Can you suggest books for DS (13) please?

[toffeepumpkins]

He likes non-fiction books, he's read Prisoners of geography by Tim Marshall, the Jenson Button autobiography and Tim Peake's book. He's into geography, cars and engineering and doesn't like children's books except the Rick Riordan books which he gets as they come out.

It's not easy to find adult books which are suitable without reading them first, something I don't really have time to do.

thanks.

You could get him to talk to either the school librarian, or go to the public library and talk to a librarian there?

How about Bill Bryson? There are his travel books of course which are amazing but there's also one about the history of the domestic home which was absolutely fascinating.

Come on over to Children's Books!

Anything about Antarctica is always cool, as the people wo live there are real characters. Look into Sara Wheeler or Gavin Francis.

thank you, I'll look into those authors.

He's spoken to the school librarian but they are only allowed to borrow books from their age group.
I'll post this on children's books - thanks for the suggestion.

Introduce him to Terry Pratchett!
My DS prefers non fiction too but loved Pratchett!

Wow, DF and I just read Prisoners of Geography. Your DS must be bright as a button! Reminds me a bit of myself as I started reading political books around that age, I was/am such a huge nerd .

I haven't really read much else about geography though so can't be of help but just wanted to praise your DS .

We're just sending this over to children's books at the OP's request.

Meadow, thanks. I think there was almost certainly stuff beyond him there but he was interested enough to ask for it when he saw it in the bookshop - I let him choose (within reason!) what he reads but would like to suggest more stuff for him.

I've picked out Notes from a Small Island, I'd forgotten I'd got it as I only read on the Kindle and hopefully he'll give it a go.

Mike Parker’s “Map Addict” is a memoir about cartography. Pretty readable, and not age-inappropriate as far as I can remember. Also Stuart Maconie’s books about his travels (The Pie At Night, Pies And Prejudice) are funny, informative and mostly clean. More travel than ‘geography’ per se, but if he gets on with Bryson then he might well enjoy them.

thanks, I'll order that. I've got a couple of the Stuart Maconie ones on my kindle so I'll have a look and maybe get the paper back for him - he doesn't like Kindles.

Also ordering some Antarctica books - Sara Wheeler looks good - for Xmas.

Is he only interested in non-fiction? DD is 15 so a couple of years older, but she reads lots of popular science books (and is really into Rick Riordan). Off the top of my head in the last couple of years can think of Bad Science by Ben Goldacre (perfect for a 13 y/o), The Code Book by Simon Singh (ditto), What We Cannot Know by Marcus du Sautoy, Reality Is Not What It Seems by Carlo Rovelli (last two might be a bit much unless he's really into physics).

On a different track, if your DS liked Prisoners of Geography he might enjoy Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond.

DD reads quite a bit of sci-fi, don't know if that would appeal. It kind of depends how free range you're happy to be on content (ie do you mind a certain amount of sex & violence . . . ) but again over the last couple of years she's read & liked Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, Dark Eden by Chris Beckett, The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu, Long Way to A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers.

thank you, I'll check those out.
He's not a fan of science fiction, I've not been able to get him to try any though I have got him Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy for Xmas in the hope that it might encourage him to try it - he is reluctant to try anything that he doesn't already know he likes which is incredibly frustrating.

Jeffrey Archer’s Paths of Glory about George Mallory’s attempt to climb Everest is a really good read and would appeal to teenage boys. No sex in it!

How Britain Worked - Guy Martin
Human Planet by Dale Templar
The Accidental Scientist