The importance of reading to young children cannot be emphasized, and as parents, we must make it a top priority to read to our children every day. According to multiple studies, toddlers and preschoolers who are read to every day have a larger vocabulary than those who are not read to at all. Reading, it turns out, offers a slew of advantages and advantages.
Reading aloud to children enhances a child’s vocabulary. It helps them learn to read and write, but it also helps them understand various topics related to the world and everyday life. Children must learn to follow words across the page from left to right and turn pages because these are important pre-reading skills that will help them become better readers in the future.
Reading-loving children excel not just in language and literacy lessons but also all other subjects. Even if you speak to your children every day, your vocabulary is likely to be limited and repetitive. Reading books exposes your child to a wide range of vocabulary on several topics, allowing them to come across words or phrases that they may not otherwise discover. Seeing children’s imagination bloom is one of the most enjoyable elements of reading with them. When we are completely absorbed in a story, we imagine what the characters are doing. The scenario appears authentic to us.
The majority of boys, particularly those under the age of eight, do not read. Even if they do, they rarely learn to appreciate it. Many boys regard reading as drudgery. Reading may, nevertheless, be a pleasurable pastime for males if they have the right book and the right atmosphere. The issue is persuading them to read long enough to notice. Genuine and meaningful connections may arise from shared reading experiences.
Here is a list of the top ten books for 8-year-old boys:
1. Elephant & Piggie Series
These books will undoubtedly join the ranks of Seuss and Eastman as classics in the early-reader field. This superb mini-dramas will surprise and amuse audiences of early readers and picture books alike. These novels will add a modern sheen to simple reader collections since they are accessible, attractive, and full of authentic feelings about what makes friendships tick. This is a sweet novel that won the Theodore Giesel Award. This hardback collection is biblical in size and weight, so children will feel extremely accomplished reading such a huge number of volumes. An Elephant & Piggie Biggie has five stories that give a pleasant introduction to these characters that your children will want to read the remaining twenty books of in the series as a follow-up. Elephant and Piggie are probably your best bet to get your children interested in reading.
2. Calvin and Hobbes
Calvin and Hobbes are unquestionably one of the most well-known comic strips of all time. This famous comic has been passed down to a new generation for a good cause. In this first collection of the iconic comic strip, Calvin, a rambunctious 6-year-old boy, and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, who comes to life hilariously, star. This collection, which includes both regular and full-page Sunday strips by Watterson, is sure to please both fans and newcomers. Calvin and Hobbes are far more than a lighthearted comic strip for a quick chuckle. It’s about changing your perspective and viewing the world through the eyes of others. Calvin is a brilliant but slow-moving little child, and Hobbes, his stuffed tiger, comes to life whenever the two of them are alone. This novel is suitable for both adults and children, and it is always entertaining.
3. The Secret Zoo
This is a fascinating and endearing mystery that will appeal to young investigators. It revolves around a group of pals that live near the zoo. Megan, one of them, vanishes when she feels that something is wrong at the zoo. Her brother and pals are tasked with finding her. This thrilling mystery will captivate your 8-year-old. There’s action, adventure, friendship, animals, and mystery in this story. It’s the complete deal. It’s a fast-paced and thrilling book for fans of fantasy, mystery, and animals in middle school. The author first thought of the concept for The Secret Zoo when he was nine years old, and he wondered what would happen if zoo displays had secret doors that enabled children to walk inside while the animals stayed outside. He instills in this narrative a spirit of adventure and excitement that has made it a favorite of many young children all around the globe.
4. My Weird School Series
Dan Gutman’s widely popular My Weird School series has something for everyone from hesitant readers to word lovers. You wouldn’t want to miss A.J. and the gang’s hilarious antics! My Weird School has sold over 23 million books and is a fantastic method to get youngsters interested in reading. The instructors at Ella Mentry School are driving A.J. mad. Miss Daisy likes to eat bonbons, Mr. Klutz gives pigs kisses, Mrs. Roopy sings a variety of amusing songs, but Ms. Hannah dresses up in potholders! What are the chances that A.J. will ever learn anything? These are maybe the funniest stories ever written for children of this age. It’s funny, and all of the characters are realistic and relatable. This one is sure to strike an interest within your little boy as it is very light-hearted and fun to read.
