DD (8) is about to finish the Harry Potter series and be bereft- what next?

[BoogleMcGroogle]

The bug bit her in February, having been a keen but not avid reader before then. Now she's about to finish the seventh and I think she'll be bereft. She says she'll just start reading them all again (although has conceded to giving War Horse a try), which is frankly lame. What can we suggest to her next? She's eyeing up my Skellig, but as I only read it last month, I'd like to think it is a bit too sophisticated for her (?!)

At 8, many many years ago! I was reading Chalet School, every single one of Enid Blyton books, Black Beauty, the pony books by the Pullein-Thompson sisters, the Jill series by Ruby Ferguson (more pony books), Heidi, the Little House series, the Bible!, ...
We were very lucky in that my parents were more than happy to buy us books (5 kids) so at least one book a week came into the house. I was a self taught reader by the age of 3 (listening to my 4 year old brother who had just started school fired my interest I think).
My own son was also a fluent reader by 4 and had read the first HP book by the end of his first year in school.
Reading is just fab!!

DS2 (nearly 10) has alas read and re-read Howl's Moving Castle. He adores it.

PLease wait a few years before the Hunger Games - really not suitable for an 8yo.

My DD really enjoyed some of the Lauren St John books - the White Giraffe series and the Laura Marlin books. Million Dollar Horse series is a bit more adult in content so you might want to check those out first.
Also many of the Eva Ibbotson books are great (although again some are intended for older readers).
She also enjoyed reading some of the older classic tales:
Ballet Shoes
Traveller in Time
Little White Horse
Coraline
Some Agatha Christie 'Miss Marple'
Also
Dark is Rising series
Sally Lockhart mysteries (Pulman)

also not alas - quite happy for him to read (most) Dianna Wynne Jones!

I think the Northern Lights books are wasted on an 8yo. DD was an excellent reader and enjoyed reading them at that age, but she has re-read them recently (she is nearly 12) and got so much more out of them. There are some easier Philip Pullman books though.

DD really enjoyed Skellig (and My Name is Mina) when she was around 10. I think it might be a bit sophisticated for an 8yo though. I think the Eragon series might also be a bit too complex for an 8yo.

The divergent trilogy/hunger games are great books but quite dark for such a young child. Maybe wait a year or two?

The Lemony Snicket books were great for dd at that age. Also the Pseudonymous Bosch books, the Alex Rider series, Percy Jackson etc.

My dd was also a big fan of the old classics when she was 8ish. She loved Little Women, the Anne of Green Gables series, Little House on the Prairie, various Noel Stretfield books, The Secret Garden, A Little Princess etc. Heidi was a particular favourite. The language in some of these books is quite challenging but the themes are still age-appropriate.

As for Harry Potter, no need to feel bereft! If she is anything like my dd, she'll probably re-read the whole series several times over, so there will be plenty more enjoyment from them yet.

Oh yy to Eva Ibbotson books - forgot those. DD especially loved Journey to the River Sea.

Noel Streatfeild is another old favourite..loved Ballet Shoes.

My DD is the same age as yours and I too was hoping to slow down her Potter-mania to make them last, but failed! She has read most of them twice though (and Chamber of Secrets several more times).

She's just started on the first Tiffany Aching book by Terry Pratchett - Wee Free Men. Definitely recommend that one, and there are four more after it too.

Another vote here for Angie Sage's Septimus Heap series (especially the first book Magyk) which, like Hogwarts, has a great sense of place. Narnia series and Ruby Redfort were also very popular with mine at your Dd's age.

I think the Northern Lights books are wasted on an 8yo.

absolutely agree but the first book (and to an extent the second but it doesn't work as a stand alone in the way that Northern Lights does) can still be enjoyed by them as a story at that level. The understanding of the heavy religious stuff kicks in upon re-reading at a later age.

