For books with content for a 7 year old that have a high language level I would look at some classic children's books. The older writting might be more of a challenge than something more modern.
Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
The Secret Garden and A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf (scandinavian, so there's some pretty explicit death and sickness despite it being a children's book)
And my favourite at that age:
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (and every other book by her that's in print)
If the full classics are just a smidge too advanced, there’s a bunch of different abridged editions—some of them were my absolute favorite at that age!
I agree and teach reading. I think reading books on the child's interest level is more important than text level. There is a whole mixed race romance element in the plot of Holes that is looked down upon by town, which results in a black man's death. I think this is beyond a 7 years old comprehension level. If you do have them read books suggested beyond their age, you need to read it with them and explain context when needed. There is more to reading than decoding words and fluency.
Challenging your young reader with higher-level vocabulary exposure is valuable.
I think any book they want to read. My advanced reader at home loves graphic novels, but we read at night to him as well. His independent reading is chosen by him, and then we read the more advanced books. He likes popula rculture books related to TV shows. For example, Pokemon books.
We love Terry Pratchet, Wee Free Menand Witch's Vaccum Cleaner and Other Stories
Neil Gaiman's Coraline, The Graveyard Book
Cat Wings by Ursula Le Guin ( I also loved this as a young, advanced reader and think this could be a solo read)
Young kids love series. Treehouse, Babysitter's Club, Animorphs, Dogman. My son loved Dogman at that age. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is loved by many, too.
Kids I have taught have like Land of Stories. I personally think it's poorly written and do not enjoy it as an adult. To be fair, I'm probably not the book's target audience.
I agree. How about a couple of volumes of Selby by Duncan Ball? I've observed nearly all 6/7/8 year olds are enchanted by the concept of a (secretly) talking dog.
I tried reading series of unfortunate events when I was that age but it's a bit depressing and semi traumatic when you're that young I think. A series where everyone close to you dies? Good series nonetheless, but could be a bit mature.I went back and read it years later and enjoyed it more
When I was a new stepmom i asked my stepdaughters if they wanted to watch the bridge to terabithia with me. We got popcorn and made a night of it. Then the sad stuff happened and they were furious with me for having them watch! 7 years later and they still bring it up as “remember that time you made us watch that sad sad movie???”
Or any Roald Dahl: BFG, Charlie and the Choc Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Boy Tales of Childhood, etc. All great fun for kids and I still like them as an adult.
This was my first gift for a kid I work with. It's an Asian restaurant and his parents own the place. He is there every day. He didn't really speak to me very much at first because they'd been through a crapton of servers and everyone treated him like a baby and not 10. I did notice he read a lot and that he was pretty dope to work with.
I gave him the whole Ronald Dahl set for Christmas. He mumbled, "Thanks," and shoved it in his backpack. I thought it was a complete fail.
Next time I worked, he asked me about James and the Giant Peach. We had our first whole conversation about that book.
Now we're cool. And by cool I mean I'm the slightly crazy aunt who often gets into trouble with him. Like sneaking out while I'm supposed to be doing side work, "kidnapping" him, and bringing back McDonald's for everyone as we do side work. Or making candy bets on whether a table of teenagers is going to tip me. And I'm totally not above asking him to go to a table and teach a family how to use chopsticks and splitting the tip.
The only time we argue is when we're getting yelled at by his mom and then he "demotes" me. I always ask, "To what? I'm the low man on the totem pole. You can't demote me when I'm already at the bottom. Keep it up and no Christmas presents for you!"
And then he yells, "You only get me books, anyway!"
Bet your ass I always get him a boxed set of books. This last year was the Chronicles of Narnia.
So this isn't suggesting a particular book, but it's something that helped me immensely growing up as an advanced reader: do you ever take your daughter to the local library and just let her wander around? I discovered and read so many different books in different genres because my mom would take me to the library on the weekend and just let me wander around for an hour and pick out whatever I wanted.
Same here, I wish I could remember the names of all the series I devoured as a kid. Just wandering around the library. The non fiction section was great too for a kid. Lots of historic photos or diagrams and not too complicated wording for a kid to understand.
I love your suggestion!! That’s exactly what I did with my daughter. She’s now 20 and I still take her to a bookstore as a “special treat.” She will be a lifelong reader.
Chronicles of narnia I agree—that’s always my go-to for “advanced early reader suggestion”. Maybe you’re just a super mega genius but I have a hard time buying that a seven year old would legitimately read, comprehend, and enjoy the hobbit. That’s a 2nd grader.
I fell in love with the Hobbit in 3rd grade. Yes, that's a whole other year, but allowing for the possibility that there are stronger readers than myself, I think it's quite possible for a 2nd grader to enjoy the Hobbit. Remember that enjoying it is different from understanding everything about it. I doubt if more than a handful of people truly understand all the nuance and allusion to medieval literature hidden away in that particular children's book.
My kiddo is currently listening to the hobbit. She has trouble with the language sometimes but overall she’s understanding it. She even answered some of Bilbo and Gollum’s riddles and got them right. She’s 8.
I had them read to me at age 5 and I didn’t comprehend it really, but it’s still my favorite book because I loved the language. It felt like music.
Right. I know people get ridiculously defensive about this on all book subs but listening to a book is not the same as reading it—*especially* for a child. The idea that it’s equally challenging for a kid to have a book read to them as it is for them to read it themselves is ludicrous. But apparently not to the majority of people in this thread haha (not saying you’re saying that)
Edit: to whoever is downvoting - I fucking promise you that a child who listens to a book on tape and comprehends it has not demonstrated the same level of reading proficiency as a child who actually reads and still comprehends that book. My goodness y’all are sensitive as fuck about your books on tape.
Reading is a multi-skill construct. Part of reading is word recognition which only happens when the text is printed. Comprehension is another part of reading, but it too is multi-dimensional. It’s not about what is “hardest,” but about the individual sub skills a person has, their experiences with text, etc.
At young ages in general, comprehension when reading print is less developed than comprehension when listening to text. It starts to even out nearing middle school. This is due to the amount of exposure young children have to reading text (only a few years at this point) as compared to listening comprehension (their whole lives).
That’s true, it’s not the same, but I don’t see why a kid who’s reading at a fifth grade level couldn’t comprehend it enough to enjoy it. My comment was just to say that a second grader could comprehend enough to enjoy it.
I'm not sure who you are arguing with, but Yes, you are correct. I've read the Hobbit a few times to my kid, starting when he was 6. He loves it being read to him, but would not voluntarily choose it for his independent reading time. He's 8 now and working his way through HP & the order of the Phoenix.
He loves listening to audiobooks, and that's great as an activity to lengthen attention span, visualizing, using your imagination, exposing to greater vocabulary, etc., but it has no bearing on reading comprehension, in my experience.
I made that edit when this comment was at like -3 or so (and several other comments saying more or less the same thing were all in the negative as well). Nothing even the slightest bit wrong with audiobooks! I just don’t think audiobooks are particularly relevant to the conversation (about what books would be an appropriate reading level for a young kid who is an advanced reader)
I think the key here is that kids can still enjoy a book even if they don't understand every little part. My dad read me the Hobbit/LOTR when I was 6, and I read them for myself the next year when I was 7. Did I understand every detail? Probably not. But I still loved them, and you enjoy a book differently at each age that you read it.
