Dd2 is apparently ahead of her age for reading, has anyone any godod book suggestions please ?

[nutcracker]

Dd2 is 8 and has always been a good reader.

Tonight at parents evening, her teacher said that she was not far short of the level they expect yr 6 to have achieved by the time they leave primary.

I have always really just let her read what she likes and have never directed her towards any particular age range, but I wondered if anyone had any reccomendation of anything she could read which was slightly more advanced than her age group ??

Her mother though, cannot even spell good

How old is she nutty?
(Lol at godod)

8

Has she read the new Clarice Bean books (not the picture books obv, but thick paperbacks).

Clarice Bean Spells Trouble and Don't Look Now Clarice Bean.

Well, at the weekend the Daily Telegraph, as well as giving its usual update on goings-on in the Tory party and the Church of England, had an article entitled "100 books every child should read". This is the link to the middle years bit:

www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/01/19/bokidsbooks319.xml

and from there you can get to the early teens bit.

There were loads of great books in their list!

And not forgetting MNs favourite - Noel Streatfields Ballet Shoes!

Harry Potter. If she likes horses you could try some of the old books by Christine Pullein-Thompson, Monica Dickens etc. I find them a lot more readable than the various Princess and Fairy stories which are doing the rounds. [pulls face]

My DD got into the Series of Unfortunate events books at that age and they kept her going for a year. It was those which really kicked off her love of reading. Such a great thing to have.

Great link molly. Nice mix of new and old. Most of the old I've read.

The Silver Sword I read as a late primary age set book - it can be challenging so good to read first yourself so you can discuss it. Rather like that other wartime book about a gang of boys in Londons blitz... bombers... ??? argh! can't remember. But that opened up lots of new ideas/experiences too.

Thanks guys

That link is really helpful, will make a note of some and look in the library.

dds best mate (8) is an exceptional reader and she reads classics like Black Beauty, Wuthering heights, jane eyre - she loves them

(bless dd1 being impressed and asking questions when she is only just off the reading scheme herself)

D'you know enid I would consider jane eyre and wuthering heights not to be suitable reading for an 8yo. But I know I read a lot of unsuitable things including Jane Eyre at about 10, so maybe I am making a fuss. And I suppose all the passion etc is couched in victorian language.

Can't go wrong with that Daily Telegraph list imo. But a few things they missed off it that my DD's like: school stories like Anne Digby's Trebizon series, Caroline Lawrence's Roman Mysteries, Ingo by Helen Dunmore, Charlotte Sometimes, practically all of Michael Morpurgo, I Coriander by Sally Gardner.

• and bizarrely they put His Dark Materials in middle years and the Wolves of Willoughby chase in teens when it really should be the other way around.

I read both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights at eight or nine. A lot of it went over my head but I wouldn't prevent an eight year old from reading it, I just think they would not get the most out of it.

The Chronicles of Narnia

Enid Blyton - famous 5 etc

Black Beauty

Benjamin Zephaniah's books are good but may be a bit too old for her (usually marketed for 12 yrs old - have some very hard issues in them like the Ethiopia/Eritrea war)

Telegraph list is excellent IMO MollyMawk. My DD also loves the Malory Towers and Twins at St Clares series.

my ds age 8 has his head stuck in the Guiness Book of Records!

Have you called the fire brigade to get him out?

Ha Ha

Have a chat with one of the librarians at your local library. There is usually someone who can make some good suggestions.

Telegraph list a fun jumping off point.

But I would not let an early teenager near When the Wind Blows, let alone a "middle years"er. Has the compiler even read it? Have they looked at the drawings of radiation disease? It's amazing stuff, not it's not so very far off recommending Maus.

... but (not "not") it's not very far off ... (got carried away)

I think there's some weird books on that list... 'The water babies'? That book creeped me out as a child. So did a lot of them in fact -'the moomins' 'the borrowers' etc...

DD1 liked Mrs Pepperpot though. And the Faraway Tree' She is reading something called 'Roman Mysteries' at the moment...?

Jaqueline Wilson really good, some are for more mature children, though DD1 reads what seems to be completely unsuitable with equinamity.

where is the rest of the Early Years list on the Telegraph site - I can oly see about 20 books listed?

Are the full lists available somewhere?

Oh God yes, 'When the wind blows' is totally unsuitable IMO.

I thought this thread was good on the subject:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/2408/443108?ts=1201127095735