Book recommendations for my almost 6-year-old Roald Dahl fan

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Dd is working her way through Roald Dahl's books, and is thoroughly enjoying them. But she now says that by comparison, her other books are boring because the writing isn't as good - she likes the descriptive narrative and exciting storylines, and suddenly Milly Molly Mandy and Enid Blyton just don't cut the mustard!

Any recommendations for children's writers who write exciting, imaginative books with similarly good use of language and narrative?

Anyone?

(By the way, the first person who suggests Harry Potter gets a poke in the eye )

Jeremy Strong is good. Try Pandemonium at School - it's very funny. Well, all of his books are funny.

I've never come across him before, I don't think. Will have a look, thank you.

Narnia Chronicles? She may be too young.
When she is a bit older, give her The Dark is Rising books by Susan Cooper. Fabulous!

How about The Worst Witch books by Jill Murphy? Oh, and the Pippi Longstocking books by Astrid Lindgren. Actually, all of Astrid Lindgren's books are wonderful but it's not always easy to find them in English.

I wondered about Narnia, maybe still a bit young yet.

I haven't come across Susan Cooper either ... my knowledge of children's books is woefully poor!

She's making mutterings about Charlotte's Web, having seen adverts for the film ... was hoping to leave that for a couple of years but it might be worth a go, I guess.

Oh, Pippi Longstocking! I'd forgotten about those

My son loved sally gardners "the invisible boy" and also "Pirate Pandemonium" by jeremy strong, he was in fits of giggles over this book.

My dd was reading charlotte's web but before the film came out. It's quite a good book.

DD(just 5) is currently doing the Dahl books, we are on James and thegiant peach atm. I am about to get Charlottes web for her as we saw the film last weekend and she has the audio cd's from the Sunday times. I was just about to start a similar thread for inspiration, so thanks WWB.

GRK?

I am reading Grk with ds1 (7) atm.

We've just read Charlotte web. Ds is 6, he really enjoyed it.
I cried at the sad bit, he didn't. I'm worried about that boy.
We're going to see the film next weekend, and will take lots of tissues...for me.

what about some of the Dick king smith ones? He does older children (not picture book ones) I've got a box set upatairs I'll check some of the good ones for you.

Didn't he write 'the sheep pig' that Babe was based on?

What about the Railway Children? Is that E.Nesbit??

And Mary Poppins the book? Quite different fron the film but very good.

What age are Treasure Island and Swallows and Amazons good for? We've got those waiting...

Is she reading them all by herself? If so, well done!

My DD who is 6 has jyst read Charlottes Web, and insisted we went to see it at the cinema-she loved it!

We've read a few dahl, but not Fantastic mr.Fox yet.

Is this the best one, as I've been told?

WWB did you and DD go and see Danny Champion World in Brum? It was very good.

We've just finished James and the Giant Peach ... great fun!

What's GRK? Am feeling a bit dim

We tried a Dick King Smith one, dd wasn't too impressed (can't remember which it was now).

Weren't there a whole load of Mary Poppins books, or is my memory completely shot? I can remember reading them as a child.

Lots of suggestions here, thank you every so much!

Anne Fine's shorter books like Bill's New Frock and the Chicken Gave it To me are great. Dick King Smith has some good animal stories such as the Terrible Trins. My Naughty Little Sister stories are funny. There's always Horrid Henry if she likes the gruesome stuff.

Smiley, dd went to see it with school, they took the whole of year 1 and 2 ... 180 children and not a single parent helper ... very brave, some of these teachers

She loved it - we read the book beforehand and I have never seen her so gripped by a story before.

A Dog Called Grk - seems very good but maybe better when she's a little older as it could be upsetting in places.

Yes Ds loved that one too WWB. And then it was amazingly on stage just weeks after we'd finished it, and now just as we start Charlottes Web and they announce the film's coming out. It's like I'm ordering them for him.

It was great to see Danny Champion of the World on stage though, had a lovely day out just me and DS1, went for lunch and to the German Market.

Going to have a nice him and me day this weekend and see Charlottes Web.

That's another one that completely passed me by ... can't think how, I spend hours in Borders looking for books for her!

When we got to this stage I took ds along to the library and spoke to the children's librarian who was fantastic. She took ds and myself on a tour of some recent fiction (at least I don't remember it from my childhood!) and we got a great selection of books to read and to have read.

Ds has recently been tickled by a set of 12 books by Anholt & Robins which are a twist to traditional fairy tales eg Snow White and the Seven Aliens, and The Rather Small Turnip. But getting boys reading seems to be a different process, so I've also been stocking up on books on reptiles, pirates, dinosaurs and space!

Sounds good, Smiley.

We would have taken her if she hadn't been going with the school ... although I'm glad I didn't have to take her to a show with an audience full of 5 and 6 year olds!!

I think I shall have to get Charlotte's Web for her - although I remember reading it when I was about 6 or 7 and being in floods of tears at the end.

Oddly enough, reptiles, pirates, dinosaurs and space feature fairly highly on dd's bookshelf too, LM ... she's not particularly girly!

The Anholt and Robins ones sound interesting.