illustrated books for good readers

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southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

illustrated books for good readers

Post by southbucks3 »

Hello folks,
I am going to really test your knowledge now.
My youngest ds (summer born yr 5) adores illustrations when he reads. I do not mean comics, or graphic novels, but books like wind in the willows etc.
He is currently reading the scarecrow and his servant by pullman, and is enjoying it so much more than uusual, he literally takes it to bed just to stare at the pictures, checking tiny details against the story pages he has just read to me.
I would love to find more like yhis, but as he gets older and widens his vocabulary it is getting harder, thd vocab in the above mentioned books is nearly adult level, so no compromises are made.
I have found the imaginary vet series whrbn i google, which seem to have very good reviews, but he is a good little reader, so i could do with some more ideas please. He loves hans christian anderson stories and had tears running down his little face when i read the steadfast tin soldier to all three ds last night. He has a very strong imagination, and empathy, he just seems to need the illustrations to keep him motivated to turn the next page.
Thank you in anticipation.
Sanna
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2013 6:34 pm

Re: illustrated books for good readers

Post by Sanna »

Hmmm that is a tricky one. The only books I can think of with pictures that are proper good books from my DS's extensive reading are the "How to Train a Dragon" series by Cressida Cowell. Superb books although the drawings are sketchy rather than detailed.

I have a dim memory of books like Muddle Earth or some of the Terry Pratchett books being illustrated although it might depend on the version.... I can't check as they were from the library.

You can often find beautifully bound versions of some of the classics that are illustrated, most uk children's publishers have vintage type collections although you might want to check them in a book shop in case they only have one illustration!

Good luck!
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: illustrated books for good readers

Post by southbucks3 »

He loved the dragon books! That is the sort of thing I mean, maps, line drawings, etc somewhere in each chapter, or in the case of wind in the willows, gorgeous illustrations.
Okanagan
Posts: 1706
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: illustrated books for good readers

Post by Okanagan »

Some of the classics have illustrated versions.
For a more modern one have you seen A Monster Calls?
Turtlegirl
Posts: 521
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:54 pm

Re: illustrated books for good readers

Post by Turtlegirl »

The Iron Man and the Iron Woman by Ted Hughes are beautifully illustrated and beautifully told, as you'd expect from a poet. I am about to get them for my Year 6 boy who prefers poetry to fiction - they are short and lyrical.
catwoman
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 3:32 pm

Re: illustrated books for good readers

Post by catwoman »

Hi southbucks3
Your Ds sounds exactly like my Ds he is in year 5 and loves to read illustrated books and he does exactly the same, he looks at every little detail of the illustration to see if it matches up with the narrative and he is quite an empathic little Ds but as you said the books he gets from school are very limited illustration wise. He really loved reading 'the magic faraway tree' by Enid Blyton and there was another about a flying chair by Enid Blyton.
I am going to see if i can find the scarecrow and his servant at the library tonight. :)
aliportico
Posts: 888
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:19 pm

Re: illustrated books for good readers

Post by aliportico »

My old editions of the Narnia Chronicles and several E. Nesbit books have pictures. Not every page, but enough. When I read the Narnia books to my kids, at the end of each chapter I would pause so they could all look at that chapter's pictures :-)

Alice in Wonderland, of course, with Tenniell's drawings, or we also have a modern edition illustrated by Helen Oxenbury which is lovely.

Several of our Michael Morpurgo books have nice illustrations.

Will come back if I think of more!
Okanagan
Posts: 1706
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: illustrated books for good readers

Post by Okanagan »

Some of the Michael Morpurgo books have illustrated editions - Kensuke's Kingdom, Beowulf, The Mozart Question, Arthur High King of Britain, Sir Gawain.

Or by the same artist I like this illustrated version of Treasure Island - play the youtube clip as well to see more of the illustrations.

Or this Quentin Blake illustrated (abridged) version of A Christmas Carol? (also with a youtube clip)
KS10
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Re: illustrated books for good readers

Post by KS10 »

I know the author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret likes lots of drawings in his books. Don't know how good they are though.
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: illustrated books for good readers

Post by southbucks3 »

Thank you all, i knew you would not let me down.
I have ordered the enchanted castle by nesbit, the mozart question and the iron man for starters. Will also dig out ldest sons copy of a monster calls, but i think it my be too sad for little ds, as eldest ds turned into a puddle reading it in year 6 when it first was first published, and he has the empathy of a rat!
Any more ideas always welcome, i shall cross refer your great ideas with the library catalogue.

Catwoman, enjoy scarecrow, it is fab, i will venture into loft for magic faraway tree, as i am sure i had it as a child, but it may be quicker to go to the library!
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