Getting the kids to read over the summer holidays can sometimes be a challenge. The trick is finding an author or character they enjoy and expanding their reading into related books. After reading the special edition book from Geronimo Stilton I was surprised to discover there are other books in the Stilton world but with a different twist.
Geronimo Stilton has been popular for all my kids including my now seven-year old. They have characters the kids enjoy, the books include a lot of cheesy puns and the graphic treatment of text adds to the reading experience. There are a lot of books in the Geronimo Stilton series should you child enjoy one book and they’re not chronological so it doesn’t matter what story they start with. However, if you are looking for something different yet related perhaps one of these additional series will spark some reading interest:
Spacemince
A child with a fascination about space, rockets and aliens might enjoy the Geronimo Stilton Spacemice series. You’ll find the same characters from the original series but with modified space names plus you’ll be introduced to new characters like the Astroslug alien or the MouseStar 1’s onboard computer the Hologramix. Of course there has to be a mystery to solve but with a little bit of space alien appeal.
Cavemice
Volcanos, dinosaur dung, and cave homes, Geronimo Stilton’s Cavemice takes you back into prehistoric times. Rodent Saphien Geronimo Stiltnoot carved his adventures in cave rock, peppered with cheesy humour. The only thing that would have made this better is if the illustrations were created more like cave drawings but they are the familiar Stilton-style illustrations.
Creepella Von Cacklefur
Stilon fans looking for something a little spooky may enjoy the Creepella Von Cacklefur series. Living in Gloomeria, Creepella Von Cacklefur shares her encounters with ghosts, bats, and haunted mansions. There may not be cheese-based jokes but the same illustrations and creative text treatment will entertain readers with spooky tales but without keeping kids up at night.
Thea Stilton
My daughter enjoys reading about the adventures of Geronimo Stilton but I think her favourite character has to be his sister Thea. Like the main Stilton books, Thea Stilton’s stories invite readers to help solve the mystery, flagging clues within the pages of the book. But unlike Geronimao, Thea is all for taking chances and putting herself in the middle of the adventure, joined with the sisterhood known as the Thea Sisters. A fun read with a fun female lead.
The Kingdom of Fantasy
Geronimo takes a tumble down a mysterious cave and ends up in the magical world of The Kingdom of Fantasy. Unlike the other Stilton books, The Kingdom of Fantasy introduces readers to characters that aren’t mice at all, even in illustrative form. It is like two very different worlds meeting. You’ll encounter elves, magic spells and unicorns, a perfect fantasy adventure with Stilton humour and adventure mixed in.
Although the various series within the Geronimo Stilton collection have elements to appeal to different interests, whether that be prehistoric worlds or realms of fantasy, there is still a strong thread of the original Stilton within each. Familiar characters are included (if alter slightly based on the specific book’s focus), the fun use of illustrated text to evoke feelings, and a little cheesy humour can be found in all the books.
If your child loves reading Geronimo Stilton there is a large assortment of books within the original series to keep him or her entertained but the other sub series offer a nice twist on a reading adventure. Building on characters and stories a child likes is one way to encourage him or her to continue reading and enjoying other books, even without the teacher assigning it.