Does anyone work in publishing and want to talk to me about reading books for 6 yr old boys?

[UnePrune]

I am having trouble finding a type of book which I think 6 yr old ds will read. He has done a year of reading at school, and likes to take himself off to bed, put his night light on, and read.

But

He's not good with long words.
He gets put off fairly easily.
If you say the words 'chapter book' to him, he is not interested at all.
He still needs pictures. His favourite books are Star Wars and Ben 10 comic-strip style books.

Together we read things like Dinosaur Cove. The content is absolutely perfect. There are a lot of illustrations. But the language is a bit too much for him. The books are too text-heavy, the words too long for him at this stage, even though he loves the stories and they completely switch him on.

To some extent he can go back to the picture books he had as a toddler and small child. The trouble is that he would love something new that he could read himself.

What I'd love is something a bit like the Dinosaur Cove series, paperback sized, illustrated, but with fewer, shorter words.

Does it exist? It is such a problem getting interesting reading material for new and underconfident readers. Waterstones offers up reprints of Peter and Jane, more Biff and Chip, and then a massive jump to chapter books, nothing in between.

Sorry I wasn't clear: the Dinosaur Cove books are great if I read then to him, it's by himself that he can't manage - even though he would like to iyswim.

I'm not in publishing, but I assume you've looked at your library shelves. When dd was at the stage you're describing, even in our teeny tiny library there was quite a selection of 'first readers', some with great stories that I think hit that kind of spot. (I think I remember some 'pirate school' ones?)

They tended to have lots of pictures, but be in a 'real book' format - so generally pics on every page, and maybe a third to half a page of text in a decent sized font.

Check out the Usborne Young Reading Range or the 'I am Reading' series. Look at Horrid Henry Early Readers. If you can't find them, ask the bookseller or librarian.

DS2 is 6, and he used to enjoy things like Horrid Henry Early Readers and Dirty Bertie

Ah - I hadn't seen the Horrid Henry Early Readers - that's fantastic, just the level I'm after, thanks. I'm not sure about Horrid Henry...might give him ideas (!)...

The Usborne ones, if they're the ones I'm thinking of, are a bit like school books? Quite random stories?

I really wish there was more material in general to tap into his desire to read. I remember being 5 and the thrill of finishing a book and putting it on the shelf.

The Usborne ones are actually quite good, there are a few factual ones (and IME boys often enjoy factual books). There are also lots of simplified versions of classics eg Around the world in 80 days, Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers, Robin Hood, even Hamlet! Ladybird Classics are also good for simplified versions of classics (and if you are buying them they are cheaper than Usborne).

Dirty Bertie is as bad as Horrid Henry in terms of behaviour, but I think most children can differentiate the fact that it is a story and not a guidebook on how to behave! At least I hope mine did...

Yes factual books are no problem - he loves them!! A friend gave us a pile she'd written and he reads them quite a lot. (I think they are Usborne actually.)

I think the trouble I have is that ds won't read just anything. He isn't insatiable (as I was at that age). It has to press the right buttons for him or he switches off. Fairy tales don't interest him at all but alien adventures or natural history or steampunk DO hit the right spot and I suppose that's what I'm looking for.

Look at the Usborne Website with your child and get him to pick out something that interests him (hasten to add, I do not work for Usborne but they sound like they could be your best bet.)

Keep reading aloud to him. Try reading the Magic Treehouse series - a good combination of fact and fiction. It will click with him and it could be that he is just too tired to attempt longer books himself if he is reading just before bedtime.

I have just remembered that dd liked a lot of the Ladybird read it yourself books at that stage - there's quite a variety of different subjects, IIRC (to be honest I just picked up whatever I could find in charity shops & then passed them on if dd wasn't interested).

Hi, Im Maggie, my husband and I selfpublished 2 childrens books a short while ago,. They are colour illustrated throughout, they sold well around our district of Leeds West Yorkshire, .We have some left over, both yours,, free if pay for postage. Thanks Maggie.

Hi, I work for Usborne and I have quite a range of books at my house that I could pop over with and you can see what catches his eye? It is difficult to judge just by looking at a front cover online I think. The very first reading range are good as it is mostly pictures still with increasing amounts of text as you go through the series. There's some good pirate ones and adventure stories. No need to buy from me if you don't want to - I just like to see kids reading - any sales are a bonus!

www.usborneonline.org/mini-bookworms

We get loads of books like what you want OP, from the early readers section of the library.

I'm also happy if DS reads lots of comics, Simpsons, Calvin & Hobbes, Peanuts....

Boys Rule series might suit OP's son, too.

I have same problem and came across dk readers on amazon they do star wars ones and I came here to see if anyone recommends them they do them in different stages which is ideal for my ds1 in year 1.

We found a solution (of sorts).
Horrible Histories do some cartoon-format books. So still factual.
DS loves the Star Wars ones too.
We tried to encourage him to read all sorts of the Usborne ones (which do look great) and he was having none of it, so HH will do for now.
He is a very facty child.

DS loved the Astrosaur series at this age.

He also loved Horrid Henry, I think a little later, but I'm afraid it did give him a few ideas.

I have sort of the opposite problem, in that one of DS friends asks his Mum if DS can come to him every bloody night time he sees me. She usually says no, which is fine, but when she says "yes" I am made to feel like the baddy spoiling the fun.
Us Mums are good friends though, and try to stick to the mantra, "Only if we've organised it in advance, so we can plan something nice for tea" (really so we get the benefit of not doing the school pick-up, I mean what is the point of DS going to someone else's house if I have to walk to school and back anyway?)

Oh how the h*ll did that end up there, wrong thread altogether.

DS loved the Mystery Mob books for a while, they have fairly simple language and exciting stories.

I am a big fan of Marcia Williams who does comic strip versions of myths, Robin Hood, Shakespeare etc. The language isn't always so easy for an early reader, but the cartoons are very good and the combination is appealing.

I think someone said the DK Readers - they do lots of natural history, facty stuff as well as characters (Star Wars etc)

Hi Fran :)

If he likes facts, have you seen Beginners?

Again Usborne, and you may be best buying off a local rep- I presume you must be in Scotland if Fran knows you, but either of us can put you in touch with someone if you want to see some of the books :)

I'm sorry, that link didn't work, try this

Try joke books and Mr Men.

We did:-

joke books
The Magic Treehouse
Daisy(paperbacks)by Kes Gray
a few Corgi Pups eg The Chocolate Monster
Horrid Henry early readers
Mr Men
the easy Roald Dahls

kind of in that order.

What about the Miffy books?