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Suitable books for 5yo with reading age of 10-11?

47 replies

BucketCrunderdunder · 10/03/2013 18:00

Hi

Dd is 5yr old, in Yr1 and summer born. She isn't on the G&T register as far as I know, but she is doing very well with reading, so just popped in for advice. The school has assessed her as on Stage 17 and she is just starting on chapter books.

Trouble is, I am not sure she has the emotional maturity for some of the books she is bringing home. The school have said that unfortunately the choice is a bit limited as most of the children who are reading them are quite a bit older. The latest one she has come home with (a Treetops title) seems to be about a sinister windmill, which may have killed someone, who may have returned as a ghost (I just skimmed through it). Wondering if it might give her nightmares! The previous one was about a family moving from post-war London, to a new town and themes of change, loss etc.

I wonder if any parents with similar experiences have any ideas of how to bridge the gap between technical ability and emotional maturity. I don't want her to 'grow up' too fast by reading material that might be a bit old for her, but I do want her to read books that stretch her reading, vocabulary and comprehension etc.

So, wondering whether to ask the school if it would be better if we chose our own reading books - would that be reasonable?

Also suggestions for what may be suitable reading material would be gratefully appreciated. I have realised that most of the books at home might be a bit too simple, as none of them are anywhere near the 'Stage 17' type of level!

She likes Mr. Gum, used to like Rainbow Fairies (but now sees them as a bit 'babyish'), quite likes Secret Kingdom, but perhaps they're not that challenging to read? Roahl Dahl maybe?

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duchesse · 10/03/2013 18:06

Professor Branestawm- brilliant fun!
the "lady farmer" series- can't remember what they're called though- about a little girl who wants to be a lady farmer.
I loved James Herriott at that age- any of them
Paddington Bear- any of them, they're all brilliant.
Famous Five- I loved those

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duchesse · 10/03/2013 18:09

The lady farmer series is the Sophie series by Dick King-Smith.

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MyThumbsHaveGoneWeird · 10/03/2013 18:12

Enid Blyton? I loved them at that age. Also what about the worst witch series? Roald Dahl good idea.

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KarenHL · 10/03/2013 18:12

Also worth considering the Mary Poppins books. PL Travers wrote four books in the series. V.good and easy to find.

DD likes little house on the prairie as well, and some of the Roald Dahl books (espec' Fantastic Mr Fox).

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QueenOfFarkingEverything · 10/03/2013 18:18

You have to go for 'classics', in my experience. They tend to be written in a far more complex and challenging style whilst retaining suitable subject material and themes.

Mary Poppins is a great suggestion.

Noel Streatfield (Ballet Shoes and the like)

A book called 'The Greatest Gresham' but forgotten the author

The Railway Children

The Secret Garden

Anything by Edith Nesbitt (I think - Treasure Seekers, 5 Children and It etc)

Little House on the Prairie series

My 10 yr old motors through a series called Warrior Cats which is contemporary (not that it matters much in the cat world Grin )

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duchesse · 10/03/2013 18:22

I agree with Queen. Too many "ishoos" covered in an inappropriate way in much of modern literature aimed at 10-11 year olds.

FWIW Five children and It and all the E Nesbitt books are fabulous.

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BucketCrunderdunder · 10/03/2013 18:31

Thank you for the very quick replies! I am compiling a reading list using the suggestions here. We have the Worst Witch on cd which she enjoyed listening to, so she may well like the books. Enid Blyton, she has the Magic Faraway Tree, but got a bit bored half way through - I'm thinking of getting her 'The Naughtiest Girl In School' as I loved it myself as a child (hope it's not too dated however). I think things to do with school life, and/or friendships might be a hit.

She's a bit of a girly girl in taste, but I am trying to widen her horizons a bit, so strong female characters are most welcome. Grin

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LadyIsabellaWrotham · 10/03/2013 18:32

Would second Professor Branestawm, the undiluted Paddington books, and perhaps the Wombles, My Naughty Little Sister, Mrs Pepperpot, Pippi Longstocking and Olga de Polga. Worst Witch books are also very emotionally easy-going.

If she's reading at that level she doesn't need to be challenged particularly, you just need a huge heap of well-written, strong, entertaining stories for her to plough through and maintain her love of books. As long as it's not the sodding Rainbow Fairies then she'll find her own value in everything she reads - just keep it coming.

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duchesse · 10/03/2013 18:34

Oh, the Sophie series has a very strong central female character- you'll love them Whilst I take issue with the term "lady farmer" in fairness it's the one Sophie herself comes up with.