5. Thorfinn the Nicest Viking Series
When Thorfinn’s father dies, he is banished from the hamlet where he lives, and this novel tells the story of how he is expelled, how he traverses the Viking world in quest of help to bring his father back to life. Thorfinn is the friendliest of all the Vikings, despite their reputation for being harsh and unpleasant. In saving his father, he shows amazing bravery. Other Vikings aren’t like Thorfinn. Tea and scones appeal to him more than pillaging and torching villages. However, in his confrontations with vicious Scots and other sworn enemies, this polite Viking learns that his excellent manners help him. This book is completely comprised of comedic material. Thorfinn, the Nicest Viking, is a new series for young readers who like Horrid Henry and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This book is set on a planet where manners are useless, and politeness is a waste of time. It is sure to be enjoyed by little boys and girls alike.
6. The High-Skies Adventures of Blue Jay the Pirate
Scott Nash has created a wonderful tribute to traditional adventure books with this book. This is a fantastic page-turner with short, action-packed chapters, anthropomorphic bird-pirates, and gorgeous pen and ink graphics. Captain Blue Jay the Pirate is a notorious pirate with a ravenous desire for wealth, particularly eggs. However, when he and his crew save a particularly large egg from a raccoon, they get more than they bargained for when the egg hatches. It turns out to be a baby goose who, in addition to consuming more than the others, will also grow to be larger than their ship, the Grosbeak. Jay, on the other hand, protects Gabriel the goose, pledging to reciprocate their friendship in the future.
7. Hilo Book 1: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth
Every child would like to have a friend like HILO, and every child would enjoy this book. Hilo is the series for your youngster if you’re searching for an action-packed graphic novel that’s also enjoyable to read. Many well-known authors have complimented it, including Neil Gaiman and Jeff Smith. It follows D.J. and Gina, two seemingly regular kids who become friends with Hilo, an extraterrestrial youngster who has no idea where he came from or why he ended up on Earth. They work together to educate Hilo on how to blend in and survive in our society while also attempting to figure out what happened to him in the past. There are robots in space. What more could an eight-year-old want?
8. Dragons in a Bag
Jaxon is tasked with assisting his grandmother in delivering newborn dragons to a mystical haven. He can’t let them out of the sack or give them anything sweet to eat. Hijinks occur when Jaxon and his buddies lose the dragons. This book will appeal to children who appreciate stories involving time travel, talking animals, magic, and a varied urban environment. Kids this age appreciate series consistency; thus, this book is the first of a series that is ideal. Before you know it, you’ll be rushing out to get the next book. This chapter book fantasy with an urban setting, a cast of brown-skinned magic users, and a likable black protagonist that readers will cheer for and empathize with. There are themes of good progress, concerns of othering and fear of diversity, and familial difficulties, gentrification, and segregation.
9. Epic Zero Series
Elliott Harkness has superhero parents, a sister, and a dog. Unfortunately, he lacks power and is referred to be a “zero.” He is stuck as an average boy while his family rescues the planet. When a new threat emerges, and Elliot realizes he is the planet’s final hope, he must look deep inside himself to preserve it. Will he grow up to be a superhero, or will he stay powerless? The narration of Epic Zero is superb. It’s amusing and unique, and it’ll make your 8-year-old laugh out loud. This is sure to make your kid fall in love with reading and might even push them to do it voluntarily.
10. The Wild Robot
Peter Brown, the famous author/illustrator, has created a magnificently illustrated tale. This is the heartwarming tale of Roz, a robot who finds herself alone on a remote island. She is compelled to adapt to her surroundings and become one with the wild because she has no idea how or why she ended herself there. But how can a robot, a man-made object, fit into a natural setting? Many moments in this profoundly emotional narrative will warm your child’s heart. Nature, consciousness, and technology are among the subjects explored. This is virtually an all-rounder because it piques a child’s emotional as well as scientific curiosity.