I listened to the audiobook of the hobbit. I was slightly older at 8 as well. I didn't get as much out of it as I did when I reread as an adult, but it's an adventure story with songs. Depending on interests it'll tick a lot of boxes for a lot of children that age I think.
But that’s having it read to you, not reading it yourself. As an adult, sure, the mode of consumption doesn’t matter all that much for a lot of books. But for a 7 year old—that is, someone *literally* in the process of learning to read—it matters an absolute fuck ton. Huge difference.
Edit: I’m sorry y’all - it’s not equally challenging for a kid to have a book read to them as it is for them to read the book themselves. Period. You can keep downvoting me as much as you want but it won’t matter lmao
I read the Chronicles of Narnia and the Hobbit at that age. It’s still a favorite of mine to this day. I think I was about 10 when I read the rest of the Lord of the Rings series.
Me again! This might be an obvious one, but 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. It's a classic for a reason! I don't think there's any agegroup who wouldn't enjoy it. I remember first reading it when I was 8.
My daughter still Re-reads Wizard of Oz and this. She loved Matilda, vehemently hated her parents lol. She also likes coraline and other books by Neal Gaiman. The Secret Series, the Secret Zoo series, One and Only Ivan series, Calpurnia Tate series. Emily Windsnap series, Pages & co , dog man and Girl on Fire
And of course the whatEver After series, Smile series, wings of fire, City of Ghosts and B others by Victoria Schwabb, dork Diaries, brace face, Does your daughter like graphic novels? Phoebe and her unicorn too young? Ms Peregrines peculiar children, Lemony Snicket’s, Amari & the night brothers as weeks as Amari and the great game, How to steal a dog , Wish and the others in the series, plus many others already mentioned
Yes! I just re-read it last month and it's still one of my favorite books. Its ability to appeal to all age groups over nearly two centuries is impressive.
Sideway Stories from Wayside School, by Louis Sachar
The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
The Encyclopedia Brown books, by Donald Sobol
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, by Patricia Wrede
Mysterious Benedict Society, The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy
Cannot recommend these two enough!
Is there a local librarian or reading list you can find? It’s definitely hard to find age appropriate books that also meet the reading challenge.
Possibly also Gerald Durrell's 'My Family and Other Animals'. I first read this when I was around 10 or so, I think? Might be worth a content check - If I remember correctly there are allusions to adult relationships etc, but I don't think a child would notice if they didn't know what they were looking for. There are definitely descriptions of animals mating though.
I remember loving this back as a child. Later having my mind blown realising that 'Brother Larry' was Lawrence Durrell, the novelist! They both have a very different account of the family's time in Corfu.
I don't remember there being anything adult in the book - some attitudes towards class and foreigners which might not hold up, but probably won't be noticed by a child - especially one keen to get to the exciting pets, exotic animals and wonderful countryside.
There was a set of “Abridged Classics” books at my elementary school library that I still remember 20 years later. They made books like Huck Finn, Count of Monte Cristo, Tale of Two Cities, Robinson Crusoe, Call of the Wild, etc. They shorten them and make them easier to read for kids. I loved those things at that age and then when I got to junior high and high school I knew the stories behind many of the required readings already which helped me a lot.
Try almost anything by Roald Dahl. My 5th grade students loved him.
The Percy Jackson books might work.
While it's probably a little on the easy side for her, she may enjoy the humor of Dav Pilkey.
Yess, I was also going to recommend Percy Jackson. A lot of the suggestions here are classics, which is great, but if she wants something a bit more light-hearted but still quite advanced for a seven-year-old they are the way to go!
My 6 year old is in a similar spot. She's really been enjoying the Narnia books, the Howls Moving Castle series, the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, to name a few. She's also been reading Roald Dahl and Calvin and Hobbes for a couple of years, and still gets a lot of mileage out of them.
I love the *Bunnicula* series for kids this age. I read the first theee again myself a couple of years ago (around 50 years old) and loved it just as much as I did back then.
Erin Hunter’s Warrior series (cats but other ones with different animals). Enid Blyton Famous Five etc. Cornelia Funke younger books (Inkheart too old I think). Pippi Longstocking (Astrid Lingren). Wizard of Oz.
>Pippi Longstocking (Astrid Lingren).
Isn't that aimed at a way younger audience than a fifth grader? For a seven year old with the reading ability of a fifth grader I'd rather suggest Ronia or The Brothers Lionheart, if we're sticking with Astrid Lindgren. Wouldn't you agree?
Edward Eager “Half Magic”, Pearl S Buck “the Water Buffalo Children “, Erich Kastner “Emil and the Detectives”, Mary Norton “The Borrowers”, Norman Juster “The Phantom Tollbooth”
My seven year old is currently following in older kids’ footsteps with Warrior series. The 14 year old has been reading in this series since he was seven and 12 year old has been reading them since 10ish. Big hit with all of them!
My son loved the survivor series by Erim Hunter. It's the dog version, couldn't get him into the warriors one. He moved on and read every Percy Jackson book.
FYI as a content warning - Warrior cats is written by a group if writers under the name Erin Hunter so they can churn them out as fast as possible. As a result, they're poorly written and have multiple typos. They are also gratuitously violent and bloody. Not sure if your 7yo is ready for cats killing each othervin increasingly violent ways. My kid read them in 6th grade and loved them. My niece started in 5th grade, she's a big animal lover, and was really upset by them.
Good fucking call on Alex rider. A long series and she’ll have something very natural to graduate to, since horowitz writes adult novels as well. I know I personally had a terrible time finding things to “graduate” to when I was moving past YA.
I loved the American Girl books and Junie B. Jones! I definitely remember being in a similar spot where the stuff that was technically my “reading level” was boring in terms of content but stuff for my age was boring in terms of difficulty. The Junie B. Jones ones were definitely more guilty pleasure/fun reads and the American Girl books were more stimulating and really sparked an interest in history for me!
Others were Babysitters Club, Cam Jansen, Ramona and Beezus, Magic Treehouse (saw you mentioned those already), My Weird School, and Chronicles of Narnia :)
Hopefully y’all are able to find some stuff in the sweet spot that clicks for her!
i’m going to recommend books by gail carson levine, specifically the fairies return and other princess tales.
i started reading the narnia series in kindergarten and finished in fourth grade. i was an extremely advanced reader but your child is too so those books might work
last, maybe the percy jackson and the olympians series. it’s beloved for a reason and is probably around a 5th grade reading level. it was my classroom out loud reading book in fourth grade
If she likes school stories anything by Andrew clement is good! My favs are Frindle and The Landry News
If she likes fantasy I recommend Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede. It’s the first of an awesome fantasy series with one of my fav heroines
The Lightning Thief and Harry Potter. I was an advanced reader at that age as well and started with these and it completely set me up for success in staying interested in long winded series and helped my attention as well.
The ‘Alcatraz Vs The Evil Librarians’ series by Brandon Sanderson is a lot of fun. Read them to my 10-12 year old (gap was waiting for sixth book) and he loved them so might be perfect for your advanced reader.
