Books for year 9 boy who has never read a book

[geogteach]

I am working with a boy at the moment who admitted today he has never read a whole book. We are talking about using language for effect and his lack of vocabulary is a big sticking point. He agreed today he might give reading a try but i don't know what to recomend, his functional reading ability is fine, don't want anything too long but need some suggestions. He is able but behind, fairly streetwise and into football. Has anyone got any recomendations?

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I think the Sharon Creech one might still work. But Despereaux probably not.

Robert Muchamore defiantly. Very readable and great for boys.

The Lemony Snicket books are good but are probably not so readable.

Goosebumps books.

You could try some manga or graphic novels. Few words, lots of pictures.

Joke books, (Tim Vine); wikipedia on topics he likes; Top Gear magazine; it depends on what appeals to him, to state the obvious.

There are plenty of suggestions here, let him choose.

Bali Rai? Does lots of football stuff. Barrington Stoke publish lots of stuff aimed at older kids interest-wise but at a lower reading level iyswim

More Bloody Horowitz - horror tales by Anthony Horowitz but they are set out in a magazine-y style.

Graphic novels? My ds went through a "I hate reading books" phase but he'd read these.

Lack of vocabulary is a stumbling block when arriving at reading late. Books aimed at older readers have more advanced vocabulary and a 14-year-old boy does not want to have to read - or be seen to be reading - babyish material.

I was helping a child with reading at school. Like OP's boy the mechanics were ok but her vocabulary was so limited that understanding, let alone enjoying, a story was a long uphill struggle.

The Outsiders is a fantastic book, and film.

Roald Dahl short stories.
Absolutely fantastic, especially for teenagers.

Otherwise, try Starseeker by Tim Bowler. Or in couple of years or so I bet half his classmates will be reading Animal Farm/1984 (their token books). Why not propose one of those to him?

foul football books might be worth a look, I haven't read them but a friend's football daft ds likes them (he is 10 and an avid reader), dd loves horrible histories and her and my dh share them. Maybe a couple of audiobooks might be good too?

Tomorrow when the war began by John Marsden. It won an award from the Swedish government for being the book to get teenagers to read.

A fourth vote for Robert Muchamore!