Get my 10 year old son reading again!

[Cupcake2000]

My ten year old son hates reading, he read all three of the 'wimpy kid' books over the summer, but isnt interested in anything else, Can you recomend any other books to get him to enjoy reading again... Thanks!

[Ingles2]

What level of reader is he and what level is he happy reading?

[hallowedbethyname]

My son was the same at his age, have you tried Darren Shan books? Vampires and demons, but with humour, and not in a girly twilight way!

[Cupcake2000]

At the end of year 5 he was a level 4C (sats) He is really struggling in Literacy and im hoping that getting him into reading will help him become more confident in his writing. He has always been a confident reader but over the past 2 years has lost interest in reading :(

[SkippyjonJones]

www.amazon.co.uk/Strange-Case-Origami-Yoda/dp/0810984253/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286283971&sr=8-1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 is perfect for him.

[SkippyjonJones]

Also this www.amazon.co.uk/Holes-Louis-Sachar/dp/0747563667?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 or anything by Louis Sachar

[Cupcake2000]

Thankyou so much! I am writing these down and hopefully get him to reading again! The school doesnt seem to encourage reading once they get into Year 6..Once they have completed the reading system in school its basically a case of choose a library book and thats it!!!argh!

[SkippyjonJones]

This is also great, perhaps a higher level read but is quite short. Brilliant author www.amazon.co.uk/Revolver-Marcus-Sedgwick/dp/1444000055/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286284437&sr=1-1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[ChippyMinton]

Bit of an off the wall suggestion, but if he has a Nintendo DS you could get him the 'Flips' interactive books - Artemis Fowl and Percy Jackson are both available. The novelty of reading on his DS may appeal?

[SkippyjonJones]

Also choose your own adventure books www.amazon.co.uk/Warlock-Firetop-Mountain-Fighting-Gamebook/dp/1840463872/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286285021&sr=1-1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Cupcake2000]

He does have a DS, I didnt even know they had interactive books!! Thankyou, will look into those.. Thanks

[SkippyjonJones]

www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&productId=197362 perfect christmas present

[ChippyMinton]

DS has this one but you can get them cheaper elsewhere, I think. Have you a Smyths toy store near you? They had them for £10 the other week.

[Ingles2]

Sorry, just dashed off for the school run...
some really good suggestions here, especially the flips.
When I asked about levels earlier, I meant does he prefer to attempt easier books than he can actually read?
I've got 2 boys 9 and nearly 11... My 9 yr old is a really good reader but is put off by long pages of tiny writing with no pics... he's rereading Beast Quest at the moment.
He also read this last week.. its a comic book story from the author of Captain Underpants.
If he wants harder books my 10yr old has enjoyed
Charlie Bone like Harry Potter, but easier
Rangers Apprentice series
wolf brother series
Do you know what type of books he enjoys?

[nooka]

We have a compulsory reading period, where a new book has to be attempted (no re-reading the same book again and again and again). It's only half an hour, just before bed, with the alternate option is to go straight to sleep.

My ds is 11 and dyslexic, and although he can read pretty well is very very picky and not inclined to try new stuff.

He's loved Artemis Fowl, the Warriors series, the Mister Monday series (Garth Nix) and Charlie Bone (Jenny Nimmo). I give him lots of options (home or library books) and say he has to read the first chapter before dismissing any book. Seems to work, and when he likes something he loves it. He still doesn't trust my recommendations though!

[SixtyFootDoll]

My son likes the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz - one of whch is 'Stormbreaker'

[Timbachick]

Just some quick ideas:

Artemis Fowl series - Eoin Colfer
Percy Jackson series - Rick Riordan
The Enemy/The Dead - Charlie Higson
The Young Bond series - Charlie Higson
Inkdeath series - Cordelia Funke???
Holes/Small Steps - Louis Sacher
The Indian in the Cupboard series - Lynne Reid Banks
Alex Rider series - Antony Horowitz
anything by Phillip Pullman (Golden Compass etc)
Jimmy Coates series - Joe Craig

Will try to think of more and will ask my own 10 year old DS when he gets home from school.

[Lancelottie]

Has he gone beyond Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third? Nicely jokey, and my 11-yr-old ds is still agitatedly waiting for the final one of the series.

[DilysPrice]

All the suggestions above are good, but if he's struggling with full length novels then he might like Captain Underpants, or Asterix, which are a bit closer to the Wimpy Kid level. Or go non-fiction with Horrible Science/History.

[bigTillyMint]

DS is loving Percy Jackson and Mr Gum! at the moment.

He read all the Captain Underpants and Asterix books, loads of Michael Morpurgo and some Jaqueline Wilson

[exexpat]

When DS was ten, his favourite author apart from Antony Horowitz was Alex Shearer - Tins, Bootleg, Sea Legs etc. Some now out of print but you can pick up second-hand copies on amazon. Some of the Morris Gleitzman ones are good too, I think particularly the Toad ones.

[mamaduckbone]

Have you tried Michael Lawrence - not my cup of tea but very popular with 10yo reluctant readers IME - nice level of toilet humour (Maggot Pie, Nudie Dudie, The Snottle)
or if he likes fantasy type books the Percy Jackson series is excellent and quite accessible.

[klm4765]

He could try the Astrosaurs series by Stephen Cole, or some of Michael Morpurgo, such as The Butterfly Lion. Antony Horowitz Groosham Grange and Diamond Brothers books are shorter and easier to read than the Alex Rider books.

[exexpat]

I'd also second pretty much all the ones Timbachick mentioned - haven't heard of Joe Craig though, and DS never got into Cornelia Funke. Might try again with DD though...

[Timbachick]

exepat - Joe Craig books are about a boy who is actually the result of an experiment and is half boy half cyborg. Very entertaining for 10 year old boys + who delight in all that robot stuff. There is a whole series. If you put his name into Amazon you will see the list. Can heartily recommend.

Also, there is a book called 'Bumosaurs' - yes, it's all about bum named/shaped dinosaurs. Hilariously funny. The author has just come out with a novel called 'Bumosaurs - The Final Pongflict'. Can't remember the author but Amazon should have it. Really funny.

[piprabbit]

Terry Pratchett?
The kids books are great - or you could go straight on to the adult ones if you think your DS has the necessary skills.