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Children's books

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Original poster

Attention please Roisin or mums of pre-teen boys please

78 replies

janeite · 23/02/2010 20:39

Hello! I am looking for book recs that are boy friendly, for ages 11 and 12, some of which might also appeal to KS3 boys but with reading ages of 7-9 and others for boys with reading ages to match or be just above chronological. Not the obvious ones like Horrowitz, Young Bond, Artmeis Fowl, as I know those but ones that are maybe newer than that or older with lasting appeal.

Thanks ever so.

OP posts:
roisin · 23/02/2010 21:33

I also use books of short stories, especially ghost stories (as we then do a written piece). And I'm trying to think of the name of the one I use most, but failing atm.

The other thing I use a lot with great success, which I'm sure you have already, is books of plays written for 6-8 parts. These are very popular.

PandaG · 23/02/2010 21:32

Thanks Roisin.

roisin · 23/02/2010 21:31

Other than that we have lots of books from Barrington Stoke, who publish books aimed at teenagers with very low reading ages. Short pages, dylexia-friendly font and cream rather than white pages, etc.

I wouldn't particularly name any one book as being the best, but they are generally good for the purpose.

roisin · 23/02/2010 21:28

Are these to use in class as set texts, or to dish out to encourage reading? I find the major problem with much that has been recommended here is the length of the books, which is offputting for students for class books or private reading.

For the lower reading age students, I have a set of these: Deep Water It's great for teaching hooks as every chapter ends on one. There's a literal cliffhanger, when a boy is left clinging to a ledge on a cliff! All the students I have worked with have found the book to be gripping and a real page-turner. And it's short.

I came across it through the LPU Reading Between the Lines Unit. And there is some useful material in there about infer/deduce and prediction that you can tie in if you want to.

JGBMum · 23/02/2010 21:28

The Boy in the Dress by David Williams (of Little Britain fame), and illustrated by Quentin Blake - it's brilliant!

roisin · 23/02/2010 21:24

OK. There is lots of sex, drugs and violence in the Cherub books. We have had occasional parental complaints about them, when yr7s have read them. I think anything that gets boys reading is great, and would encourage the students to recommend them to each other, rather than me recommend them directly to them iyswim. From memory the first one is more tame, but as a member of staff I wouldn't be comfortable using them as a set text iyswim.

I don't censor books to my own boys at all, but even I raised a few eyebrows at these and have gently steered ds2 (yr6) away from them.

SuSylvester · 23/02/2010 21:23

i liked cliffhanger and the other one its paired with
rest of JW is shit

SuSylvester · 23/02/2010 21:22

HIVE is a great tip - haev ordered

SuSylvester · 23/02/2010 21:22

holes is good and cotterell boyce too but hard

Original poster
janeite · 23/02/2010 21:14

Got 'Holes' - wonderful, wonderful book.

OP posts:
Original poster
janeite · 23/02/2010 21:13

Dd1 is 15 and still keeps Varjack Paw as her 'comfort read'

You are all stars. I have to go for a while now to remind the girls where their bedrooms are etc but will try and pop back in a while. And whilst you're here, if any of you want to help me here too I would be an even happier bunny!

Thanks ever so - loads of wonderful ideas here.

OP posts:
MinaTannenbaum · 23/02/2010 21:12

Would the Garth Nix Keys to the Kingdom suit? and Tanya Landman has proved popular here.

Milliways · 23/02/2010 21:11

Holes? (Louis Sachar)

Cliffhanger (Jacqueline Wilson) - maybe a little young?

Agree, Cherub books are a hit.

SoupDragon · 23/02/2010 21:11

Oooh - DS got the Graveyard Book for Christmas. He's not read it yet I may have to swipe it and see what it's like as I am between books ATM.

SoupDragon · 23/02/2010 21:10

DS1 was forced to read Varjak Paw last year (Y5) and loved it.

Original poster
janeite · 23/02/2010 21:10

Have ordered Frank CB as well - forget which one. I didn't like Skullduggery Pleasant.

Ooh - what about The Graveyard Book?

OP posts:
MinaTannenbaum · 23/02/2010 21:09

Frank Cottrell Boyce! Millions especially
And what about Skulduggery Pleasant...

SoupDragon · 23/02/2010 21:08

Charlie Bone has had good reviews from friends. Kind of Harry Potteresque insofar as he's at magic school (I think!). Also "Nightmare Academy" by Dean Lorey I've not read either to judge though.

Original poster
janeite · 23/02/2010 21:07

C;arice Bean rocks - but they would so not appreciate her!

OP posts:
MinaTannenbaum · 23/02/2010 21:06

Ds also likes the Clarice Bean novels but from what Janeite says they will need to be made over with new covers first...

Original poster
janeite · 23/02/2010 21:06

Think I may have HIVE on the list already. I want to read them all myself now!

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 23/02/2010 21:05

Henderson Boys are the prequels to Cherub - how the unit was set up.

SoupDragon · 23/02/2010 21:05

Definitely. I think they may be OK for older boys with a lower reading age too (perhaps those with an age of 9+?). I don't think they were complex - tough but not impossible. The print wasn't too small either.

Original poster
janeite · 23/02/2010 21:05

Have got Noughts And Crosses - it's too long and complex really for what I need.

Mr Tom is fabbo - but I'm looking mainly for ones that they are less likely to encounter in primary/English lessons. Reading as pure pleasure.

Keep em coming! What is Henderson Boys?

Sorry re any typos - am multi-tasking!

OP posts:
MinaTannenbaum · 23/02/2010 21:04

It must be the historical aspect of it soupdragon! I found it less in-yer-face modern but I agree it is more gory!

H I V E series good too...

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