12 great books for 7-year-olds
Our top 12 contemporary reads for seven year olds.
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Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Ghosts
Author: Katie and Kevin Tsang Illustrator: Nathan Reed
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 9+Sam Wu is scared of many things but is determined not to let anyone find out. However, after an unfortunate incident in a space simulator on a school trip, he becomes a target for class bully Ralph, who nicknames him Scaredy-Cat Sam.
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The Adventures of Harry Stevenson, Guinea Pig Superstar
Author: Ali Pye
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 6+Harry the guinea pig is going to school for the first time! But the day turns out to have some unexpected results. This illustrated young reader book contains two stories and lots of charming black and white illustrations, perfect for young animal fans that aren't looking for long reads.
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Clyde
Author: Jim Benton
Publisher: Yoe Books
Interest age: 7-9
Reading age: 6-9Fans of Dog Man and Captain Underpants will adore Jim Benton's fast paced, clearly laid out and short comic: the humour is fast paced, zany and just the right kind of surreal to appeal to primary school kids looking for laughs.
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Bad Nana: Older Not Wiser
Author: Sophy Henn
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 7+Bad Nana is quite unlike Jeanie’s other two grandmas. So when Jeanie and her class go on a school trip, it’s no surprise that Bad Nana manages to make it a lot more interesting than anyone expected. A riot of bright colour and laugh-out-loud moments.
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Glitch
Author: Sarah Graley
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+Izzy and her friend Eric just can’t wait for Dungeon City to arrive – until Izzy find that she’s sucked into the game. Sarah Graley’s fantastic and fun games-themed new comic novel is perfect for 8-11s, gaming-mad or not.
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Two Sides
Author: Polly Ho-Yen Illustrator: Binny Talib
Publisher: Stripes
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+Lula and Lenka are the best of friends until they have an argument and neither will say sorry. Will they ever manage to make up? Polly Ho-Yen beautifully explores the complexity of friendships and learning that there are always two sides of a story.
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Armadillo and Hare
Author: Jeremy Strong Illustrator: Rebecca Bagley
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Interest age: 4-8
Reading age: 6+In this adorable collection of ten short stories, friends Armadillo and Hare meet other animals in a variety of encounters that centre on the importance of small things. Full of gentle humour and philosophy, reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh.
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Super Cats
Author: Gwyneth Rees Illustrator: Becka Moor
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+Tabby kitten, Tagg, is astounded to learn that he is a Super Cat, just like his parents. He must use his newfound superpowers to help rescue several missing cats. An amusing, action-packed adventure.
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Argh! There’s a Skeleton Inside You!
Author: Idan Ben-Barak Illustrator: Julian Frost
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Interest age: 4-8
Reading age: 5+Quog and Oort are off to Kevin’s birthday party but – oh no! – their spaceship is broken. This beautifully crafted story distils complex ideas into a fun story. Thoroughly recommended for anyone exploring the world of science with young children.
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Ballerina Dreams
Author: Michaela and Elaine DePrince Illustrator: Ella Okstad
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Interest age: 5-8
Reading age: 6-8This heart-warming true story about working hard to achieve your dreams will inspire children to believe that they can be whoever they want to be.
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The Unbelievable Top Secret Diary of Pig
Author: Emer Stamp
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 7+Pig is quite happy on the farm - until Duck reveals the terrible truth that Farmer doesn't love him at all and is simply fattening him up to become his dinner.
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Fanatical About Frogs
Author: Owen Davey
Publisher: Flying Eye
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+The fifth in Owen Davey’s wonderful non-fiction series about animals adds frogs to the ranks of clear, fascinating reads, accompanied by truly amazing graphic illustration and just the right level of information to inspire all primary school kids.
