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Original poster

Book suggestions for 8 year old dd who is a reluctant reader!

32 replies

daffodilsarebest · 14/03/2015 17:38

I just cannot seem to find a book that she cannot put down and am longing for her to develop a love of books. I read to her lots and she listens to lots of story audiobooks at bedtime, but is quite lazy about reading herself. Same with writing. It's not that she can't either - teacher raves about her reading and would be surprised how little she does at home I think. Suggestions most welcome and how to get her more into writing would be helpful too. I don't like pushing her but maybe I should.

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Shedding · 14/03/2015 17:40

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Shedding · 14/03/2015 17:42

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ragged · 14/03/2015 17:50

Need more idea what her personality is like. Bossy? Active? Girly? Feisty? Shy and quiet? Dreamy?
Calvin & Hobbies cartoon books are my best bet, if she's a good enough reader.

JewelFairies · 14/03/2015 17:58

Reference books! My dd will not voluntarily read 'proper' books but devours reference books on anything that interests her. I hope a love of fiction will develop at some point but for now I try not to worry because she's reading so it should not matter what she reads.

Original poster
daffodilsarebest · 14/03/2015 18:54

Thanks for the suggestions. She is not really girly - not into princess/fairy/baby animal type books. She has a great sense of humour and did enjoy horrid henry and my Naughty Little Sister as she liked the mischief.

OP posts:
TheFirstOfHerName · 14/03/2015 18:56

Dork Diaries

Cathpot · 14/03/2015 18:58

Chrus riddells otteline stories- the graphic are really lovely and the stories are fun.

dontknowwhat2callmyself · 14/03/2015 19:00

Daisy books by Kes Gray although may seem a bit easy (my dd is enjoying them after about a year on Horrid Henry!) or Enid Blyton St Clares or Malory Towers.

ReallyBadParty · 14/03/2015 19:01

What about magazines? The Adventure Time one (from the TV show) is bonkers and very funny.

tribpot · 14/03/2015 19:03

Maybe Artemis Fowl? Or how about the Roman Mysteries, a damn sparky heroine in the form of Flavia Gemina.

I read to my ds at bedtime or he listens to audiobooks. I think this is probably one of the reasons why he doesn't read more to himself but I like doing the reading and I think he'll get there. He's started reading Artemis Fowl to himself in the mornings (he gets up very early) but has cottoned on to Whispersync on the Kindle and insists on having the audio book as well :)

One great 'not princessy' princess story is The Ordinary Princess.

ReallyBadParty · 14/03/2015 19:04

Oh, and Snotty Bumstead, by Hunter Davies, always entertained DSS, who was not a keen reader. Funny too.

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 14/03/2015 19:16

Tom Gates - bit like Wimpy Kid but DD (9) found Tom Gates funnier. She's a sporadic reader - reads a book in 24 hrs then nothing to herself for weeks, loves being read to daily. She also loves Claudia Funke and Maler Towers - all very different to each other. Oh and Mr Gum and The Bare Bum Gang.

ragged · 14/03/2015 19:21

If she likes mischief she will LURVE Calvin & Hobbes. You could also try Asterix comics.

Too young for Dork Diaries imho, though.

girliefriend · 14/03/2015 19:25

The 'Daisy and the Trouble with' series were so popular with my dd, they were the first books she laughed out loud over and couldn't put down, they are fairly easy to read as well which helped build her confidence.

this one is very funny Grin fun at the fair

My dd also loves all the David Walliam books.

Shedding · 14/03/2015 19:26

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MrsShrek3 · 14/03/2015 19:30

My just 9yo dyslexic dd is a huge fan of the Tom Gates books. And anything David Walliams.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 14/03/2015 19:36

Artemis Fowl went down well with ds2 at that age. His all time favourite books are Rick Riordan who wrote the Percy Jackson series.

He used to be a very reluctant reader and at 8 I used to struggle to get him to read for very long at all. Now he's 10 and in the 9 months or so he's become a total bookworm, he reads a book every few days! So your dd may still become a bookworm.

MrsTShelby · 14/03/2015 19:49

David Walliams.
How to train your dragon series.
Wimpy Kid Diaries.

These have turned my DD into an avid reader!

jelliebelly · 14/03/2015 20:01

Ds(9) loved/loves
Anything by David walliams
Anything by roald Dahl
Hunger games trilogy
Percy Jackson series
Hobbit
Harry Potter series

jelliebelly · 14/03/2015 20:02

Also
Wimpy kid
Tom gates
Beast quest series

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 14/03/2015 20:11

Surely not Hunger Games for an 8 year old, due to content Confused It's kids forced to murder each other for sport... Hmm

pootlebug · 14/03/2015 20:13

How to train your dragon books. David Walliams. Roald Dahl.

Pikkewyn · 14/03/2015 20:22

Chris Riddell's Ottoline series and Goth girl Series. We got the £1 world book day Goth Girl book and It captured Dd1 who was struggling with fairy/baby animal/pony stories which she described as blah blah blah nonsense!

Leeds2 · 14/03/2015 20:22

Judy Moody, although may be too easy. Same with Indie Kidd.

I would try comics, graphic books, magazines or something "different" like poetry. Also non fiction, especially if she has a strong interest in something.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 14/03/2015 20:27

Phoenix comic very popular in our house, and it tends to have more stories with female protagonists than comics like Marvel series.

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