Books suitable for a boy aged 7

[Lassie]

I'm looking for some suitable books for a boy who will be 7 next week. He is a very good reader and is good at language work at school. He has read the Horrid Henry stories. Im wondering if any of the "Adventure" stories would be suitable or the Adventurous Four. Can anyone give me advice please?

[Ming]

Hi Lassie. I suggest he tries the Secret Seven first and then move on the the Famous Five and Mystery series. The Adventure series are for a bit older children. I don't really know about the Adventurous Four, I have only read a heavily edited edition.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Enid Blyton wrote all kinds of stories which are suitable for a seven-year-old, depending on their interests or what mood they're in. Some that I would particularly recommend include:

The Enchanted Wood/Faraway Tree series of three books - Jo, Bessie and Fanny (or Joe, Beth and Frannie in some modern editions) climb the mysterious Faraway Tree and have magical adventures in strange lands.

The Galliano's Circus series of three books - Jimmy Brown and his family join the circus and Jimmy makes friends with Lotta the bareback rider, who is cheeky and fierce but also determined and loyal. Enid Blyton relates the ups and downs of circus life. As a young child I loved these books, finding them dramatic and heartwarming.

Collections of short stories - there are volumes of mixed short stories (Chimney Corner Stories was one of my favourites as a child) and books containing stories revolving around a particular character, eg. Mr. Meddle or Mr. Pink-Whistle.

Hope he enjoys whatever you get for him, Lassie!

Anita

[Petermax]

I'm looking for some suitable books for a boy who will be 7 next week.

At the age of seven I was reading The Secret Seven, The Boy Next Door, The Adventurous Four, and Mr Twiddle. I wonder if the Mr Twiddle books are still available in their original format? How I loved this character!

Various Mr Twiddle reprints have appeared over the years, but I have no idea if they bear any relation to the three original books published between 1949 and 1953.

[lizarfau]

Gabriel's seven and he likes the Secret Seven, the Famous Five, the Wishing Chair and the Faraway Tree, and Mr Pinkwhistle. Oh yes, and my old battered copy of Bimbo and Topsy.

Sorry to go OT, but just out of interest, which Blyton series are available in the UK? We get the ones I mention above (not Bimbo and Topsy, hence his reading my battered copy) and also Malory Towers and St Clare's, but I haven't seen any Barney Mysteries or Adventure series around.

[Anita Bensoussane]

When I looked in WHSmith and Waterstones the other week, all the books you mention as being available in Australia were in stock, Lizarfau, except Mr. Pink-Whistle. The Adventure series was there along with the Find-Outers, the Naughtiest Girl, the Caravan Family, Amelia Jane and O' Clock Tales, but I haven't seen the Secret series or Barney series in the shops for years. Award publish the Secret and Barney titles as well as many collections of short stories and, for some reason, Award books are rarely seen in the shops where I live.

Anita

[Billie]

I was reading Secret Seven when I was about 7, and moved onto Famous Five a little later, but either will do.

[Mollybob]

It depends on his tastes and reading age really, as children can differ quite a lot. However, I would definitely say that The Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair books would be great for a seven year old. I loved them at that age. I think I was also reading The Secret Seven at about that age and moved onto The Famous Five and Adventure stories not long after.

[Philip Mannering]

I have to admit that when I was 7 I was not reading any Enid Blyton books. This is maybe because at that time I didn't even know of novels. I was about 9 or 10 when I started reading Blyton. Therefore, I didn't like the Secret Seven series - put them down as being for kids! I was more interested in the Adventure and Mystery series, from the start.

I regularly reproach myself for not reading Enid Blyton when I was younger, and reading storybooks. But well, what done is done.

Now I've an average idea for books suitable for age groups. Of course, it depends upon the ability - there are still 12 year olds in my class who don't know the meaning of the word 'novel', and can't read Famous Five books. But, in an average way, Secret Seven is a good start; a nice young series for kids. They'll enjoy it, as long as they're not 9 or 10 (if so, get the Famous Five series + FFO and Adventure series right away!). Happy reading to all! (For me, I'm afraid I haven't read any new book for two weeks. Exams. But then, they end on Friday! Hurrah! ).