Classic novel for DS8

[barefootcook]

For each birthday we always buy our son a hardback novel- usually by an English author. This year for his 8th birthday I have ordered Swallows and Amazons however it turns out that his grandfather has done the same thing. Does anyone have any good suggestions? The books so far have been The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh etc. Am looking for something that I can read to him- perhaps with a few illustrations- that does not have pages and pages of description!

Ds loved
"Mystery At Witchend" by Malcolm Saville at 8yo. Probably one of his favourite books of all time.
Other suggestions would be Biggles, Jennings at School Just William, Famous Five, Cue for Treason, Little House (ds particularly enjoyed Farmer Boy) series.
All ones he loved at that age (and still does)

Narnia books, the Hobbit, Roald Dahl/Harry Potter if not too modern...

Famous 5, the borrowers, green knowe, turbulent term of tyke tyler, for other random choices!

Treasure Island
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Secret Garden

Anything by E. Nesbit

Narnia is perfect for this age.

Treasure Island. Harry Potter series as a modern classic.

There is a beautiful hard edition of the borrower's in Waterstones at the moment. My son loved ' coral island'. A real adventure book. The black stallion is another great book.

John Masefield's 'The Box of Delights' and 'The Midnight Folk'?

Moonfleet

Moondial by Helen Cresswell

Tom's Midnight Garden

Emil and the Detectives

The Iron Man by Ted Hughes

The Sword in the Stone

The Little Grey Men by 'BB'

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge