Books that are long/hard but suitable for younger kids (age 7)

[Highreadingability]

Hi

My son (7) is an avid reader and books are his safe thing. It’s what he does to wind down and he reads a 200+ page book most evenings. No intention of this being a humble brag (son is likely neurodivergent and is absolutely terrible at maths and sport).

He has read a lot of the better known books that seem aimed at younger kids but are a decent length (How to Train Your Dragon, first couple of Harry Potter, Roald Dahl, Dragon Realm, Peanut Jones are examples of what he’s read recently.) and I’m finding more and more that the books I’m pulling off the shelves at the library to skim through are pretty dark/obviously aimed at older kids.

Please could you give any suggestions for me to look at?

Does he have a Kindle? Gets you round the print size problem with the classics. I agree print on older children's books seems tiny in comparison with modern ones.

Thanks!

He’s read Narnia and the younger Terry Pratchett (I agree that the young adult books of his would be better read later, as there’s so much clever writing in them that would go over his head now).

We’ve also just found a slightly larger than normal print version of The Hobbit!

Thanks for the other suggestions.

the first "over sea under stone" will be fine but the rest get much darker so it will depend on whether that washes over him or not! One of mine was fine with it about that age but found it quite scary (but still loved) when around 10!

Good value for money

Is the content of these appropriate?

I seem to remember that this series is really popular among teenage girls so avoided it (even though by the name it sounds like something he’d like).

I think the understanding point is key here - he’s 7 and loves reading but I’d say his emotional understanding isn’t amazing. He reads what is on the page and can recall but doesn’t even stop to think about nuance.

I was an avid reader at 7 too. These are some that remember loving.

Edge chronicles
Doomspell and sequels
The Cry of the Icemark and sequels
The Wind Singer
Hobbit
Warrior Cats
Time Witches
Sabriel and sequels
Charlie Bone - there are lots of these
Septimus Heap stories

Unfortunately we’ve had to make the decision to not let him have a Kindle because opening the door to buying books at a click (and most often full price) would leave us spending hundreds of pounds a month and he’d not understand why he couldn’t have everything on it.

It’s a shame because it would be perfect for classics as they are mostly available free!

My 6 year old has loved the Rainbow Grey series, Indigo Wilde, every Dick King Smith book, Pamela Butchart's baby aliens series, Helen Peters' Jasmine Green, she also loves Michael Morpurgo books but you need to sift through them to check they aren't too harrowing, but he's written loads and lots of them are a good length.

I'm following with interest as we have the same problem!

The Land of Roar series are real favourites here

Christmasaurus?

The book trust website gives a reading age and an interest age for lots of books.

Swallows and Amazons

Cant you just disconnect it from the wifi once you’ve downloaded agreed books?

Pongwiffy
The Accidental Billionaire (whole series of similar)
Olly Brown God of Hamsters

Unfortunately we’ve had to make the decision to not let him have a Kindle

Parental controls?
I gave my mother a Fire tablet. It's registered to my Amazon account, but I put the parental controls on so she can't accidentally purchase anything.

How about some graphic books? Bunny vs monkey? Also the Mega Robo Bros books eg Freddie the superstar?

Jennings!

I think "Thanks to Jennings" is the best of them, but they're all great!

Horrible histories?

If he liked Paddington, The Wombles books are similarly not as babyish as you’d think (not babyish at all really)

David Walliams and his Gangsta Granny series. They have also available to watch on iplayer

My DS is currently working his way through the Captain Underpants books. He's also enjoyed Nadia Shireen's Grimwood books.

The Borrowers? You might need to read it with him. Anne of Green Gables.

DD is 8 and she has loved her last 2 school reading books- Oranges in No man’s land and The fastest boy in the world. The first one might be a bit too grown up in content, you might want to read it yourself first. Other good modern ones to look at, are authors like Onjali Rauf.

Should have said the whole Borrowers series is great. Anne of Green Gables series the first couple are OK.

My 8 year old is an avid reader and we’ve found series are a good choice for him. He gets through them quite quickly but there’s generally the next book to hand him! A few he’s enjoyed recently:

Dragon Realm series.
13-Storey Treehouse series.
Loki series by Louie Stowell.
Skandar series.
Horrible Histories/Horrible Science.
Percy Jackson and other books by Rick Riordan.