History Books for 9 year old boy

[sittinginthesun]

Trying (again) to find books that might grab my 9 year old son. He is an advanced reader, but simply does not enjoy fiction - other than Michael Lawrence's Joggy McCue books.

He is, however, mad on history and anything policital. I am wondering whether he might be interested in more grown up history and biographies, maybe aimed at older children.

Any History fans have any suggestions, please!

Horrible Histories? My dd the same age loves them. Also, what about War Stories for Boys? www.ebay.co.uk/itm/War-Stories-for-Boys-by-Jim-Eldridge-Chris-Priestley-Bryan-Perrett-/370752592741?pt=Children_s_Young_Adult_s_Fiction&hash=item5652939b65

I recently bought the girls' version for dd.

There's also a history series telling stories from various periods in history from the POV of a young character - so on about the Plague, one about the Titanic, one about WW2, and so on - but I can't remember the series name. Sorry.

Cocktail - I think you're talking about the My Story series from Scholastic - they are good.
Michael Morpurgo's books set in the wars are accurate with regard to history and good to read.
For a fact book on history you could look at The Story of Britain by Patrick Dillon

Thanks. He's read all the Horrible Histories (buys them in charity shops), and doesn't like Michael Morpurgo (bit too worthy I think).

I'll have a look at the fact book,thanks.

His teacher is pulling her hair out too.

Ah, the My Story books look interesting. Any idea what age they are aimed at?

Has he tried Anthony Horowitz? My non-reading DS enjoyed The Devil and his Boy. It is set in Tudor times and is quite gory.

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox was also finished (that is what is designated a fabulous success in our house!) but you might want to check it out first - it is quite upsetting.

The Last Mission by Harry Mazer was also read cover to cover

We read Number the Stars together but I am not sure he would have got through it left to his own devices, but you never know

We had children from years 4 upwards reading the My Story's - the boys particularly liked the war ones.
My son was very fact book oriented and so thats what he read - its not ideal because you want them to read a story and follow the story line through but ultimately reading is about enjoyment.
I'm not quite up to date anymore with primary school readers - but perhaps if you look at lovereading4kids with your son he might see some titles that interest him.

My history-mad 9 yo loves Anthony Horowitz but I also find him reading books off my shelves about WW2 etc (fact not fiction). There are usually lots of history factual books in charity shops - why not get a few and make them available and maybe he will choose his own? My son is deep in the history of the RAF at the moment....

Thanks again. We've just sat down and been through the library catalogue. Hopefully something will tempt him.

would he be interested in reading any of the explorer/adventure autobiographies. There are quite a few by mountain climbers or arctic explorer ones?

1066 and All That
Mary Anning's Treasures - if he'll read books about GURLS which my ds probably wouldn't
Talking of that, Molesworth is probably historical now, he might love it, I think I was around 9 when I read it
The Silver Sword is based on a true story
One of my favourites as a child was R J Unstead's People in History. I got a copy for ds, dewy-eyed, only to discover it was pretty dry stuff for children these days (ds now refers to it as 'the punishment book'). But I really loved it, and it has some good bits. Very cheap on amazon.

Thanks Books - yes: 'Cocktail - I think you're talking about the My Story series from Scholastic - they are good.' Thanks!

My Story books - year 4+ I'd say.

A Little History of the World here
Highly recommended by husband who is total history geek
Rosemary Sutcliff?
Leon Garfield? (showing my age here)
Ruth Eastham has done some WW2 books which are meant to be good.
Roman Mysteries?
If he likes funny fiction Mr Gum by Andy Stanton is good-or google the Roald Dahl funny prize shortlists.

ds1 is 9 too, and really enjoying the roman mystery books by Caroline Lawrence. Really good, fiction, but all about Roman times. Very good and there are loads of them so should keep him busy!
Not sure about Rosemary Sutcliff for a 9 year old, even an advanced one...even when I was 12 I remember reading Eagle of the Ninth and finding it an awful struggle-and I was the best in my form at reading!!!!