We love reading the classics and have read some beautiful books lately during homeschooling and at bed time. Here are 8 great books for 5-8 year old kids.
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It is no small thing what a good book can do for a child’s imagination. Over this past year, I have been reading a book series to my girls (ages 5 and 7) which they have adored.
It has been both a blessing for me to watch their faces light up or get cross at certain parts of the story. I’m relishing in it nearly as much, as this book was a beloved one of mine growing up and now I get to share it with my own children.
I have always loved reading since I was a child and so has my sister. This is because my mum was an avid reader and made reading look like so much fun. That is exactly the kind of perspective I want my own children to have.
So if you are having a tough time with reading with any of your children, just keep reading to them. In time, I think they will eventually love it. If not, at least they have many great books being read to them over the years.
These books below that I will list are books that I have read to my girls and books that my eldest daughter has read to me. So they can be read aloud books or books that your own child can read.
Let’s dive in to 8 great books for 5-8 year old kids.
What will be covered in this post
- Classic books
- Other great books
Classic Books
The Magic Faraway Tree Collection – By Enid Blyton
This is the book I mentioned above, reading to my girls this past year. We have been reading the three books since the beginning of last year and only have about 100 pages or less to go. It has been a joy to introduce this book to my children.
Synopsis: When Joe, Beth and Frannie move to a new home, an Enchanted Wood is on their doorstep. And when they discover the Faraway Tree, that is the beginning of many magical adventures! Join them and their friends Moonface, Saucepan Man and Silky the fairy as they discover which new land is at the top of the Faraway Tree.
My review: I love how this book is clean. Yes, there are enchanted characters, like pixies and fairies. But there is nothing too scary or dark about it. The story line pulls readers in and often has a cliff hanger at the end of each chapter, begging you to read the next. I love the scenery and the image painted of the magic faraway tree. It really is so delightful.
My star rating: 5/5.
Purchase here.
Anne of Green Gables – By Lucy Maud Montgomery
This book may bore a 5 year old, but is more suited to 7-8 year olds. It has a lot of poetic language in it, so it is best as a read aloud for this age group. If you have older children, they will love this too.
Growing up, my parents loved the 1985 Anne of Green Gables film, so we would watch it from time to time. Then, my parents introduced it to my girls last year and my girls were hooked.
So it was only fitting that we read the book.
Synopsis: Set in the late 19th century, the novel recounts the adventures of an 11-year-old orphan girl Anne Shirley sent by mistake to two middle-aged siblings, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who had originally intended to adopt a boy to help them on their farm in the fictional town of Avonlea in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
My review: it is an interesting, delightful and amusing story line. Sometimes my girls would get bored because they couldn’t understand the language, however, would soon get interested again due to Anne’s fascinating personality. It is definitely suited to middle to upper primary, but because of my girls’ exposure to Anne, we wanted to read it anyway.
My star rating: 4/5.
Purchase here.
The Twits – by Roald Dahl
This book is entertaining, cunning, a little dark and fun. My eldest daughter loved the majority of this book. She did get a little freaked out in some parts, but overall it was a hit.
I remember this book was a read aloud in my Year 3 class growing up, and it has always stuck with me because of how much I enjoyed it.
Synopsis: The Twits tells the story of Mr. and Mrs Twit, a cruel and unkempt couple who spend their days playing tricks on one another and being mean to the animals around their home. Mr Twit has a large and grotesque beard while Mrs. Twit has a glass eye and uses a walking stick, with which she primarily hits things. Eventually, they get outsmarted by the animals that they mistreat.
My review: If you love a good laugh and a little bit of mischief, then you and your children will love this book. It may be a little dark for some younger readers (this is why I read it with my older daughter), but is sure to be an entertaining and memorable read.
My star rating: 3.5/5.
Purchase here.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit – by Beatrix Potter
My girls loved the 2012 Peter Rabbit TV show and would watch it on repeat when they were both 2 and 4 years old. When my eldest daughter was a baby, my grandmother had the whole set of Peter Rabbit books. We would flick through the pages together and she was only amused with the pictures, of course. Over the years, the Peter Rabbit characters have become very beloved in our household.
