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Original poster

Not Famous Five ... What is it that we need?

54 replies

roisin · 04/02/2005 20:27

Ds2 is almost reading to himself in bed. We were reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and it was so exciting he wanted to read on, so each night he read a couple of chapters in bed.

Please remind me what else is out there (other than Roald Dahl) of a similar length and complexity, exciting - a real page turner, but not too scary (as he's a sensitive little flower).

Michael Morpurgo seems a bit too heavy atm.
I can't face fancy Horrid Henry or Enid Blyton.
Olga da Polga didn't do the trick
He doesn't like books with animals as the characters - like many Dick King-Smith books.
Flat Stanley, young puffins and the like are a bit too short for what we're after.

I'm sure there's an author I must be missing for this stage/phase..?

OP posts:
morningpaper · 04/02/2005 20:29

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator...

Should buy you time to think of more...

lowcalCOD · 04/02/2005 20:30

DS! loves famous five though rosion
dont be sad...!

Original poster
roisin · 04/02/2005 20:33

Why did I know you'd say that Codswallop?!

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Original poster
roisin · 04/02/2005 20:56

Oops! Have I put you all off with my list of rejects?

Bump ... please!

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Original poster
roisin · 04/02/2005 21:53

bump ... is no-one talking to me

Or is it just that you can't think of any books/authors?

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pixiefish · 04/02/2005 21:54

secret seven- i know it's blyton but easier than famous 5. real page turners.
what about the lemony snicket books

Yorkiegirl · 04/02/2005 21:56

Message withdrawn

prunegirl · 04/02/2005 22:01

Message withdrawn

marthamoo · 04/02/2005 22:02

How old is he, roisin?

Ds1 loves the Horrid Henry books (Henry is very horrid though - but funny too) and we have also enjoyed everything we've read by Jeremy Strong. Also enjoyed the Mortimer Books by Joan Aiken. At the moment I'm reading him a book about the Fantora Family by Adele Geras (about a family who all have magical powers). Also liked "The Invisible Boy" which I think is by Sally Gardiner. I'll have a look on his bookshelf tomorrow - there are lots more I can't remember now.

And of course Harry Potter - all read at least twice, the first three read three times!

I hated Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator btw. But we have really enjoyed The Twits, George's Marvellous Medicine, the BFG, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Giraffe, the Pelly and Me, Esio Trot and the Minpins.

May do The Witches soon - I thought it was a bit scary before (and sad) but I think he's love it now. He's almost 8, btw.

marthamoo · 04/02/2005 22:03

Oh and yes, pixiefish - Lemony Snicket. They are fantastic to read aloud!

Original poster
roisin · 04/02/2005 22:03

Hey! Thanks for the replies

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KatieMac · 04/02/2005 22:03

Arthue Ransome - swallow & Amazons (but there are 11 more)
My DD loves the Animal Ark books (about kids not animals as such)

jangly · 04/02/2005 22:04

Anne Fine books? here

soapbox · 04/02/2005 22:04

Oh whats wrong with the famous 5

My 2 love the stories.

I read all of them in the summer when I was 7 - was addicted to books from then on in! I spent every penny of my 'holiday money' on them.

BTW - do children still get 'hoilday money' or is that too old fashioned???

KatieMac · 04/02/2005 22:07

I have to say my DD LOVES the FF too
She even worked out how to order them (in the right order) from the library

Original poster
roisin · 04/02/2005 22:09

Loads of great suggestions here

Sorry I didn't say his age: He's only 5.5 ... but very able/fluent reader, hence the difficulty in finding appropriate material.

Bit too young (sensitive) for Eva Ibbotson, Harry Potter, and Lemony Snicket atm.

I am looking for things for him to read to himself, as well as for me to read to him.

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Original poster
roisin · 04/02/2005 22:11

Yorkiegirl - I had discounted MM as being too demanding, but maybe that was a bit hasty. I'll go and have a look on the shelf ... Maybe Cool would go down well ... What else would you suggest?

I've just thought, I bet he could cope with/would enjoy Molly Moon. That's gone back to the library though, I'll have to go and get it again!

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Original poster
roisin · 04/02/2005 22:12

Jangly - Anne Fine - great suggestion. He's enjoyed quite a few of her books from school. I don't know her work very well, most of the ones he's read are the c.70pp size. Are there any longer ones?

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miggy · 04/02/2005 22:13

"Spiderwood chronicles"-nice short chapters-pos a bit scarey though.
"thieves of ostia" and sequels
two american series of chapter books for early readers, I had to get mine from states but have seen them here now. "the secrets of droon" and "the magic treehouse"
"adventures of the little wooden horse" ursula moray

Original poster
roisin · 04/02/2005 22:19

Ah Miggy, I think that might just be the missing link I've been searching my brain for. I'm sure it was about this age that ds1 latched on to the Caroline Lawrence Roman Mysteries (Thieves of Ostia and so on). Secret clubs, finding clues, solving mysteries etc. - a la Enid Blyton, but without the appalling racism, sexism, and generally turgid writing (apologies to all Famous Five fans out there!)

Thanks Miggy!

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soapbox · 04/02/2005 22:26

Roisin

Sexism...racism... turgindness OMG

Where was I when all this was going on

soapbox · 04/02/2005 22:26

Turgidness I should say

Original poster
roisin · 04/02/2005 22:35
Grin
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jangly · 04/02/2005 22:45

Yes, she's written quite a few longer ones, but they'd be for older children. (Flour Babies, Goggle Eyes, our favourites). Would think any of the books "for middle children" on that link web page would be long enough for him to get into.

Barbaloot · 04/02/2005 23:18

What about Diana Wynn Jones Chrestomanci series?