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Original poster

Reading material for a bright 7 yr old

31 replies

Miaou · 30/05/2004 09:06

I have a v. bright dd age 7 (tomorrow) who is currently finishing the 5th Harry Potter (was a bit unsure about introducing her to HP but it has greatly increased her vocab and her creative writing has gone up a peg- and she loved them!). She loves reading and I'm on the lookout for good books for her. Not sure about going down the Jacqueline Wilson route, as I say, she is 7 tomorrow so still very young (and quite innocent) - but I do want to stimulate her imagination. Any suggestions?

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pickledbeetle · 30/05/2004 10:06

My son enjoys anything by Anthony Horowitz and Bruce Colville. Just finished "Lionboy" - Zizou Corder. Also liked "Harry & the Wrinklies" - Alan Temperley. Jenny Nimmo is another favourite, also books by Brian Jacques.

Hope there is something in there that appeals!

roisin · 30/05/2004 10:16

Hi Miaou ... I love threads like this. Your dd sounds similar to my ds1, who is 7 in July. His reading is fab, but he's fairly innocent and naive, so some stuff out there isn't suitable. How did she get on with HP5? My ds1 didn't enjoy it as much as the others - too much teenage angst that he didn't really relate to.

Recommended material he's enjoyed recently are:
Jenny Nimmo: The Children of the Red King series ... very Potter-esque, well-written, and great fun. The first one is Midnight for Charlie Bone The third one has just been published.

Another fantastic series is Caroline Lawrence's Roman Mysteries ... children's adventures and mysteries to solve - fills the Enid Blyton gap but very PC and non-racist. It's set in Roman times. The first one is The Thieves of Ostia Caroline Lawrence also has a great website, and responds to children's emails and letters, which is quite a motivating factor too. The 8th book is published next week!

Much to my surprise ds1 enjoyed Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books too ... he got into them by reading the World Book Day £1 sampler.

Sorry - I've got to go now. Will be back later to post more.

Please reciprocate and let me know what your dd has enjoyed recently.

Flip · 30/05/2004 10:23

At that age I was reading the secret seven and famous five. As I got a little older I liked Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.

I hate to admit it but I went up in the loft the other day looking for something and happened to find my box of hardback Famous Five books. I've since read two of them again and I'm just looking for an excuse to go back up there for another.

Original poster
Miaou · 30/05/2004 10:28

Thanks roisin and pickledbeetle - it's great to find that dd1 isn't alone!

Thanks for the tips - I was struggling to know where to go. Dd1 loves famous five, but the language is so dated that I am trying to include some more modern stuff too. She likes to read several books at once (she has one in each room!!) so currently as well as HP she is reading one of the Redwall series by Brian Jaques, a famous five book, and re-reading the Wizard of Oz.

Re. HP5 - she is enjoying it, and asks a lot of questions about relationships as a result - she is a very quiet child and because of our location she doesn't mix much outwith her age group - so it is a way for her to get an understanding of other people's emotions and how complex friendships can be.

Thanks for the links roisin - I had wondered about Artemis Fowl too - might try them.

I have bought her The Secret Garden, Black Beauty and Five Children and It for her birthday tomorrow - I was reduced to remembering what I had enjoyed at her age!

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Original poster
Miaou · 30/05/2004 10:30

Do you know Flip, when dd1 gets a new Famous Five book, dh and I fight over who gets to read it once she has gone to bed!! The language and culture may be dated but they are still v. exciting aren't they!

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roisin · 30/05/2004 14:43

Hi again ... second instalment!

Among more classic/traditional stuff he enjoyed: E B White: Charlotte's Web; Norton Juster: The Phantom Tollbooth; Tolkein: The Hobbit; Jill Murphy: The Worst Witch and sequels; Lewis Carroll: Alice in Wonderland

I should mention E Nesbit has been one of our few failures. DS1 enjoyed (listening to not reading) the Railway Children, but last year gave up half way through the Phoenix and the carpet ... it's quite heavy going ... we may try it again in a year or so.

There is loads of contemporary fiction being written for children, much of it of superb quality. The trick is sifting out that material which they're not yet ready for. We are big fans of anything and everything by Michael Morpurgo - current children's laureate. One of my favourites of his is Kensuke's kingdom

Theresa Breslin: Dream Master This is the first in a series of books. Very well written, fun, also historically based. I think there are 3 out so far with another one due this summer.

I should also confess that he does read some trash as well. One of his favourite series this year has been pink and sparkly books called My Secret Unicorn by Linda Chapmen. They are truly awful, and make me want to vomit ... but he thinks they are wonderful So we obviously need to work on developing some literary taste and discernment!

froot · 30/05/2004 17:41

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Original poster
Miaou · 30/05/2004 17:42

DD1 recently read Why the Whales Came by Michael Morpurgo, absolutely loved it - it's set pre WW1 and she loves historical stuff, so I might try the Dream Master ones. She has also been asking for the Secret Unicorn books, so I sympathise - managed to steer her clear so far! Talking of guff, she does like to read Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon, which are harmless enough and appeal to her (rather warped) sense of humour.

