this post was submitted on 07 Feb 2026
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my niblings are 5 and 6 respectively. they like to read and be read to and I would like to get some books to help foster their enjoyment of reading as they grow up - so ideally stuff that's not too challenging but still good for fostering young imaginations. obviously sneaky subversive themes are welcome - the sneakier the better, I kinda suspect their dad leans chud.

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[–] Muinteoir_Saoirse@hexbear.net 0 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Babysitters Club, Bailey Schools Kids, Wayside School (Louis Sachar, who did Holes but Holes is a little older) and especially Magic Tree House are all great series for early readers

[–] Muinteoir_Saoirse@hexbear.net 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Robert Munsch (I really like Paper Bag Princess) is also good for solo reading for early readers)

[–] Muinteoir_Saoirse@hexbear.net 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

If they're strong readers and into fantasy, Deltora Quest series is a really great way for kids to get into epic fantasy, but it skews a little old for most 6 year old solo readers. Huge hit for the 8-10 crowd though

Same with Septimus Heap.

[–] Muinteoir_Saoirse@hexbear.net 1 points 3 hours ago

Roald Dahl was a bad dude, but Matilda and the BFG are still great books.

[–] humanrogue@hexbear.net 1 points 8 hours ago
[–] TraschcanOfIdeology@hexbear.net 2 points 10 hours ago

The little prince has been done to death, but there's a reason it's so popular.

[–] rentasintorn@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 12 hours ago

Warrior cats and wings of fire are cool. Dogman is popular and pretty funny.

Calvin and Hobbes is timelessly funny, but does have some adult themes.

Imo if the dad leads chud, you're better off supporting a love of reading in general.

I love Wrinkle in time, but it's pretty anti-communist

[–] ashenone@lemmy.ml 12 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (2 children)

A wizard of Earthsea. Might be a tad old for them but not by much and Usula K Le Guin is super based.

Also A Wrinkle in Time was a favorite of mine when I was a kid

[–] carpoftruth@hexbear.net 5 points 19 hours ago

Props to earthsea, the first one in particular is very accessible.

[–] booty@hexbear.net 6 points 20 hours ago

I literally came to recommend A Wizard of Earthsea. I think it would maybe be a little hard for someone of that age to read on their own, but if an adult is reading it to them I think they'd love it.

Just don't let Dad read the author's notes, she's pretty explicitly based in those.

[–] reader@hexbear.net 1 points 11 hours ago

I haven't revisited them since I was a kid so no idea if there's any... themes but I read a lot of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques as a little one.

I'm just realizing I read more then than I do now doggirl-cry

[–] Muinteoir_Saoirse@hexbear.net 3 points 16 hours ago

At that age, especially considering potentially being read to: The Phantom Tollbooth

The Strega Borgia chronicles (starting at 6 or 7) and then into Series of Unfortunate Events (which is a really stellar way to build vocabulary in young readers).

[–] ChaosMaterialist@hexbear.net 2 points 16 hours ago

Dr. Seuss books are very accessible at that age. I particularly like Oh The Places You'll Go. Richard Scarry's Busytown is another fun series. Then there are the oldschool Magic School Bus books. Another all time favorite is Dinotopia just for the imaginative worldbuilding of a utopian society. As they grow older you can't go wrong with Roald Dahl.

I'm also going to second A Wrinkle in Time.