5 funny book series for over 5s

Horace & Harriet
World Book Day will see the introduction of the new series of books Horace & Harriet written and illustrated by Clare Elsom and aimed at children aged 5 and over. The first book Horace & Harriet: Takes on Town (Oxford University Press, £5.99), which we received to review, had us giggle throughout. It tells the story about Harriet, who is 7 and a quarter and lives in small town where there’s a statue of a commander from the seventeenth century in the local park. One day the pompous statue comes to life, and it turns out that the admiral, called Horace for short, is on the hunt for a new pillar as his home. The responsible Harriet helps Horace on the search for the perfect spot, taking the two on a hilarious adventure. The three-colour book features funny illustrations, and there is a dictionary at the end with some of the difficult words that Horace uses in his dialogue, as his choice of words may be new to many young readers.

Darcy Dolphin
The lovable Darcy Dolphin is a curious and funny dolphin and her on-the-point diaries are sure to make us giggle. The entertaining life under sea keeps surprising us, and we fell in love with the first book The Fintastic Diary of Darcy Dolphin by Sam Watkins (Egmont, £5.99) after reviewing it last year. We also loved the latest book, Darcy Dolphin and the Best Birthday Ever (Egmont, £5.99), which we received to review. In the new book, Darcy is in the Sea Trout, and the topic of the week is Lend a Fin. To win the Sea Trout competition, Darcy and her group of friends set out to help others to collect help points, and their friendship is put to a test as they discover how far they can go to win. Because of the fun play on words throughout the book, such as Sea Trout, I think young readers may find these black and white books more advanced language-wise than some others on this list.

Marge in Charge
The laugh-out-loud funny Marge in Charge books by Isla Fisher became some of our favourite books last year, and these chapter books split into three stories had us captivated from the get-go. Isla’s children’s books, which also have black and white illustrations, follow the adventures of seven-year-old Jemima and four-year-old Jakey when their crazy babysitter Marge is in charge. Marge has rainbow-coloured hair, regularly bends the rules and takes the children on unexpected and funny experiences. My favourite book in the series is Marge and the Great Train Rescue (Piccadilly Press, £5.99), where Marge takes the children on trips outside the home, including a hilarious visit to the zoo.

Rabbit & Bear
The three Rabbit & Bear books written by Julian Gough and illustrated by Jim Field can appeal to both boys and girls and are funny and sweet. The main characters are the kind and warm Bear and the grumpy Rabbit, and in the books, Bear teaches Rabbit important wisdom about friendship and happiness. The three-colour Rabbit & Bear books are beautifully-illustrated with around 100 pages each, the language is straightforward, and readers may even pick up some facts about wildlife. The latest book, Rabbit & Bear Attack of the Snack (Hodder Children’s Books, £9.99), was out in February.

Isadora Moon
The magical Isadora Moon books by Harriet Muncaster continue to entertain readers aged 5 and over, and there are now seven chapter books in the series. Isadora Moon is half vampire, half fairy, and when we read Isadora Moon Goes on a School Trip (Oxford University Press, £5.99), which we received to review in autumn, I found it sweet and funny. The story is about Isadora and her class visiting an old castle, and at the castle, Isodora and her vampire dad, who is the parent helper on the trip, finds a lonely ghost who wants to be accepted for who he is. The duo hatches a plan to help the ghost blend into the group and avoid scaring anyone. The language is clear and straightforward, making the books spot on for young readers. The seventh book will be released on 1 March – Isadora Moon Goes to the Fair (Oxford University Press, £5.99).

Tags: Books, Darcy Dolphin, Egmont, Five years, Hodder Children’s Books, Horace & Harriet, Isadora Moon, Isla Fisher, Marge in Charge, Oxford University Press, Review, Young readers