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Children's books

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Original poster

Books for a 9 yr old boy!

21 replies

Dingle · 14/04/2009 09:53

My DS is in yr 5 (Aug birthday) and has quite a high reading age. His latest assessment level for reading is 5C...not really sure how this compares to a reading age.

We are looking for a few more books that will keep his interest but be of an appropriate level for his reading and I am not really sure what to look for.

We have just seen the film "Race to Witch Mountain" but not sure what level the book would be aimed at. He also saw Skellig over the weekend and is interested in that.

He likes Dr Who, Primeval, Beast Quest books (which he reads far too easily IMO!

Any suggestions would be much appreciated-TIA!

OP posts:
cornsilk · 14/04/2009 09:55

Kensukes kingdom is brilliant.

Latchley · 14/04/2009 15:48

The Artemis Fowl books by Eion Colfer perhaps. My DS (aged 10) also likes the Angie Sage Septimus Heap books (Magyk is the first I think). there is also a series by Philip Reeve set in the future - the first one is Mortal Engines - which he loves.

PrettyCandles · 14/04/2009 15:50

8y ds1 (also has a high reading age) loved 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and is currently gobbling up the Narnia books.

WealdMa · 14/04/2009 16:55

Has he read the Vampirates series yet? Those have gone down very well in our house, along with "The day my bum went psycho"... They also like the Terry Pratchett "Johnny Maxwell" series

WM

janeite · 14/04/2009 16:58

Was going to suggest Artemis Fowl but see I've been beaten to it!

'Skellig' is gorgeous, as is 'Heaven Eyes' by David Almond too.

Alex Rider?

I love 'Mortal Engines' too!

Harry Potter?

subtlemouse · 14/04/2009 17:04

Cressida Cowell (the Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third series)

My 9yr old ds likes facts - devours Horrible History, Science, Geography etc.

It is difficult finding stuff that is liguistically challenging but emotionally straightforward - mine also has advanced reading skills, but is not psychologically ready for complex plots or - horrors - emotional subject matter.

andlipsticktoo · 14/04/2009 17:14

The Edge Chronicles - Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

Mortal Engines - Philip Reeve

Larklight, Starcross and Mothstorm - Philip Reeve

Barnaby Grimes - Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

The Jiggy Muque Series (hilarious according to my ds)

Stig of the Dump

A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Alex Rider Seiries

Wolf Brother - Michelle Paver

Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer

to name but a few! My faves that they have read are the Mortal Engines series and the Larklight series - great adventures for boys or girls.

andlipsticktoo · 14/04/2009 17:17

oh and apparently 'Zombie Bums from Uranus' by Andy Griffiths is good too!

neversaydie · 14/04/2009 18:11

The Charlie Bone books by Jenny Nimmo are great favourites with my 9-year-old.

Harry Potter is also popular, possibly because the films are on the banned list until he has read the corresponding book. Yes I know this is mean, but it got him reading!

The Wee Free Men stories by Terry Pratchett are going down well, judging by the occasional bellow of 'Crivens!' floating through the house at inopportune moments.

The Swallows and Amazon stories are also popular, as are the Ian and Sovra stories by Elinor Lyon. I know they are the epitome of middle class middle 20th century England, but they show children allowed a freedom to roam which is just as fantastical as Harry Potter is to a modern child.

josette1973 · 14/04/2009 19:18

Me and my niece LOVED The Enchanted Library by Karen Andrea - if your son likes school stories, that mix magic and everyday life. It's one of those new POD books (print-on-demand) so you can check it out online at:

www.amazon.co.uk/Enchanted-Library-Karen-Andrea/dp/1849231826 - 206k -

Most of Michael Morpurgo's books have gone down well too - she's a bit of a tomboy , and also David Almond and Malorie Blackman.

josette1973 · 14/04/2009 19:19

Oh, and Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series is fantastic too !

celticlass · 15/04/2009 00:20

There is a fab new series of books called The 39 clues. It's about a young brother and sister and other branches of the family all racing to find the answer to the clues. They're constantly double crossing each other, solving riddles etc. It's set in almost every country and has some excellent facts in there too. Each book has 6 cards in the front which help you solve the puzzle using a website www.39clues.com.
Also terry pratchett, artemis fowl,phil pullman oh and jonathon stroud! Stroud has a trilogy about an apprentice magician who summons up a demon, bartimaeus. Very funny books. Skulduggery pleasant by Derek Landy is v good too.

lljkk · 15/04/2009 14:07

DS1 is similar ability to OP's lad, he eagerly pounced on some of these at the library yesterday: Warrior Cats. Anything by Frank Cottrell Bryce (like Cosmic), too.

Bink · 15/04/2009 15:29

ds, yr5, just turned 10, galumphed through The Hobbit this week.

He also (endlessly re-)reads Professor Branestawm, Molesworth, Mark Haddon's Agent Z series, anything Anthony Horowitz inc. all of the Alex Riders again & again, Richmal Crompton's William books, Enid Blyton's "Mystery of ..." series, Horrible Histories, Murderous Maths, equivalent Geography and Science series. Kjartan Poskitt does a nice silly series about a Viking (Urgum the Axe Man) with sweet miniature fine-line drawings (eg a Spiny Pant-Eater) by Philip Reeve (multi-talented beast that he is) which we love.

dinosaur · 15/04/2009 15:32

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster
Dingle · 15/04/2009 23:42

Thank you for all the replies, we have started making up a spreadsheet of reading ideas to take to the library with us!

We went yesterday and he is very happily about halfway through his first book-"Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief" by Rick Riordan.

Also sitting on the shelf is The Hobbit, Books 2 & £ in the Chronicles of Narnia (Book 1 on order) Kensuke's Kingdom, Artemis Fowl and what we believe to be the first book in the Roman Mysteries series.

Thank you once again, if you have any more idea's please keep thenm coming as I can update the list to keep him going for a while.

OP posts:
SAMS73 · 17/04/2009 20:38

Sorry to hijack the OP. What are the horrible science/history books? We have looked at this in the shops but the name puts off by DD who is 8? Is it scarey?

Takver · 17/04/2009 21:53

I don't know about the science & history ones my dd who is just 7 has had the 'horrible geography - volcanoes' book from the library & really liked it, although it was probably a bit old for her, maybe more aimed at an 8-9 yr old I would say to understand it properly.

lljkk · 18/04/2009 09:26

Horrible history books (Terry Dreary) are just recounting history with all the unpleasant facts left in (which the kids may enjoy a lot, about how bad the food was, how horrible the doctors, how awful the diseases, etc.).

There are also horrible science books by the same publisher -- well, they're called other names. But sort of nasty nature, scarey geography, etc. ime, the history books are about right for age 9+ but the science books may best be left a bit later, ~10-12 for most kids to really comprehend them.

havara · 19/04/2009 20:50

thanks lljkk

Bink · 21/04/2009 13:12

More retro ones (we've been up at my parents' this weekend):

Jennings
E Nesbit (Five Children and It, Phoenix and the Carpet, etc.)
Wind in the Willows

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