Seven year olds are at a wonderful age for reading. Having graduated from picture books, they’re likely to be reading some longer stories independently, but are still young enough to enjoy having trickier narratives read to them. Here are the top ten books and series we’d recommend for readers at this age.

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The BFG by Roald Dahl

It’s a classic for a reason! While some of Roald Dahl’s work has aged better than others, The BFG remains timeless.

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

This series, always a winner for its relatable storylines, just got more interesting with the publication of Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: the story of the Wimpy Kid from the perspective of his best friend. It’s a great way to demonstrate to your child how different people can see a friendship differently. 

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Little Guides to Great Lives series

These biographies introduce children to a diverse range of history’s most remarkable people, from Frida Kahlo to Charles Darwin. 

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The Horrible Histories series

The gory, unsanitised version of history turns out to be exactly what young readers love, and there’s a lot of educational content hidden among the jokes.

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Read Me: A Poem for Every Day of the Year edited by Gaby Morgan

Even keen readers can struggle with poetry. This well-chosen collection makes it easier by giving children a poem a day to engage with, ranging from short, funny poems to longer classics.

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How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

This sweet, imaginative and silly series doesn’t have much in common with the films of the same name, but it will have your child laughing out loud.

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Bill’s New Frock by Anne Fine

This story of when Bill goes to school in a dress is an excellent and gentle introduction to how people sometimes treat boys and girls differently – and why that can be so unfair. 

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The Beast Quest series by Adam Blade

This is a wonderful series for reluctant readers: the action in each book starts on the first page and continues non-stop until the end. In amongst the sword fights and daring escapes, there’s some surprisingly sophisticated vocabulary.

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The Ivy and Bean series by Annie Barrows

Ivy and Bean couldn’t be more different, but they’re still the best of friends. This charming series imparts an important lesson. 

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The Usborne Official Astronaut’s Handbook

If your child is space-obsessed, they’ll love learning the facts and the science underpinning the life of an astronaut.