Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Need more books for 5yo book-eater

Hugo Cabret was a big hit with my boys at that age. Also, the sequel, Wonderstruck (which is might be too emotional. I read it to my dd at age 5 and wish I'd waited.)

Also:
5 Children and It
Fire Within (about dragons)
Cardboard Genius series
Because of Winn Dixie (And anything else by Kate DiCamillo)

Perhaps something non fiction like this: Math Dictonary for Kids

I bought this for DS (6) and when it arrived all he could do was sit and say, "Wow...coool...I know this!!!"

Look into this profile on Amazon: Young Mensan BookParade

Discovered a hit over vacation: old Cricket mags (my MIL has a stash). I have some in a closet here, so that ought to work for a while. He also read Olga da Polga (someone here recommended that, so thanks!) over break and we disovered the very funny Owls in the Family.

We have read Toys Go Out and its sequel. Plan to try The Littles and E. Nesbit next. His sister never ever got into Dick King-Smith as much as I tried, and I wondered if they were dated or slow. D'Aulaire's Myths are reference-only at our library---isn't that annoying? I guess I might just have to buy them.

Recent hits:

5 Children and It
The Farthest Away Mountain (by the author of the Indian and the Cupboard)
Alice in Wonderland (I thought this might be too flowery and/or hard, but he loved it!)

I second The Littles series and the Boxcar children books. Also Dick King-Smith. Have you tried the Tintin books? You will have to teach how comic books work, but there is a lot of real reading there and the opportunity to learn geography and more.

Rats of Nimh series (maybe read the first aloud and let him continue alone. Sequels are by Conley -- not O'Brian)

The Gammage Cup and sequel. The Moffats and sequels, Ginger Pye, All the Henry Huggins books. the Carolyn Haywood (author) books are probably mostly out of print, but look in the library. Very suitable for younger age but good reader.

E. Nesbit has a lot of description, high vocab., long sentences. Read one aloud to see how it goes before expecting indep. reading.