Recommendations for books to read to an 11year old boy that we will BOTH enjoy.

[MordechaiVanunu]

We've done recently Goodnight Mr Tom, Secret Garden and quite a few Michael Morpurgo, and we've just given up on Swallows and Amazons after many weeks as god it was tedious.

So what should we try next?

I've been recommended Wolf Brother? And Terry Pratchett (started separate Terry Pratchett thread) any other suggestions?

ok so I've not read these mysef but these come highly recommended to me, so I'm passing them on to you:

Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce
The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer (actual i have read one of these and it didn't bore me to death - it's fantasy mind)
The Demon Headmaster by Gillian Cross (remember the tv series?)
Love that Dog by Sharon Creech
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

have more so I'll be back soon

Ok so that didn't take me long to find!!

Others are;

Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearse
Harry Potter by J K Rowling
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
The Outsiders by S E Hinton (actually I've also read this -mostly due to be obsessed with the film as a teenager!!)
War Children by Gerard Whelan

Recommned Terry Prachetts are named as Wintersmith, The Wee Free Man and A Hat Full of Sky (I've read Terry Prachett and enjoyed but not these)

The Michael Morpurgos on the list are Private Peaceful, War Boy btw

The Hobbit
Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series
Wierdstone of Brisingamen }Alan Garner
Moon of Gomrath }

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell - The edge chronicles
Anthony Horrowitz - Alex Ryder series
Phillip Reeve -Mortal Engines series

Oh and best I think
Michelle Paver -Wolf Brother series

Oh, brilliant thanks.

I'm not really into fantasy so thought Id let him read this type himself. The hunger games was recommended but again I'd thought he'd enjoy those on his own.

I may try The Outsiders, I recall loving that as a teenager. And I'll try Coraline.

We both love Michael Morpurgo as both love animals and history, but I want a break from war books, as he is prone to a military history obsession, which I like a bit of myself but think he needs more variety.

Is he too young for Philip Pullman or The boy in The Striped pyjamas? (I know war again though!)

Doh I just re read the original post, you have already been recommended Wolf Brother...well it is very good, and nice to read out loud, chapters not too long and well paced. :)

The Hobbit fills me with dread. I tried it as a teenager and hated it.

Should I give it another go, might I actually really enjoy it now?

Thanks Stinkymice definitely going to give Wolf Brother a go and good to hear you enjoyed it too.

diary of a wimpy kid books are very funny and enjoyable for both parent and boys (and girls)

The Seeing Stone Trilogy is great for a boy that age.

The Golden Acorn is also a great book and there is a series of them too.

Is he a sensitive child or quite robust?

He's read all the wimpy kid books already and loved those.

The Mr Gum books have been some of the best to read together we both actually cried with laughter.

He's quite robust I think...we read goodnight mr Tom and managed the child abuse, baby death and chikd death...but we were both a bit shocked, neither of us was expecting it!

The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier - OK, it's war again, but gives a different non-UK perspective

The Young Bond Series by Charlie Higson

Frozen in Time by Ali Sparkes is a great book - about two Enid Blyton-style children from the 50s cryogenically frozen and revived in the 21st century!

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas I think he'd be OK with - especially seeing he was fine with Goodnight Mr Tom.

Goodnight Mr Tom is one of my all time favourites are a child (also loved Back Home by the same writer)

Have you read all the David Walliams books? They are very funny and great fun to read together.

Skellig by David Almond?

The Various Trilogy? [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Various-Touchstone-Trilogy-Steve-Augarde/dp/0552548588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330380114&sr=8-1 here]]

The reason I asked how robust he is is because The Hunger Games is quite violent and a little bit disturbing. It involves 24 people fighting to the death with each other.

Ooops the various trilogy

Oh the first chapter of Wolf Brother is quite full on.....dad getting killed by bear....I was quite and had to keep checking my DS was ok with it. He was fine. Then as story kicks in and he finds wolf cub its great.

Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy
The young sherlock holmes - Andrew? Lane
The series of unfortunate Events - Limony Snicker

my DS 10 is working his way through all of these great as there are loads and Derek Landy brings out one a year so till writing - I love picking them up and always read more than I mean to as I like them too and Anthony Horowitz has more than just Alex Ryder he's written some modern tales of the unexpected type short stories too.
And Inkheart, Inkspell etc Cornelius Funke - trying to persuade DS to pick those up at some point too.

If he liked the wimpy kids one he might like "A load of old tripe" by Gervais Phinn. Bit of a serious point made at the end but still fun.

I second the skellig

I recognise a lot of these from what my DS also age 11 has been reading.
I have to say I haven't read too many of them myself except harry potter and the hobbit.
Recently I read the hunger games books and TBH I am not sure I would want my DS reading them. It is very violent as people do have to kill each other to ensure there own survival at the expense of everyone else. I am not sure I like the theme for him just yet. DH who has encouraged him to read all sorts of other things also agreed with me after reading them.

That was my feeling alison. My dd is about to turn 11 and wouldn't be ready for it but 11 year olds do vary enormously. It is a great adult read though.

DD is a bit younger (10 nxt month) but I agree definitely good to have something you both enjoy.

We've just started reading My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell - I'd not read it for years and had forgotten how funny it is.

Also on my list to get is Bill Bryson's Very Short History of Nearly Everything which I've been recommended on here (I have the adult version as an audiobook read by him & I can also highly recommend that to any grown up audio fans)

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh

Of all the above the Wolf Brother series were the ones that my ds of that age really raved about and were very suitable to do together.