What to read to/with my son?

[JessM]

My son (luckily) is into books and reading, and I love to read to him. He's just finishing his reception year at school, and I'm anitcipating many a long rainy hour in the summer holidays... (well let's hope not, but just in case!

What should we read?

Most of the books we have now are those large-format A4 size ones of things by John Burningham, Julia Donaldson etc. We love them and willl prob keep reading them for a while, but what should we move on to? "chapter books?" What do people mean when they refer to these? Can anyone give me suggestions of particular titles or authors to go for?

He's always loved animals and is recently expressing an interest in superheroes, knights and all that boy stuff but a good story is a good story, so all suggestions gratefully received!

[Fuschia]

Try Cressida cowell, how to train your dragon series?

Horrid Henry?

Enid Blyton - magic faraway tree series

Lion the witch and the wardrobe

Tollins

[leons]

My son is pretty similar, just about to finish reception and adores reading. And I agree its hard to know what to move on to, other than their school books. We have started to pick up some easy readers from the library. There is a particular series of books called Pirate Patch which my son loves to read himself but also loves as his bedtime story.

We have also just picked up 2 new books called The Pirate Next Door and The boy who called Ninja, which are similar to what u describe (large format A4) but suit an older child (4-5yrs) both are great stories, my son and I think, and the visuals are fab.

I have started some short chapter books with him too, something u can read over 2-3 nights, that way he doesnt seem to forget/loose track of the story, immediately one that comes to mind is another pirate series, I think is Nicholas Nosh, The Littlest Pirate (their about 60-70 pages long, 4 or 5 chapters). (My son isnt obsessed with pirates, just these seem to be the books that come to mind). I will follow this thread as I will be interested too to get some other recommendations too.

[nunheadmum]

Why not take him to the library and see what longer books take his fancy - sometimes picking them for themselves can help give an indication as to what they like? But don't worry if maybe he doesn't get into chapter books just yet. My daughter is a good reader (end Year 1) and loves her books being read but we've struggled to get her onto chapter books. Try longer books but don't worry if he still likes the idea of a whole story in one reading.

He might like some of the Roald Dahl books (can usually get a good set of 21 on Book People quite cheap if you want to buy) or they also have a good set of early Enid Blyton's just now.

But try the library to try some out.....finding the right ones can be an expensive business if you buy!!

[Fuschia]

Try some story CDs for the car

[nunheadmum]

Fuschia - do you do chapter book CD's in one go on longer trips or in bits on shorter ones? I've tried these with my daughter on longer trips but she gets bored. But not sure she'd remember them from one trip to another on shorter trips.

[Fuschia]

Both

We have mog for short journeys and the just so stories

Horrid Henry

Spike Milligan (!) and a few others

For long journeys

Swallows and amazons

Enid blyton

Loads in the library

Older son at aged 6-7 liked the narnia set

Now likes eoin colfer etc

For a reception child I can recommend mog and horrid Henry

Roald Dahl too

[Fuschia]

Has to be something I can bear to listen to over and over, the short ones

For long journeys I like a good box set - we listened to 8h of 'ingo' on a trip away .. Actually it was 2008 so child no 1 was only 5

Gosh

He was quite little to concentrate

I think if you find a story they like and you all cOncentrate

How to blow up tollins is brilliant cd

Also bad jelly the witch (spike Milligan)

[Helen GV]

My little boy(nearly 4) LOVES bad jelly the witch. It's one you'll need to read to him and/or get on cd, there aren't many pictures and the text is hand written by Spike Milligan.

Also dr Seuss books, hop on pop, the sneetches, the lorax...

[Fuschia]

Helen, isn't that funny! I must lend you the Cd!

D !

[melbourne groover]

Fuschia, can't believe you know Bad Jelly. No one ever does here but is ingrained in NZ society!

The Spike Milligan reading is on YouTube if anyone interested...

[Helen GV]

Yes please F!

I found the copy we have in a charity shop for 50p, unbelievable. The version is different to the one we had growing up though, in the original the witch screams 'stinky poo stinky poo knickers knickers knickers' when the children get away (sorry for the spoilers ;0) ) and when dinglemouse nibbles the giants belt so his trousers fall down he runs off to bare bottom land, not so now. But I change the words anyway :0)

[Pickle]

Thanks for reminding me about Bad Jelly, I used to ring the local radio station and request it on Sunday mornings, they had a children's hour (showing my age!). We You Tubed it this morning, the kids loved it.

[Fuschia]

The cd version I have includes the original words then, helen

We listened to it when I was little, now I think of it maybe the record came fr

My aunt, they lived in nz for a few years