Alex Rider, Artemis Fowl or young James Bond for 7.5 yr old?

6 replies

singersgirl · 02/04/2006 23:42

DS1 (7.5) is just about to finish the "Series of Unfortunate Events". He has dipped in and out of other authors while reading these - he is currently also reading "Nurse Matilda" and various Jeremy Strong things.

Which of the boy heroes above do you think would be the best bet to steer him towards next? I've had a look in them all but haven't got round to pre-reading. Is one of them 'younger' than the rest? Or easier going? He is a great reader but if something doesn't enthuse him he won't pursue it, and if it looks too long he might be put off (even though he has read all the HP books).

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Yorkiegirl · 02/04/2006 23:44

Has he read the Falcon's Malteser? That's Horowitz but is slightly younger than Alex Rider.
I would try that first, then Artemis Fowl, then Alex Rider and finally young Bond. Young Bond is great, but is more complex IMO.

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singersgirl · 03/04/2006 13:51

Thanks Yorkiegirl - will look out "The Falcon's Malteser".

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beetroot · 03/04/2006 13:53

yes good idea YG. The alex rider and hte other suggestions are just a tiny bit sophisticated imo. Ds read when he was 8 (nearly 9)

I struggle wiht ds3 tbh, not found a good one for him.

ToujoursMarine · 03/04/2006 13:54

YG, thank you for that. Ds is dropping big heavy hints about Alex Rider and he is not quite 7 yet. The Falcon's Malteser sounds perfect.
(SG we have Emil and the Detectives on our list, and are almost done with The Pirates of the Deep Green Sea, two vintage reads with boy heroes).

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singersgirl · 04/04/2006 10:47

Thanks everyone. Toujours Marine, haven't heard of "Pirates of the Deep Green Sea" and hadn't thought of "Emil". Will add those to my suggestion list!

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ToujoursMarine · 05/04/2006 09:01

It was a "happy click" on Amazon when buying bink's recommendation The Land of Green Ginger. It is really quite surreal but a cracking yarn with heroic octopuses, incompetent inn-keeper crabs, cross-dressing pirates, an evocative 1940s Orcadian setting and a heartfelt and at times almost sentimental tribute to Britain's mighty seafaring heritage. We have had loads of saucer-eyed discussions at being sent half way round the world on a liner sans parents at the age of 8, being allowed to run almost completely wild and swim starkers in Scapa Flow, etc...those were the days. Highly recommended! :)

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