Fantastic books for bright 5 y os...?

[Roseylea]

Could anyone recommend any great books for a bright 5 yo? My dd has just stated yr 1 and is beyond the pre-school stuff like the Gruffalo etc, but not quite up to the Famous Five yet. I have just ordered some of the Rainbow Fairy books from Scholastic, and she loved 'Flat Stanley' (but not 'Stanley in Space' - there were too many things she didn't 'get' and I had to explain, like who the President of the United States is). I have trawled around the bookshops and charity shops this morning, but still feel like there's either a bit of a gap in the market, or I'm just not seeing the best stuff for this age.

I adore books and am so excited about the stuff she'll be able to read soon, but don;t want to give her stuff that's too hard now in case it puts her off reading (I was force-fed Dickens far too young and it's ruined him for me for life - what a shame!)

Any ideas?

If you are reading to her, then avoid the Rainbow Fairies... There are about 9 zillion of them, all with the same plot and they are really badly written. (However, for these very reasons they are good once she starts reading independently...)

Dick King-Smith is good (both for you to read and for independent reading later) and obviously also Roald Dahl. Also Mrs Pepperpot and Pippi Longstocking. And some Enid Blyton is still worth reading (e.g. Faraway Tree - if you can do Dick and Fanny without snurking! - and Wishing Chair, and possibly Secret Seven, which is I think aimed at younger children than the Famous Five).

With my dd2, who has also just started Year 1, I have read a few of the 'Little Animal Ark' books (aimed at younger readers). She could read this on her own, but is still put off doing so by the lack of pictures, so we 'do a deal' where she reads a page and I read a page and that works well.

Sorry for any repetition. Haven't read whole thread. HTH.

You can get ladybird versions of all the traditional stories- a range called "read it yourself". The words are well chosen and readable for beginners.

I think it does matter - but I am boringly old fashioned in lots of ways! His Dark Materials has lots of themes and ideas which I think would be disturbing if half understood - and, as I said, why deprive them of the joy of discovery when they are 12?
My children also enjoyed books intended for older children - I remember ds loving the Swallows and Amazons books being read to her when she was 4, and she LOVED poetry that she hadn't a hope of understanding - she just enjoyed the rhythm and music of the words.

If you want to read a slightly "advanced" fantasy type book, what about the Hobbit?

Have a look in second hand bookshops for storybooks published in the 1950s and 1960s - they have a richer, more complex vocabulary and no upsetting themes.

My 5yo has enjoyed:

Magic Faraway Tree
Wishing Chair
Charlotte's Web
The Magic Finger
James and the Giant Peach
My Naughty Little Sister
The Worst Witch
Naughty Amelia Jane

I need to remember to order the Sprinter books for DD. Keep seeing them recommended on here! Where is cheapest place for them?

The Book People often have them Hula.

Thanks.

here and here

Just looking a bit closer - those two are actually the same list of Sprinter books,just with a different illustration. So don't order them both! (Unless you want a spare set for partybags)

Thanks again. Will have to get sorted and get ordering I think.

So what kind of reading level do you think these are aimed at?

Dredging my memory a bit, as it seems a long time ago!

Don't know reading ages. I would say if they are reading ORT level 8 or so (maybe lower) with no problems at all, they should be fine.

The big thing is they are longer books, so it gets them into the idea of tackling a longer book, reading a chapter at a time, and not necessarily reading a book all at once.

DS2 tbh has only just grasped this concept at 8! And he wouldn't tackle a book unless he could finish it in one night: 1 - 1.5 hrs reading.

DD's ORT Level 6 so might be a bit young still? Or maybe for tackling together?

When you read to her in the evenings, do you sometimes get her to read a sentence/paragaraph/page of the story to you? IMO this is one of the best ways of getting children over the gulf from reading their reading scheme books to reading more demanding books for pleasure.

When ds1 was 5 we read several E Nesbitt books and The Hobbit, and others. I would carefully select a passage I knew he could cope with: and that gave him huge confidence to tackle even big books on his own.

I wouldn't particularly use Sprinters for tackling together, as they are designed for independent reading - and there isn't much out there at that particular level, so it would be a shame to 'waste' them by reading together.

I'd get them anyway and have a look and make your judgment. They might be easier than I remember. I am completely out of the loop of primary school reading schemes these days.

er, seeker, why don't you read your children books that you are happy with & we will do the same with ours.

Yes, she often reads bit out of books we read together but not really at bed time - she likes to lay back and listen then. It's really for during the day.

Might get them and if definitely too hard just save them for a few months until ready.

I'm really envious of you all btw - I adore watching children learn to read and develop into fluent readers and hopefully into lifelong book-lovers. It's just magical!

PS Hoxtonchick - we read Harry Potter and the Hobbit to ds1 when he was only 5 too

it's our quaker school roots roisin !

agree sprintersa are best for rerading alone

ds1 has just read a young hippsos book - tghe is a series called tales from whispery wood.

our SEN year 6s read them..5 short chapters, high interest. reading age of 6 or 7

Might leave the Sprinters for a bit then. She will read early readers, etc to herself and likes to read alone - but not sure she is at Sprinters stage yet. Don't want to put her off

i ordered 2 packs of sprinters a while back.,......separated one pack for story bags

can i also recommed the usborne books: kinights and castles and the pop out science ones. lovely for birthday gifts for friends too

hula ds1 is one ort 7 and manages sprinters prety much. the little hippos ones are better though - ds1 just read the entire thing
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