What about the Narnia books, has your ds read any? My mum is looking out my old copies for dd1. Also the Borrowers, which I think she may enjoy. Money is tight so we have been sticking to hand downs and charity shop finds. Wish I'd started this thread b4 dd's birthday!!

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popsycal · 30/05/2004 17:44

michael morpurgo

carri'es war is fab - but maybe a bit tricky - but if she is reading harry potter,,,,,

a series of unfortunate events by lemony snickett

Original poster
Miaou · 30/05/2004 17:47

Froot, let me know how he gets on with Dream Master and Thieves of Ostia - I always like to go on recommendations. I would recommend Michael Morpurgo too (see previous links) - they are an excellent read.

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Original poster
Miaou · 30/05/2004 17:52

I remember reading Carries War when I was about 7; yes I remember finding the end a bit puzzling, but she loves to discuss books so we often work these things out together. I'll try and dig that out from my parent's house too.

Dd1 has just reminded me that she is also reading Fog Magic by Julia Sauer - she says it is very interesting.

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froot · 30/05/2004 18:05

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PasstheGin · 30/05/2004 18:58

How about Noel Streatfield - Ballet Shoes, White Boots etc ... all wonderful and I recently re-read Ballet Shoes and it is as good at 30 as it was at 7

Original poster
Miaou · 30/05/2004 19:04

Good idea, I remember I loved Ballet Shoes too

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roisin · 30/05/2004 19:05

I think Lemony Snicket is great, I love the style. But ds1 read the blurb on the back and refused to read it ... he doesn't want a story without a happy ending! I guess he's just not old enough for that yet.

Miaou - Ebay is great for children's books: you can get some really good bargains on the classic stuff. We also use our library loads - I too refuse to pay good money for Horrid Henry and My Stupid Secret Pink Sparkly Unicorn - he's read all 6, can you believe it? He's not even a girl!

We can request and reserve books online (from anywhere in the County) from home at our library, and it's free for children. Ds1 has had several new hardback books this year within a week of the publication date ... if he likes them a lot we buy them for the bookshelf when they are out in paperback ... or when the Book People are knocking them out cheap.

Re Narnia - he loved the Lion, Witch & Wardrobe, but got stuck with the Horse and his Boy, so was turned off the series. This was a while back, so I may try and coax him back. I read them a long time ago - can anyone recommend one to try next?

Sorry, I'm going on - I'm just passionate about children's literature and literacy.

Froot - we haven't come across Horowitz before, so I'm off to check out Amazon now. (PS I didn't like Phantom Tollbooth either - thought it was extremely odd - but ds1 loved it and has read it three times!)

Original poster
Miaou · 30/05/2004 19:09

Thanks for the ebay tip roisin - unfortunately our library facilities are rather limited (see my profile) but I will try ebay for some of the recommended books.

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Yorkiegirl · 30/05/2004 19:12

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roisin · 30/05/2004 19:16

Thanks Yorkiegirl!

hmb · 30/05/2004 19:20

Oh The Phantom Tollboth is great! Loved the Little house books. Th Earthsea Trilogy is wonderful as well, but might be a bit too scary for a 7 year old. Dd (7)has read and loved lots of the books mentioned. She also loved Jacqueline Wilson, which I loath with a passion. We have hit the problem of finding books that stretch dd's reading while not being too old in the story line.

roisin · 30/05/2004 19:25

Has your dd read the Earthsea trilogy hmb? I started reading it to DS1 a couple of months back, but he didn't like it. (One of my all time favourite books).

Miaou - I have read your profile now ... What a fascinating situation! I understand about the libraries now.

hmb · 30/05/2004 19:30

I've kept it away from her , as I think the plot is too 'old' at the moment. I think that she will enjoy it more when she is a little older. I was about 9 when I first read it and I loved it. Ged was my first crush!! (how sad is that?)

She reads very well but emotionaly she is only 7 still. So although she could read the words I don't thing she would get the plot IYSWIM, especialy of the second two books which are even darker. She want to read the Pulman books, but I am keeping those away for the same reason.

She is reading Harry Potter (again) in school (to the envy of her peers) and the Twins at St Claires (I know!) at home. Still Old Enid didn't do me that much harm

Yorkiegirl · 30/05/2004 19:31

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Yorkiegirl · 30/05/2004 19:33

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hmb · 30/05/2004 19:36

What Katy Did, Little Women (I was so dim when I read it I didn't realise it was set in the American Civil War. Dur!), The Borrowers, The Narnia books, THe Hobbit, Enid Blyton, The Wrinkle in Time (amazing book at I loved!), The Little House Books, Carries War, Toms Midnight garden. God, is it any wonder that my eyesight is so bad?! I read all these under the covers with a torch after Mum had turned off the lights.

Yorkiegirl · 30/05/2004 19:39

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