My kiddo is discovering his love of reading, but we find ourselves in the same tricky spot I am sure many advanced young readers still fall into.
"Middle grade" is so varied that a lot of them are not really appropriate or still too advanced, and they aren't always easily identified as lower or upper. And he has already breezed through a lot of the beginner type chapter books.
Looking for some books he can physically read…I am not sure what his reading "level" is but a little "advanced" I suppose…I would say he would enjoy something more than a Mercy Watson type book, but he's still 7 and doesn't want it to feel like too much work. He just read Upside Down Magic, loved those, and they felt like a good fit on length/difficulty.
He doesn't seem care for the Dog Man/Captain Underpants style, preferring fantasy. So far he hasn't shown interest in mystery without fantasy, though I think he might for the right book. He's read Magic tree house, box car children (a little boring to him), and Spiderwick (a little scary but he was glad he pushed through).
Also haply to take audiobook suggestions a little more advanced. He has listened to some he probably couldn't or wouldn't read physically solo: Charlie Bone, Eragon, Storm Dragons. He also listened to Dragon Masters and… (unfortunately before I realized how violent they were, but he loved them) Wings of Fire.
Would love some new suggestions! I used to work in a children's library but it's been a hot minute so I don't know what's new and great for early chapter book readers.
by Iamtoast_toastisme
7 Comments
Redwall
Mrs. Frisby & the Rats of NIMH
Maybe the Wayside Stories books are too easy for him? But I loved those at his age as a voracious reader.
At his age, my mom and I had 2 copies of Harry Potter, a series that was too much for me on my own, but my mom read aloud from one copy and I followed along in my own copy. Sometimes I’d read the chapter out loud. Was a great way to read books a bit above my pay grade while also spending time with my mom.
Maybe do something like that with him to get him used to reading bigger middle grade chapter books?
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander – I enjoyed them at his age
Roald Dahl could be fun.
The Hobbit
Land of Stories
Maybe [The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea](https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/16694) by Thomas Taylor? They’re fun and have adorable illustrations.