I found the first four Harry Potter books in my basement and put them on my son's bookshelf for future reading...didn't think much of it because he had been reading Magic Treehouse books.

Next thing I know he's into Chapter 6 of book one and well on to reading the first four Harry Potter books within a month. I then purchased the fifth book for him and he had it read within 5 days. After each book I let him watch the corresponding movie...except he hasn't watched the fifth movie yet...he's getting books 6 and 7 as well as movies 5-8 for Christmas.

I didn't really think he knew what he was reading until he was able to tell me in what chapter (in the book) various events happened as we watched the movie. After getting back his IQ test results I now know he's more than likely understanding the books.

Anyway, once he finishes the last two books in the Harry Potter series, is there something you feel he might like?

The problem I'm having is finding books on his reading level but not out of his maturity level, or with too much violence, or with any profanity.

Maybe the Percy Jackson series? The Hobbit? Others?

Thanks for any and all input.

TripleB

HP is pretty violent, sad and mature in the last few books--you're aware, yes? I mean, no sex or profanity, but they're dark.

There are booklists in the resources section--I think you will find some good choices there.

I agree that the latter Harry Potter books have themes which are dark but different kids are affected to more or less of a degree. My DD didn't like HP but relished Dr Who at the same age. She moved on to the Hunger Games aged 8.

You could try the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz about a boy spy (junior James Bond). James Patterson wrote the Maximum Ride series about mutant children who can fly. Both are actually much easier to read from a literary perspective than HP.

Wrinkle in Time is excellent fantasy.

What my daughter read after devouring the HP series?; she went straight back to the beginning and read the whole series again! I guess she liked it. I just bought her the Wrinkle in Time 4 book set for Christmas, I'll have to wait to see if she likes it but I think she will.

My ds had a hard time finding books he liked at the same age after having read all the HP books. FWIW he did *really* enjoy The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings/etc books, as well as The Percy Jack and "The Invention of Hugo Cabret". And Captain Underpants He liked the series of books that are titled "Tunnels" "Holes".

Have fun looking for books for your ds!

polarbealr

My older DD, now 8, moved to The Hobbit, the Narnia books and also the Susan Cooper 'Over Sea, Under Stone' series. I re read the latter too and they were great even as an adult.

Has he read Artemis Fowl yet? Several books in that series. My kids also liked the Septimus Heap books. How about Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH? And the Eragon series.

The Familiars and Starbounders series.

I'm glad you mentioned Captain Underpants.

I would like to have him reading some 'easier' 'laugh out loud' books that sort of give him a break from the harder books. Similar to the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' books (of which he's read all of). When I've read a book that takes a lot of concentration on my part, I like to have a break by reading something that doesn't take much thought

Thanks to everyone for your recommendation of books. He hasn't read any of your recommendations - one day he was reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and wanted all his books to have pictures throughout them, then the next he's all about Harry Potter...not sure what made him make that huge leap but I'm very proud he did.

I'm going to check into each one of the books/series you mentioned. I appreciate your help and advice.

TripleB

Lemony Snickett series?

Percy Jackson...yes...and then my sons checked out a lot of extra mythology books from the library to learn more.

Narnia series...yes

Golden compass (I think that is a series of three)

With a little review discussion about drugs being bad, my son read and enjoyed the complete works of Sherlock Holmes. And a little discussion about word usage evolving and not to use a certain word in his writing because it means something different now than it did then (after he asked me about a word used to mean "blurted" but now a days is only used in a sexual connotation).

The Mysterious Benedict Society books are fantastic in my opinion. DS loved them and I really enjoyed reading them as well. DS read and re-read The Chronicles of Narnia at that age. He still pulls them out. The Redwall books are also wonderful.

My son liked the Septimus Heap and Dragonet series. Septimus has probably 7-8 books and Dragonet has 5, I think. He also enjoyed Percy Jackson (5 books)and Lost Heroes series (5 books). I just got him Fablehaven off Amazon. He is a huge fan of books in a series.

The Castle Glower series (Tuesdays at the Castle, etc.) by Jessica Day George

DS7 is really, really loving the Percy Jackson books. He also still enjoys the Heroes in Training books, which are Greek god books too. They are a little younger than Percy books. But fun.

Also - how about the 39 clues books?

Definitely check the book lists in this forum, there are some great recommendations there. FWIW, DS9 decided not the read the last HP book, deciding it was too much for him at the time. He likes to go back and forth between books like Captain Underpants and The Maze Runner, with Percy Jackson and Mysterious Benedict Society in between.

The Murderous Maths/Horrible Science/Horrible Geography are beloved here, and have the pictures/text interaction you mentioned.

I would encourage parents of boys as well as girls to check out the book listings at A Mighty Girl. It can be an excellent experience for boys to discover that they can enjoy and even identify with books about girl heros.

For lighter, more humorous books, Pippi Longstocking is awesome.

The Familiars series-- my DS8 read it when he was seven and loved it.

Other hits include:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Matilda
James and the Giant Peach
Percy Jackson series

DS also liked the Magic Shop series by Bruce Coville.

Coincidentally, DS is immersed in Harry Potter now. When he's finished, I may try to introduce Redwall.

My kids loved Enid Blyton books at that age. Their favorites were the "Adventure" series (The Valley of Adventure, The Castle of Adventure, etc.) They may be out of print in the US now, but your library or interlibrary loan can probably get them.

I agree with all of the previous suggestions. If your kid is into it, books like the Percy Jackson series are good stories but also easily supplemented with related Greek myths - and in my opinion the books are even better with an understanding of the mythology.
Also, I don't know about your DS, so YMMV, but with some of the books the darker or more emotionally intense aspects can either make the book a valuable reread (with a greater emotional understanding) or a book that should be held off for later (emotional OEs, anyone?). Also, sometimes an only moderately challenging or a comfortable book is valuable for the story alone (in our house it's definitely a balancing act, though).
If the wizard thing went over well, Septimus Heap is good and long (seven fairly lengthy books).

My son will find an author and want to read all his/her books even if they aren't a series. I remember him reading (and I read some to him at night) all the Andrew Clements books...they are a little lighter reading than Harry Potter.

DS7 just finished the Unicorn Chronicles series of books. I think the main character is a girl, but the author is male (Bruce Colville).

I haven't actually read the books but here's one review on Amazon:

"When I bought this book in third grade, I expected a girly story about Unicorns. I only bought it as all my friends did, too. When I got it, I read a page, got distracted, and left it to collect dust for ages. When I was in seventh grade, I finally had the sense to give the book a shot. I am sooooo glad I did. It is NOT a girly book about unicorns- it is a well written fantasy with deep characters and an intriguing plot. The story moves at a perfect pace, and it is a book I adore. I believe the title is very misleading. It is a great story, and it is right up there with Ella Enchanted, The Immortals Quartet, Harry Potter, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, and The Changling Sea. Those are books you'd probably also enjoy if you enjoyed this."

Diana Wynne Jones - a lot of her stuff is out of print but you can find it in good children's libraries and used on amazon. The Chrestomanci series is very enjoyable, and I loved loved loved The power of Three.
Pippi Longstocking has already been mentioned, but for more serious fantasy books by astrid Lindgren, check out Ronya the robbers daughter, the brothers lionhearted and Mio my son.

Thanks for this piece of advice...my son loved the book Frindle (as did I ). Just picked up 15 'very good' condition Andrew Clements books (7 of the them hard cover) for $31 shipped to me.

He's going to be excited!!!

TripleB

DS has consuming the Warriors series lately (about cats, fantasy genre, there's also a dog series by the same author).

Do check out the lists of books by age range, there have been some fabulous suggestions there.