any 'lighter' books for DS 13 not dystopia/vampire/teen angst

[Grinstead]

DS who is 13 loves reading but really needs a break from the dystopian/violent/vampire themed series and also the great but fairly sad teen books as I feel that his reading material has suddenly become very dark- can anyone recommend some suitable books ? Although he likes the dystopian stuff he doesnt usually like fantasy books so didnt like Philip Pullman or similar. TIA

[ClutterofStarlings]

It might be a bit young, but I really enjoyed 'my side of the mountain' at about that age. A bit escapist, survivalist, without any apocalypse. I also read empire of the sun, but that's pretty dark, given the subject matter.
Would he enjoy a graphic novel? Or terry pratchett, or Neil gaiman? I think I started those around that sort of age. Although you say he doesn't like fantasy, so perhaps neither of those. But TP v funny.

[ClutterofStarlings]

Also how about a bit of Dickens?

[traviata]

DS loves:

Dirk Lloyd series

Peanuts and Calvin & Hobbes and Big Nate cartoons

Touching the Void - true mountaineering adventure

HG Wells Time Machine

[AintNobodyHereButUsKittens]

My Family and Other Animals?
Hitchhiker'sGuide to the Galaxy?

[exexpat]

Has he read Louis Sachar - Holes, etc?

[LittleLionHeart]

The Island by Olivia Levez

[exexpat]

I think 13 was around the time I got into reading some classic scifi - not as dark as some current teenage fiction. Things like Asimov (Foundation trilogy, I Robot etc), John Wyndham, Robert Heinlein and so on. And of course Hitchhikers' Guide.

DS went off fiction at that sort of age and started reading travel books - he really enjoyed some Bill Bryson and things like that.

DD is 13 and is into all the dystopian stuff, and the John Green-style ones with terminally ill teenagers and so on, but also reads a lot of manga.

[Roseformeplease]

Terry Pratchett!

[BlueChampagne]

Mortal Engines might be dystopian enough, but suitable for the age groups, and a cracking story, if he hasn't already read it.

[Sadik]

Second the recommendatino for Hitchhikers + sequels. DD also liked Ready Player One a lot (mild dystopian backdrop, but the main story involves the hero basically solving a whole series of puzzles in a massive virtual world)

[madamehooch]

Adrian Mole

The Cherub series by Robert Muchamore

Flash Flood by Andy McNab

[VikingLady]

He could go all retro and read the Hardy Boys books?

And definitely My Family and Other Animals!

[TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross]

DS is 13 and also loves all the dystopian stuff. His go-to lighter reading is the Calvin and Hobbes comics, which he reads over and over. He also likes P.G.Wodehouse - the Jeeves stories - and Terry Pratchett.

[ohnonotanothernewbie]

Another vote for the cherub series, my ex stepson loved them, and I read them too.

[mangocoveredlamb]

The wolves of willloby chase series!

[thirdtimeplucky]

Spud!

[hugoagogo]

Lots of good recommendations on here, can I add James Herriott and maybe Sherlock Holmes?

[mrsmortis]

How about the Eagle of the Ninth and it's sequels?

I'd also recommend anything by Garth Nix. A Confusion of Princes might be a good place to start.

I think I was about that age when I started to appreciate Azimov. So I Robot might work too.

[BlueChampagne]

Prisoner of Zenda
Scarlet Pimpernel
Three Muskateers

[Grinstead]

Just coming back to say thank you for all the recommendations- I had forgotten Gerald Durrell and also James Herriott books , they will be a good contrast to all the gory stuff he has been reading lately!