book suggestions for DD

[Geegee4]

Hello, just looking for some suggestions for DD - she's on turquoise ORT level 7, and gets these books home from school. Her interest in reading is waning, and so we read about 3-4x week.

Just wondered what might be some good titles for her to start with on her own? We read Pippi, worst witch etc to her which she enjoys...

Just wondering if the school books aren't a bit boring?

*and also to say I'm not a pushy parent, but so have a secret hope that she grows to love reading as much as I do....

Have a look at the beginner reader books by Malorie Blackman. We started with Snow Dog and then moved on to Betsy Biggalow.

www.malorieblackman.co.uk/index.php/category/books

Or there's the Rainbow Fairy books. They make me want to fall asleep but my daughter loved them at that stage. They do some early reader versions which are good to start on.

Rather than explicitly getting books for her to read alone, read an easier book than Pippi TO her and let her read the odd paragraph. Build it up, and hopefully one day you'll find she starts reading ahead by herself. She is prime territory for the dreaded Rainbow Magic. Dull for parents but they were the breakthrough for us, because DD was so desperate to be able to read them herself, like her friends.

Much more palatable for adults are Daisy books by Kes Gray. There are a few picture books (eg 006 and a bit) and lots of entry level chapter books.

Take her to library and let her choose?
when my ds started read, he devoured whole section of early reader books at local library.

Love a good book recommendation thread!
At that sort of stage the phonics becomes less of a barrier and they can have a good shot at normal picture books. You probably already have a houseful. But if you haven't got them, things like Winnie the Witch, Elmer, Dr Seuss, Charlie and Lola were popular here. The Claude books are fun, we didn't discover them till later but think they're quite easy reading too. Jeremy Strong's "Pirate School" books, "Pirate Penguins" and other Frank Rodgers - these are mini chapter books with colour pictures, funny and very approachable. Our library has loads of easy readers at this sort of level. DD likes the fairy tale ones, DS didn't so much.

Thank you everyone, some great suggestions and ideas. Tonight before bed she realised she could read the first page of one of her favourite books, and was so pleased.

Earlier I asked what she'd like to read in the summer and she said NOTHING. So while I'm keen to encourage her it seems such a fine line- don't want to push her away from reading either. It was such a huge part of my childhood, I'd feel sad if she didn't enjoy books.

I think charlie and lola books are about turquoise level (long time ago it seems) lots of picture books are somewhere between band 7-10

libraries have a lot of early reader type books of different levels. trying to match up the ones that seem about right can be tricky at first, but they can learn for something that is within a couple of book bands either way as long as you are not labouring through the harder ones.

It is possible to read more difficult books by following my suggestions:

When reading harder books with a child, get him to point to words as he goes along. If he knows the word, or can sound it out, he can say it. If he doesn't know the word, he can hover his finger over it, and YOU say the word for him. Don't stop to analyse or discuss the word at this stage, but try and keep the 'flow' of reading going. Review difficulties at the end, if you wish to. This way, he has the satisfaction of reading more difficult books, without the fear of getting 'stuck' on words.

For slightly older children I sometimes recommend what I call "Value Added" books, that is they have an aspect in addition to just reading a story.

The best one is Arthur Ransome's "Coot Club" set on the Norfolk Broads in 1930. All the places in the book are actual locations, and can be found on the Ordnance Survey 2-1/2inch map of the Broads. All the villages, rivers, lakes, pubs and windmill pumping stations can be seen on the map. Apart from some railways being closed, and there now being more main roads, little has changed. It also gives interesting insights to the social history of the '30s: the children want to contact friends in a nearby village, and say if they post a letter in the morning, it will get there by the second post in the afternoon! When they buy provisions at a riverside shop, the shop-boy carries the goods down to their boat for them.

Another book in a 'real' place, is "Watership Down". The rabbits' home threatened by development is actually on the outskirts of Newbury, in Berkshire. There are several web sites about the locations, and even guided tours sometimes to places featured in the book.