Ruby Redfort suitable for 7 year old?

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My daughter (age 7) has loved the Clarice Bean books and now wants to read the Ruby Redfort books, by the same author, Lauren Child. Is the content suitable/appropriate? Thank you. Any other ideas welcome. Her Dad has read the Mr gum books to her which she has enjoyed.

Not really unless they are keen on detective fiction. They are good, but for slightly older children - they are very suspenseful too .

I would say yes. Perhaps a bit stretching for most seven year old readers though.

I think they are pretty hard going - DD is a good reader and tried one at about that age for the same reasons and couldn't stick it. She's gone back to them now age 9 and even then they are fairly challenging.

Roman Mysteries are good if she wants detective stories, also the Murder Most Unladylike series although they are a bit harder. Also the Wimpy Kid/Tom Gates sets are good at this kind of stage.

Yes! DD1 absolutely loved them at that age, but there's plenty in them for aged right up to 11 or 12 too, I think. DD1 re-read several times from 7-9ish.

Thank you, really appreciate your input and recommendations. I don't mind if she finds it hard and gives up to try again when she's older, but I don't want her to read something too scary or all about boys etc (not yet anyway!) I've heard Wimpy Kid is very popular so maybe that's a good one to try next. Need Xmas present ideas for family to buy for her!

Wimpy Kid is brilliant

It's not too scary and it's deffo not 'lovey' or anything like that. Honestly - it's just really good fun.

Thanks again. In case anyone is interested, her favourite books that she has read herself are the Ottoline books. Think there are only three.

Dork Diaries are like the girl version of Wimpy Kid. The Goth Girl series also by Chris Riddell are good too.

Thanks again x

DD1 tried and gave up when she was 7 - a bit too hard, then returned when she was 9 and adored them. Dd2 started at 8 and was completely hooked. They're much more challenging than Wimpy kid books.

We listened to the whole of a Ruby Redfort on audio cd on a long car journey recently with my DD aged 7. She is a good reader (probably one of the best in her class), and could have read the words in the actual book, but I think she would have found it hard going and quite a bit would have gone over her heard because of the level of the language, sentence construction, vocabulary she wouldn't know etc.

She did like the story, because she likes adventures / spies / mysteries, but we needed to explain what was going on at various points as she got a bit lost with the plot. Ruby is a great female character though, really rounded, very much her own personality rather than fitting any kind of stereotype.

There's no romance, but some parts were quite scary / dramatic I thought. Going to save them until later when she will get more out of them.

Would not recommend Dork Diaries or Murder Most Unladylike for a 7 year old!

If she likes Clarice Bean try Judy Moody or Judy Blume ' s Superfudge books. Daisy and the Trouble With books may also suit . If she likes Ottaline, try the Madame Pamplemousse books

Update - my daughter read and enjoyed the first Ruby Redfort book. It took her longer than usual to read it, but she was proud of herself and wanted the next one. She found the second book hard going and hasn't really read to herself for ages, so I would say it put her off reading a bit. From comments above, I expect she will enjoy it in a year or two. She will be 8 in June. I have just ordered a few new books from the suggestions above, and some of her old favourites (Clarice Bean; Ivy and Bean - completely different books, but two series that she liked), hoping to get her hooked on reading again. Still interested in more suggestions. Thank you.