Next step from Pokémon pocket comics

[ChillinwiththeVillains]

8yo (nearly 9) has refused to read, only looks at picture. BUT we bought a Pokémon pocket comic on world book day and he is actually reading the words. I’ll buy the whole set in hope this continues but what after that? Thank you for any suggestions.

Dogman? Our local library has a whole section on comic style books, including Pokémon. Is that an option for you?

That’s actually a smart and cheaper shout. I will head to our, quite good, library this afternoon with him. Then if he likes them I can buy them- he is a big re reader/ picture looker.

Was this one of the Pokémon manga books? Because there is approximately 3 gazillion of them to read through?
But if he likes comic book style then he might things like the Beano, TinTin, Asterisx, graphic novels of other books (ie the graphic novel versions of Alex Rider etc)

Our local library has loads of the Pokémon short style books which have a lot of pics in, and an encyclopaedia, which although big is easy to dip in and out of.

How about diary of a wimpy kid books - lots of cartoon style pics? Or tom gates?

Our library has a transfer/request service all done through an app - might be worth having a look if yours has the same as it makes it super easy! Think the app’s Spydus?

Dogman is a good call. There’s a weekly magazine The Phoenix which is a great comic, mine are keen comic fans and they love it and the books linked to some of the comics in it, especially Bunny vs Monkey.

@FavouriteGame has said exactly what I would! Dogman, Bunny vs Monkey and Phoenix subscription are my nine year olds favourites.
I also pick up old Dandy & Beano annuals whenever I see them in charity shops which he loves and we've started making them a regular Christmas gift

Thank you, all these ideas are really helpful. He has a Beano subscription- I wonder if he would be ready to read rather than just look at pictures. Dog man didn’t seem to do it - we had to read to him -but Bunny vs Monkey sounds good. Thank you. It has been a long and difficult journey to basic literacy and just keen to nurture it and not scare him off. We read much more sophisticated books to him but independent reading would be amazing . Even if they are all about Pokémon, sigh.

The Pokémon encyclopedias/character guides are really good. There were some for sale in The Works for a decent price.

Found Bunny vs Monkey and some other graphic novels at library so going to try them all out. Thanks again. Works shop only had Pokémon early readers and I wasn’t sure if he would perceive these as babyish. So didn’t buy but might ask him.

He loved bunny vs monkey and asked me to leave the light on so he could read some more by himself(!). I’ve ordered the box set. If this is the year that he becomes a reader I will be overjoyed. Thank you so much for the tips. I am really ever so grateful.

The Investigators series by John Patrick Green got my 9 year old reluctant reader into reading recently. He's a Pokemon and Bunny vs Monkey fan, so Investigators might work for you too.

Wil look it up on goodreads, thank you.

I ordered the Investigators. He really liked the look of it. Thank you for the suggestion. He has finished(!) the one library book of Bunny vs Monkey so we are waiting for the box set to arrive. I am quite excited and really really hoping that this works. He liked the Asterix book that I borrowed too so I think I’ll do an ebay trawl for some. Thank you.

I feel your joy, because I have been the same with my son! I'm glad he liked the look of Investigators. There are 5 books altogether, so if he likes the first one it is worth looking at the others. I have also just remembered that the Bunny vs Monkey creator has another character with a book series. It's called Looshkin. 2 books so far, about to be re-released together into one book.

I have just been looking through my eBay/Amazon purchase history. Other books that worked for my son:
Bird & Squirrel
Ham Helsing: Vampire Hunter
Kitty Quest
Kitten Construction Company

Ooh will look up Looshkin now. Thank you! And yes, I have promised him rest of the Investigators if he likes the first one. Will happily throw (too much) money at this if I can help him to enjoy reading.

I've also ordered Mighty Jack, but not given it to my son yet, so no feedback on how good it is.

Ah, mine liked Mighty Jack (but read this to them maybe two years ago), would recommend. I have just subscribed to the Phoenix too from recommendations higher up the thread. This has been so helpful.

So I mean I don’t know how good for newly independent readers Mighty Jack would be.

He is loving the box set of bunny vs monkey. I have to go on and tell him to stop reading as it is late! I am so grateful to you all and I now have some sort of game plan for books to gradually progress. Thank you.

If he starts enjoying Phoenix there are Flember books to look at. They're big and more book than cartoon so maybe a bit in the future but my son loves them.

What about the 14 story treehouse books? A whole series to enjoy and they have lots of funny pictures throughout.
Pokemon do have some story books I think ash's tales?
Tom gates perhaps in a little while?
I hope he finds his spark for reading

13 story. I've just added an extra level

@EnglishGirlApproximately Flember going on the list. Thank you. @Needcoffeecoffeecoffee I offered the treehouse prematurely a few months ago but might try again in a while. I’ll look up Pokémon story books too, thank you.
DD never tried Tom Gates but I know v popular, on list for future too.
Thank you, really appreciated as my children’s book tastes run 1890s-1960s and whilst he will listen happily to the stories they are much too dense to tempt him. And having his own genre of books that only he gets is also good. He might even engage at the library now that he knows what he likes.

It's this one
. There is a whole series if he can read on his own all the better
www.amazon.co.uk/Official-Pok%C3%A9mon-Fiction-Ashs-Challenge/dp/1408351838?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

My dc was able but reluctant and liked more fact based books that he could dip in and out of -pokemon handbook, maddy moat new book, 1001 facts from usbourne etc. And didnt realise he was reading!!