Is Michael Morpurgo a good author for 7 year old (plus) boys?

[Alambil]

Am looking to expand DS's library - he's 7 in 3 weeks so I'm wanting books he can grow into a bit, but that can be read to him now

I won't do Horrid Henry or Harry Potter - Narnia will be after 9/10 I think (he has severe nightmares)

Is MM any good for this age / style I'm after?

Any other recommendations?

Great - £25 for 10 of his titles is not a bad bundle is it? It's from the scholastic school link book catalogue...

or there's 10 Roald Dahl's ?

What's in the bundle?

Some of his for slightly older children can be quite upsetting - but in a good way - ie not always ending happily or how they'd expect it to end.

Does he have nightmares from more fantastical stuff or everything ?

I do like Roald Dahl, though dd thought they were too scary for ages

I would think Morpurgo would be a bit grim - every story seems to involve war, or death! DS likes them, but then he's fascinated by war.

What about Dick King-smith's animal books; Cressida Cowell's Hiccup series (great fun, not scary, but harder to read); Astrosaurs and Cows-in-Action (Steve Cole); Oliver Moon; or Mammoth Academy? Or Jack Stalwart - mini-James Bond type adventures.

fantastical stuff gives him nightmares...

the bundle is:

Kensuke's Kingdom
Adolphus Tips
The Wreck of the Zanzibar
Born to Run
Why the Whales Came
Alone on a Wide Wide Sea
The War of Jenkins' Ear
Dear Olly
Private Peaceful
Friend or Foe

Hi lewisfan

I wouldnt reccomend michael morporgo for a 7yo tbh - my ds enjoys books and I havent introduced him to mm yet

I would get him a set of Roald Dahl, Dick king smith and Chronicles of Narnia

My ds is an anxious nervy just 8yo and loves C of N - no nightmares at all, awful to read aloud though, when dd is old enough I shall encourage her to read them on her own (mean mummy!)

Also try The Wind in the Willows. Jungle Book, Treasure Island, Around the world in 80 days - those are on our to read list
We have just read Jules Verne Journey to the Centre of the Earth (one for 10+ at least I should think) but I suspect Around the world in 80s is easier to follow

Have a look at the book people - they recently had a 'boys own' set that looks fab, possibly too old for your ds though

I darent link to the book people or I become compelled to spend money

ohhh Narnia aloud is fabulous - such rich description and all the voices!

I can't STAND Wind in the Willows - that is truly a boring book and Jungle book

Book people is fab isn't it!

Is MM perhaps more 8/9/10 yrs then? I've never come across his work so am just guessing

this looks too good to be true!

Old fashioned, but would he like Professor Branestawm? No possibility of nightmares there I wouldn't think They're also good to read out loud (so long as you're good at not giggling).
We have the longer paperbacks, but also some shorter books which I think are a couple of the stories from some of the books produced with lots more pictures - aimed as an easy reader, I think, but dd (& me) loved all the extra illustrations.

My ds is nearly 8 and hasn't been turned on by michael morpurgo (maybe we've just chosen the wrong things though). He enjoys Enid Blyton (I may feel compelled to buy that set!) and also Cressida Cowell, and Harry Potter (they are great, why are you anti?)
I find astrosaurs etc a bit bleh. (he'd probably like them though!)

I always feel that I like MM more than DS does. Perhaps that's the secret of being a successful children's author - parent-appeal.

Every MM story tinged with sadness IMO.

There are Morpurgos that are very suitable for a seven year old boy. Cool for one, or The Butterfly Lion. Kaspar, Prince of Cats would be absolutely fine as well.
Most of the titles in that bundle though would be more 9 plus.
Has he read Mr Gum yet? That's a must. Definitely go for the Enid Blyton set. DD3 (7) likes these - they are funny, not scary.
Spy Dog are good too.

I read the first HP as an adult and was upset by the end so wouldnt subject a child to it!

Lewis - honestly I have read the first five narnia books aloud and arghhhhhhhh I wont read them aloud to dd! I didnt enjoy them nearly as much this time round as I did when I first read them at 20!

Journey to the centre of the Earth however - fantastic, much easier to read aloud

These is my all time favourite Enid set here

What about Just William? I got a set of 10 for £5 from the book people or red house have them for £10

I have been looking for books for my 5.5yr old, these are bargains:
Here

This one, too old for mine I think

Michael Morpurgo, says 6-6yrs old

I would be reading these to my DS1, he isn't fluent as of yet.

My DS is also very sensitive, and I have to be careful what he read and watched.

At 7 he loved the Roald Dahl and the Paddington Bear books. He also liked the Jeremy James books by David Henry Wilson.

A very old-fashioned writer, but E Nesbit was a huge favorite as well. (Railway Children, 5 children and It etc).

He didn't really read Morpurgo until he was 9 - some of them are very sad. There was a thread about the traumatic ending of Fox Friend only last week I think.