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Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

Books for a very sensitive 6 year old

15 replies

Afolnerd · 08/10/2020 12:45

Dd is a great reader and has passed all the levels in her infant school reading scheme. Her teacher is happy for us to read what ever we want but she is very sensitive and really dwells on things so I’m struggling to find age appropriate books.

We have done most of Roald Dahl. I skipped the witches and Matilda as they is no way she would cope with Miss Trunchbull.

She has really enjoyed the faraway tree series and we are nearly finished the wishing chair which are ideal reading level for her.

Any suggestions for non scary but challenging books please.

OP posts:
Fivemoreminutes1 · 08/10/2020 16:35

The Sophie series by Dick King Smith
Pippi Longstocking
Paddington Bear
The 100 Mile an Hour Dog
Milly Molly Mandy
Marge in Charge
Daisy series by Kes Grey
Ballet Stars by Jane Lawes
Tanglewood Animal Park
Amy Wild series
The Travels of Ermine

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/10/2020 16:43

Reading about difficult things in a fictional setting is a good way to learn to deal with them. That's why nursery rhymes and fairy tales are so dark. I used to cry buckets as a child whenever anything happened to an animal in a book (not so bothered about people). The books suggested above are good but I would suggest you don't restrict her reading too much but talk over the difficult parts e. g. what a horrible teacher miss Trunchbull is, I'm glad your teacher isn't like that, I hope Matilda gets the better of her.

I remember reading The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe to my daughter at a similar age, a chapter a night. She was very upset when Aslan died so I had to read an extra chapter that night so she could see he was OK

Ormally · 08/10/2020 16:51

Olga da Polga: Michael Bond

Thighdentitycrisis · 08/10/2020 16:57

Are you looking for books she can read herself? Or to read to her

We read Narnia,
Clever Polly and the stupid wolf
Mrs Pepperpot
Gobbolino the witches cat
Alice in wonderland
The Wind in the Willows
Just William

And Ds loved all of the moomintroll books at that age.

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/10/2020 17:02

I loved the Moomintroll books too but they still made me cry at times (I think it was saying goodbye to some characters that were leaving) and see my comment about Narnia. Sometimes sad things just have to be dealt with.

BlueChampagne · 15/10/2020 10:08

Have a look at adventuresofalgy.com/

CeramicGuineaPig · 15/10/2020 10:14

Mine was the same at that age. I still remember the trauma that was watching ET, and the guilt I felt when he was still weeping hours later. He liked nice gentle stories where basically very little happened! He also loved the Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair. Also:
Milly Molly Mandy
My Naughty Little Sister
Amelia Jane stories
Famous Five/ Secret Seven
Anne Fine’s Jamie and Angus books
The Castle of Yew by Lucy Boston (author of Children of Green Knowe, which is also great but may be scary, it used to terrify me!)

CeramicGuineaPig · 15/10/2020 10:17

Oh also you can get books of Enid Blyton’s fairy stories which have very similar feel to Faraway Tree - I am thinking of this one but there may be newer versions www.goodreads.com/book/show/390580.The_Enid_Blyton_Book_of_Fairies

BowowMttt · 15/10/2020 10:19

The secret diary of a naughty cat

DonLewis · 15/10/2020 10:21

The worst witch is gentle enough, some mild peril, but I don't think enough to be frightening. And there's about 6 books in the series, so plenty to be going on with.

Allan Ahlberg, The Gaskitts series?

WellTidy · 15/10/2020 10:25

The lighthouse keeper series
The owl who was afraid of the dark and all of those books by Jill Tomlinson
Oliver Moon series
Zoe’s rescue zoo series
Shirley Hughes books - these are absolutely lovely. Alfie, Dogger etc

eurochick · 15/10/2020 10:32

I have a similar six year old. She found the Narnia books too much, but is currently enjoying The Worst Witch series. We haven't tried it yes but I've also bought her some Famous Five to try.

Bambooshoot · 21/10/2020 17:50

Surely Enid Blyton Mallory Towers series would be good (not the updated version though, I’ve heard it’s not been too well done)? Or Ballet Shoes? Sometimes the old classics are worth going back to.

katieospencer · 11/12/2020 16:15

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CapGunAmmo · 11/12/2020 19:47

The Pongwiffy books by Kaye Umansky are fun and as I remember not potentially distressing.

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