Gift Ideas for Boys (Aged 6-9)

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From super spies and fearless pizzas to the last Jedi manual - we've got some books that are sure to amaze and delight kids who might have outgrown most of the standard children's fare and are just starting to venture out into the wider world of chapter books. Filled with lively illustrations and great activities, this list of gift ideas is the perfect antidote to boredom these Christmas holidays.

Zac Power Spy Case
H.I. Larry

The Zac Power books have won over kids all around the world since they first appeared in 2006. And why not, when you consider that the young protag is a seemingly ordinary 12-year-old boy, who just happens to be from a family of super-spies and works for the Government Investigation Bureau. Zac has an awesome secret life full of extraordinary fast-paced adventures and state-of-the-art gadgets, so of course this Spy Case is just the thing for fans. It comes complete with a Zac Power Test Drive title, colouring and activity book and stationery set, all packed into an ultra-cool re-usable Zac Power case.

How To Blow Up Tollins
Conn Iggulden

In these three tales, Conn Iggulden explores the explosive, magical and adventurous world of the Tollins, creatures who are about as far as you could get from a fairy, and as fragile as your average housebrick. Complete with thrilling cliff-hangers, evil plots, derring-do and even the odd fairy (usually squashed), this is the book every boy reader has been waiting for. Forget Tinkerbell - this wickedly illustrated tale is all about little people as you've never known them before.

Pizza Cake
Morris Gleitzman

Morris Gleitzman has been delighting kids for years now, what with his brilliant sense of humour and his ability to get right into the heart of all kinds of stories - from the hilarious to the weird and the downright absurd. Pizza Cake is a collection of 10 of his best and most entertaining yarns - featuring all sorts of antics, from rescuing dad from a dog and spider and using a toilet roll to get justice, to saving lives with a paperclip and, of course, eating a pizza that will make you fearless.

Magic Beans
Adele Geras, Gillian Cross, Philip Pullman and others

And, speaking of stories, you can't go past this wonderful anthology that features classic fairytales as retold by our best children's authors. This is an A-list too long to name, but includes Philip Pullman, Adele Geras, Malorie Blackman and Michael Morpurgo among many others. A beautiful hardback with stunning line-drawings, this is the perfect way to introduce classic stories to a whole new generation.

How Machines Work
Nick Arnold and Allan Sanders

A practical, easy-to-understand guide to all things machine-like and how they work, from levers, planes, wheels and axles, gears, cams, cranks, pulleys and ratchets. Comes complete with 12 working machines to build and hours of entertainment - the perfect gift for curious little minds.

Star Wars: The Jedi Path
Dan Wallace

Possibly a gift so awesome you'll be sorely tempted to keep it yourself. We could describe how the doors of this silver vault slide open, revealing The Jedi Path on a raised platform, and how the training manual itself is full of the secrets and tokens of ancient Jedi Masters, but that probably wouldn't be quite enough. What would is a look inside the book itself - open up the world of Star Wars below and be amazed.