Please reccommend teenage boy books but not sci-fi/fantasy

[rosabud]

DS, just 15, does not hate reading but is not overly-enthusiastic either. He tries but finds it difficult to get into books and is disheartened by anything that appears too long from the outset. He is not a "sci-fi/ripping yarn with boy detective hero/superhero" type and is not into that genre in films either. He is more of a chilled out skateboarding dude, talks to mates about family relationships (probably girls, too, but not mentioned that to me yet!).

The statement that most sums up his reading at the moment is "Of Mice and Men is OK but the bit with the giant rabbit is too weird."

What can I suggest? Please, please help!!

? The Fault in our Stars? Catcher in the Rye? Frankenstein (moody and teenage in sensibility, defo not a Ripping Yarn, but perhaps a bit challenging) Sherlock Holmes (nice short stories - even the novel length ones are pretty short)

Has he read Malory Blackman , not sure if I've got her name right, wrote black and white , God can't remember the name of the book either ffs ,sorry .

Malorie Blackman - Noughts and Crosses ggirl.

Ooh, I know you said he doesn't like fantasy, but lots of people who "don't like fantasy" still love Terry Pratchett. Definitely worth a try.

How about:-
Split Second by Sophie Mackenzie (isbn 9781471115974)

ostrich Boys by Keith Gray

Heroic by Phil earle

The otsiders by SE Hinton (this is a classic. Fantastic book)

Maggot moon by Sally Gardner - this is an excellent book and the idea is that the landing on the moon was faked. It's not sci fi but it isn't 'real' either

Bog Child by Siobhan Down - excellent book about the IRA hunger strikers. However there are two stories and one is about the life of a prehistoric young girl whose murded body is found in the bog. This bit might be less appealing to him but it really is a great book.

Thank you for your suggestions! Noughts and Crosses is a good one and I like the sound of Ostrich Boys - never heard of that one before. Thank you!

I'd definitely second Malorie Blackman's novels.

Also look for Jack Gantos - in particular Dead End in Norvelt.

I Predict A Riot is a great new one for this year, and then there is Flip which is just brilliant!

John Green's books are great - not just Fault in Our Stars but also Looking For Alaska, etc.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

I Claudius

Gerald Durrell