Looking for a can't put down book for 12yo boy

[Butterfly44]

I have a very reluctant reader. I buy books each Xmas and he reads the first page and can't be bothered. I need an exciting book where I can read the first chapter with him as enticement then he will want to carry on and find out more! Any suggestions?

What’s he into? Not just books but what films/TV/games/interests?

Alex Rider? I'm an adult and find them real page turners. There are several boys in my year 5 class who love them. The Skullduggery Pleasant books are also great.

Enders Game went down well with my 12 year old boy. He also liked The Hunger Games, Ready Player One and the Percy Jackson books and spin offs.

Following - mine will only read comics! And he only really likes funny things. I've started buying he m more adult graphic novels. He has listened to full stories through audio books though.
For excitement he liked hunger games and divergent (but it took more than 1 chapter to get him into them)

Wonder by RJ Palacio
My 12 year old hasn’t been able to put this down this week.
www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/r-j-palacio/wonder/9780552565974?gclid=Cj0KCQjwutaCBhDfARIsAJHWnHsT8yt2dLjSqXVIVLJmhsu-YEdylHM6elWKEEjLSXjbMRG5mZfHu6QaAkJeEALw_wcB

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Cherub series by Robert Muchamore

Terry Pratchett books?

Another vote for Wonder. My DS loved it.

Agree with comics. My same age DS loves the Beano and The Phoenix. Give them a try.

@IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

I loved HHGTTG at that age but DS can’t get into it. Too 80s, maybe.

Ready Player One, Alex Rider, HHGTTG all went down very well with my now 13 year old. He also loved the Lemony Snicket books, and the Secret series (the first one is called The name of this book is secret, and a book called Dragon’s Green. Loved the Artemis Fowl books too.

Noggin by John Corey Whaley. Very appealing to that age.

All the Rick Riordan books. They're so fun. He'll end up knowing way too much about Greek and Roman gods too! Also Alex Rider. And comics are fine - I always think that with reluctant readers, anything is a bonus.

Oh and the Beano and the Dandy. Surprisingly popular!

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen - 13 year old boy crash lands in the Canadian wilderness and has to figure out how to survive

My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George.

Really testing my memory here, as I've never read it myself, but I recall it was much appreciated by a boy.

Thanks! There’s some great suggestions here I’ll look into. He has Alex Rider and wasn't into it unfortunately. He likes his games. He started watching anime on you tube so bought him Jojo graphic novels which he liked. I’d love him to get into a novel. I know times have changed but I was an avid reader and would get books from the library weekly :)

My ds is an avid reader who has read all the series that are generally recommended for girls - the Murder Most Unladylike series has been a big hit here.

If he has a favourite movie, have a look to see if there’s a novel of the film or fan fiction type books.

There are a number of minecraft inspired novels. The Elementia Chronicles might appeal?

Reading to him, even if he doesn’t continue independently is really valuable.

American Born Chinese - half graphic novel half not.
Theodore Boone - Grisham for young teens
Infinity Drake series
Skullduggery as mentioned by a PP

@Butterfly44

Thanks! There’s some great suggestions here I’ll look into. He has Alex Rider and wasn't into it unfortunately. He likes his games. He started watching anime on you tube so bought him Jojo graphic novels which he liked. I’d love him to get into a novel. I know times have changed but I was an avid reader and would get books from the library weekly :)

Have you tried him with audio books? It’s not exactly the same as reading words on a page for a variety of reasons but, for a reluctant reader, it is definitely a way to access stories and great literature and you can find that being familiar with the story already removes a barrier so they’ll read along/pick up the book after.

Don’t be judgemental about how they access stories, is what I mean. I have one avid reader and one like yours. You need to do what works for them not what works for you.

Which games is he into?

My 11yo DS is dead keen on Michael Grant's novels - the series starting with Hunger, and there's another series called BRZRK or something which he's just getting into. They're quite sci-fi and videogamey I think, along the lines of the Hunger Games