10 recommended reading books for 6 to 8 year olds

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December 5th, 2019Last updated: October 21st, 2022

Finding high-quality books which your child enjoys reading is the first step to ensuring they become good readers and writers. This blog gives some 'must-reads' for children aged 6 to 8. The books listed are both good quality texts and highly popular with children of this age group.

1. Oliver and the Seawigs Phillip Reeve

Oliver must go on a quest which will take him into contact with some very weird and bizarre characters, including a grumpy albatross and a blind mermaid. This is a fun and humorous story which children of this age group will love.  

2. The Magic Finger - Roald Dahl

The story of a little girl with magical powers. When someone makes her angry she zings a punishment on them with her magic finger! This is a moral, witty tale which has remained a favourite for decades.  

3. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo

The magical story of the adventures of a lost toy rabbit. Edward Tulane gets lost and ends up travelling with tramps, working as a scarecrow, comforting a dying child ... and finally learning what it is to truly love. Perhaps one for children at the top end of the age bracket, this is a thrilling and poignant tale with a skilfully crafted plot.  

4. The Hodgeheg - Dick King-Smith

Max's family dreams of reaching the Park. But no one has ever found a safe way of crossing the road. Max, who is brighter than the average hedgehog, is determined to solve the problem. This is an entertaining and engaging book for children at the younger end of the age bracket.  

5. The Diary of a Killer Cat - Anne Fine

The hilarious antics of Tuffy and his family as told by the killer cat himself. This provides an excellent example for children learning how to write effectively in the first person.  

6. Varjak Paw - Dave McKean

Varjak Paw is a kitten who has never left home. One day his grandfather tells him about the Way, a secret martial art for cats. Now Varjak must use the Way to survive in a city full of dangerous dogs, cat gangs and, strangest of all, the mysterious Vanishings. This is a gripping story which ends each chapter on a cliff hanger. It could provide a useful example when teaching children how to build suspense in their writing.  

7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney 

Greg Heffley has big ideas. He’s going to be rich and famous one day. But first, he’s got to survive middle school – tough when you’re a bit of a wimp. This book has proved hugely popular with children of this age group and has gripped even the most reluctant of readers. This could also provide an excellent example for children learning to write effectively in the first person.  

8. Mouse Bird Snake Wolf - David Almond 

This is a beautiful graphic novel with illustrations by Dave McKean. The gods have created a world - they've built mountains, a sea and a sky - and now their days are filled with long naps in the clouds (and tea and cake). That's until Harry, Sue and Little Ben begin to fill the gaps of the world: with a mousy thing, a chirpy thing and a twisty legless thing. This is an emotional and captivating story that really shows the power of imagination.  

9. Flat Stanley - Jeff Brown

One night, a giant pinboard falls on top of Stanley Lambchop, leaving him completely flat. At first, Stanley enjoys the benefits of this - it can be fun going in and out of rooms simply by sliding under the door. But once the novelty begins to wear off, Stanley wishes he could be just like everybody else again. But how will he ever fill out? This is a classic which children still love half a century after it was first published.  

10. Fortunately the milk - Neil Gaiman 

This book tells the story of why Dad took such a long time getting the milk. The tale features Professor Steg (a time-travelling dinosaur), some green globby things, the Queen of the Pirates, the famed jewel that is the Eye of Splod, some wumpires, and a perfectly normal but very important carton of milk. This is a hilarious tale by a superb author and illustrator.

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Comments

    Rosie Summers said on 5th Mar 2018
    Hi Alice
    Thank you very much for you feedback.
    The answer to your question very much depends on the reading level of your child. These books are intended for children who have finished the early reader books and started to move into chapter books. I would usually expect this to happen by 8 years, although this can of course vary. As your child is still very young, you could start by reading some of these texts together. You could try reading to your child and asking them to read the occasional sentence to you for example.
    Hope this helps!
    Rosie
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