struggling to find fiction books to read to 5 year old

[codswallopandbalderdash]

This seems to be a really difficult stage. Most of the books I've seen seem to be of the 'read it yourself' / learn to read type which mean the stories are non-existent or v. simple. That's OK if you want this type of book - I don't.

I want to continue to read to DS at night so need something with a good story, interesting characters - either picture book (but not too simple) or chapter book (we like 'rabbit and bear' and wigglesbottom primary books) but we are struggling to find others and DS is losing interest in books as a result.

It's really annoying me as there are loads of fab non-fiction books out there for this age range but fiction is poor. Last book we got was a disaster ...

Just go to the library and choose together. We have had hundreds of books out some work and some don't

Roald Dahl?

Animal Ark novels?

Both of my kids loved these at that age.

I started reading chapter books I liked at thatage.
So we went through things like the Narnia set, Enid Blyton, Just William, Arthur Ransome, Lone Pine, Biggles, Geoffrey Trease, Monica Edwards etc. He's 10yo now and I still read similar ones to him.

The incredible book eating boy
Unbelievable top secret diary of pig
The enormous crocodile
Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent
Geronimo Stilton series

Currently reading harry potter series with DD, she knows the story from the film so can keep the story in her head. I get her to read some and practice her phonics on the big words. She asks me the meaning of some words she doesn't know. I have been quite surprised how much she can read, but a large amount of any story is the little words. We previously read some Roald Dahl but she got bored half way through the book. She was only just gone 5 then though, her reading has moved on a lot.

DH has the Narnia series and some other animal character fantasy style books (redwall?) from his childhood that he is looking forward to reading with her.

DD currently has the worst witch series, some Disney shit, some My little Pony stories,a bunch of cheapo books about mermaids, fairies and unicorns, also traditional stuff like Beatrix Potter, Grimms fairy tales, and a children's book of bible stories given by the grandparents.

I will read anything she is interested in as long as it isn't too dull for me we do try to keep a good variety so we don't get bored reading to her, if I find reading boring she will pick up on that. Some of the simpler books I used to read she can now have a go at herself.

If you want him to read himself, how about comics? There are some great ones out there. Otherwise read what you enjoy and he will probably enjoy it with you.

I'm tempted to go for Pratchett next....

Try the BFG and if it's a success start on some other Roald Dahl's?? My four year old has really enjoyed reading them with me at bed time. We're going to try Enid Blyton when we've finished them all so that could be another option.

I know another girl whose a similar age and loved the Usbourn Greek Myths too.

As I might have said before, we read a chapter of a new book and DS(5) tells me if he wants to carry on...if not we leave it for a bit. The Worst Witch, Swallows and Amazons, Emil and the Detectives, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, various Clarice Bean books, the Ottoline and Goth Girl series, Fortunately The Milk, The Sword in the Stone, Haroun and the Sea Of Stories, and My Family and Other Animals have all been a hit. The Children Of Green Knowe, The Borrowers, The Railway Children and the Phantom Tollbooth all went back on the pile for another time.

The first chapter book (i.e. no pictures, can't complete book in one sitting) DS was prepared to listen to at around that age was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. After that, it was like the key had turned, and we've been discovering and sharing all sorts of weird and/or wonderful stories together ever since.

I guess it is a matter of finding the right book at the right time, to help you over that initial hurdle.

Before that, we had gone through several short story collections; so there were no pictures, or very few pictures (compared to picture books); but we still completed a whole story in one sitting. Kind of an intermediary stage?
The Magic Faraway Tree might be another possible stepping stone, as although it forms one overarching story, each chapter is also a complete individual adventure in itself.

Dick King-Smith's Sophie books
Katie Morag (short stories)
Dinosaur Cove
Beast Quest
How to Train your Dragon
The Edge Chronicles

The Oliver Moon series of books are good for this age. The books are about a boy wizard, the chapters are short and have lots of illustrations. I got a cheap bundle on ebay.

The Isla Fisher books are good - 3 stories per book.

We also liked the Claude series of books - about a dog and his sock friend.

Maybe pick a theme that he's particularly interested in e.g my son likes the Frank Lampard Magic Football series because he's into football. I wouldn't particularly recommend them as stand alone stories but the theme gets him interested. Same goes for Dinosaur Cove if he likes dinosaurs, the Jonny Duddle books (e.g Cave of Doom) if he likes pirates.

Secret Seven?

I can second barney on the Claude books. Written in chapter style, with pictures, very funny. They can be kept to use at a later stage when your child reads them for themselves.

Far away tree was also a hit with my child at this age.

Thanks everyone - some good ideas and suggestions. For PP that mentioned the library. We aren't particularly near a library - and the nearest one has got great picture books and selection for older children but hasn't got a lot for this age range surprisingly (maybe all these books have already been checked out and not returned ! No fines for childrens loans means some people keep books forever)

Another set my ds loved when we first went to chapter books was Beaver Towers set. Fantasy Narnia style but for younger children.

Dd is 4.5 and loves her picture books but we wanted to try and introduce new books and the concept of longer books so we are reading Enid Blyton's The Wishing Chair. Slightly more pc than some of her stuff and as I grew up near where she lived and dd has seen the model of her house she has really hot into it.

She is able to recall what last happened even if we haven't read it for a couple of days, she has really become invested in it. We do still read picture books and she reads to us a lot however.

Her school are not impressed however

Oliver Jeffers - the crayons ones in particular. Third vote for the Claude books. Dick king Smith - babe, queen's nose, roald Dahl, Winnie the Pooh, the little house books, oi frog!/oi dog! (Very funny and great for rhyming practice too).

Daisy and the trouble with..... books

Axel Storm books

13 storey tree house book and others in that series

Wheres - why is the school not impressed?? Surely this is good?

The Awesome Animals series would be good - different authors but all on animal themes (Andrew Cope's Racoon Rampage ones were my DCs favourites but there's also otters, pandas and meerkats from memory). For reading alone I'd say age around 8 but fine to read to a 5 year old

Roald Dahl - maybe the shorter ones first - The giraffe, the pelly and me, the enormous crocodile and move on to James and the giant peach, bfg etc.The

Dirty Bertie - very funny and fairly short so might be a good one to start with. there are 3 stories in a book and each one has 4 short chapters, so you can read a whole story each night if you want.

Enid Blyton - perhaps start with the magic faraway tree series? Mine loved these at this age.

The 13 storey treehouse series is good too.

Another vote for Claude by Alex Smith too.

Mr Gum series by Andy Stanton.
The Rabbit and Bear series by Julian Gough.
The Daisy Series and Jack Series by Kes Gray.
Clarice Bean by Lauren Child.
Flat Stanley series by Jeff Brown.
Jeremy Strong - hundreds of titles, all good fun.
Isadora Moon series by Harriet Muncaster.

My 5yo really enjoys the Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre books, eg Oliver and the Seawigs, Cakes In Space, Pugs of the Frozen North, etc.

Mr Gum!

Ds1 enjoyed me reading Dinosaur Cove, the Faraway Tree, secret seven, lots of Dick King-Smith, Claude, Flat Stanley, both children like a bit of Pratchett but only as audio books in the car. Paddington is a good one too.

The dirty Bertie books, or frog & toad. Very different styles, but both good.