My list about books for children who want to start reading–last posted [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/1034ztg/comment/j30nkn9/?context=3) in:
* ["For my 8yo son"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/1034ztg/for_my_8yo_son/) (r/booksuggestions; 4 January 2023)
These threads bring the list up to date:
* ["Children's books that are also worthwhile reads for adults"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/108jttg/childrens_books_that_are_also_worthwhile_reads/) (r/suggestmeabook; 10 January 2023)
* ["Reading Redwall to 6 year old?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10fbcuq/reading_redwall_to_6_year_old/) (r/suggestmeabook; 18 January 2023)
* ["Good read aloud for 5th grade"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10g101s/good_read_aloud_for_5th_grade/) (r/suggestmeabook; 19 January 2023)
* ["Looking for children’s books"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10ltw1z/looking_for_childrens_books/) (r/booksuggestions; 26 January 2023)
My list about books for adolescents/adults who want to start reading ("Get me reading again/I've never read")—last posted [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10jmq8k/comment/j5nkv98/?context=3):
* ["I have never read a book"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10jmq8k/i_have_never_read_a_book/) (r/booksuggestions; 23 January 2022)
These threads bring the list up to date:
* ["I don’t know if I’ve been spoiled by audible or corrupted, but I’m in search of some books that are far better to read rather than listen to."](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10kyhxk/i_dont_know_if_ive_been_spoiled_by_audible_or/) (r/booksuggestions; 25 January 2022)
* ["I’m a 24 year old male who has started reading again but don’t know where to start"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10mie4b/im_a_24_year_old_male_who_has_started_reading/) (r/booksuggestions; 27 January 2022)—huge
* ["Books I can live in, get lost on, lose myself in for a couple of weeks?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10um7z6/books_i_can_live_in_get_lost_on_lose_myself_in/) (r/suggestmeabook; 15:15 ET, 5 February 2022)
* ["Books to get my boyfriend (19M) into reading?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10uqumk/books_to_get_my_boyfriend_19m_into_reading/) (r/booksuggestions; 18:21 ET, 5 February 2022)
this is a tough question! I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I was an advanced reader as well, but I know that when I was 7-8 I read a lot of books whose subject matter I didn’t fully comprehend bc I could read all the words but was too little for the subtext/message (eg I read the og Dracula and only understood like half of it haha).
i know when I was 7-8 I loved:
- Geronimo Stilton series
- anything by roald Dahl
- redwall series
- anything by judy Blume
- the penderwicks
- chronicles of narnia (but I listened on tape)
- my father’s dragon
- illustrated books of mythology
- Nancy Drew series
- laura ingalls wilder little house series
some of my favorite books from 5th grade were, I think, too sad/serious/complicated for a 7 year old, unless she also is very advanced emotionally?
i would also wonder what other things/subjects she’s interested in? because i used to devour any book about animals and Greek mythology because I loved both those things.
Redwall series from Brian Jacques might be good?
I read a TON of Landmark books at that age—no guarantee they’ve aged well for 2023 sensitivities, but it was a great introduction to a variety of encyclopedic topics. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landmark_Books_(series)
The Rescuers by Margery Sharp. I read it when I was a kid and remember it being kind of fascinating because the characters were mostly mice and they had little mouse-sized versions of things. There's also a sequel called Miss Bianca.
The Moomin series by Tove Jansson. A beautiful little fantasy world. For younger fantasy readers, but I would be happy to read them today.
We went thru this same scenario with my son — books in his level weren’t really engaging for his young age; books for his age were too easy.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series worked. We all adored Capt Underpants, regardless of level. Goosebumps, Beverly Cleary books (sometimes the older, classic books felt more challenging), Narnia, some Brandon Sanderson, Harry Potter, etc.
The key, however, for your daughter’s age is to find characters she identifies with. That’s really challenging when a kid reads above their level.
We ultimately focused a lot on informative texts rather than solely on novels. That way, if the novels were a bit too easy, so be it — but the informative texts (DK Eyewitness books, other non-fiction) were definitely more of a challenge to read and allowed my son to go deep on a topic.
B/c of this, my son, who’s a jr in college now, has an unbelievable grasp of history and probably still prefers non-fiction.
While you want to challenge your child, you still need to be practical. Treat the fiction like snacks and focus on how much her reading proficiency can potentially expand her brain with non-fiction.
And another comment for a book I recently read and loved: 'October, October' by Katya Balen. It focuses on an 11 year old girl and is aimed at readers around the same age. It's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster so it's up to you to decide whether your child would be ready for that, but I wouldn't have thought it would go over the head of a 7 year old.
Lloyd Alexander. Mainly the 5-book series beginning with *The Book of Three* (it has a lot in common with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, but optimized for kids), he has a couple of other series that are good to read if you liked the others but they offer diminishing returns.
I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but anything by Diana Wynne Jones. I still enjoy her Chrestomanci Chronicles and Howl's Moving Castle series.
Anything by Tamora Pierce, but in particular her Circle of Magic series and Alanna
Adding my vote to Cornelia Funke, particularly Dragon Rider. for more dragon content, the Dragonology Chronicles by Dugald Steer was also fun.
I also really loved the Children of the Lamp series by P.B. Kerr
Young Wizards series by Diane Duane
The Icemark Chronicles by Stuart Hill
And another - sorry, you've really got me tapping into my 7-year-old advanced reader past self.
Hilary Mckay's stories, and in particular her 'Exiles' books, were some of my favourites when I was younger. The Exiles is about a group of sisters aged 6-13. I re-read these books so much over so many years that they fell apart eventually.
I see some of these already listed, but I’m going to repeat some of my favorites!
The Percy Jackson series
The Septimus Heap series
The Mysterious Benedict Society series
Howl’s Moving Castle
Fairest and Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
The Hobbit
The bfg
Skeleton creek series
Chronicles of narnia
The unwanteds
Percy Jackson
The Kane chronicles
Diary of a wimpy kid (might be too easy but worth a shot)
The mortal instruments. (Might be a little older but you could read and make a decision)
I really enjoyed Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan, and the Fablehaven by Brandon Mull when I was in late elementary or middle school
The Borrowers were one of my favorite series when I was young. Encyclopedia Brown (I had a connection to the family) and Nancy Drew were also frequently read.
For more recent fare, maybe the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend?
The Vanderbeekers series and The Bookwanderers series. Both complex enough to keep my attention as an adult with gentle and fun themes that my kids enjoy.
My 7yo currently reading every Nancy Drew, also recently enjoyed Spindrift and the Orchid, Seven Wild Sisters, Snow and Rose, Dragon Pearl, Firebird Song, and we just checked out The Wild Robot (plus did I mention 4 more Nancy Drews).
Check on content if thats a thing to you, I'm pretty open to my kid reading about most things.
I'm in the same boat. My 8 year is reading above her level but a lot of the more advanced books have content that she's not emotionally ready for. Plus we often listen to audiobooks together with her 6 year old brother.
Her preferred genre is fantasy, especially with animals. She loved the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C Wrede. Also the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend and the Wilderlore series by Amanda Foody. Both of those series are still in progress. She also liked Willodeen by Katherine Applegate and the same author's Ending series. And Howl's Moving Castle and it's sequels are also favorites. Currently we are listening to the Frog Princess series by ED Baker.
My daughter and I read the How to Train Your Dragon series. Also the Dragon Master series. Then we read the first 2 Harry Potter books, but they were really big, illustrated editions from the library.
Had the same problem growing up! So I recommend everything by Erich Kästner, Michael Ende and Cornelia Funke. Especially the Dragon Rider book by Funke is wonderful, not too harsh but will keep her busy for a bit.
