The Amulet of Samarkand is a brilliant book (although I actually even liked the two follow-ups a little better), but if Rick Riordan's books and Skulduggery Pleasant might be a bit too much for a five-year-old, I think the same applies to Bartimaeus - not because of anything potentially objectionable in the book, but the political side of the plot might be a bit heavy-going for someone so young.
But it very much depends on the child, of course! And it is a very good book.
(If some violence isn't an issue, I'd say that the above-mentioned Skulduggery Pleasant and Riordan's series, either Percy Jackson or the Kane Chronicles, would be good, exciting choices.)
|