Books/series to read aloud to my 8-year old?

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For context DS is 8, Y3, massively struggles to read and is nowhere near the point of being able to do it for fun (FINALLY been referred for assessment after over a year of the school wafting away my concerns and telling me he will 'catch up')

Anyway. The good thing is that he still very much enjoys stories, books and being read to and I am obviously keen to keep this up as long possible.
We are currently reading and enjoying Narnia; he has also loved books of myths/folktales, and is into science, nature, reptiles and dragons in a big way😁

So, looking for suggestions of books or series that might encompass any of the above interests, with big bonus points for anything that is reasonably enjoyable for an adult to read out loud too!

Thank you!

My 7yo loved Harry Potter, dh started reading them to her around 5 and she was hooked. I also got her 'the Christmas pig' by JKR and she has been obsessed with it since November.

David walliams is really popular and his books are great fun. The 'worlds worst' are short sections too so if he enjoyed them may be able to read a little. The novels are funny and even I enjoy them, my DD has read maybe 5 of his books now.

A couple others that come to mind:
Skandar and the unicorn thief
Terry Pratchett short stories
The enchanted tree series

The worst witch
Just William
Carbonel
Five children and it

How to Train Your Dragon
The Wizards of Once series by the same author
The Boy Who Grew Dragons series - these are lovely books
Brightstorm series
Morrigan Crow series
Who Let The Gods Out series
Podkin One Ear series

I still read to my 12yo most nights. We started years ago with the CS Lewis Narnia books, too. He has dyslexia and a visual impairment but he loves stories.

Terry Pratchett Wee free men, even better if you have a go at a scottish accent! My DD loved the Tiffany Aching books around that age also by TP and lovely to read aloud.

We're currently reading Loki: A bad gods guide to being good

My son loves it!

He's also loved the How to Train Your Dragon books (all 12 of them) and The Boy Who Grew Dragons - that took a bit of perseverence, but he wants to read the next one in the series

Captain Underpants
series of unfortunate events
horrible histories
roald dahl books

Famous five
Laura Ingalls wilder
Mr Gum
How to train your dragon
Ballet shoes

I absolutely loved How to Train your Dragon. Really funny and engaging. Totally different from the films or tv series too - though unusually I liked them both. Age 8 is perfect spot on for these.

Also second Percy Jackson - I think How to train your dragon is a smidgen younger pitched, so maybe try that first as they love Percy Jackson much older too, though suitable for younger ages. There are loads of other books by Rick riordan too so plenty to get into.

Harry Potter is obviously great but the books can take ages to read aloud as they get v long, and mine got bored in book 5 when it’s all teenage angst. Clearly not the case for plenty of others though!

Out of them all I reckon how to train.. is the safest best bet. Great fun pics and illustrations and side comments too, which are v engaging for more reluctant readers. And they’re v fun to read aloud.

I would have thought anything by Roald Dahl or David Walliams would appeal as fiction. If he prefers non fiction the Horrible Histories are always fun and light hearted.
Good Luck,

My ds (same age same issue) has enjoyed stories by Pamela Butchart, Tom Fletcher, David Walliams, we're currently reading Greg James' kid normal.

Swallows and amazons. Five children and it. All the old fashioned ones. I really enjoy reading these out loud because it seems easier than reading them to yourself and I never read them as a child. My dd loves anything set in “days gone by”.

Adventure stories don’t get better than The Explorer by Katherine Rundell, my girls loved it.

Holes by Louis Sachar. It’s all my 7 year old could talk about for weeks after I read it to him. It used to be widely taught at KS3 but is now deemed not aspirational enough for secondary so you won’t be stepping on any future teacher’s toes. And my god it’s good!

Imo Edge Chonicals is much darker than Harry Potter...

The 13 Storey Treehouse series is hugely popular with my DS's year 3 group. Very funny and your DS could read some of the little bits.

The Impossible Boy
The Marsh Road Mysteries series
Stig of the Dump
How to Train Your Dragon
Anything by Roald Dahl
Coraline

I'd echo a PP that the audio books of Mr Gum read by the author are hilarious.

The Tom Gates series is excellent and really visually appealing with lots of space and doodles, I'm sure I read that the author is dyslexic and deliberately made her books easier for children to engage with.

My 7yr old absolutely loved The Nowhere Emporium.
There are a couple of sequels too. Magical.

Also, the whole Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynn Jones. Start with The Lives of Christopher Chant

Just William, the audiobooks narrated by Martin Jarvis are wonderful, so if you wanted a night off from reading, you could listen to the audiobook together.

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Wind in the Willows
Anything by Roald Dahl
The Famous Five
Swallows and Amazons

Another vote for Percy Jackson and Mr Gum here.

Roald Dahl and Harry Potter have much more complex vocabulary. That might be a good thing as you're the one doing the reading but it might make him feel like it's unachievable?

Horrid Henry, Tom Gates, 13 storey tree house and Diary of a Wimpy Kid are all much easier and more accessible, my 9yo has steamed through them all.

Another vote for How to Train Your Dragon - there are about 13 books. Charlie Bone series is also quite good. Famous Five, Rohl Dahl if you want to go old school.

Judy Bloom’s ‘Superfudge’ series. They’re quite old now, my teacher read them when I was in year 4 and had me in stitches, I now read to my own Year 4s and they love it. Told from the POV of an 8/9 year old boy.

Chris Priestley's Maudlin Towers, if you fancy a cross between The Addams Family and Molesworth

Try using our search and filter - eg search 'dragons' thebookseekers.com/book-search/?q=dragons

Skandar and the unicorn thief
the beast and the Bethany think there is a new one due this autumn
definitely Harry Potter (1-3)
Harklights (our fave book last year)
Charlottes Webb
The Witches, BFG, George’s Marvellous Medicine
maths hobbit
Spiderwick Chronicles