Books for an 11 year old

[jennyt19]

Can anyone suggest a really good book for my son to read. He's a very reluctant reader. We struggle to find anything for him to get his teeth into but we desperately need to get him reading as he's slipping behind his friends at school. He used to be really good virtually top of the class but we just can't get him reading. His English teacher has told us he needs to read for at least 20 minutes a day so we're forcing him to read out-loud to anyone who'll listen but I really want him to read without being bullied by us but that would mean finding a book that would spark his imagination. We have bought him a stack of books over the years but few have interested him. The only book he would read recently without being forced was a book called "A bear and a boy on a boat" or something like that. Any suggestions would be warmly welcome.

Many thanks

Jenny

Can you take him to the library to choose for himself? I find trying to choose for my 10 year old is v hit and miss. Also going to the bookshop always results in something (expensive)!

All of KS2 at school recently read Tall Story by Candy Gourlay and I read it too. I thought it was great and I think it was a hit with the children. DD loved it.

My 11yo recommends the maze runner trilogy. Best books he's read in ages apparently!

I'm a bit peeved because y6 teacher want DS to read chapter fiction and he's just never been into that. He will read Wimpy Kid type books, Tom Gates,Asterix, Tin tin. Which is all good to me and may satisfy you too.

As for imagination, some possibilities are
Harry Potter or The Doughnut Diaries.

Thanks everyone. Much appreciated. I think he probably likes funny fiction. We've tried Harry Potter but he just couldn't get into it. Although I might try it again. I was a bookworm at his age and I just don't understand it.

Mortal Chaos by Matt Dickinson

There are three books but they are not a series, each one is a standalone although they follow the same format. They are based on the chaos theory - that one action has wide reaching repercussions. So a butterfly scaring a rabbit on the woods ends up having far reaching effects in Malawi, America and Mount Everest. The books are full of action but the best thing for reluctant readers is that the books are not long and the chapters are short - sometimes very short - so they don't feel lost in a never ending story. I have recommended them for reluctant readers in Year 6 and 7 and they have worked so it may be worth a shot.

Thanks everyone. I've ordered some of your suggestions. Hope he likes them. He's in year 7 and we've really struggled to get him to read. He spent many years ahead of the class but not now and we've really got to help him catch up. He's addicted to Minecraft and xBox. We just can't get him to leave them alone and we're desperate for him to pick up books again.

You need to limit his Xbox time. Gaming can affect attention and concentration.
Does he like Jeremy strong? He writes quite simple and funny books. They may be for younger readers but my almost 10 yr old loved The Cartoon Kid and It might be a good way to get your ds back into books.

My son has loved a series of rugby based books by Irish writer Gerard Siggins. Rugby rebel etc. he has just turned 11. It has sport and ghosts in them.

I have a similar problem, my DD is in year 6 and refused to read anything out of school hours. It's not a worry yet as she's one of the strongest readers in her class BUT until she finds a genre she likes I've taken to going with her hobbies. There are loads of books based on Minecraft on amazon so I got her a few of those. Most of them are written by teens so they also reference popular YouTubers, the delight when they come across their favourite YouTuber is worth it! She's also really obsessed with Five Nights at Freddy's and lo and behold, there was a book about that too. Some have bad spelling and grammar so I told DD to highlight the wrong spellings etc., after she had finished. From a refusal to read to reading 2 hrs in one sitting is amazing. Just find anything based on what they love and they'll read it!

Has he tried the Tom Gates books? They are undemanding but full of cartoons and very funny. Might help him switch on to reading for pleasure.

YY to the Minecraft books.
I also leave articles in the paper for DC to read (e.g. science obsessed child loved reading about the eclipse, arty child liked the pictures and article on the impressionists)

TinTin books went down well with DS at that age.

My DS loves reading this site although I am constantly trying to reduce his screentime (another Minecraft obsessive)

Are you female? Only asking as there is some research to show that boys drop reading around this age due to lack of male role models reading.....
I read a piece about one school which had set-up the (cool) male gym teacher so that he was always reading when the boys came in for practice. There was a positive knock-on.

DS1 is 11 and likes funny fiction, having the same problem finding him something that will interest him, a couple of recent hits have been -

Magic Ink by Steve Cole he really enjoyed this one, and keeps going back to re-read it. Aliens Stink by Steve Cole, not as good, but he did read it.

The I funny middle school books by James Patterson.

Tom Gates books and the Wimpy Kid series of course!

I'd try him with books about things that interest him - so gaming or minecraft. Magazines might be more to his liking.

DS isn't a great reader, but he loves Goblins series by Philip Reeve. And Creature Teacher, which he finds very funny.

What about the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore

I understand your frustration as a bookworm parent of non bookworm children.

But I don't think you should try to force him to read.

I would let him choose magazines/comics about something that interests him, the Adventure Time mag/TV show is funny.

Ds will also read online to find something out, maybe just about Minecraft, but any reading is good!

Or let him choose books. Out house is like a library full of books I thought looked great and the dcs would love. Almost all remain resolutely unread, so I have stopped. But they will read stuff that interests them periodically, so I am just keeping my fingers crossed.

Have you tried graphic novels?

You can get graphic novel editions of lots of very popular children's/YA series. For example, Artemis Fowl, The Amulet of Samarkand, Percy Jackson, the Alex Rider books starting with Stormbreaker and loads more.

They're often a great way of getting reluctant readers into reading. So are audiobooks. It might sound counteintuitive, but listening to books can really ignite a love of stories that provides motivation to read actual books.