I need books for very able reader who just gobbles them up!

[onetiredmummy]

DS1 is aged 8 but at the last parents I was told he has a reading age of 12.5

He has run out of books, he's been reading BeastQuest but he's now bored with them & he's just worked his way through all the Harry Potter series.

The books for age 8 don't hold his interest but I'm worried that if I start to buy books for age 12 he may not comprehend the plot even though he can read the words iyswim. But he has understood Harry Potter fine. He is reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid at school.

Which ones do I try him with next? :)

I was thinking of the Famous Five?

Oh I forgot secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flammel series.

If he goes to the library every week he has a huge choice and can have up to about 12books a week.

bumbolina thanks for the mortal engines recommendation - jyst read an extract and it looks intriguing. Is now on our library reservation list.

I've just completed an OU course in Children's Lit and was one of the set texts - it's very dark, but very good.

Ooh great suggestions so far. I might come back tomorrow and get some ideas for my DS too. Half asleep right now.

As a child the greatest thing to me was being let loose in the library to make my own discoveries.

He came out of the library with (all chosen himself):

3 Asterix
2 Diaries of a Wimpy Kid
Kids edition of Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Film book of the Golden Compass
Christmas Jokes
Annuals of BeastQuest

And a big smile

Oh yeah, forgot about joke books - DS loves them. It's quite funny when he explains the jokes to us

I found a copy of Chrestomanci in the charity shop today, and realised it's a book I loved as a kid. DS doesn't get a look in till I've finished rereading it!

Blackhearts in Battersea etc by Joan Aiken
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Green Knowe series by Lucy M Boston
101 Dalmatians
Ursula K Le Guin's Earthsea books

DS also 8 and has similar tastes. He has recently enjoyed;

• Percy Jackson and the other Rick Riordan series, which is based around Egyptian myths. The combination of PJ and Atlantis has led to a more general interest in ancient myths so he has read some non-fiction about them.
• Michael Morpurgo. He got a box set from Book People for his birthday, and has so far enjoyed The Butterfly Lion, and Small Foxes. I'm reading them first as sometimes the subject matter raises questions/fears and I like to know what's coming.

• Spiderwick
• Lemony Snicket
• History Spies
• Horrible Histories, Horrible Science etc.

Second the need to join the library...ds reads a book a day usually which would cost a ridiculous amount, even at Book People prices

Not sure if its been mentioned but Mr Gum is a hilarious set of books with a quite surreal, interesting style.

Redwall series
Just William

My dd is 8 and a similarly strong reader - both she and ds2 (10) devoured the Gareth P Jones books: The Considine Curse, The Thornthwaite Inheritance and Constable and Toop. Super books, all of them; unputdownable.

Glad you went to library, that would be my suggestion, too!

Good Age for Mr. Gum books. Turbulent Term of Tyke Tyler; Astrosaurs still big among mine. All of the "My pet rodent is really a clever alien" books, too.

My 8yr old has enjoyed the Tom Gates ones.

My kids also love the Beast Quest series, I shudder a bit at their quality although I know I shouldn't - the first one is fine, then after the Xth repeat of basically the same story it's a little disappointing!

I wrote The Long Way Home because I wanted to write something for kids of the Beast Quest age but not so dumbed down - my kids are 7 and 9 and they love it, unfortunately I now have to try to get on with writing the second in the series!

From my own childhood, I'd definitely agree with the suggestion of Biggles. Also Robert Heinlein wrong some books aimed at kids which I loved (I loved the ones not aimed at kids too, as well as all the other popular sci-fi writers).

Interesting thread. My DS is just 7, but I am wondering what to offer up to him. He spends all his time with Horrible Histories and Horrible Science at the moment, which is fab, but I am trying to tempt him with some fiction. Have got him Wimpy Kid, Secret Seven and a David Walliams for Xmas. Will also do some library trips. A friend bought a Beast Quest book too, so hopefully he will get into one of those...

Can I recommend Ali Sparks' the shapeshifter series. My DD absolutely adores it.
Percy Jackson books.
Alice in wonderland, through the looking glass

My DD read the Pullman trilogy, lots of questions but absolutely loved it.

Percy Jackson vote here too.

Would also highly recommend Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant series.

Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series or the Airman were good.

Roddy Doyle The giggler series is excellent.

The Hobbit is a great read.

Oisin McGann writes some very exciting books also.

Theres a junior James Bond series of books (can't remember them all but silverfinn was one) that are well written.

Captain underpants might appeal too?

I do remember a series of books called spydogs that were a hit too.

classic might include gullivers travels or tom sawyer?

Enid Blyton were quickly dismissed as boring by my kids. I think writing for kids has changed. The books are faster paced and The Blyton books are perhaps just too gentle a read in comparison.

Ds1who just turned 7 but has reading age of 14+ when assessed last year is currently reading the hobbit and the faraway tree. And is also working his way through the Guinness book of records.
He doesn't actually read much fiction, would rather read a dictionary or a factual book.

That's interesting jojane, same as my DS then re non fiction at the moment.

He loves the usborne lift the flap books, has several sets of encyclopaedias and millions of fact/question books,
Was putting some Xmas stuff away and realised for birthday (last week) and Xmas he had 52 books whereas the other two had about 5 each!!
He does have some aspergers traits although not formerly diagnosed yet and as a younger child would never dress up or partake in pretend play.

HE reads books so much they fall apart, he had a book of Dhs from when he was young, an a-z of transformers and it fell apart ( had been pristine when handed over) and when I tried to replace its no longer in print and about £1000!

Ah, that's where they differ then! DS is still into dressing up (aged just 7) and has always been .
Sounds like he's into his books then! DS is too. Not quite 52, mind .