Chapter Books For Boys Age 7 Plus

So your child is now reading,they’ve worked their way through the easier chapter books and they’re ready for something a bit more? or just starting to take off with their reading but they are a bit older and want a bit more to the story. Here are some recommendations for chapter books for boys aged about 6 or 7 plus. These are probably going to appeal to boys more than girls stereotypically because of the content being more ‘boy’ humour or adventure, but obviously some girls will enjoy them too.

They will appeal to reluctant readers too, as these all have some pictures through the book, but generally the vocabulary is a bit more developed, the text is a bit smaller and there’s more of it. It’s for that stage where they can read a page of text but like occasional pictures still. Also the stories will appeal more to slightly older children as the themes are a bit more developed with more adventure and suspense, or humour you have to be old enough to get.

Beast Quest by Adam Blade

There are loads of these great Beast Quest books all divided into different series of adventures about a boy and lots of different magical beasts. These books come with collectors cards in the back which always seem to appeal to children. There are 7 series, each having 6 books within a series. There are also various special bumper additions, master your destiny books, a handbook, and an annual. These always seem a popular choice, even though they can seem slightly formulaic to adults, and are good books for getting children hooked on reading. At the end of the chapter there is often some excitement, a cliff hanger, or a question which drives the reader to want to know more. If you have been reading them to the child, it may make them pick the book up themselves and carry on as they want to see what happens next.

Plus if your child has enjoyed Beast Quest and is a bit older or wants to move on there are new books by Adam Blade written for approx the 9 plus age depending on the child, mainly because the subject matter is a bit darker and there is only text on the pages. They are called The Chronicles of Avantia. The first book is First Hero (The Chronicles of Avantia)

The Beast Quest Books in the first series, books 1-6 are :

Ferno the Fire Dragon
Sepron the Sea Serpent
Arcta the Mountain Giant
Tagus The Horse-Man
Nanook The Snow Monster
Epos The Flame Bird

The other series are

Series 2 The Golden Armour books 7-12
Series 3 The Dark Realm books 13-18
Series 4 The Amulet of Avantia books 19-24
Series 5 The Shade of Death books 25-30
Series 6 The World of Chaos books 31-36
Series 7 The Lost World books 37-42
Series 8 The Pirate King which is due out in Spring 2011

Yuk by Matt and Dave

A series of books again using boy humour, of bogeys, burps etc.. involving a boy called Yuck and his yucky, mucky adventures. Totally disgusting and gross, but totally fun and appealing to some boys who like to try and shock. They are funny, and will have them giggling away and they are illustrated throughout. Adults might not like the books so much for the content, but they might for the effect they can have on a reluctant reader, tempting them into books, especially as these books would still appeal to older boys of 8 plus.

Yuck’s Fantastic Football Match
Yuck’s Robotic Bottom
Yuck’s Mega Magic Wand And Yuck’s Pirate Treasure
Yuck’s Supercool Snotman And Yuck’s Dream Machine
Yuck’s Alien Adventure And Yuck’s Slobbery Dog
Yuck’s Abominable Burp Blaster And Yuck’s Remote Control Revenge
Yuck’s Fart Club And Yuck’s Sick Trick
Yuck’s Big Bogeys And Yuck’s Smelly Socks
Yuck’s Slime Monster And Yuck’s Gross Party
Yuck’s Pet Worm And Yuck’s Rotten Joke

Astrosaurs by Steve Cole

A great series of childrens early sci fi books, combining dinosaurs and space. What more could a boy want !!?? The books centre around a main dinosaur character, Teggs, he is captain of an amazing spaceship, he is an astrosaur and these books are about his missions and adventures with his dinosaur crew. These books have cards to collect in them too, which seem to appeal to children and encourages them to read more, to collect more cards. These books are written in an order but they can be read out of order and are ok as stand alone stories. This is another series of books that are good at helping children suddenly take off with their reading, normally 7 or 8 year old boys, it captures their interest and off they go. There are currently 18 Astrosaurs, Be careful if you have already read some Astrosaurs and don’t want repeats because one of them called Megabookasaurus is three books in one, it contains Hatching Horror, The Mind-Swap Menace and Teeth of the T Rex. If you’ve not read any of those three before though Megabookasaurus would be a great one to buy. Also there is The Claws of Christmas which would make a great Christmas present for any Astrosaurs fans.

Steve Cole also writes another great series called Cows in Action, about Professor McMoo, who is a very clever, time travelling cow, an agent of the CIA (Cows in Action). These are very funny Sci-fi books for children. They contain lots of moo jokes, so great humour, and are mildly tense for some adventure but not overly scary. These too contain collectors cards, and are great books for getting children, especially boys to improve their independent reading, they’re good for tempting reluctant readers into the books even those who are 8 or 9 years old. Also in this series is a joke book, and a Christmas book too, The Battle for Christmoos.

Secret Agent Jack Stalwart by Elizabeth Singer Hunt

These books are about Secret Agent Jack Stalwart, who is a nine year old boy and the adventures he has as he travels the world searching for his missing brother. These books are aimed at children aged 7 plus, but they are suitable for reluctant or struggling readers. The font is still quite big in this book, and there are pictures throughout,to make it more appealing, although there are some pages of just text too. The vocabulary and the storyline makes it more appropriate for the 7 plus age group, plus where the main character Jack is travelling the globe there are also facts about different parts of the world in each book, making it educational without the child even realising they are learning new information. It also means it may appeal to children that like or prefer non fiction normally, and sometimes find fiction boring. Overall it’s another great series for getting boys into reading, particularly previously reluctant readers.

For more book choices, visit Chapter books for boys 7 plus - part 2