Please suggest some good books for a 5 year old

[CamperFan]

DS1 is 5, in YR and quite good at reading (not stealth boasting, honest!) - he's on Stage 6, Orange books. At home, he is sharing Tin Tin with DH (i think the stories are too complex - we have to "translate" it a lot, so he can't actually read or follow them himself), but I'd like to find some really good story books that are still short enough for him to read over a maximum of two nights, but interesting stories. The ones from school are OK (seem to be Oxford Reading Tree mainly), but not that exciting!

Any recommendations gratefully received!

dd1 reads turquoise ORT and we've just enjoyed this, which is a longish picture book, and a WWII theme to boot.

TBH she mostly sticks with longer picture books. We read chapter books (Roald Dahl, The Worst Witch etc) aloud to her, as she can get a bit too bogged down with the actual words to fully enjoy the story and the characters.

My ds are 6 and 4. To read aloud we have enjoyed. For reading himself school books are ikay as we get 3 a week. He tends to like reference more like his encylopedia.

We can recommend:
The magic faraway tree trilogy
Georges marvelous medicine
James Giant peach
Iron giant
The twits

Tried the Ogre of Olgalfort (sp) but too hard for ds2.
Going to try the Lemony Sniket books ss they have been recommended. Harry Potter 1&2 good but i.think they get quite grown up quickly. By boom 3 harry is 9 and its age appropriate - so i have been told!"

i should add she read it on a fairly literal level.

Ds is year R too, and on turquoise ORT so similiar to your DS I guess. Isn't it lovely to see them learning :)

For reading by himself he is mainly reading Dr Seuss and picture books that he had passed onto his younger sis but can now read himself so I have just done a big swap back. Things like Meg and Mog books, Hairy Mclary books, peppa pig, whos in the loo, naked mole rat. Basically fun (and often silly)picture books. He also has free reign in the library learning to read type section where he often picks the boring reading scheme books that I don't want to buy because they have such a short shelf life.

For listening we mainly read Enid Blyton books from the book people, Shuffle, Mr PinkWhistle, Meddle etc I am planning to go back to Mr Men books after those.

I'm just reading the Alan Ahlberg Gaskitt family series with 5 year old DD. Great books and not gender specific like a lot of stuff for that age.

The problem I find with a lot of the books I want my DD to read is that although she could read the words she struggles with the font sizes in things like The Hobbit. Her sight is fine (tested), but we all know it's harder to read books in small fonts anyway, and I think when they are still learning to read the pattern recognition that you need to identify lettter/words is much harder when the font is small! But she is enjoying DH reading The Hobbit. SHe has also had all the Famous 5 read to her which she adored!

If you can (sorry if you do already) it's really worth getting into the habit of going to the library once a week and getting a good few books at a time for variety. There are loads at our library that I have never heard of, but are just good short story books with lovely illustrations.

Let him choose books himself (from a suitable section, obviously). It will give you a good idea of the type of books he enjoys. Even if they seem a bit too easy or hard, there will usually be something of value to enjoy.

We are avid library fans. I make sure we have lots of time and let my two choose. That's the best way I think. Forget reading levels. It's about comprehension. My DS couldn't really read at 5/6 but lately at 6/7 he's taken off. He's reading George's Marvellous Medicine, and really laughing out loud. Reading to himself and absorbed in books. But I have no doubt he'll read it again. My dd is 4. And can read a little bit, odd words. However, she has only recently been engaged in listening to a story. We have always had bedtime stories together as part of our routine. DS from a year old or even younger was always entranced and still while we read to him. DD used to get up, wander around or fidget and ask loads of questions. Now she's focussing more on the books and actually is ahead of her brother at the same age. Weird!

DS2 is a similar reading level, he loves the Horrid Henry early readers, and gets through them in a couple of days. He likes the cat books in the early readers too, but he is completely cat besotted. Like PPs he can read the shorter Roald Dahls, although we tend to read them as shared reading.

