books to read to 11 year old boy being bullied & marriage breakup

[redmapleleaves]

Great to read someone else's thread about books to read to her 11 year old and shall pick some of those too. Here, slightly different slant, DS, 11, year 7, going through v hard time at school, and family going through marriage breakup. I think it would be helpful to reestablish bedtime stories & hot chocolate & quiet time with adult to calm things down/give chance for chat before sleep.

So I'm looking for books NOT which touch explicitly on bullying/marriage breakup, but which might empower a bit and maybe touch on struggles of good v evil with good coming up trumps but as he's a bit traumatised without traumatic bits. e.g. Susan Cooper Dark is Rising, etc. Or on major changes and transition. Or alternatively v humourous. DD really enjoyed Hitchhikers Guide but he didn't. Which are the children's Terry Pratchets, or what else? Aiming to catch his attention early on, as he rebels at anything too worthy in the first chapter.

Thanks for your help

These book are absolute classics. They are about sad, lonely and lost children who are able to entirely change their lives. Although, Skorpan (the protagonist in the brothers lion hear) had to die in order to do this. He dies in the first chapter and goes on to have an amazing time in another world. Sounds grim, but it isn't.

www.amazon.co.uk/Brothers-Lionheart-Astrid-Lindgren/dp/0192729047/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393700626&sr=1-1&keywords=the+brothers+lionheart

www.amazon.co.uk/Mios-Kingdom-Astrid-Lindgren/dp/0192731971/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0G2JVBSXJX1355S76J8C

Another idea would be Ursula le Guins Eathsea books, if he hasn't read them already.

www.amazon.co.uk/Earthsea-Quartet-Wizard-Farthest-Tehanu/dp/0140348034/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393701028&sr=1-1&keywords=earthsea+trilogy

For pure and easy fun:

Bodyguard: Hostage by Chris Bradford (action/adventure)
MetaWars by Jeff Norton (dsytopian future)

Good book, well written and researched:

Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver (Bronze Age Greece plus adventure)
The Bell Between Worlds by Ian Johnstone (fantasy adventure)

Books with a message:

Peak by Roland Smith (there is a marriage break up and a difficult relationship with a dad but it's the boys own struggle which predominates, involves climbing)

There's a Boy in the Girls Bathroom by Louis Sachar (a funny/sad book, covers bullying but looks at children who struggle, quirky too)

Oh thank you all, these sound fab. Earthsea yes yes, and the rest, on a quick peak look spot on too.

Best wishes and thanks so much.

Have you considered Wonder by RJ Palacio? Strong themes about friendship here - how to, how not to etc.

Quite an amazing novel;
www.mybookcorner.com.au/listings/860-wonder

Joan Aiken: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase series - great fun
The Silver Sword (WWII escape from Warsaw)
The Children of Green Knowe (boarding boy goes to stay with Grandmother he's never met)

Tiffany Aching Terry Pratchetts might appeal