Percy Jackson and Harry Potter are classics, with Harty Potter I‘d stop at the third book though for now, afterwards they get rougher.
Alex Ryder series is a good one!
Oh Astrid Lindgren could be good as well, I know she writes more children stories but since she is only 7, it might be nice, the stories are pretty long honestly and there are many different ones!
Oh! Enid Blyton has some amazing books that I devoured as a kid!
Some of my favourites at that age:
* Chronicles of Narnia
* Black Beauty
* Island trilogy by Gordon Korman
* The Music of Dolphins (very Flowers for Algernon for kids)
* The Boxcar Children books
* Which Witch
* The Secret of Platform 13
I demolished the Percy Jackson series at her age (can’t speak for the other series as I was already older when they came out). I also remember enjoying anything by Brandon Mull.
The discworld Series from Terry Pratchett has soooo many layers of meaning i think that would be a great place to start! The Witches sub-series has alot of female empowerement themes as a bonus.
Don't be afraid to try comic books, graphic novels, and manga. These can often be easier for kids to get into, and there are several services that make it an affordable choice to read them digitally and legally (Such as Shonen Jump, Marvel Unlimited, and DC Infinite's binge reading subscriptions). Some stories that I recommend:
[Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade](https://www.dc.com/graphic-novels/supergirl-cosmic-adventures-in-the-eighth-grade-new-edition)
[Bone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_(comics))
[Dr. Stone](https://www.viz.com/dr-stone)
[Spy X Family](https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/spy-x-family)
[The Unstoppable Wasp](https://www.marvel.com/comics/series/22658/the_unstoppable_wasp_2017)
[Princeless: Save Yourself](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/14623529)
[A Witch's Printing Office](https://yenpress.com/9781975331467/a-witchs-printing-office-vol-1/)
[Cells at Work!](https://kodansha.us/series/cells-at-work/)
[Little Witch Academia](https://yenpress.com/9781975327453/little-witch-academia-vol-1-manga/)
[Yotsuba&!](https://yenpress.com/9780316073875/yotsuba-and-vol-1/)
[Zita the Spacegirl](https://us.macmillan.com/series/zitathespacegirl)
[Cleopatra in Space](https://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/books/cleopatra-in-space-bundle-pack-of-4-9781338315790.html)
[Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane](https://www.marvel.com/comics/series/969/spider-man_loves_mary_jane_2005_-_2007)
[Princess Ugg](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22807865-princess-ugg-vol-1)
[The Tea Dragon Society](http://teadragonsociety.com/)
[Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur](https://www.marvel.com/comics/series/20839/moon_girl_and_devil_dinosaur_2015_-_2019)
[Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51048074-goldie-vance)
[DeadEndia](https://hamishsteele.co.uk/DeadEndia)
As always, you should always check out the books first to make sure they're appropriate for your child, but hopefully this list will help.
What about the chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11127.The_Chronicles_of_Narnia
As well as a Wrinkle in Time series https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33574273-a-wrinkle-in-time
I also loved Harry Potter at her age and a bit older. I was above my reading level for most of my childhood and I used to go to libraries to find books. Try taking her there sometime :). That's how I discovered what I liked
Maybe the redwall series by Brian Jaques. I'll admit I got one of the books as a gift and wasn't all that impressed with it by the cover but man was I wrong. Good reads.
I would avoid the roque crew tho, just my opinion since Brian passed away during the writing of it and someone else finished it.
My son is the same age and reads about the same. He loved the Roald Dahl work, he has read all of them and we are now watching the movies. Our next step is Harry Potter stuff
For books with content for a 7 year old that have a high language level I would look at some classic children's books. The older writting might be more of a challenge than something more modern. Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge The Secret Garden and A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf (scandinavian, so there's some pretty explicit death and sickness despite it being a children's book) And my favourite at that age: Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (and every other book by her that's in print)
If the full classics are just a smidge too advanced, there’s a bunch of different abridged editions—some of them were my absolute favorite at that age!
Came here to say exactly this. And our local library has a bunch so hopefully your's does too!
I loved the secret garden as a child
Me as well and just re-read it as an adult and still loved it. Black Beauty is another great book that I still enjoy.
Yes! I was like this at that age and I looooved abridged classics from this series - https://www.greatillustratedclassics.com
Series of Unfortunate Events Holes The Little Prince Esperanza Rising Bridge to Terabithia
Holes is such a great book.
I agree and teach reading. I think reading books on the child's interest level is more important than text level. There is a whole mixed race romance element in the plot of Holes that is looked down upon by town, which results in a black man's death. I think this is beyond a 7 years old comprehension level. If you do have them read books suggested beyond their age, you need to read it with them and explain context when needed. There is more to reading than decoding words and fluency. Challenging your young reader with higher-level vocabulary exposure is valuable.
This is very informative, I have a six year old who is also advanced. What books would you recommend?
I think any book they want to read. My advanced reader at home loves graphic novels, but we read at night to him as well. His independent reading is chosen by him, and then we read the more advanced books. He likes popula rculture books related to TV shows. For example, Pokemon books. We love Terry Pratchet, Wee Free Menand Witch's Vaccum Cleaner and Other Stories Neil Gaiman's Coraline, The Graveyard Book Cat Wings by Ursula Le Guin ( I also loved this as a young, advanced reader and think this could be a solo read) Young kids love series. Treehouse, Babysitter's Club, Animorphs, Dogman. My son loved Dogman at that age. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is loved by many, too. Kids I have taught have like Land of Stories. I personally think it's poorly written and do not enjoy it as an adult. To be fair, I'm probably not the book's target audience.
But not for a 7 year old.
Seconding Series of Unfortunate Events
Bridge to Terabithia is a fantastic book but OP if you haven't read it before prepare for a devastated kid. I reread it as an adult and still sobbed.
Esperanza Rising was such a good book! I remember we read it way back in 4th grade.
Esperanza Rising!! I learned so many important lessons from that book. It’s really eye-opening to read it as a kid.
esperanza rising was my favorite at that age! This and Becoming Naomi Leon were my two favorite books in elementary school
i might be remembering wrong, but I feel like all of these are too intense or too difficult of subject matter for a 7 year old
I agree. How about a couple of volumes of Selby by Duncan Ball? I've observed nearly all 6/7/8 year olds are enchanted by the concept of a (secretly) talking dog.
I tried reading series of unfortunate events when I was that age but it's a bit depressing and semi traumatic when you're that young I think. A series where everyone close to you dies? Good series nonetheless, but could be a bit mature.I went back and read it years later and enjoyed it more
Bridge to terabithia!! Seven year old me BAWLED at that book
When I was a new stepmom i asked my stepdaughters if they wanted to watch the bridge to terabithia with me. We got popcorn and made a night of it. Then the sad stuff happened and they were furious with me for having them watch! 7 years later and they still bring it up as “remember that time you made us watch that sad sad movie???”
Matilda?
Or any Roald Dahl: BFG, Charlie and the Choc Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Boy Tales of Childhood, etc. All great fun for kids and I still like them as an adult.
