5 Great Books for an 8 Year Old!
This is the first in a little series we are producing where we are coming up with great books for different ages! We've read our entire lives and have read some great (and others not so great) books over the years. We always love book recommendations and so we thought we would share some of our favourites with you!
Judy Moody - Megan McDonald
Blurb: Judy Moody was in a mood. Not a good mood. A bad mood.
A mad-faced mood.
Judy Moody doesn't have high hopes for third grade. But she does have an abundance of individuality and attitude, and when Mr. Todd assigns the class a special Me Project, she really gets a chance to express herself! Megan McDonald's spirited text and Peter Reynolds's wry illustrations will delight any kid who's known a bad mood or a bad day - and managed to laugh anyway.
Our comments: This is a very entertaining book. There are parts in the book that we think most young people would quite easily be able to relate to. Judy is in third grade, which in the UK is year 4 (so 8-9 years old), meaning it’s the perfect book for an 8 year old!
The Shakespeare Stories - Andrew Matthews
Blurb: Boasting 16 of William Shakespeare's most popular and enduring plays, this brand new collection features more Shakespeare Stories than ever before. From the tragedy of Macbeth to the humour of Much Ado About Nothing, this superb collection of paperbacks makes an excellent introduction to Shakespeare for younger readers. The tales have been retold using accessible language and with the help of Tony Ross's engaging black-and-white illustrations, each play is vividly brought to life allowing these culturally enriching stories to be shared with as wide an audience as possible.
Our comments: This series of Shakespeare books are simplified into plain English which make it easier for younger children to understand - old English can definitely get a bit complicated at times! The way the books are re-written means that you can enjoy Shakespear’s original story, but without the headache of trying to work out what everything means. The stories are relatively short compared to the originals, but still keep all of the key details, making them informative, historical reads. Suitable for boys and girls!
Dork Diaries - Rachel Renee Russell
Blurb: Meet Nikki Maxwell! She's starting eighth grade at a new school—and her very first diary packed with hilarious stories and art in Book One of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series!
New school. New mean girl. New crush. New diary so I can spill about all of it…
I put a lot of really personal stuff in this diary along with my sketches and doodles.
But, mostly it’s about how TRAUMATIC it was transferring to my new private middle school, Westchester Country Day.
And, how a lot of the CCP (Cool, Cute & Popular) kids were really SNOBBY and made my life TOTALLY miserable. People like, oh, I don’t know, maybe…
MACKENZIE HOLLISTER!!
And, it just so happened that I got stuck with a locker right next to hers. I could NOT believe I had such CRAPPY luck. I knew right then and there it was going to be a VERY, VERY long school year :-( !
Our comments: This is a very enjoyable and relatable series. There are 15 books in the Dork Diaries series so plenty to keep you entertained! We saw somebody compare it to Diary of a Wimpy Kid but for girls, and we totally agree!
Tom Gates series - Liz Pichon
Blurb: The Brilliant World of Tom Gates (Book #1) - All Tom Gates wants to do is get tickets to see his favourite band when they come to town. It's not easy when he's up against Delia, his weirdo big sister. All of his plans seem to get him into major trouble!
Our comments: This is another fantastic and funny series suitable for 8 year olds. There are a whopping 18 books in this series - so you can stay in Tom's world for a long time. They are funny and have amazing illustrations throughout. The illustrations make the story easy to picture in your head - which would be particularly great for someone who isn’t the strongest of readers. This book is also suitable for any reader - regardless of their gender!
The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop - Clare Balding
Blurb: Charlie Bass is a horse-mad ten-year-old who dreams of owning her own pony. So when she accidentally manages to buy a racehorse, Charlie is thrilled.
The horse she buys, Noble Warrior, looks the part: strong, fit and healthy. There's just one problem - he won't gallop. In fact, he won't even leave his stable without his best friend, a naughty palomino pony called Percy.
Charlie is convinced that Noble Warrior has what it takes to be a champion. But can she prove it? Derby Day is fast approaching and only a win can save the family farm from being repossessed.
The stakes couldn't be higher for the Basses. Can Charlie turn her chaotic family into a top training team? Can Noble Warrior overcome his nerves? Will Percy the pony ever stop farting?
Find out in this classic, funny animal story, perfect for fans of Dick King-Smith and Gerald Durrell
Our comments: This is a nice, lighthearted read. The fact that it’s a quick and easy read doesn’t take away from it still being a great book. The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop is a book suitable for any reader - regardless of their gender, and would make the perfect book for an animal lover!
We originally started this series over on our Instagram. This is the reel Aiyven created!