He may like the Choose Your Own Adventure books. They have a series for younger readers. But even the old school ones for older kids have ones that are not scary. Use post its and make notes where you leave off and he can go back later and try the other choices. I used to read aloud these to my first and second grade students and they were a hit.

He may like the Choose Your Own Adventure books. They have a series for younger readers. But even the old school ones for older kids have ones that are not scary. Use post its and make notes where you leave off and he can go back later and try the other choices. I used to read aloud these to my first and second grade students and they were a hit.

My five-year-old loves The Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I think he’s read them all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is what we have read to our 5 YO recently:

Harry Potter
Roald Dahl (some are darker than others, yes but he just thinks it is all make believe so it seems fine)
Zoey and Sassafras
Magic Treehouse

Any particular Roald Dahl that have been a hit? I remember loving them all but can't remember what ones I read at what ages.

haven't heard of the bottom two, i'll check them out!

Mine liked: James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, George's Marvelous Medicine, Esio Trot

Secrets of Droon (the special editions might be more intense)
Flat Stanley
Pippi Longstocking
Danny Dunn
Boxcar Children
Magic Treehouse
Encyclopedia Brown
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Bunnicula

Anonymous wrote:Beverly Cleary is a good choice, though I will say it depends on your boy. My daughter loved the Beezus and Ramona books, but my son wasn't into them. The more boy focused books (The Mouse and the motorcycle, the Henry books) were not quite as accessible and readable at the Ramona series.

My kids loved a Cricket in Times Square at that age.

And it's a great age for Laura Ingalls Wilder - again these did not interest my son, but my daughter loved them.

My son and daughter both loved the Ramona books and Judy Blume Fudge books.

Also not along the lines of what you mentioned, but they found the Pippi Longstocking books hilarious.

My son also loved a short animal-based series called the Nocturnals at that age.

(Both were bored to tears by the Little House books, fwiw.)

Magic Tree House

My 5 year old was (she still is but is 13) a very advanced reader. It's tough because the next challenge is that he will be reading books with concepts he is not emotionally ready for (Boy in The Striped Pajamas) at 9 years old - that was tough... )

We went from Magic Tree House - Beverly Cleary books (mostly for girls, but Ralph the Mouse series is for both) - Roald Dahl - Harry Potter

Somewhere in there she also read Baby Sitters Club, Hardy Boys, that series about the Adventure Cat (forgot the name), all the Who Am I books etc.

Now in middle school she's reading all the classics and a bunch of books that her peers talk about. As you probably know keeping them in books that are appropriate is tough. By middle school it's easier because of the emotional maturity for deeper concepts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is what we have read to our 5 YO recently:

Harry Potter
Roald Dahl (some are darker than others, yes but he just thinks it is all make believe so it seems fine)
Zoey and Sassafras
Magic Treehouse

Any particular Roald Dahl that have been a hit? I remember loving them all but can't remember what ones I read at what ages.

haven't heard of the bottom two, i'll check them out!

My kids loved almost all of the Dahl books except the Witches as that was a bit scary for them. I got the audiobooks and I swear they listened to some of them 30+ times.

Anonymous wrote:This is what we have read to our 5 YO recently:

Harry Potter
Roald Dahl (some are darker than others, yes but he just thinks it is all make believe so it seems fine)
Zoey and Sassafras
Magic Treehouse

Any particular Roald Dahl that have been a hit? I remember loving them all but can't remember what ones I read at what ages.

haven't heard of the bottom two, i'll check them out!

Beverly Cleary is a good choice, though I will say it depends on your boy. My daughter loved the Beezus and Ramona books, but my son wasn't into them. The more boy focused books (The Mouse and the motorcycle, the Henry books) were not quite as accessible and readable at the Ramona series.

My kids loved a Cricket in Times Square at that age.

And it's a great age for Laura Ingalls Wilder - again these did not interest my son, but my daughter loved them.

This is what we have read to our 5 YO recently:

Harry Potter
Roald Dahl (some are darker than others, yes but he just thinks it is all make believe so it seems fine)
Zoey and Sassafras
Magic Treehouse

Dragon Masters series
Wings of Fire series (more advanced, also a graphic novel version, can be a bit scary)
The mouse and the motorcycle (more of a read aloud, but try it)

Anonymous wrote:I mean Harry Potter is the obvious choice here, at least the first two or three, then they get a little dark. 6 is generally the recommended age, but I think an advanced 5 year old would be into them.

Yeah I've debated that but have heard from other parents to hold off until 7 because they do get dark quickly so you get kind of stuck when you start them young and then need to pause

I mean Harry Potter is the obvious choice here, at least the first two or three, then they get a little dark. 6 is generally the recommended age, but I think an advanced 5 year old would be into them.

I'm trying to find something that will hold his interest to read without being too scary or having too complex of language that he's having to ask what every other word means (he has an advanced vocabulary for his age but not that of a 14 year old). Most of the go-to books for first chapter books he's called "boring" and he wants books that will be suspenseful raise interesting concepts. He usually will only read pretty advanced non fiction and I'm trying to get him back into fiction

I talked to a librarian who recommended A Series of Unfortunate Events which has held his interest and he followed the language but after a few chapters I'm realizing its bizarrely dark. I can see a 10 year old loving it (i used to love Roald dahl books which are also dark...but its a bit much for a 5 year old) but I'm not sure I want my just turned 5 year old reading such an overall unhappy book

The librarian also recommended The Underland Chronicles which I haven't started yet and will try but looking online it looks like the general recommendation is 10+ for that book. But maybe thats to read on their own versus being read to

So any suggestions to thread the needle fo exciting and complex without being too dark or too difficult of vocabulary?