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SneakyBiscuitEater · 10/03/2013 18:41

Narnia series, the borrowers, the worst witch and anything by Roald Dahl worked for my DS at that age. We started with the Teddy Robinson series and went from there.

We have found that older books are the way to go like previous posters. I like to hear him read so that we can talk about any language 'issues' fir example ... Travelling to many queer places...

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Takver · 10/03/2013 18:52

Definitely agree to the Wombles chapter books & the others suggested by LadyIsabella.

Swallows & Amazons series also great, nothing unsuitable /hard to relate to for a 5 year old and lovely stories (and there are 12 of them if she likes them)

Pretty much anything by Dick King Smith, not just Sophie (his animal books are lovely)

Much less classy, but DD loved the Animal Ark books and there are hundreds of them

Maybe Milly Molly Mandy, My Naughty Little Sister, Clever Polly & the Stupid Wolf if she hasn't read them / had them read to her.

More modern stuff - she might like the Cows In Action and Astrosaurs series both by Steve Cole, also maybe the Daisy And the Trouble With books (can't remember the author)

Duchesse, look at it this way, at least Sophie doesn't want to be a lady gardener Grin

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Takver · 10/03/2013 18:54

Clever Polly is definitely a strong female character . . .

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juneybean · 10/03/2013 18:55

Definitely roald Dahl, my 5 year old dc has just enjoyed Matilda and Georges Marvellous Medicine.

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BucketCrunderdunder · 10/03/2013 20:01

That's given me at least 40 books to try out with her - should keep us busy for a while - thank you all!Thanks

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neolara · 10/03/2013 20:04

The magic faraway tree and the other two in the series. My 5 year old LOVED them and I would have been fantastically grateful if he could have read them to himself.

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RhinestoneCowgirl · 10/03/2013 20:08

Had the same issue with DS last year.

He's really enjoyed Roald Dahl, also lots of stuff by Dick King Smith. Think he started with The Hodgeheg.

These days I tend to go to the library and do a sweep of the shelves of anything that looks likely and present him with a pile to choose from. He's a pretty voracious reader these days, I can't keep up!

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numbum · 10/03/2013 22:11

My y1 is reading The lion, the witch and the wardrobe. She also loves Mr Gum and got bored of Mr Gum so it seems we're on the same page. I've just ordered her some Michael Murporgo, Mary Poppins and Charlotte's web.

Let me know if you find anything she loves!

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numbum · 10/03/2013 22:12

Oh and as for Roald Dahl she read The Twits and Matilda last year and love George's Marvellous Medicine and Charlie and the Chocolate factory this year

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FriendlyLadybird · 11/03/2013 08:58

Don't forget Winnie the Pooh. And never underestimate the value of a big anthology of fairy tales, traditional and more modern.

You could get her started on classical myths too. At that age I loved Charles Kingsley's The Heroes (classicist father), but Geraldine McCaughrean and Anthony Horowitz have done some good modern retellings.

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StellaNova · 11/03/2013 09:12

I was about that level at infant school and remember reading:

Any Enid Blyton I could lay my hands on
The Sam Pig stories by Alison Uttley
The Bobbsey Twins series
Alice in Wonderland
Robin Hood
Matthews Secret Surprises
Aurora and the Little Blue Car
What Katy Did
The Bobby Brewster series

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Sticklebug · 11/03/2013 20:07

Definitely the Roald Dhal books. Michael Murporgo, Enid Blyton.

My DD really enjoyed books by Elinor Lyon and Noel Streatfield at this age - a bit old fashioned, but she seemed to really get them.

Also all the Dick King Smith books (I hate them, but both DC's loved them)

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Sticklebug · 11/03/2013 20:09

Ohh, and 'The secret railway' and 'the mysterious parcel' (gerald durrell).
The Littlest ghost

Also the Moomins - loads of them...lovely to read and really silly which appeals to a 5 year old sense of humour

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BucketCrunderdunder · 11/03/2013 23:39

Thank you for so many ideas - been compiling a wishlist this evening and a few more have occurred to me!

The Wind In The Willows
*Stig of The Dump
101 Dalmations and The Starlight Barking
Mrs Pepperpot
*How To Train Your Dragon
Heidi
*Nancy Drew (Book 1 Sleepover Sleuths: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew)
*Billionaire Boy David Walliams

The ones with an asterix I've never actually read - they sound OK though.

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tumbletumble · 12/03/2013 11:35

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

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sashh · 12/03/2013 12:03

Grimms fairy tales - not the original adult ones but the sanitised children's ones.

And what about non fiction? What is she interested in?

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