The sad thing is if parents rush to push the books on children who are too young to appreciate them and they never are re-read and appreciated at a later stage. I actually think the Hunger games trilogy is a great trilogy for children of the right age group - but certainly around here there seems to be competitive parenting about whether little Johnny has read the Hunger Games before his 7th birthday. I'm sure half the parents haven't even read the books themselves to see what there is to be concerned about. I was quite disturbed and I read them when I was about 40!

I agree, Newt. I didn't censor dd's reading at any stage, but did try to steer her towards age-appropriate books. Thankfully, dd has gone back to re-read some of the more complex stuff.

We should let our kids be kids for as long as they can!

Has she read all the roald Dahls?
Narnia is good for the first couple but I tried reading the whole series to my DS and had to stop because it was horribly racist.
The edge chronicles are amazing but apart from the first too dark for 8 year olds. My DS is 8 and is fine with all the Harry potters but the 2nd edge book was too much I had to censor while I was reading it so we decided to leave it. Definitely on the shelf for a couple of years time though.

DS1 was in the same position last year. These have been enjoyed before and since:

How to Train your Dragon
Series of Unfortunate Events (will read over and over again)
The Dark is Rising (first 3)
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Nobody's Horse
Roman Mysteries
Goth Girl
Archie Greene and the Alchemist's Curse
The Phantom Tollbooth

Gallavich we started reading DS2 The Twig Saga of The Edge Chronicles when he was 5 (at his request) and are now awaiting publication of the 3rd of the Cade saga!

DS is 8 and about to finish HP too - some great ideas on here!

My DD is 8 too. She loves HP and is adamant that she's a Ravenclaw. She's currently loving the 'My Story' books. The one about Lady Jane Grey seems to be her favourite. She's also really enjoying the Horrible Histories books.

If you want things along the same lines as Harry Potter then I'd suggest:

The Garth Nix Mr Monday books. They are lighter than the Old Kingdom ones.
Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic books (Not the Lioness ones they are definitely more teen novels)
The Dark is Rising (I was 9 when I first read these and have always loved them)
A Wrinkle in time (there's a film in the planning and I don't know if I should be excited or terrified)

There are also some classic scifi novels aimed at younger readers that she might like. I loved Islands in the Sky by Arthur C Clarke when I was her age. I also loved Asimov's Lucky Starr books. I don't know if they are in print but the may be worth searching out.

Try the Last Dragonslayer books by Jasper Fforde (The Last Dragonslayer, Song Of the Quarkbeast and the Eye of Zoltar). They're entertaining/fantasy/dragony.

Or his Thursday Next books (starting with The Eyre Affair).

At 9 I started with Dick Francis, on a family holiday when there was nothing else to read. The one I read then (Nerve) is still one of my favourite books!

Abi Elphibstone seems to be popular right now with kids suffering from Potter withdrawal.

Alan Garner may also appeal, something like The Weirdstone of Brisingamen.

Pure Dead Magic by Debi Gliori
Green Knowe series by Lucy M Boston

Phillip Pullman, his Darkest Material

Agree with Skulduggery Pleasant, series of unfortunate events, any Roald Dahl if she hasn't read already, Chris Riddell

Try the measle series of books by Ian ogilvy
Some of Neil Gaiman's kids books may be a bit much for her at 8 (i ground the graveyard book tense as an adult!)

The name of the wind is 100% NOT a kids book - do not let her read it unless you want her to go to the sequel and read lots of elf sex.

We had exactly the same problem after Harry Potter. DS1 basically read them on repeat until he was in Year 7, then read the Hunger Games series.

DS2 (aged 10) is currently completely absorbed in the Edge Chronicles series. I've not read them myself, but he is reading and rereading them.

We did read some classic stuff in between - Five Children and It, CS Lewis etc.

I loved the Tamora Pierce series as a young teen - the Alanna series is the first and my favourite about a girl who secretly switches places with her twin brother so she can go train to be a knight. There's magic as the series progresses too and the books are not too adult.