My nieces (age between 5 and 9) are getting into reading, and I am buying the elder the first Redwall book (by Brian Jacques). I have never read Warrior Cats, but I know the series is beloved by many and I am considering it for the younger. I am absolutely open to more suggestions (I am asking here first before the main r/books). I believe the Eragon books need to wait a few years, and I personally read Bloodtide far too young. Any and all genres are acceptable recommendations, though youth-oriented fiction would be the best fit at the moment. I hesitate to buy The Tale of Despereaux, but I do not remember when I first read it.
by AlphaSlicer
3 Comments
Five is way too young for Warriors, IMO. There’s some serious brutality in the second arc of the first six books. I started with my son on them around seven years old, maybe late six, and just kinda powered through it because he was invested by then, but there’s some serious cat-on-cat violence. Warriors is definitely aimed more at the preteen set. Coming of age, stories of forbidden romance, big prophecies and characters who start out pretty young filling big roles. Not that a younger kid can’t enjoy a lot of those things, but as I say, there’s some brutal stuff in there.
>! In the second arc of the first six books series, there’s a prophecy involving a hill of bones and the river running with blood, which is already intense imagery for some kids. And in about the last or second last book of that first six-book series, a cat gets torn open belly to throat that they die nine times in quick succession. It’s uh… A lot. !<
Not sure what to recommend instead. A lot of people swear by the Magic Treehouse books, which are probably at least a bit above most five-year-olds’ solo reading level but I would think decent for being read to. My eldest wouldn’t really do those ones, so idk them personally.
My eldest also liked the Upside Down Magic books, but it’s not really in that same more epic/adventure vein.
Warrior Cats, and its Dragon cousin Wings of Fire, are great for 4th graders and up. I’d hold on Redwall, or give it a reread before you gift it—although the NIMH books might be a good option.
For a 5yo, I’d lean more toward Magic Treehouse or Time Cat and similar early chapter books. Despereux is probably just right, or maybe Dragons in a Bag?
It’s old but the Boxcar Kids books are fun for young readers. I remember the warrior cats and adjacent series (also check Gaurdians of Gahoole, Silverwing, there was also a series about deer that had a complex society that I’m blanking on the name of but similar vibes— maybe fire something?) being more of a thing for late elementary school readers. I’d also rec Gregor The Overlander as a series to start reading aloud with your eldest and then see if they want to pick it up on their own. It has a few darker scenes/ moments of peril especially in the later books but is truly great for opening kids’ minds to more complex fantasy worlds (and holds up for adults! I’ve re read multiple times in the last few years)
More middle grade but maybe worth checking out if they vibe with the darkness are Sisters Grim and the Maybird books, bonus points for magical girl power there
On a more personal point of warning, I read the 2nd Eragon book in 4th grade and remain traumatized by the scene of a village being raided and a young child being killed during the raid and their remains then being placed on display. Definitely wait a few years on those lol