Reading together, he adores Spy Dogs at the moment, although he can slowly read them himself, so he often chooses a line or two to read per page. We read Mr Gum together before that, and he enjoyed them too, although I think they are probably aimed at 7+.

Another vote for the Magic Tree House, which DS devoured in the summer of reception. Also highly recommend the Usborne first readers - titles like Ali Baba, Aladdin, Book of Knights, Book of Dragons, etc. They have lots of pictures, very clear typography, and are divided into short chapters so give the satisfaction of reading a 'chapter book'.

At 5, he might sell enjoy Curious George (a book from the US about a very loveable and curious - monkey who gets into all sorts of mischief). You could start with the Curious George Treasury (5 stories in one book) and then buy individual stories if your son likes them. The Noddy Treasury is also lovely,with the first 3 Noddy stories and brilliantly coloured illustrations. If he likes them, there are at least 12 other books in the series and all are sweet and funny. My son loved them. Little Tim books are also good, as are the Captain Pugwash series. And the Rupert Annuals might be suitable your son could read the short captions and you could read the longer stories.

If you want books he can read himself try the bananas series, sprinters, corgi pups- all found at local library. They have short chapters and are good stories. Have just got Oliver Moon, Dirtie Bertie and Mr Majeika as well, but we are reading these to him at the moment- he could prob manage some but they are a bit longer for a 5 year old.

If you want something to read to him and he can read himself soon, and you haven't got it (!), get the "Usborne Book for Boys". Big book, lots of Usborne stories in. Got DS this for Christmas- a real winner. It was beyond him at Christmas re reading himself, but didn't stop him having a go (often found asleep with it beside him )

Oliver Moon
faraway tree
famous five
wishing chair

Great thread CamperFan and fab suggestions.

redskyatnight thanks for the Magic Treehouse series (Mary Pope Osborn). I have ordered today and hope DS will enjoy them soon. They look a little advanced for him but look like a great stop gap between what he is reading now and chapter books.

WhereMyMilk I remember loving Iron Giant and I love reading it with DS. It is our favourite book on holiday. I love it so much I'm going to order an actual paper book. Unheard of since I got my kindle.

I'm off to get out Hairy Mclary and Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs. I'll also look at the Book People.

Two series that my DD aged 5 has enjoyed reading to herself (and out loud to me) are Claude and Ottoline.

They're not quite such small print as an adult book, lovely stories and both have a fair number of pictures so are a lot of fun even just to look at.

Ottoline is brilliant. Bit like Eloise (visually) for anyone who might possibly be antique enough to remember her.

My 8 year old still enjoys Ottoline, for relaxation

I rather like Ottoline as a relaxing read myself and I am 43. I find the detailed pictures completely fascinating. The other good thing about it as a read it yourself book for a smallish child is that the chapters are pretty short so it doesn't feel like hard work to them.

Oh yes, and has he read Flat Stanley? Flat Stanley is fab.

Ottoline looks fab, thanks!

It's really a brilliant book.

And I came back to say Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel (there are several different collections of stories). Simple enough to be read by the child and fairly large print, but very sweet gentle stories with a lot of humour in them. Excellent if you have a child who reads well but isn't mature enough to handle anything too exciting/scary.

mine loves to read frog and toad to the little one - they're great stories! also loves a non fiction with loads of pics in too.

Yes to Frog and Toad, Also Mouse Soup, Small Pig and the Little Bear stories all lovely and a bit witty.

So many great ideas on here, thank you. I really want him to love books. Does anyone who has a Kindle worry that their DC will just think they are looking at another iPad or something? I also refer to my kindle as "my book" to DS.

My Ds only uses my kindle on holiday - it saves taking loads of extra luggage. We read together at night rather than him having it alone. He reads Dr Seuss/comics on DH's tablet on his own.

They are so used to using whiteboards/kit in school it seems like second nature. If he is bored with his school reading books, I let him read them on Oxford Owl. You can mute the read to you option. As long as he reads I don't care.

Just bumping as other reading thread covering similar stuff.