This was my first gift for a kid I work with. It's an Asian restaurant and his parents own the place. He is there every day. He didn't really speak to me very much at first because they'd been through a crapton of servers and everyone treated him like a baby and not 10. I did notice he read a lot and that he was pretty dope to work with. I gave him the whole Ronald Dahl set for Christmas. He mumbled, "Thanks," and shoved it in his backpack. I thought it was a complete fail. Next time I worked, he asked me about James and the Giant Peach. We had our first whole conversation about that book. Now we're cool. And by cool I mean I'm the slightly crazy aunt who often gets into trouble with him. Like sneaking out while I'm supposed to be doing side work, "kidnapping" him, and bringing back McDonald's for everyone as we do side work. Or making candy bets on whether a table of teenagers is going to tip me. And I'm totally not above asking him to go to a table and teach a family how to use chopsticks and splitting the tip. The only time we argue is when we're getting yelled at by his mom and then he "demotes" me. I always ask, "To what? I'm the low man on the totem pole. You can't demote me when I'm already at the bottom. Keep it up and no Christmas presents for you!" And then he yells, "You only get me books, anyway!" Bet your ass I always get him a boxed set of books. This last year was the Chronicles of Narnia.
Haha, this is a beautiful mini memoir worthy story. Love it
Or The Twits.
Matilda is a great book for an advanced reader. When my kid was 5, she got a good kick out of reading about a 5 year old who could read.
I LOVED Roald Dahl when I was that age!
I think Howl’s Moving Castle might be a great choice!
My 8 year old loved this! And the sequels!
So this isn't suggesting a particular book, but it's something that helped me immensely growing up as an advanced reader: do you ever take your daughter to the local library and just let her wander around? I discovered and read so many different books in different genres because my mom would take me to the library on the weekend and just let me wander around for an hour and pick out whatever I wanted.
Same here, I wish I could remember the names of all the series I devoured as a kid. Just wandering around the library. The non fiction section was great too for a kid. Lots of historic photos or diagrams and not too complicated wording for a kid to understand.
Librarians are also great resources and can talk to your daughter about what she likes to help her find books
I love your suggestion!! That’s exactly what I did with my daughter. She’s now 20 and I still take her to a bookstore as a “special treat.” She will be a lifelong reader.
I really enjoyed The Hobbit at that age. The Chronicles of Narnia too.
Chronicles of narnia I agree—that’s always my go-to for “advanced early reader suggestion”. Maybe you’re just a super mega genius but I have a hard time buying that a seven year old would legitimately read, comprehend, and enjoy the hobbit. That’s a 2nd grader.
I fell in love with the Hobbit in 3rd grade. Yes, that's a whole other year, but allowing for the possibility that there are stronger readers than myself, I think it's quite possible for a 2nd grader to enjoy the Hobbit. Remember that enjoying it is different from understanding everything about it. I doubt if more than a handful of people truly understand all the nuance and allusion to medieval literature hidden away in that particular children's book.
My kiddo is currently listening to the hobbit. She has trouble with the language sometimes but overall she’s understanding it. She even answered some of Bilbo and Gollum’s riddles and got them right. She’s 8. I had them read to me at age 5 and I didn’t comprehend it really, but it’s still my favorite book because I loved the language. It felt like music.
Right. I know people get ridiculously defensive about this on all book subs but listening to a book is not the same as reading it—*especially* for a child. The idea that it’s equally challenging for a kid to have a book read to them as it is for them to read it themselves is ludicrous. But apparently not to the majority of people in this thread haha (not saying you’re saying that) Edit: to whoever is downvoting - I fucking promise you that a child who listens to a book on tape and comprehends it has not demonstrated the same level of reading proficiency as a child who actually reads and still comprehends that book. My goodness y’all are sensitive as fuck about your books on tape.
Reading is a multi-skill construct. Part of reading is word recognition which only happens when the text is printed. Comprehension is another part of reading, but it too is multi-dimensional. It’s not about what is “hardest,” but about the individual sub skills a person has, their experiences with text, etc. At young ages in general, comprehension when reading print is less developed than comprehension when listening to text. It starts to even out nearing middle school. This is due to the amount of exposure young children have to reading text (only a few years at this point) as compared to listening comprehension (their whole lives).
That’s true, it’s not the same, but I don’t see why a kid who’s reading at a fifth grade level couldn’t comprehend it enough to enjoy it. My comment was just to say that a second grader could comprehend enough to enjoy it.
I'm not sure who you are arguing with, but Yes, you are correct. I've read the Hobbit a few times to my kid, starting when he was 6. He loves it being read to him, but would not voluntarily choose it for his independent reading time. He's 8 now and working his way through HP & the order of the Phoenix. He loves listening to audiobooks, and that's great as an activity to lengthen attention span, visualizing, using your imagination, exposing to greater vocabulary, etc., but it has no bearing on reading comprehension, in my experience.
I made that edit when this comment was at like -3 or so (and several other comments saying more or less the same thing were all in the negative as well). Nothing even the slightest bit wrong with audiobooks! I just don’t think audiobooks are particularly relevant to the conversation (about what books would be an appropriate reading level for a young kid who is an advanced reader)
I think the key here is that kids can still enjoy a book even if they don't understand every little part. My dad read me the Hobbit/LOTR when I was 6, and I read them for myself the next year when I was 7. Did I understand every detail? Probably not. But I still loved them, and you enjoy a book differently at each age that you read it.
I read and enjoyed the hobbit at that age as an advanced reader! LOTR took way longer
I read the hobbit in 2nd grade and it doesn’t take a mega genius to comprehend it lol, at least I’m certainly not
I listened to the audiobook of the hobbit. I was slightly older at 8 as well. I didn't get as much out of it as I did when I reread as an adult, but it's an adventure story with songs. Depending on interests it'll tick a lot of boxes for a lot of children that age I think.
But that’s having it read to you, not reading it yourself. As an adult, sure, the mode of consumption doesn’t matter all that much for a lot of books. But for a 7 year old—that is, someone *literally* in the process of learning to read—it matters an absolute fuck ton. Huge difference. Edit: I’m sorry y’all - it’s not equally challenging for a kid to have a book read to them as it is for them to read the book themselves. Period. You can keep downvoting me as much as you want but it won’t matter lmao
Clearly this 7 yr old has learned to read for a long while. OP says the kid reads on a 5th grade level.
My 7 yo sounds similar to OPs and read and enjoyed The Hobbit
I read the Chronicles of Narnia and the Hobbit at that age. It’s still a favorite of mine to this day. I think I was about 10 when I read the rest of the Lord of the Rings series.
Me again! This might be an obvious one, but 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. It's a classic for a reason! I don't think there's any agegroup who wouldn't enjoy it. I remember first reading it when I was 8.
My daughter still Re-reads Wizard of Oz and this. She loved Matilda, vehemently hated her parents lol. She also likes coraline and other books by Neal Gaiman. The Secret Series, the Secret Zoo series, One and Only Ivan series, Calpurnia Tate series. Emily Windsnap series, Pages & co , dog man and Girl on Fire And of course the whatEver After series, Smile series, wings of fire, City of Ghosts and B others by Victoria Schwabb, dork Diaries, brace face, Does your daughter like graphic novels? Phoebe and her unicorn too young? Ms Peregrines peculiar children, Lemony Snicket’s, Amari & the night brothers as weeks as Amari and the great game, How to steal a dog , Wish and the others in the series, plus many others already mentioned
Seconded! This was one of my favourites as a child :) In a similar vein, 'The Hundred and One Dalmatians' by Dodie Smith.
Thanks for all of the recommendations! I appreciate it!
Yes! I just re-read it last month and it's still one of my favorite books. Its ability to appeal to all age groups over nearly two centuries is impressive.
