[zinemama]

Yes, I think HB are age appropriate for an 8yo. My 7yo listens to them on tape from the library and loves them. (We've gone through all the tapes and now he's listening to Nancy Drew)

However, what I recommend is The Three Investigators series. They are out of print but you can find them places like Abebooks and BetterWorldBooks.com

My 9yo loved them (I did too, as a kid). It's three young detectives, instead of two, like the Hardy Boys. They are much wittier and far better-written. They're from the 60s and 70s, I think and not any more violent than the HB - that is, the heroes might be taken captive by some bad guys, but no one ever gets more than a bump on the head and good always triumphs.