Need Great New Books for 8 Y/o Boy

Updated on December 20, 2010
C.L. asks from Charlottesville, VA
22 answers

My 8 year old son LOVES the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. He has ALL of them, and has read them over and over again! The trouble is, I can't get him to read any other books from cover to cover. I've bought him several other books that I think he'll enjoy, and he either loses interest or just goes back to his faves.
Any suggestions for some fun to read books for an 8 year old boy??

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S.L.

answers from Dallas on

My 8 yr old too is addicted to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books! I agree with Suzanne...my MIL bought him the first Magic Tree House book recently and he loved it. You can find them at Target, although I have started ordering them in sets off Amazon because it is cheaper

1 mom found this helpful
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C.C.

answers from Eau Claire on

My 9 year old just started getting into the Ook & Gluk series.... He's also into the Captain Underpants. These were some of the books I got him reading after he got done with his Diary of a Wimpy kid series.

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M.W.

answers from St. Cloud on

Has he read The Boxcar Children books? Those are good!

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Charlie and the chocolate factory
Superfudge
39 clues series

1 mom found this helpful
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S.A.

answers from Cheyenne on

My boy is 8. I saw someone saw Nat the great, and We realy like those. Some of the other books my boy like is Magic tree house. Super Diaper baby, and pic like whimpy kid dose, but to tell you the truth its a bit grose. I would like at it to make sure its something you would be ok with him reading. Caption under pants, there is also one about some cavemen but I just cant think of the name.
Try a store like Barns and knoble and ask tell thim what he like and see what they have to say. Or better yet try the libabry!!!
Good luck Sweety, I hope this helps
Blessings
S.

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S.G.

answers from Norfolk on

Has he read Harry Potter? Or if you want to go more old school, there was a series of books called "The Great Brain" that I LOVED as a kid. Also he might like the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. Hope that helps!

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

I highly recommend the "Nate the Great" series by Marjorie Sharmat.
Nate is a kid "detective" and has a mystery to solve in each book. He has a cool dog and some really interesting friends.
My kids loved these books and read the whole series. They were hooked after the first one.
I must say, I enjoyed them too!

You can google for more information. I think your son will like them.

Best wishes!

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K.U.

answers from Washington DC on

my 8 year old loves the Dragon Slayers Academy series, he keeps checking them out from the library even though he has read all of them,he also likes the magc treehouse series.

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J.D.

answers from Washington DC on

The Magic Tree House series and the Bones series

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Does he like sports? Dan Gutman writes some great childrens books about sports heroes.

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S.H.

answers from Washington DC on

I just raided my son's bookshelves looking for some favorites. We highly recommend the Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey, the Stink series by Megan McDonald and the Lunch Lady series by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. These sets are all comedies with some of the Wimpy Kid type of humor. I've also allowed some of the Star Wars books that were specifically written for this age group (so they are not violent). At this point the act of reading is more important than the content so resort to comics, magazines (National Geographic Kids are wonderful!!), or books you might not consider of any literary value. Most importantly, keep reading to him! He will pick up on your enthusiasm and enjoy the quality snuggle time :)

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C.D.

answers from Washington DC on

Magic Tree House, Time Warp Trio, Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. With my son, we watched the Harry Potter movies first and also the Percy Jackson movie, then my son ended up reading the percy jackson books and now is on the 6th Harry Potter book. Good Luck!!

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F.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Captain Underpants, My Side of the Mountain, Time Warp Trio

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

Hank the Cowdog is a great series. my son loved them. I used to hear him cracking up laughing out loud.

Gregor the overlander series is also good

T.N.

answers from Albany on

Matt Christopher (think that's his name) does a great sports series for younger boys.

My boys were full fledged Harry Potter Heads by the time they were 8.

One liked the Eragon books and Goosebumps of course.

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K.C.

answers from Washington DC on

My son is seven and he loves, and we encourage, the Great Illustrated Classics. He is reading My Side of the Mountain now. He has read Moby Dick, Three Musketeers, Last of the Mohicans, Swiss Family Robinson, Robinson Crusoe, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.... Books like that.

The GIClassics are great. There are a few pictures every few pages or so, and it is classic literature, but it is abridged for younger readers.

He also likes the Magic Treehouse series and Magic School Bus.

***I have read that boys tend to like informational books, so consider getting him a subscription to Zoobooks or another kids magazine! Every month it is a new topic, lots of pictures, but lots of info, too!

Good luck, and great job encouraging Reading!
KATIE

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S.B.

answers from Washington DC on

My son loves Diary of a Whimpy Kid too he recommends Captain Underpants and Lawn Boy

K.A.

answers from Washington DC on

Not a series, but if your son likes the outdoors or is in Boy Scouts, you could try "My Side of the Mountain." There's a companion to it too that talks all about how to build shelters and hunt. If you guys are up to it and especially if he's a boy scout (and mature enough), a pocket knife would go with it as a great gift for Christmas. Just a different idea. Good luck!

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A.G.

answers from Washington DC on

Try the Big Nate series of books. I don't know the author but my 8 year old son LOVES them.

M.J.

answers from Dover on

My son is 11 & also loves the DWK books. He has also really enjoyed all of the Percy Jackson books as have I & my husband. They might be a little bit advanced for an 8 year old, but that depends on his reading level I guess.

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D.C.

answers from Dallas on

Jarrett J. Krosoczka has written a series of graphic novels called "Lunch Lady" that seems to be very popular with kids your son's age and a little older. My daughter is still a little young for them, so I haven't looked too closely at them yet.

When my nephew was about that age, he loved the Hank the Cowdog series.

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R.A.

answers from Norfolk on

Try the Hank Zipzer books by Henry Winkler & Lin Oliver. My grandson read all the Wimpy Kid books when he was 8, and now he's moved on the Hank Zipzer. They are based on Henry himself (Hank), but he used the last name of a woman who lived in his apartment building as a child because he always thought she had a cool name. I believe there are 17 in the series.

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