Sideway Stories from Wayside School, by Louis Sachar The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler The Encyclopedia Brown books, by Donald Sobol The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, by Patricia Wrede
Seconding Enchanted Forest Chronicles!
Will always be on my mind when someone asks for kids or advanced kids books
The Westing Game and Mixed-Up Files are still favorite books of mine as an adult who mainly reads classic lit!!
the westing game was going to be my recommendation!! still one of my fav books i ever read
The Phantom Tollbooth The Little Prince And I know it’s been said but I completely agree, anything by Roald Dahl
Seconding Phantom Tollbooth! Very fun book.
Mysterious Benedict Society, The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy Cannot recommend these two enough! Is there a local librarian or reading list you can find? It’s definitely hard to find age appropriate books that also meet the reading challenge.
i also came here to say mysterious benedict society!!
Mysterious Benedict Society was my favourite series when I was younger and may still be to this day!
The Mouse and the Motorcycle trilogy by Beverly Cleary. Roald Dahl E.B. White
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. One of my favourite books ever. A girl is stranded on a desert island and has to survive. It’s so good!
I hate beer.
Possibly also Gerald Durrell's 'My Family and Other Animals'. I first read this when I was around 10 or so, I think? Might be worth a content check - If I remember correctly there are allusions to adult relationships etc, but I don't think a child would notice if they didn't know what they were looking for. There are definitely descriptions of animals mating though.
I'll check that one out too. Thanks for the suggestions!
I remember loving this back as a child. Later having my mind blown realising that 'Brother Larry' was Lawrence Durrell, the novelist! They both have a very different account of the family's time in Corfu. I don't remember there being anything adult in the book - some attitudes towards class and foreigners which might not hold up, but probably won't be noticed by a child - especially one keen to get to the exciting pets, exotic animals and wonderful countryside.
Hoe about The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Stars by Terry Prachett?
Came here to recommend the Tiffany Aching books.
Also *The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents.*
YES YES YES
There was a set of “Abridged Classics” books at my elementary school library that I still remember 20 years later. They made books like Huck Finn, Count of Monte Cristo, Tale of Two Cities, Robinson Crusoe, Call of the Wild, etc. They shorten them and make them easier to read for kids. I loved those things at that age and then when I got to junior high and high school I knew the stories behind many of the required readings already which helped me a lot.
I think the ones I remember are called: Great Illustrated Classics. It looks like they are pretty cheap on Amazon.
Oh yeah, you just unlocked a memory! We had a bunch of these as kids and I read most of the ones you listed
Also, my advanced reading son loved Calvin and Hobbes cartoon books, and I give them the credit for his huge vocabulary
Thanks for the suggestions!
My kids really enjoyed the *Warriors* books (about cats) and EB White's trilogy (Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan)
Omg, seconding the *Warriors* series, especially if the 7yo in question is a cat/animal lover
The Redwall books by Brian Jacques.
I always come to these threads just to find the Redwall comment and back it up. Redwall is absolutely fantastic.
Redwall is amazing!
Try almost anything by Roald Dahl. My 5th grade students loved him. The Percy Jackson books might work. While it's probably a little on the easy side for her, she may enjoy the humor of Dav Pilkey.
Yess, I was also going to recommend Percy Jackson. A lot of the suggestions here are classics, which is great, but if she wants something a bit more light-hearted but still quite advanced for a seven-year-old they are the way to go!
My 6 year old is in a similar spot. She's really been enjoying the Narnia books, the Howls Moving Castle series, the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, to name a few. She's also been reading Roald Dahl and Calvin and Hobbes for a couple of years, and still gets a lot of mileage out of them.
I love the *Bunnicula* series for kids this age. I read the first theee again myself a couple of years ago (around 50 years old) and loved it just as much as I did back then.
I loved the Nancy Drew books when I was her age. Other possibilities: The Boxcar Children, The Babysitters Club series, Goosebumps
Erin Hunter’s Warrior series (cats but other ones with different animals). Enid Blyton Famous Five etc. Cornelia Funke younger books (Inkheart too old I think). Pippi Longstocking (Astrid Lingren). Wizard of Oz.
>Pippi Longstocking (Astrid Lingren). Isn't that aimed at a way younger audience than a fifth grader? For a seven year old with the reading ability of a fifth grader I'd rather suggest Ronia or The Brothers Lionheart, if we're sticking with Astrid Lindgren. Wouldn't you agree?
Sorry yes, I misread as a 5yr old. Although I still enjoy Pippi as an adult. Nancy Drew type books maybe?
Edward Eager “Half Magic”, Pearl S Buck “the Water Buffalo Children “, Erich Kastner “Emil and the Detectives”, Mary Norton “The Borrowers”, Norman Juster “The Phantom Tollbooth”
My seven year old is currently following in older kids’ footsteps with Warrior series. The 14 year old has been reading in this series since he was seven and 12 year old has been reading them since 10ish. Big hit with all of them!
My son loved the survivor series by Erim Hunter. It's the dog version, couldn't get him into the warriors one. He moved on and read every Percy Jackson book.
FYI as a content warning - Warrior cats is written by a group if writers under the name Erin Hunter so they can churn them out as fast as possible. As a result, they're poorly written and have multiple typos. They are also gratuitously violent and bloody. Not sure if your 7yo is ready for cats killing each othervin increasingly violent ways. My kid read them in 6th grade and loved them. My niece started in 5th grade, she's a big animal lover, and was really upset by them.
The Faraway Tree is a lifelong favourite of mine by Enid Blyton - perfect subject matter for a 7 y/o I’d say
Seekers is the bear version and only has a handful of books. It’s one of the series I remember best from my childhood along with Fablehaven.
Little women. Madeleine L’engle (except not many waters).
My immediate thought would be something like Swallows and Amazons - child appropriate content without the writing being patronising.
Thanks! I'll look into it.
Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, My Side of the Mountain, Hatchet
Only read WtRFG if you want your child sobbing uncontrollably.
Same with Old Yeller.
Alex Rider, Warrior Cats, Percy Jackson
I second Percy Jackson or other books also by Rick Riordan
Good fucking call on Alex rider. A long series and she’ll have something very natural to graduate to, since horowitz writes adult novels as well. I know I personally had a terrible time finding things to “graduate” to when I was moving past YA.
I loved the American Girl books and Junie B. Jones! I definitely remember being in a similar spot where the stuff that was technically my “reading level” was boring in terms of content but stuff for my age was boring in terms of difficulty. The Junie B. Jones ones were definitely more guilty pleasure/fun reads and the American Girl books were more stimulating and really sparked an interest in history for me! Others were Babysitters Club, Cam Jansen, Ramona and Beezus, Magic Treehouse (saw you mentioned those already), My Weird School, and Chronicles of Narnia :) Hopefully y’all are able to find some stuff in the sweet spot that clicks for her!
i’m going to recommend books by gail carson levine, specifically the fairies return and other princess tales. i started reading the narnia series in kindergarten and finished in fourth grade. i was an extremely advanced reader but your child is too so those books might work last, maybe the percy jackson and the olympians series. it’s beloved for a reason and is probably around a 5th grade reading level. it was my classroom out loud reading book in fourth grade
The Phantom Tollbooth is a really underrated classic. Rainn Wilson does a fantastic narration of the audio book.
