I am often asked for reading suggestions by parents, mostly for children aged 7-11. I have grouped together some ideas on this page and suggest that parents encourage their children to read a wide range of authors and styles with a careful balance of enjoyment and reading challenge.
Enjoyment First
It is so important that children find books to read that they enjoy. This has to come first. Try reading something that you're not interested in, or where the doesn't suit you....it's hard isn't it? Children must be motivated to read first and from there we can build....
Stamina Next
Children who are confident and happy readers will have a solid base on which to build their reading stamina. Stamina, meaning the willingness to read more challenging texts, longer books with fewer chapter breaks, smaller fonts, more words, longer sentences and no pictures. This will build up layer on layer and quite rapidly in children who've found their niche and love reading.
And the language will flow!
And once children are up and running with a love of books and a strong reading stamina, the world is their oyster. They will be more open to suggestions of books that they had not previously considered, books to stretch their vocabulary, to inform them about history, to deal with more complex ideas and emotions.
Book lists by interest
Oliver recommends……
The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan
Greek Gods…..adventure…… great characters……monsters and lots and lots of action
Oliver might be the only ten year year old to have read every single one of Rick Riordan’s books TWICE and then listened to them all on audiobook (whilst playing Lego) AT LEAST TWICE…. See what all the fuss is about by starting with Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief https://amzn.to/3FBViAC or, if Ancient Egypt is more your thing, try The Kane ChronIcles https://amzn.to/3DHdrfO
