12 great books for 8 year olds

Griffiths and Denton create a triumph to engage even the most determined hater of books, which includes hilarious cartoon drawings.

A luxurious compendium of all things sporty, featuring both well-known and less popular games and activities with plenty of fascinating facts.

Dog Man is a comic masterclass, perfect for the surreal sense of humour of the average six- to nine-year-old. It’s a full-colour comic throughout with five to six simple panels per page and split into eight chapters, so kids can feel like they’re reading a lot quickly.

Izzi Howell’s genius book combines genuinely astonishing scientific facts with hilarious and cute cat pictures: a perfect book for sparking conversations (and with ​“aww” appeal).

A perfect book for young children interested in their cultural heritage or for those with a passion for travel and geography, this would also make a gorgeous gift for anyone interested in Africa.

Children will love this beautiful and fascinating introduction to Everest, and it’s a particularly useful resource for primary schools who are looking at international features such as mountains in Key Stage 1 and 2.

When fluffy pooch McTavish moves in, he finds his new family in quite a pickle. But not to worry because he’s sure he’ll have them retrained in no time at all. A charming and heartwarming short novel, full of spark, keen observations and sly humour.

Frankie Banister and his family run the Nothing to See Here Hotel, which is cunningly hidden from human view by magic and lots of really bad TripAdvisor reviews. The cast of characters in this laugh-out-loud book are full of sparkle, oddness and vitality.

Max longs for adventure in his life – then one day, a flying pony called Kevin crashes into his flat, blown in by a magical storm. Mayhem, friendship and a brilliant cast of characters combine in this fabulously funny tale.

The first in a series, this ghoulishly funny chapter book is full of fabulous gothic pen-and-ink illustrations and explores the importance of friendship.

Brothers always find something to fight about. Alex and Freddy are no different – even though they’re also the most powerful robots in the universe.

A fun and mildly scary virtual romp through a computer game packed with space paraphernalia and gadgetry. Entertaining black-and-white illustrations add atmosphere and more than a few laughs.