dd (now 8, but was 7 when she first read them) loves the How to Train your Dragon books, and the illustrations are very fun.

And completely different again, if she hasn't read them yet, what about Captain Underpants, which has loads of cartoons/cartoon style illustrations all the way through. (Don't be put off by the title, they are genuinely very funny.)

Thanks - she's already read the first Madame Pamplemouuse but I hadn't realised there was a sequel - she read both that and a couple of Tumtum & Nutmeg books in a trice and that's partly what's brought on her desire for more complicated books

She read all the Dragon books last year and loved them, along with Wimpy Kid, and has also read Pippi Longstocking (and enjoyed that too)

There's no way I'd get her to read something called Captain Underpants - she really is very girly - differentiating herself from her brothers I think ...

any more suggestions?

How many pictures, IYSWIM?

Just thinking that lots of the classics have lovely illustrations, if she's not read them - particularly the Narnia books & Swallows & Amazons series.

Marcia Williams does very intricately illustrated versions of classic tales. There is a sequel to Tom Trueheart if she hasn't yet read it. Has she tried the Corby Flood books by Riddell and Stewart as well?

whoops sorry didn't spot you'd already mentioned Far Flung Adventures, which DS loved. There is also Tintin and Asterix but you've probably already considered those? What about Moomintrolls?

At 8yrs, DS is now slowly moving more and more into the 11-14yr old section of the library - I can recommend the Pratchett books (Discworld series), the Roman Mysteries series, some of the Cornelia Funke books (not Inkspell but the others), some of the Philip Pullmans - as suitable for more advanced but younger readers. Plus for girls, there is a wealth of older literature - Nesbit, Anne of Green Gables, What Katy did - which she might enjoy. The other Astrid Lindgreen books (Emil and the ones about the little man who flys?) are very funny but less challenging.

takver - lots of pictures if possible! She absolutely loved the Ottoline books and Corby Flood etc so that level of detail in the illustrations would be great and she loves having the illustrations being an integral part of the book

She's read Narnia - and yes, those Pauline Baynes illustrations are just the kind of thing she loves - I always found Swallows and Amazons rather dull so have avoided them, but might give them a try

florencuk - I've actually got the first Roman Mysteries book out of the library for dd to try - might be a bit gritty for her though ...

ds2 recently read the Tom Trueheart sequel, but it's quite a lot darker than the first book and dd hates anything scary (she is a very 'young' 7 iyswim)

had forgotten about the moomintrolls - I'll see if my old copies are still at my parents next time I visit

Evening basildonbond - there's a new Ottoline book out in October I think (Ottoline At Sea). I've got a book called Tollins tucked away somewhere that I haven't given to the kids yet, and as far as I can remember it's got quite a lot of illustrations (sort of interwoven in the text rather than full pages I think).

Am off on a pilgrimage to our lovely local bookshop for children on Friday, will get back to you if I see anything inspiring!

As a bookmad proficient reader I loved these at a similar age. I'm not sure if they are too basic (quick read but split into chapters) but lovely illustrations - they are no longer produced but can be picked up 2nd hand quite easily by the looks of it.

This is also a gorgeously illustrated version of Alice.

Has she read Kenny and the Dragon?

I've heard good things about thisone too.

what about the mr gum books

Putting things away in dd's room reminded me of two books which are rather different (non-fiction) but might appeal. (Both are fascinating for adults, too )
Children Just Like Me has a double page spread on each child from different countries around the world - not huge amounts of text but actually lasts for ages & loads to look at.
The Way Things Work has amazing pictures - a lot of it is too complex for dd atm, but she loves looking at the pictures, reading the simpler parts (especially the mammoth stories) & I'm sure will come back to it time & again.

thanks all - I now have a long list of reservations at the library

I'd rather dismissed the thought of the Mr Gum books as the covers certainly don't have instant dd-appeal, but she does love playing with words so we'll give the first one a try and see how she goes

and The Way Things Work looks brilliant - just the kind of thing she'd love

Hi basildonbond - saw a couple of series today that looked quite interesting; one was Daisy by Kes Gray. Slightly annoying the way it's written (a bit like Clarice Bean, very much written how the character speaks iyswim), but looks quite fun and has lots of little illustrations and different font sizes and stuff. The other was Witch Baby by Debi Gliori, also had lots of little illustrations amongst the text. I guess both of these are by authors/illustrators who are known for doing nice picture books for younger kids too.

Have also been making a wish list of all the suggestions here - my DD is nearly 6 and just about at that stage of reading books for herself, so I'm always on the look out for something new that doesn't necessarily involve fairies or magic bl**dy puppies! Far Flung ones in particular look great.

thanks Monarch - but she's already devoured all the Daisy and Witch Baby books

Ballet Shoes doesn't have that many illustrations but the ones it has are lovely - or maybe Family from One End Street

dd1 is very girly and she loves the Mr. Gum books.

Coming back to this one - has she read the Magic Pudding (Norman Lindsay) - fabulously funny and loads of illustration

yes she has takver - it's one of her all-time favourites and I have recommended it on here before (dh is australian so it's virtually required reading )

Love it here too - esp the poems Any other Australian classics we're missing out on???