Reading book recommendations for 6 year old- xmas presents?

[kapin]

My daughter is 6 and one of the eldest in her Y1 class. She's reading at Lime ORT level. Her comprehension and general knowledge are great, so she can manage things that are aimed a little older. She's not that keen on story books, although she loves Roald Dahl books that we read to her- she's so far not felt confident or motivated enough to read them herself, although she probably could. She tends to prefer non-fiction books. Considering she's doing so well, it would be lovely to get her some books that might encourage her to read for pleasure. At the moment, she'll only do it when we ask her to read her school books.

Any recommendations of things she might like?

Try searching for 'Usborne Illustrated' on Amazon (other websites are available!)

My DS was a reluctant but competent reader but loved the Usborne books

It's not fine literature, but the Famous Five is what first got my dd into reading for pleasure! She still loves Enid Blyton but reads loads of much "better" books for pleasure now as well. I think the Enid Blyton was very accessible and gave her confidence to try other things.

Other early favourites were Pippi Longstocking and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Comics are a good way of getting them to want to read themselves. My ds loves the beano and the dandy but will now happily read Roald Dahl as a school book and read most other things at home on his own.

If she loves Roald Dahl then maybe try her on the illustrated version of The Enormous Crocodile to start her off - perhaps read take it in turns to read pages to one another. It is one of the shorter Dahl books and there are lots of pictures - all in colour. We are reading Tintin books at the moment and taking it in turn to read the various characters.

Some lovely suggestions already, thank you very much everyone. Don't you just love mumsnet?! Well, most of the time anyway...

I think what bodiddly said is spot on. You need something with lots of illustrations in still. She's only little and they like looking at the pictures still. Seeing a page full of words and no illustrations really does seem to put mine off

Yeah I think that will really help thanks. When there are pictures, she really has a good look at them first, before she reads. Even though she can read so fluently, she does seem over-faced by a big page of words. I'm checking if my mother-in-law has got her the enormous crocodile for Christmas, as she's getting her some Dahl books. If not we'll get that one, and will look at the Usborne ones, and the other suggestions too. The famous five passed me by as a child, but I do have very excited memories of the Magic Faraway Tree etc. She might be a step off this for now though.

Sticking with Blyton - the Magic Faraway tree series was what got DS into 'long' stories.

Just taken delivery of The Church Mice at Christmas which will be a gift for a 6 yr old. Fab detailed pictures on every page. It's not that long but the vocabulary would be stretching.

x-post definitely !

Another vote for Enid Blyton. DS(6) also has enjoyed The Worst Witch and loves looking at atlases and the Dorling Kindersley non-fiction books.

yy to worst witch. Easy to read and dd enjoyed them.

Usborne do a lovely series of non-fiction books called "first readers" - I think they are graded into around three different levels. dd really enjoyed reading those at around the same stage.

I found the best way to get her reading to herself was to read to her but then stop at a really tantalising point in the story. she would be dying to know what happened next, and would read ahead because she couldn't wait for me to finish it!

if you do go for the Enormous Crocodile then you need the colour version .. it is larger than the regular paperback and the pictures are larger etc. Failing that both red house and the book people have some great set, including the whole set of Roal Dahl!

Oh god, might have to get the whole set of Roald Dahl for myself!! I can't remember reading it much as a child, but I've loved reading them to my daughter. The BFG, the poems in Charlie and the Chocolate factory etc. Totally classic. Thanks for the tip on the enormous crocodile. I think my 3 year old son would enjoy that too :)

Honeyandhaycorns- yes stopping at a tantalising point is great idea. I might then have to sneak back for the book myself when she's asleep!

We got our Rahl Dahl collection at a bargain price from the Book People, (think they still do it). My ds liked horrible histories (depends on how yucky she likes her facts). Flat Stanley is also good, for first attempts at reading on their own & dd (also 6, yr1) has just started tiara club, (but not sure I'd actually recommend that, its my latest attempt to move her on to chapter books & getting her to read to herself).

Yes, indeed - dd and I both end up "sneakily" reading ahead of each other!

Only trouble is, when it's time for me to continue reading the story aloud, neither of us can ever remember how far we were supposed to have read to!

The Alfie The Werewolf series is good -- plenty of pictures scattered throughout the text and nice short chapters so that there's nothing too intimidating.

What level is lime??

Ds (6) likes The Secret 7, My Naughty Little Sister, Jeremy Strong, Secrets of a Killer cat & any Roald Dahl.

I would second comics, DS is the youngest in yr2 (31st Aug) and although v good at reading he does not like to read by himself much sadly, although Beano and Dandy seemed to have sparked his interest!!!

Oh and before I forget, he has a book about the Great Fire of London by Gillian Clements that he loves

He also prefers non fiction stuff.....

Simpson- I think Lime is equivalent to level 10- the previous level was Gold. I think our school use the 'Rigby star' levels, but up until Gold, the colours were roughly the same as ORT....

Thanks for the Great fire of london recommendation- my daughter will love that- she was fascinated when she learnt about it at school. I will look at jeremy strong too. I've read My Naughty Little Sister to her and she's lost interest now- just not her sort of story..

simpson, lime is level 11

thanks, I don't know the colours only the numbers iyswim.

They do more books:

The Gunpowder Plot
The Battle of Hastings
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth the 2nd
The first Moon Landing
The Battle of Britain
Rememberance Day
The Spanish Armada

Also the older Biff & Kipper books (stage 10+) The Times Chronicles, the children go on various adventures and meet Admiral Nelson, William Shakespeare and learn about WW2, Elizabethan England, ancient Rome etc....

My dd is just on Level 10 and I have been reading the 'Rainbow Fairies' Books, you can get Fairies and Pet Keepers etc. We started off with me reading them, but would get to the end of a Chapter and time for bed and she was desperate to carry on and started to read them herself.

We also read the 'Magic Unicorn' books, or something like that, have a few line drawings in them and the vocab is manageable, there may be a couple of words she can't decipher, but it doesn't affect her understanding and she has a great sense of achievement.

I have some Worst Witch books, not tried those yet and Enid Blytons, but they look a bit 'wordy' for her at the moment.

My friend gave me some Mary Osborne Pope books, which are used in the States from the Magic Tree House series. DD told me this morning that she has started reading one last night, as she finished the Unicorn book on her own (we had one chapter to go!). You could have a look on ebay for them.

So wonderful seeing them flourish and enjoy books.

My dd1 (also 6) loves secret sevens, Roald Dahls, Malory Towers etc but she also likes non fiction too. SHe has the box set of Horrible Histories which she loves and she has asked for this for christmas Animal as it is furry on the front!