My son is 8 and is struggling a bit with reading. He loves having stories read to him but the reading books school sends home are pretty uninteresting.
I’m looking for recommendations of books that have fairly simple language to allow him to read them but a plot that will interest him. Some of the folks on r/fantasy have given some great fantasy recommendations but I’m looking for some non fantasy for a bit of variety!
by Scuba_Ted
8 Comments
Holes by Louis Sachar is a non-fantasy classic. I actually read this one in college and had a fantastic time with it.
Non-spoiler synopsis: Stanley is sent to a juvenile detention camp. At this camp, all the kids are forced to dig holes all day. They’re basically told that this is part of their punishment/rehabilitation. But there’s a very important reason why the kids are forced into this monotony, and Stanley and his friends work to figure out what that reason is.
Light-hearted, little to no real violence. Really fun read.
Maybe try graphic novels? These can be a wonderful way to jumpstart an interest in reading. Dog Man is very popular and really fun.
The Harriet the Hamser Princess books, along with Nurk, Castle Hangnail, and Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon.
These are illustrated books for younger readers but they have wonderful illustrations and fun plots. Even adults enjoy them.
Calvin and Hobbes. It’s not that hard to read and has a lot of repeating words, and I’ve never met a kid who didn’t want to know what Calvin would do next.
The Puppy Place books are simple, but if he wishes he had a dog or twelve, he’ll like them.
Wings of Fire was my kid’s first chapter book. He dragged it home from the library at school, and it took him more than a month to read it. Book five in the series only took him a few days.
My son love The Investi-Gators. Graphic novels about alligators who solve crimes, they’re very well written with a good plot and very witty dialogue.
To get him started I usually read a box/page then he does one and we alternate till he’s happy.
Little Gem publish brilliant very short books with plenty of full colour illustrations. My son loved The Snake Who Came To Stay, there are loads to choose from.
Wings of Fire graphic novels
Read to him ALOT 🙂
Also, alot of boys prefer non-fiction books.
Maybe try:
Magic School Bus
Horrible Histories
National Geographic
He might also like:
Bad Guys
Fartboy
Captain Underpants
Smile by Raina Telgemaier is a very popular non-fantasy graphic novel.