suggestions for books of similar reading level to Enid Blyton

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

I'm looking for books to keep DS (7) busy over the summer. He really loves Enid Blyton (Famous Five and Secret Seven). What else can I suggest to him? EB's are the only English books I remember from my childhood. I get a bit lost in Waterstones looking for books for him because, although I see many I think he could read, I don't want him to read "trash" and I don't know which is which.

(I've checked a similar recent thread about childhood books but I'm after something more specific for a 7 y.o. - can be contemporary too.)

Thank you. I've heard of those (less Phantom Tollbooth) so I'll have a look for them. Isn't Series of Unfortunate events in lots of books, I gather they'd need to be read in order, so perhaps not from the library.

The Spiderwicke Chronicles are also worth a look.

How do they come up with these titles?

If they are 13 then I think I'll get them from the library first, at least the first couple to see if DS likes them. We saw the movie last year - I think he enjoyed it (I fell asleep).

And don't dismiss "trash"! If you find trash he likes, he'll read them quickly and easily and the reading habit will become more deeply ingrained with every page. My dd read hundreds girl "trash" books (Secret Unicorn, Animal Ark, Glitter Girls...)and is now a confirmed book worm, reading anything and everything she can get her hands on. I made sure that I read "better" books to her, and let her get on with reading whatever she wanted to herself.

I think Enid Blyton is trash, actually

I had this problem dd (4yrs) really liked 'my naughty little sister' I had remembered liking it as a child but was at a loss for anything more (espcailly as they have mangles and wash days in MNLS) In desperation I asked at the library and she pulled out this fab book where she looked up the author and it was a kind of 'if you liked xxx you will like xxxx'. We borrowed a Bel Mooney on her recommendation - only yesterday so haven't read it yet - but try the library.

family from one end street?
amelia bedelia?

Horrid Henry - or is that too young? DD1 (7) still reads and enjoys them. Also Jeremy Strong.

We are half way through Indian in the Cupboard which I'm reading to dd1 but she could read herself easily, and she loves it.

flat stanley

Dd1 also reads and enjoys Judy Moody books. Ooh, ooh and Roald Dahl - all of them.

DS loves Horrid Henry, Dirty Bertie. An enjoyable light read.

judy moody good.
also have black queen by michael morpurgo (on tape in car) which is a hoot

No, no, you haven't killed the thread. I was away today, on jury service (for the fifth week, arrrgh). Today we received a list of books from DS's school with recommendations for things to read before year 3. There are a few by Michael Morpurgo, one by Jeremy Strong, one by Natalie Jane Prior, Heather Dyer, Tony Bradman, Jacuqline Wilson and a Flat Stanley book.

DS has read Horrid Henry, Captain Underpants, Yuck etc (so that answers the going through "trash" too) but I think he's mature enough now to move on to something else. He enjoys Enid Blyton, so I was thinking of something similar.

When I was just a bit older than him my Dad was against Alexandre Dumas as too "easy" and he recommended Tess d'Uberville instead. I don't want to deny DS the easy literature to that extent, I'm just genuinely puzzled as it's not what I grew up with.

Thanks for all the suggestions. There's plenty of things I can try and find in our local library now.