Synopsis: The Tale of Peter Rabbit is a classic children’s book by Beatrix Potter. It follows Peter Rabbit on the day his mother tells him and sisters Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-Tail to avoid Mr. McGregor’s garden because he killed their father. While his siblings obey their mother, Peter doesn’t.
My review: The Tale of Peter Rabbit is such a classic. So fun, wonderful literature to expose children to, and a beautiful English scenery to admire. It is well suited for the younger children, but my 7 year old loves it also.
My star rating: 5/5.
Purchase here.
Charlotte’s Web – by E.B. White
I am yet to introduce this book to my girls, but I intend to for our next read, because I loved this book as a child. It is always on the suggested read aloud books on almost every other blog I’ve seen.
Synopsis: Charlotte’s Web is a story of friendship, courage, and self-sacrifice. Wilbur is a pig who finds out that he is destined for slaughter. His friend, a spider named Charlotte who lives in the doorway of his pigpen, determines to save him; she accomplishes this by spinning words about him in her web.
My review: Although I haven’t read it in years, it always gave me such a warm feeling while reading it. I loved the characters. Charlotte was clever, Wilbur was sweet and the farm setting is always so fun for a child to read about. I can’t wait to read this to the girls. I know they will love it.
My star rating: 4.5/5
Purchase here.
Other Great Books
The Pilgrim’s Progress Illustrated Adventures for Kids – by John Bunyan and Phil. A. Smouse
Okay, this book caught me off my tracks. I’d never read the original of The Pilgrim’s Progress and had not even heard of it. So this children’s version was an amazing read, even for me.
The girls would insist we read it every night to find out what happens next, so it was definitely a cliff hanger of a story. As a Christian parent, I am always looking for books that are biblically inspired or have Christian themes and this book met that criteria with flying colours. It even made me cry in the end (read it and you will know why).
Synopsis: Acclaimed as one of the greatest literary masterpieces in the world, John Bunyan’s beloved allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress has captivated readers for centuries.
Now, children of all ages can experience the trials and joys of our hero’s journey as Christian leaves the City of Destruction to seek God’s Celestial City in The Pilgrim’s Progress Illustrated Adventure for Kids: A Retelling of John Bunyan’s Classic Tale.
Author/illustrator Phil A. Smouse’s whimsical, full-color illustrations capture this classic tale in a way that will delight readers. While Phil retains some of Bunyan’s original words, he also uses simple and clever phrasing to help children understand the story of why Christian desires to get his heart right with God and the obstacles he faces along the narrow way.
My review: the storyline and images were captivating, inviting, mysterious, fun and reflected the Christian journey from this life to the next in such a powerful way, yet kid-friendly way.
My star rating: 5/5.
Purchase here.
The Oak Tree – by Julia Donaldson
This book is beautiful – the illustrations and the story line. I love how it tells the tale of one single acorn and its lifespan from a small acorn to a grand oak tree and all of the children over the years who played under its boughs.
Synopsis: This is the story of an oak tree, which lives through many changes. The land around it is taken over by Normans and Tudors, then Victorians and finally, in modern times it’s toppled by a gale. Over the years, it’s sheltered and fed woodpeckers, wasps, squirrels, birds of many varieties and even a king!
My review: I love that this book is educational in the way that it teaches children about the lifespan of trees such as the oak tree. It gives children an appreciation not just of nature, but of different groups of people who have gone before us. like people of the Victorian era and the Tudors. My children ask to read this over and over again, so it is definitely a favourite in our household.
My star rating: 5/5.
Purchase here.
The Cul-de-Sac Kids collection – by Beverly Lewis
This is a Christian book series that my eldest daughter loved to read. It was her first ‘big’ book, in terms of maturity level, as the story line is primarily about older tween children. But it is age appropriate, as it covers a lot about faith, friendship and being inclusive of those who are different.
Synopsis: The Cul-de-Sac Kids is a lighthearted chapter-book series for young readers written by the talented Beverly Lewis. Each book centers on the often-humorous escapades of these endearing neighborhood friends as they learn together the value of friendship and faith. An enjoyable read for both parents and kids!
My review: It is an easy read for children from ages 7 and the Christian themes are intertwined into the book, which encourages children what it means to live as a Christian no matter how young you are.
My star rating: 4.5/5.
Purchase here.
There is a wide variety of books that I have mentioned. I hope you have found these suggestions helpful.
Happy reading with your children!
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