Great children's novels - a booklist

[May Kasahara]

Skellig, for the older one. It's a superb novel and one of my 12yo's favourites - we've read it together a couple of times.

 

[DotCommunist]

Trillions by Nicholas Fisk

bit from a review:
'Trillions is a surprisingly complex book for a novel aimed at children. It deals with issues of paranoia and xenophobia that seem, if anything, even more relevant now than they were when the book was written. In 1971, the Vietnam War was at its height and will have been all over TV; the average inquisitive child couldn’t have helped but notice the scary things that were going on in the world. The sense of distrust in the bombastic and unwise choices of the military is palpable in this book and it rings true louder than ever today.'

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

As a young un I read a bunch of the big classics like dickens stuff or moby dick. I think having the time made me more open to reading big door stop type stuff.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

The hobbit is also still fun as a kids book. Gateway drug to a bunch of fantasy as well as LOTR.

 

[Silas Loom]

Trillions by Nicholas Fisk

bit from a review:
'Trillions is a surprisingly complex book for a novel aimed at children. It deals with issues of paranoia and xenophobia that seem, if anything, even more relevant now than they were when the book was written. In 1971, the Vietnam War was at its height and will have been all over TV; the average inquisitive child couldn’t have helped but notice the scary things that were going on in the world. The sense of distrust in the bombastic and unwise choices of the military is palpable in this book and it rings true louder than ever today.'

But if instead of frightening children about wars, you want to instil a lifelong mistrust of grandparents, go for Fisk’s Grinny.

 

[Sweet FA]

Yep, Holes is very good. I read it to year 6 over a week and did lots of work on it.
I dressed up as Kissin' Kate Barlow for World Book Day.

I was Mr Sir a few years ago Spent the whole day spitting sunflower seeds in the bin

 

[Thora]

I've got a list of a few now, Little House on the Prairie, Emil & The Detectives, Kensukes's Kingdom, that we can hang some learning around.

Don't worry though, they have library cards and always have lots of books of their own choice out.

 

[krtek a houby]

As a young un I read a bunch of the big classics like dickens stuff or moby dick. I think having the time made me more open to reading big door stop type stuff.

Read Great Expectations, Papillon (!!!) and a really violent fucked up book called "The Bible" aged 12.

 

[eoin_k]

Check out Katherine Rundell

 

[DaveCinzano]

Fathom Five - it's pretty good, even more downbeat

Fully endorsed by Fred and Wallace from The Book Worms™ gang

 

[seeformiles]

I recall a very strange book by EJ Enright called “The Joke Shop” about a strange shop holding souls in limbo which traps 2 inquisitive children. It features Mr Spock and a German version of Basil Brush (Herr Brush..) as two of their would be rescuers. Read it again fairly recently and it’s as bat shit crazy as I remembered from the 70s if not even more so.

Another really creepy book that stuck with me is “The Satanic Mill” by Ottfried Preussler

 

[Elpenor]

Also, as posted about here recently

The turbulent term of Tyke Tiler by Gene Kemp

 

[Silas Loom]

Also, as posted about here recently

The turbulent term of Tyke Tiler by Gene Kemp

Might as well give them The Wasp Factory, too.

 

[krtek a houby]

The Doctor Who novelisations kept me engrossed as a kid, and there's several with historical settings.

 

[seeformiles]

The Doctor Who novelisations kept me engrossed as a kid, and there's several with historical settings.

Back at my Ma’s house there’s a box somewhere with dozens of those - Target books iirc?

 

[krtek a houby]

Back at my Ma’s house there’s a box somewhere with dozens of those - Target books iirc?

Indeed yes. Often more gripping than the actual original telly versions.

 

[Pickman's model]

Surprised no mention of conan doyle

 

[Pickman's model]

Treasure Island and New arabian nights by r l stevenson

 

[Pickman's model]

Not sure about ages but...

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
The Silver Sword
I am David
Anne Frank's Diary
Anything by E Nesbit
The Little House on the Prarie books
Emile and the Detectives
The Chronicles of Narnia
Anything by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Yes, I second e nesbit especially her horror stories. Also saki.

 

[Aladdin]

Alan Garner's "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" and "The Moon of Gomrath", for the 9 year old anyway.

These...
Fantastic books. I so loved them.

 

[scifisam]

Some Dick King-Smith books, like The Sheep-Pig that Babe is based on, would probably already to both ages.

The Worst Witch books are easy readers and great fun.

The Dark is Rising might be good for B - too much for M, I think. 6 and 9 are quite different ages, really.

 

[Sue]

Yes, I second e nesbit especially her horror stories. Also saki.

I loved the Bastable stories when I was a kid.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

There are some great recommendations here Thora

The stuff I came here to say has already been said. (Stig of the Dump is a good book!)

Having worked in a Uni English dept. outreach team for a while, my recommendations are;

• join more than one library if possible - normalises borrowing
• join a local Uni or College library if you can and take the kids there to normalise visiting these kinds of places (one of the Unis local to us does a free Community membership scheme and has a large selection of kids books)
• charity shops - normalises 'not new'
• if you know a few other parents with kids of similar ages try and arrange a book swap if workable - normalises other people's books and being around other people who read and perhaps prompts a few bookish discussions - again - normalises not new and borrowing and other people reading
• use resources such as the BookTrust website; speak to Librarians and get the kids to do the same; there used to be a book called 'Who Writes Like' available in libraries to enable people to find a writer similar to one you like - there must be a kids version (logically); Amazon (I know) has a resource called Teacher's Picks, you can always borrow/buy elsewhere
• Book Tokens are still a thing - giving children the choice of a book in a bookshop is magical - they have a couple of competitions running at the mo' to win £100 or £500 or tokens

 

[DaveCinzano]

So Thora, have you had any suggestions for books set in some different historical/geographical contexts and with diverse protagonists which look particularly promising?

 

[A380]

 

[Silas Loom]

View attachment 400715

To which the obvious rejoinder is: Horrid Henry.

 

[weepiper]

The Borribles Trilogy.

Bad Wombles, bad cops, London urban fantasy and just all round thrilling.

It's a shame it's not more well known.

These are great books but way too old for the target kids here. I think I was twelve when I read them. Quite a lot of peril, some swearing etc.

 

[scifisam]

So Thora, have you had any suggestions for books set in some different historical/geographical contexts and with diverse protagonists which look particularly promising?

For that, the Roman Mysteries books might be worth a try because they meet the criteria in full and are a fun read. I think they'd probably be a bit too grown-up for a 6-year-old, but you never know. They'd be fine for the 9-year-old. They do mention slavery, unavoidably, so there's that to bear in mind.

And obvs Horrible Histories etc, but I assume you're all over that already, Thora!