Book recommendations for Christmas

[Pinkflamingo98]

Hi all, got a 7 year old daughter and looking for some good books to get her for Christmas. She isn’t the most confident of readers but once she has given it a try she does well, so maybe some books that are slightly easier as we don’t want to discourage her reading as she has started to enjoy it after hating it for so long. Thanks

Does she like non fiction gives options for lift the flap popups etc

Mr Penguin!

The Jolly Christmas Postman!

Graphic novels!

My DD really loved the Princeless series around that age. It's about a princess who gets locked in a tower. She's less than impressed about the prospect of being rescued by a prince, so she makes friends with the dragon that guards her tower and goes on a bunch of adventures and ends up rescuing her sisters.
www.goodreads.com/series/183950-princeless-collected-editions

Another great trilogy is the Real Friends series which is about a girl navigating life at school
www.goodreads.com/series/258890-real-friends

At seven, my daughter loved The Worst Witch Hotel Flamingo, Big Sky Mountain and Ronald Dahl series.

My daughter wasn’t the most confident reader either but she was adamant about reading “proper” books. We bought her a YOTO box and she was able to listen to these more challenging books and read along with them.

She’s come on leaps and bounds.

How about books by dick king smith - like the hodge heg? Chapters aren't too long. I also liked 101 dalmatians around that age.

My 8 year old loves the Tom Gates series, got into them around age 7

Another vote for the Mr Penguin books, they are brilliant!

If reading herself, mine went through all 13 storey treehouse and Dog Man and Cat Kid books - and anything Jeremy Strong - they’re short, cheesy, but DC laughed and laughed and read them alone. Reading to DC, I loved Wonder, Boy at the Back of the Class, oh and Katie Morag but that might have been a bit layer. Can get big second hand bundles of the books with series.

If she likes ballet or dancing the Darcey Bussell Magic Ballerina books are really nice. My daughter also likes the Daisy Meadows fairy books.

Edited to add the Tiny Dogs books by Rose Lihou as well. They have some nice illustrations too.

Have a look before buying to gauge the level but a few ideas:

https://www.mombooks.com/book/the-magical-unicorn-society/ This is a beautiful book which would make a lovely present.

https://lauraellenanderson.co.uk/BOOK-LIST Amelia Fang is a lovely series which is humourous and not too girly

https://www.waterstones.com/book/tiny-science-cells/anna-claybourne/matt-lilly/9781526317841 the Tiny Science series is great and very readable if she's interested in science at all

Mine loved Winnie The Witch at that age and, although she never really took up reading (unless it was school studies) she still has her set of books 15 years later.

Also if your daughter likes Classics, look at the MinaLima editions, they have fabulous interactive books

I've got a recently launched new title ROO and the GREAT GARDEN QUEST which is perfect for that age, and if you are looking for something specifically Christmas, have a look at Roo and the Christmas Miracle. All my books are based on my own gorgeous cockapoo Roo. Message me if you'd like a sneak peak inside!

I'm surprised no-one has suggested Roald Dahl, there's so many and the best ones have also been made into films

At that age I really liked the Ramona Quimby books (by Beverley Cleary). They weren't a difficult read and I could really relate to Ramona and the life issues she faced, which weren't unpleasant but feel big to the child experiencing them. Things like substitute teacher, getting on with other kids, getting on with your siblings, parents looking to change jobs, other kids copying your work and getting the credit, feeling ill at school, all that kind of thing.

Also liked Roald Dahl, Jill Tomlinson, Enid Blyton, the Winnie-The-Pooh books, Milly Molly Mandy stories - but no doubt there are many more modern books that today's children might prefer.

Daisy And The Trouble With …. series is popular. Also Wigglesbottom Primary and Isadora Moon books.

My daughter is also 7. She loves series such as Naughtiest Girl in the School, Mallory Towers, Famous Five, Horrid Henry, Dirty Bertie, Worst Witch, David Walliams.

My 7 year old has just finished the first how to train your dragon book and absolutely loved it. She's asked for the rest of the books for Christmas

David Walliams was my daughter's absolute favourite at this age! We still have them all now on a big book shelf in our hall - we aren't big hoarders of stuff and pass on most things we don't need any more, but she won't part with a single one!

When i was 7 (many moons ago) my favourite book was called Stories for 7 year olds. It was a collection of short stories so i didn't have to commit to reading the whole book. Usually my Mum and i would read together at bedtime. I also loved Milly Molly Mandy, i had beautiful hardback copy of The Velveteen Rabbit and Ballet Shoes for something a bit longer.

someone has mentioned Wigglesbottom Primary. The same author - Pamela Butchart - has a different school series, the Izzy books, it starts with Baby Aliens Got My Teacher.

the first books my 7 year has read by himself - they are very funny and pretty easy. Also very familiar, I think, all about life in a primary school - think that appealed to him much more than the adventure/fantasy stuff that is often marketed at kids.

if anyone has ideas for similar books I’d be very grateful!

When I was that age I was obsessed with a series of books about Uncle, an elephant who lived in a huge castle with various tenants. There are 6 books in the series and they’re written by JP Martin and illustrated by Quentin Blake. They’re a bit of a cult classic now.

The Not So Great Escape by Emma Green. Really funny.

Dd8 still loves Zoe’s Rescue Zoo, & Holly Webb’s winter series like Star, we’re reading a 101 Dalmatians together at the moment.

Peanut Butter & Crackers were enjoyed as in a comic book style & Ben Fogle’s series, Mr Dog were good too. Dd is a real animal lover & non fiction books were great for independent reading too.

My DD is 7 and is currently loving the unicornia and Isadora moon books. I think she enjoys the illustrations. that was what made her reluctant to try chapter books - the lack of pictures. My class are 8/9 and we're just wrapping up how to train your dragon which has been thoroughly enjoyed (but less pictures 🙈)