Books to make my 6 year old fall in love with reading

[ProcrastinatorsAnonymous]

My son is just finishing year 1, reading at year 3 level. Despite being a strong reader and being happy enough to read out loud, he hasn't really got the "bug" for reading yet. I'd love recommendations for books he could read to himself over the summer that might help him to find the joy of getting lost in a story by yourself.

Although he can read beyond his years, I don't necessarily need book recommendations to "stretch" him - it's the joy I'm looking for here! He likes fantasy, silly humour, animals... I wondered about maybe "How to Train Your Dragon"? But I would really love any recommendations. What are the books that really made your child fall in love with reading? Thank you!

Definitely get him a Beano.

Cops and Robbers by Janet and Allen Ahlberg is our favourite family book going back years.
Also recommend a library visit. My children used to feel like it was Christmas when we went.

Try factual books too. National geographic do a good kids range.

My dc1 was well ahead in reading bit we quickly found that while she could read and comprehend books for older kids she wasn't interested in the content and couldn't identify with the characters. Keeping it simple worked best.

All the kids at DD school are obsessed with Bunny v Monkey books by Jamie Smart and are great for reluctant readers, very anarchic.

Also agree with PP - we get Phoenix comic, it goes down really well in our house - you can normally get the first 6 weeks for £1 before you decide on subscription.

thephoenixcomic.co.uk/signup-phoenix/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv7O0BhDwARIsAC0sjWNqM9i2Zxm-wkVuPsWr6Rd8ue0OhcixlCYzZvYy5L5Io14PMPQa2pkaAj5-EALw_wcB

Yeah my DS loved Bunny vs Monkey. Still does, although he's 14 now! Phoenix Comic books are great in general; there was another called Lost Tales that he loved - folklore from other nations. He read an Aesop's Fables version by Michael Morpurgo an awful lot around then, also the Dog Man and Tom Gates books.

He says his stand-out reads were BFG in Year 3, Phantom Tollbooth in Year 5, The Curious Incident of the Dog etc in Year 6 and Animal Farm in Year 8.

We subscribe to the phoenix comic and ny kids LOVE it. Some of the spin off books are great. Bunny vs Monkey, Freddie the superstar.

Dog man! These were the books that got my two sons hooked on reading.

We also have phoenix. I steal dc's copies. They're pretty funny!

Hannah sparkes where dragons fly, only about a hundred pages. My sons loved it although they were 7 and 9

Another vote for The Phoenix!

The Land of Green Ginger, by Noel Langley.

It is a sequel to the Aladdin story, and has a magician who has accidentally turned himself into a button nosed tortoise, a flying back garden, villains called Rub Dub Ben Thud and Tin Tack Ping Foo, and a donkey who sits on a pin. It is very funny.

If I recall correctly, the chapters aren't too long.

Stitchhead by Guy Bass ( 4 book series)
My DD was a reluctant reader but really enjoyed those. She may have been a little older, but not much.

Do you let him see you reading? Someone recommended this to me as a way to demonstrate that reading isn't a chore - it seems to have worked for us anyway!

I think often we read after our kids have gone to bed, but it's really good to try to make time for it during the day.

My DC enjoyed
Beast Quest,
Captain Underpants,
Astrosaurs,
Beast Quest was their absolute favourite and they tore through the books. To keep costs down see if your local library carries some of the range.

I agree with lots of other suggestions but my son when he was about 8/9 LOVED
ALex Rider ( Anthony Horowitz , author of Midsomer Murders))
The School of Good and Evil ( Soman Chainani)
The Myserious Benedict Society ( Trenton Lee Stewart)

3 brilliant series of books.

My son similar age and reading ability but loves books!! He enjoys Tintins, various facts books, Peter's Railway series (Christopher Vine), book about the London Underground (cartoon pictures but really interesting!). Allan Arlberg, joke books.
Go to a library or bookshop and look through some books together - see what grabs him!
Possibly try some easy cook books, so that the reading has a purpose......
Also, my daughter's teacher said that the best way to encourage reading was to read the same books as your child because then you can chat about them.

My son loved the Wrigglesbottom school series by Pamela Butchart at that age.

I'd definitely recommend going to your local library as well as books they often have crafts and Lego sessions on. They also do a summer reading challenge where kids get rewarded for reading books over summer

All 4 of mine got the bug from reading the My Weird School series

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weird-School-21-Book-Box-Set/dp/0062022717/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DJKWSUQL54LB&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8Hc65bVIlPl6TH5JyJW6tE4XKrfsst91SX-jfbstPbYzAENOAt6mObUU682nZ88hQG-XFeD6wKbH5xCyHUcVwU337mhsa_QEKms04ItGjeqDBXbnKqVby8C5_1qMNRNlJNgcwJs47yIddQKRCh5Q2yM4D1L5lLdgm_v03_fB26_bELOypJCTUI6sLvi2zTrDHEn75BGDidPI6O-IxOWqENretgO5SefBuEhZsk7F7fs.h2T7E2DBSVsUQDrt48drF9kd8oxhpA1NSZSLMbV13Jo&dib_tag=se&keywords=my+weird+school+books&qid=1723182659&sprefix=My+weird+%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-1

Mine is at a similar level but younger having just finished reception, also autistic and emotionally younger than he is chronologically so not sure if the recommendation would work, but he loves the Rob Biddulph books currently. And anything a bit silly/repetitive - Kes Gray I see has already been mentioned. I'm finding books he enjoys that aren't challenging are having better success on the encouragement front. Too challenging and he loses interest but that could also be the ADHD we have in the mix too!

I would suggest seeing if your local library are part of the summer reading challenge and if so maybe sign him up. Despite being a strong reader, mine is reluctant and the thought of a certificate and medal at the end is a huge motivator for him (although is now picking up books and reading them to himself which makes me very happy!)

Also continue reading with and to him, it all helps

Fortunately the Milk
the Claude books (dog with Mr Bobblysock as his friend - can’t remember the author)

These are all very good fun

Not everyone gets the reading 'bug'. Just be prepared.

I agree with the library but also with factual books, cookery, nature, bird identification.

The good old Ladybird books were good for some factual stuff, kings and queens, how things work etc.

Mr Gum was the gateway to my DC reading for fun.

13 storey tree house and the rest of the series. Absolutely brilliant, one of my kids best books.

The boy who grew dragons and all its sequels are amazing.

The Maisie Hitchins mystery books are very good but maybe a bit much for him to read by himself.

My 7 year old adores the Supercat books and is currently reading There's a yeti in the playground.