Recommendations for 14 year old boy

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I need ideas to tempt a 14 yr old boy back into reading. He has no difficulty reading, but has just lost interest. Up until a year or two ago he was reading a lot - Harry Potter, Alex Rider, Lemony Snicket, the Simon Mayo Itch books, Artemis Fowl, the Charlie Higson Bond books, and lots of others, mostly spy/mystery/action type books.

I've tried encouraging him to read different genres as I thought maybe he'd grown up a bit and didn't know what books to move on to. I've had recommendations from the library, gone through school booklists and have also tried non fiction and easier adult novels (most recently Treasure Island, which was 'boring and stupid'). I think he's just absorbed the idea that reading is too much effort and so barely looks at the books I suggest. I wonder if endless computer gaming makes children expect all leisure activities to involve constant high drama and entertainment with little mental effort?

Has anyone come across any books that have really appealed to boys of this age group? And has anyone been successful at getting a teenager back in the habit of reading?

DS1 is 14 and a complete bookworm. I think that list of books is a couple of years too young for him. Have a look at some dystopian fiction. Try Ready Player 1, the Divergent series, the Martian. All likely to be familiar to him since he's probably seen the films and so he might be a bit more inclined to try them.

My 14 yr has never been a keen reader but does enjoy booksvwhen he reds.
He’s veered towards horror books and loved Charlie Higson’s The Dead series. He’s read Woman in Black and Cujo by Stephen King and has decided he wants to read more Stephen king so has now picked up It. Good luck to him.

I’ve always insisted on reading so screens are off at 8pm and the kids will pick up a book then.

Would he be more interested in non fiction? Things like auto biographies by bear grylls etc?

Thanks for these suggestions.

kjhkj I've got a feeling he's read The Martian, but I will try the others.

ILive Stephen King might interest him - will try and get him to look online and see if any appeal. I used to have no screens after 8.30, but have let it slide because nearly all homework seems to be either typed, completed online, or involve internet research. Maybe it's time to try again.

Buyitin he's tried some non fiction, but not autobiographies. I got him a few science and history books from the library over the summer and he read a bit of one. I'd thought about sports autobiographies but maybe too much sex and swearing!

I started reading some Jack Higgins about that age.

Animal Farm, 1984, Brave New World. Books by Malorie Blackman. PD James.

Holes by Louis Sachar and other books by him too.

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz (an adult book but my DS is younger than yours and a mad keen bookworm and just finished this and said it was great)

These are two recent ones my son loved. Will post more as I think of them.

I think reading is a habit and it's much easier to watch a screen than read, so we make our DC read and not have screen time as left to their own devices (haha) they would opt for screens every time.

Thanks for all these ideas - will look up all of them later.

Graphic novels, such as Neil Gaiman's Sandman?

My son is the same age and a keen reader if something engages him. Unfortunately he is made very anxious by books with a dystopian theme, which rules out so many! Any suggestions for non threatening books?!

BlueChampagne I think he’s read some graphic novels, but good idea - I think our local library has some, so I’ll check them Out.

porolli I agree. A large number of books aimed at boys seem to be dominated by adventure, dystopia, sci-fi, spies and monsters.

Or, Gaiman again, how about Good Omens since it's now a Thing on Amazon?

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole?

And Terry Pratchett, because he can be funny on serious themes.

Alternatively Jasper Fforde, The Eyre Affair and sequels.

BlueChampagne I've thought about Terry Pratchett before, but I've never read any of his, so not sure where to start. Do you have to read them in order or are there ones that are particularly good for teenagers?

I hadn't thought of Adrian Mole - will look out my old copy. And will also look up the other suggestions.

www.terrypratchettbooks.com/book-series/discworld/ says they can be read in any order, but there's a book generator at the bottom which can give you an idea where to start based on your main interests.

Thanks BlueChampagne. I did the generator and got The Wee Free Men, but I put in 'for younger readers' - not sure if that means very young or teenagers. I'll have another play with it later.

Time rider series really interested my son. It’s fiction but based on real life historic events. Also young Sherlock. We’re having similar issues at the moment.

Wee Free Men won't be for very young! Y6 onwards maybe and enjoyable for adults too.

Thanks - I've ordered Wee Free Men from the library.

Diggers, Truckers, and Wings (three different books) are also great, by Terry Pratchett.

Hope it's a hit.

A lot of the heavily promoted YA books are from quite a narrow range of genres. Try him on something completely different.
The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian is brilliant.
Hoot by Saagen.
Neither could be described as boring.

Thanks LoveGrowsWhere - I'll look up those two.

Hoot by Hiaasen!

Bear Grylls autobiography, various cyclist/ runner's autobiographies have gone down well. Maybe less sex in these than footballer ones? ( not sure about the drugs!). Ds enjoys real life sport/ adventure mostly rather than fiction.