Funny/silly fantasy for pre-teens

[Belmondo]

Can anyone recommend anything similar to the children-appropriate Discworld ones like The Amazing Maurice for my nearly 10-yr old (pretty mature and probably reading at 11-12yrs+ level). He's loved the silliness of the Knight Sir Louis books but I think is ready for something cleverer, IYSWIM. He enjoys fantasy and LOVED the Hobbit, also loves Michael Morpurgo and the Tim Diamond detective ones by Anthony Horowitz.

There's a little bit of silly in the Belgariad - the main character is a boy with a lot to learn - but it is very explicitly violent (guts spilling out of slit bellies). I read it aged 13 and I think ds1 was about 12.

Some of Diana Wynne Jones's books are a bit silly as well as fabulous fantasy. Maybe try The Magicians of Caprona, Archer's Goon, The Ogre Downstairs, Howl's Moving Castle.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is serious and fun.

You know, really anything by Diana Wynne Jones come to think of it (although ahe did write a few that were aimed at slightly older children). She's just my very, very best children 's writer by miles and even when things are looking bleak, they're written from a child's point of view and there's fun and nonsense somewhere.

The main discworld ones should be fine for a fairly mature 10 yr old, DD adored them. I can't remember which she's read/not read, i think we started with the Witches ones as she had read the Tiffany Aching series.

She's also a big fan of Diana Wynne Jones as some have mentioned above, particularly liked Howl's Moving Castle series when in I'll only read the funny ones mode (House of Many Ways resonated a lot for a book-loving kid!). And if he's enjoyed the Hobbit might like Dark Lord of Derkholm which is a kind of high fantasy take off.

Id really recommend getting down to a decent bookshop and actually asking them. Our local Waterstones is staffed by brilliant people who spent ages talking to my DD about what she likes and recommending things.