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Children's books

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Original poster

book ideas for 10 yr old boy...he's a very fluent reader...

67 replies

MaryAnnSingletomb · 19/10/2007 12:21

...ds is reading Michael Morpurgo at the moment (working his way through them) - he reads very fluently and I want him to keep on reading chapter books for pleasure, so what can people suggest that I encourage him with ?

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sKerryMum · 19/10/2007 14:28

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ahundredtimes · 19/10/2007 14:26

Right.

DS10 - also good reader - is reading Willard Price Adventure books and enjoying.

Robert Muchamore, which someone mentioned below, the Cherub series BUT be warned these are for teenagers and have lots of swearing in.

Caroline Lawrence - that Roman Mystery series.

LOVED Lemony Snicket, but they do need a certain sense of humour for these. Ditto The Spiderwick Chronicles.

erm . . .

Oh yes, Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Coifer.

Didn't like Charlie Higson for some reason. Likes Horowitz Alex Ryder a bit, also likes the Horowitz horror books, but again that's for a certain taste I think.

Still likes funny easy books like Jeremy Strong and the How To Be a Pirate books AND likes Jennings books too.

slayerette · 19/10/2007 14:22

Try David Almond - Skellig and Kit's Wilderness are both good. And historical stuff - what about The Machine-Gunners and other books by Robert Westall?

hanaflower · 19/10/2007 14:20

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Original poster
MaryAnnSingletomb · 19/10/2007 14:17

that's lovely thready

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ThreadyKrueger · 19/10/2007 14:14

I'm sure he'll carry on enjoying reading. My ds1 has always been voracious -- plenty of trash as well as the good stuff, just anything that came to hand. Now he is twelve and still going strong: last three books were 'Down and out in Paris and London', 'We need to talk about Kevin' (Scared me when he read that!!!) and a book of Scott Fitzgerald short stories)!! It thrills me to bits that he loves reading.

stleger · 19/10/2007 14:13

My almost 16 year old son is ploughing through the original James Bond books, and after that is hoping to move on to Robert Ludlum. So not great works, but not as bad as some.

fircone · 19/10/2007 14:05

I know what you mean. I do have to pick out ds's books, endure his groans as he peruses the blurb, and then he usually really enjoys them and describes the plots to me in huge detail (yawn!).

Original poster
MaryAnnSingletomb · 19/10/2007 13:57

oh yes, I agree fircone - ds will read anything that's handy, it's just that I hope he'll carry on reading good books too !

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fircone · 19/10/2007 13:52

Just a general point: I used to fret that ds wasn't reading something worthy all the time, but now I realise that just as sometimes he likes to get immersed in a good book, at other times all he wants to read are Marvel Superheroes comics.

Just like anyone, I suppose - sometimes only a glossy mag will do the trick!

colditz · 19/10/2007 13:46

My brother used to love a book called Hatchet.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingletomb · 19/10/2007 13:43

fircone - yes- he might like the Lynn Reid Banks book -did she do Harry the poisonous centipede ? he loved those when younger. He's also read Stig of the Dump

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Original poster
MaryAnnSingletomb · 19/10/2007 13:41

yes, he might try classics
cremola - I really like the Charlie Higson novels for grown ups,so that's a great suggestion

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fircone · 19/10/2007 13:40

Ds has just finished Darkside by Tom Becker. It was the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2007 winner.

Ds gave it a rave review, despite having misgivings after seeing a poncey boy in the Winchester Waterstones raving about it.

Another vote for the Charlie Higson Young Bond books.

And a firm favourite is The Indian in the Cupboard (not the film - utter ). It seems to capture a pre-pubescent boy's obsessions and fears well.

cremolafoam · 19/10/2007 13:29

here

cremolafoam · 19/10/2007 13:28

Young Bond by Charlie Higson; I think there are three or four of them now

mummytheresa · 19/10/2007 13:27

Stig of the Dump. My 9yo is enjoying this at the moment.

sKerryMum · 19/10/2007 13:26

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Original poster
MaryAnnSingletomb · 19/10/2007 13:22

Artemis Fowl - yes, that's a good idea !
I wonder what boys go on to after though - at about 16 ? adult books I suppose, I'm hoping ds will read good novels like his dad rather than SAS type books which is what my brother reads,if he reads anything apart from car/sailing/sports mags

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sKerryMum · 19/10/2007 13:19

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Original poster
MaryAnnSingletomb · 19/10/2007 13:17

mmm, it was the very detailed bit at the beginning with the boy tacking across the grass to hear his dad's letter. Also ds has seen the film version a million times,so probably couldn't be bothered after that ! lots of people love Arthur Ransome though.

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EllHell · 19/10/2007 13:13

I couldn't get past the first chapter of Swallows and Amazons when I was that age (or, indeed, ever) MaryAnn, but people kept telling me that it was a 'girl thang' and that it was just a boys' book. Obviously not!

Original poster
MaryAnnSingletomb · 19/10/2007 13:11

thank you all - excellent suggestions - I'm very excited as I love buying books for him. I just want him to go on reading because I've heard that boys just stop and it would break my heart if he did. He has tried Swallows and Amazons too but it was so wordy.
I loved The Wool Pack by Cynthia Harnett at about that age, so might try it - he's quite interested in historical stuff

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ThreadyKrueger · 19/10/2007 13:09

There is a wonderful set of books by someone called Walter Moers:
-The 13 and a half Lives of Captain Bluebear
-Rumo
-The City of Dreaming Books

Kind of comic fantasy. Not specifically aimed at children (and not in the kids' section) but very accessible and funny. My dcs love them.

EllHell · 19/10/2007 13:05

Rosa! I reckon we could swap daughters and not notice!