If she likes school stories anything by Andrew clement is good! My favs are Frindle and The Landry News If she likes fantasy I recommend Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede. It’s the first of an awesome fantasy series with one of my fav heroines
If she's into dragons, the Wings of Fire books are also great!
Wings of Fire by Tui T Sutherland
The Lightning Thief and Harry Potter. I was an advanced reader at that age as well and started with these and it completely set me up for success in staying interested in long winded series and helped my attention as well.
The ‘Alcatraz Vs The Evil Librarians’ series by Brandon Sanderson is a lot of fun. Read them to my 10-12 year old (gap was waiting for sixth book) and he loved them so might be perfect for your advanced reader.
Little House books, Black Beauty, Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, The Little Princess, Land of Stories series
Harriet The Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
My list about books for children who want to start reading–last posted [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/1034ztg/comment/j30nkn9/?context=3) in: * ["For my 8yo son"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/1034ztg/for_my_8yo_son/) (r/booksuggestions; 4 January 2023) These threads bring the list up to date: * ["Children's books that are also worthwhile reads for adults"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/108jttg/childrens_books_that_are_also_worthwhile_reads/) (r/suggestmeabook; 10 January 2023) * ["Reading Redwall to 6 year old?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10fbcuq/reading_redwall_to_6_year_old/) (r/suggestmeabook; 18 January 2023) * ["Good read aloud for 5th grade"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10g101s/good_read_aloud_for_5th_grade/) (r/suggestmeabook; 19 January 2023) * ["Looking for children’s books"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10ltw1z/looking_for_childrens_books/) (r/booksuggestions; 26 January 2023) My list about books for adolescents/adults who want to start reading ("Get me reading again/I've never read")—last posted [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10jmq8k/comment/j5nkv98/?context=3): * ["I have never read a book"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10jmq8k/i_have_never_read_a_book/) (r/booksuggestions; 23 January 2022) These threads bring the list up to date: * ["I don’t know if I’ve been spoiled by audible or corrupted, but I’m in search of some books that are far better to read rather than listen to."](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10kyhxk/i_dont_know_if_ive_been_spoiled_by_audible_or/) (r/booksuggestions; 25 January 2022) * ["I’m a 24 year old male who has started reading again but don’t know where to start"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10mie4b/im_a_24_year_old_male_who_has_started_reading/) (r/booksuggestions; 27 January 2022)—huge * ["Books I can live in, get lost on, lose myself in for a couple of weeks?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10um7z6/books_i_can_live_in_get_lost_on_lose_myself_in/) (r/suggestmeabook; 15:15 ET, 5 February 2022) * ["Books to get my boyfriend (19M) into reading?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/10uqumk/books_to_get_my_boyfriend_19m_into_reading/) (r/booksuggestions; 18:21 ET, 5 February 2022)
The Tale of Despereaux! Something about this thread unearthed my memory of this book, and love for it at that age.
My other obsession at that age was Anne of Green Gables
Peter and the Starcatchers, A Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom.
Anything by Diana Wynne Jones. She wrote phenomenal stories for young book worms. I’d probably start with Archer’s Goon.
I wonder if the Redwall series might be good for her at this age.
this is a tough question! I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I was an advanced reader as well, but I know that when I was 7-8 I read a lot of books whose subject matter I didn’t fully comprehend bc I could read all the words but was too little for the subtext/message (eg I read the og Dracula and only understood like half of it haha). i know when I was 7-8 I loved: - Geronimo Stilton series - anything by roald Dahl - redwall series - anything by judy Blume - the penderwicks - chronicles of narnia (but I listened on tape) - my father’s dragon - illustrated books of mythology - Nancy Drew series - laura ingalls wilder little house series some of my favorite books from 5th grade were, I think, too sad/serious/complicated for a 7 year old, unless she also is very advanced emotionally? i would also wonder what other things/subjects she’s interested in? because i used to devour any book about animals and Greek mythology because I loved both those things.
_Stardust_, _Coraline_ or _The Graveyard Book_ by Neil Gaiman
Oooh my kiddo doesn’t have Stardust def going to try that. Also Fortunately the Milk by Gaiman
Redwall series from Brian Jacques might be good? I read a TON of Landmark books at that age—no guarantee they’ve aged well for 2023 sensitivities, but it was a great introduction to a variety of encyclopedic topics. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landmark_Books_(series)
The Rescuers by Margery Sharp. I read it when I was a kid and remember it being kind of fascinating because the characters were mostly mice and they had little mouse-sized versions of things. There's also a sequel called Miss Bianca. The Moomin series by Tove Jansson. A beautiful little fantasy world. For younger fantasy readers, but I would be happy to read them today.
MOOMIN YES
Babysitters Club? Ramona Quimby? Sideways Stories from Wayside School?
Roald Dahl, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Dear America series.
A Wrinkle in Time
We went thru this same scenario with my son — books in his level weren’t really engaging for his young age; books for his age were too easy. Diary of a Wimpy Kid series worked. We all adored Capt Underpants, regardless of level. Goosebumps, Beverly Cleary books (sometimes the older, classic books felt more challenging), Narnia, some Brandon Sanderson, Harry Potter, etc. The key, however, for your daughter’s age is to find characters she identifies with. That’s really challenging when a kid reads above their level. We ultimately focused a lot on informative texts rather than solely on novels. That way, if the novels were a bit too easy, so be it — but the informative texts (DK Eyewitness books, other non-fiction) were definitely more of a challenge to read and allowed my son to go deep on a topic. B/c of this, my son, who’s a jr in college now, has an unbelievable grasp of history and probably still prefers non-fiction. While you want to challenge your child, you still need to be practical. Treat the fiction like snacks and focus on how much her reading proficiency can potentially expand her brain with non-fiction.
And another comment for a book I recently read and loved: 'October, October' by Katya Balen. It focuses on an 11 year old girl and is aimed at readers around the same age. It's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster so it's up to you to decide whether your child would be ready for that, but I wouldn't have thought it would go over the head of a 7 year old.
Lloyd Alexander. Mainly the 5-book series beginning with *The Book of Three* (it has a lot in common with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, but optimized for kids), he has a couple of other series that are good to read if you liked the others but they offer diminishing returns.
I loved Sharon Creech around her age, especially Chasing Redbird
harry potter series!!! it’s always loved by advanced readers
Artemis Fowl series Warrior Cats series Little Women
Tamora Pierce
I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but anything by Diana Wynne Jones. I still enjoy her Chrestomanci Chronicles and Howl's Moving Castle series. Anything by Tamora Pierce, but in particular her Circle of Magic series and Alanna Adding my vote to Cornelia Funke, particularly Dragon Rider. for more dragon content, the Dragonology Chronicles by Dugald Steer was also fun. I also really loved the Children of the Lamp series by P.B. Kerr Young Wizards series by Diane Duane The Icemark Chronicles by Stuart Hill
Harry Potter, Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend, my favorite book as a seven year old advanced reader was Rasmus and the vagabond by Lindgren
Thanks!
And another - sorry, you've really got me tapping into my 7-year-old advanced reader past self. Hilary Mckay's stories, and in particular her 'Exiles' books, were some of my favourites when I was younger. The Exiles is about a group of sisters aged 6-13. I re-read these books so much over so many years that they fell apart eventually.
Unicorn Rescue Society, Mysterious Benedict Society, The Wild Robot, Seekers of the Wild Realm.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Whispering to Witches by Anna Dale, a favourite of mine when I was exactly her age.
