Books please for DS 10 yrs - great reader but find it boring

[marioncole]

He is currently reading the 'Would I Lie To You?' TV programme tie in book, which is clearly not aimed at children! He loves humour, I think David Mitchell and Lee Mack are his heroes. Oh and Greg Davies because Taskmaster is his favourite TV programme (he'll even leave his PlayStation if that one comes on).

I'm struggling to find him things to read. He starts loads but he finds them boring and usually gives up. He likes Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates books but he reads them in about 2 hours and acknowledges they're too easy for him. I want to try and find him some teen/adult humour books that are appropriate, which is a struggle. He would love the new Robert Webb book, and I would love him to read it for all the positive messages it sends, but it's not really appropriate with all its talk of sex and wanking

I've tried him on David Walliams and David Baddiel kids books but they don't engage him.

Anyone comes across and funny but not inappropriate books he might like? I'm not concerned about bad language.

[CountFosco]

Will he read factual books? Or factual based books like Little House on the Prairie or When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit?

I'd try graphic novels as well, something like the Amulet Series is wonderful.

[ArbitraryName]

Yes. DS2 absolutely loved the dark lord books.

He's really liking mortal engines at the moment. And also the septimus heap books, which he finds funny.

[Acopyofacopy]

I second The Dark Lord. Ds found them hilarious!

[Liliywil]

He will love The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, Book 1)by Rick Riordan. My 10 year old nephew just loves it. Thats his best pick out of the lot to reread. Also he was telling me that
The Map to Everywhere Hardcover by Carrie Ryan
The Boundless Hardcover by Kenneth Oppel
The Black Stallion Paperback by Walter Farley
were his favs. So you can try them also for your son.

[BelligerentGardenPixies]

The Sea of Trolls Trilogy is excellent and very funny (so my 10yr old reports).

My boy has also really enjoyed the Eragon series and is a step up, reading wise from the likes of How to Train Your Dragon, which he still enjoys but is not a challenge for him. I bought him Mort by Prattchet for Xmas and he chuckled his way through it (his read the younger ones - Truckers/Jonny series and enjoyed them).

The Phoinex is an excellent comic and my boys love it.

[BewareOfDragons]

Again, none of it will come as a surprise to any 10 year old who goes to school.

And our primary school library has two full sets of the books.

[Queenofthedrivensnow]

Neil gaiman only you can save mankind it's great

[NC4now]

My 11 year old reads the Cherub books. He's totally gripped by them. He's DS2 and I don't worry too much about the themes in them.
His friends all play COD and GTA which I don't allow, but he's a sensible kid. I think the benefit of him gaining a love of reading outweighs possible inappropriateness, which doesn't seem to come out.

[IToldYouIWasFreaky]

My nearly 10 year old DS is similar. He really likes the Bear Grylls books, and the Percy Jackson ones. Constant, constant re-reading of the blasted Wimpy Kid!
He also loved Boy and Going Solo.

He's recently got into the Asterix books too, and is reading the Philip Pullman Grimm Tales but could not get into Northern Lights at all - too old for him yet I think.

[Acornantics]

Wonder; A Wrinkle in Time; Michael Morpurgo; Beanos; How It Works magazine (amazing); DS (11) just read The Martian and loved it; Guinness annuals; Rick Riordan; Dark Lord series; Harry Potter of course; Simon Mayo's YA books are great; Young James Bond; Alex Rider...

[ProfessorCat]

No, you're not being PFB. I wouldn't let my DD9 read them either. Not just yet. She's aware of drugs and their dangers but doesn't need to know how to use them yet. She has no idea what porn is.

They aren't in our school library either, so I'm assuming the head doesn't think they're suitable for Year 6. I'll have to ask.

[CherieBabySpliffUp]

You're happy with the reference to porn in the 4th book then BewareOfDragons ?

[BewareOfDragons]

Yes, you are being pfb about the Alex Rider books. I have read them all; nothing in them will be startling or shocking to a 10 year old.

[ArbitraryName]

Would he enjoy a comic? The Phoenix is a great weekly comic for kids. DS2 thinks bunny vs monkey is the best thing ever.

It might not appear to be of any literary merit but it might make him enthusiastic about reading. DS2 gets very excited about getting the Phoenix in the post every Friday.

I think they sell it in Waitrose, or you can get a trial of 4 issues for about a pound on the Phoenix website.

[CherieBabySpliffUp]

I have a question for the posters suggesting Alex Rider books.
Are you aware of the story lines contained in them?
I've just stopped my nearly 9yo DD reading the second due to a character making and selling drugs. Am I being pfb about it?

[thisgirlrides]

My Ds 11 goes through phases of reading loads to not wanting to glance at anything more than a Beano so finding something that grips him is essential! He absolutely loved the first 3 in the Charlie Higson young James Bond series - I went to get the 4th out of the library but it flagged as being in the Teen section so might either read it or look up reviews before getting it. There's also a brilliant set of 3 books called Jammy Dodgers about a group of boys getting up to mischief in Victorian London (think Fagin's boys). He's just started with a heavy dose of persuasion one of the Bear Grylls adventure stories and declared it "actually not too bad!" Praise indeed but we'll see whether he reads any more

[Nousernameforme]

Anything by dave gorman start with googlewhack in fact will have him giggling is a bit sweary at times but i would think would i lie to you is a bit too

[spiderlight]

My DS is the same age and sounds very similar. I want him to be able to sit and devour books for pleasure but he'd much rather be dipping into the Guinness Book of Records (which led to me once declaring, in the school reading club and within earshot of his teacher and about five other mums, 'Finish this chapter and then you can have some Guinness!'). One thing he did really enjoy recently which surprised me was 'Boy' - Roald Dahl's autobiography of his early life.

[iseenodust]

Agree for humour the young adult Carl Hiassen.

[BlueChampagne]

If he hasn't already read them:

Archie Greene
Sherlock Holmes
Roman Mysteries
Murder most Unladylike
Edge Chronicles
Ruby Redfort

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Andy Griffiths does some funny books - bumbageddon?

[Mum2OneTeen]

What about the "Swallows and Amazons" series? They're quite old (written by Arthur Ransom in 1930s) but still have appeal for kids who like stories with outdoor adventures and sailing. The first few are set in the lake district of the UK, but my Australian DD (& her sailing dad) loved them.

I'm sure you'd find them in the local library, second-hand bookshop or charity op shops.

[LiveLifeWithPassion]

my ds (almost 10) is similar in that he keeps starting books and not getting into them and then saying they're boring.
I've started reading to him again and he's really enjoying it. Hes so disappointed when I get to the end of the chapter and wants me to carry on. I'm hoping this will show him how exciting books can be.
Might be a tactic op...?

[Enb76]

My daughter also loves comedy. She likes Terry Pratchett, has read Hitchhikers, found a love of Oscar Wilde plays. Read The Princess Bride, a couple of the younger Carl Hiaasen books. I have yet to introduce her to Wodehouse and Mark Twain but it won't be too long considering she does nothing but read. She's currently reading Muddle Earth by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell.

Take your son to the library.

[ProfessorCat]

Louis Sachar, Warrior Cats, The Hobbit, the Harry Potters, Lemony Snickett, Terry Pratchett.