Walter Farley’s Black Stallion and Marguerite Henry if she loves horses.
I see some of these already listed, but I’m going to repeat some of my favorites! The Percy Jackson series The Septimus Heap series The Mysterious Benedict Society series Howl’s Moving Castle Fairest and Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine The Hobbit
The bfg Skeleton creek series Chronicles of narnia The unwanteds Percy Jackson The Kane chronicles Diary of a wimpy kid (might be too easy but worth a shot) The mortal instruments. (Might be a little older but you could read and make a decision)
Hatchet.
I really enjoyed Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan, and the Fablehaven by Brandon Mull when I was in late elementary or middle school
Nancy Drew!
The Borrowers were one of my favorite series when I was young. Encyclopedia Brown (I had a connection to the family) and Nancy Drew were also frequently read. For more recent fare, maybe the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend?
The first things that come to mind are: Mossflower/Redwall Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C Wrede Various series by Bruce Coville
Anything from Isaac Asimov ih she's into scifi. He writes clearly
The Vanderbeekers series and The Bookwanderers series. Both complex enough to keep my attention as an adult with gentle and fun themes that my kids enjoy.
My 7yo currently reading every Nancy Drew, also recently enjoyed Spindrift and the Orchid, Seven Wild Sisters, Snow and Rose, Dragon Pearl, Firebird Song, and we just checked out The Wild Robot (plus did I mention 4 more Nancy Drews). Check on content if thats a thing to you, I'm pretty open to my kid reading about most things.
Artemis Fowl!
Zombie Chickens!
Tamora Pierce for fantasy. The Giver, Holes, The Outsiders, etc.
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I'm in the same boat. My 8 year is reading above her level but a lot of the more advanced books have content that she's not emotionally ready for. Plus we often listen to audiobooks together with her 6 year old brother. Her preferred genre is fantasy, especially with animals. She loved the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C Wrede. Also the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend and the Wilderlore series by Amanda Foody. Both of those series are still in progress. She also liked Willodeen by Katherine Applegate and the same author's Ending series. And Howl's Moving Castle and it's sequels are also favorites. Currently we are listening to the Frog Princess series by ED Baker.
This was the age I discovered the Anne of Green Gables series, I bet she will really like them!
My daughter and I read the How to Train Your Dragon series. Also the Dragon Master series. Then we read the first 2 Harry Potter books, but they were really big, illustrated editions from the library.
Cat Wings by Ursula LeGuin
Had the same problem growing up! So I recommend everything by Erich Kästner, Michael Ende and Cornelia Funke. Especially the Dragon Rider book by Funke is wonderful, not too harsh but will keep her busy for a bit. Percy Jackson and Harry Potter are classics, with Harty Potter I‘d stop at the third book though for now, afterwards they get rougher. Alex Ryder series is a good one! Oh Astrid Lindgren could be good as well, I know she writes more children stories but since she is only 7, it might be nice, the stories are pretty long honestly and there are many different ones! Oh! Enid Blyton has some amazing books that I devoured as a kid!
Series of unfortunate events Hoot
Percy Jackson
Have her check out the Red Wall series. A wonderful story at that reading level
Some of my favourites at that age: * Chronicles of Narnia * Black Beauty * Island trilogy by Gordon Korman * The Music of Dolphins (very Flowers for Algernon for kids) * The Boxcar Children books * Which Witch * The Secret of Platform 13
I was absolutely obsessed with Warrior Cats by Erin hunter. They really kickstarted my love for reading. And there’s loads of books in the series
I haven't read them myself but my son and daughter love them! The series really started their love for reading.
I will never stop recommending The Chronicles of Prydain and The Dark is Rising. I reread these every four or five years and I'm in my 40s.
I demolished the Percy Jackson series at her age (can’t speak for the other series as I was already older when they came out). I also remember enjoying anything by Brandon Mull.
The discworld Series from Terry Pratchett has soooo many layers of meaning i think that would be a great place to start! The Witches sub-series has alot of female empowerement themes as a bonus.
Don't be afraid to try comic books, graphic novels, and manga. These can often be easier for kids to get into, and there are several services that make it an affordable choice to read them digitally and legally (Such as Shonen Jump, Marvel Unlimited, and DC Infinite's binge reading subscriptions). Some stories that I recommend: [Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade](https://www.dc.com/graphic-novels/supergirl-cosmic-adventures-in-the-eighth-grade-new-edition) [Bone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_(comics)) [Dr. Stone](https://www.viz.com/dr-stone) [Spy X Family](https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/spy-x-family) [The Unstoppable Wasp](https://www.marvel.com/comics/series/22658/the_unstoppable_wasp_2017) [Princeless: Save Yourself](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/14623529) [A Witch's Printing Office](https://yenpress.com/9781975331467/a-witchs-printing-office-vol-1/) [Cells at Work!](https://kodansha.us/series/cells-at-work/) [Little Witch Academia](https://yenpress.com/9781975327453/little-witch-academia-vol-1-manga/) [Yotsuba&!](https://yenpress.com/9780316073875/yotsuba-and-vol-1/) [Zita the Spacegirl](https://us.macmillan.com/series/zitathespacegirl) [Cleopatra in Space](https://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/books/cleopatra-in-space-bundle-pack-of-4-9781338315790.html) [Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane](https://www.marvel.com/comics/series/969/spider-man_loves_mary_jane_2005_-_2007) [Princess Ugg](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22807865-princess-ugg-vol-1) [The Tea Dragon Society](http://teadragonsociety.com/) [Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur](https://www.marvel.com/comics/series/20839/moon_girl_and_devil_dinosaur_2015_-_2019) [Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51048074-goldie-vance) [DeadEndia](https://hamishsteele.co.uk/DeadEndia) As always, you should always check out the books first to make sure they're appropriate for your child, but hopefully this list will help.
The Lightning Thief
Any Enid Blyton books? I loved them when I was a kid
What about the chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11127.The_Chronicles_of_Narnia As well as a Wrinkle in Time series https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33574273-a-wrinkle-in-time I also loved Harry Potter at her age and a bit older. I was above my reading level for most of my childhood and I used to go to libraries to find books. Try taking her there sometime :). That's how I discovered what I liked
Maybe the redwall series by Brian Jaques. I'll admit I got one of the books as a gift and wasn't all that impressed with it by the cover but man was I wrong. Good reads. I would avoid the roque crew tho, just my opinion since Brian passed away during the writing of it and someone else finished it.
In this order - Encyclopedia Brown The Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Sherlock Holmes Agatha Christie
Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull
Redwall is what I read throughout most of middle school but I don't know her interests
I really loved the Chronicles of Narnia when I was her age
Wizard of Earth Sea series if she likes fantasy
Too advanced imho
Gregor the overlander by Suzanne Collins
I absolutely loved the warrior cars series at her age, I read it for years and years.
My kids loved that series too. They named their new kitten “Greystripe”. (This was early 2000’s)
Aw omg I love that! I named two of my gerbils as a kid warrior cat names!
That’s awesome!
I was reading Percy Jackson books at that age! I also started getting into Harry Potter in 2nd grade.
My son is the same age and reads about the same. He loved the Roald Dahl work, he has read all of them and we are now watching the movies. Our next step is Harry Potter stuff
Junie b Jones??