Books for 12yo reluctant reader (boy)

[YouG0GlenCoco]

Hoping to get some good book recommendations for ds age 12. He is autistic and has ADHD so really finds it difficult to focus on a longer novel which only has words. He favours a diary style book with some little doodles interspersed. Some examples of what he has read and enjoyed:

Wimpy kid (has all of them and re-reads often)
Tom Gates
Lottie Brooks series
Big Nate
Secret Diary of BUG
Loki, A Bad God's Guide... series
Has read some of my old Jaqueline Wilson's but they're a bit more serious for his taste!

Both dc always get new books as Christmas gifts so hoping to find some good ones to stock up on!

Have you looked at the treehouse books? Both my boys loved these, they are a bit longer but have lots of pictures / funny annotations etc. Starts with the 13 storey treehouse and then each one is another 13 storeys higher, full of silliness!

I also have a 12 yr old with ADHD who struggles with chapter books.

The one exception? The Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan. Fast-paced and fun. It helps that the titular hero has ADHD - and superpowers as a result of his ADHD

Timmy Failure.

Does he like graphic novels? My 12yo still loves Dogman, Hilo, Bunny vs Monkey, the Beano.

My DD is autistic won't often touch a novel but loves play scripts and poetry, there is some very funny / tween friendly stuff out there.

They are formatted in a more friendly way, lots of space around words, stage directions tell you exactly what a character is doing etc, all the better if you can get to see the play too.

My DS liked Amulet graphic novels, Bunny vs Monkey or any comic strip book by the Phoenix comic. Lost Tales was a more serious one featuring folklore from around the world, but he loved it. Corpse Talk is historical and funny.

Your local library will have many graphic books of classic novels, which are easier going but give you the main story.

Phantom Tollbooth? My DS adored this book, and The Curious Incident... etc.

They have no pictures but it goes without saying that the classic Louis Sachar (Sakka) books of 'Holes' and 'There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom' are gripping and brilliant. Also 'Wonder' and the 'Three Wonder stories' supplement. They have the potential to snag readers without pictures, so you could try him on them, or read them to him. I still read to my kids; DS is 14 and really into 'To Kill A Mockingbird' but is still a voracious solo reader. I do a good Deep South accent though 😂

The Misadventures of Max Grumbly
The Hercules series by Tom Vaughan
Mandy Yips

Aoife Dooley, who happens to be autistic herself, has written two great picture books that my 9 and 12yo boys love.

Wow so glad I asked here, so many great suggestions! Thank you all ☺️

@AtomHeartMotherOfGod he does like graphic novels that another poster has mentioned eg dogman, will definitely have a look at our library for graphic novels of classics.

@ListToHunt I've heard great things about Percy Jackson! Will give that one a try.

My reluctant reader liked the Skulduggery Pleasant books - might be worth a look?

www.skulduggerypleasant.co.uk/

Definitely The Phoenix and its graphic novel spin offs.
Asterix?
Tintin?

Factual books may be more popular than fiction.

There are also graphic novel versions of some of the Terry Pratchett books.

Thank you @SabrinaThwaite just had a look and read a sample of the first one on Amazon, definitely looks like something he'd be into, and quite fast paced which is what he needs. He can't be doing with lots of description and build up to the real action!

@BlueChampagne thank you, factual books is a good idea too actually! He has one that's full of shocking/interesting facts about WWII and also enjoys the Guiness Book of Records. I think these type are good as he can just pick up at random and read any page.

Has he read the Artemis fowl books? Alex rider is always a hit too and there are films / TV adaptations for when he finishes.

DS and DH have just read the first Percy Jackson, DS was enjoying it so much he finished it himself which never happens. It's on Disney Plus as well so you can watch it after reading. And my teenage DDs love The Newest Olympian podcast, it might be a bit grown up for a 12yo so probably worth a listen to check you are happy with it before letting your DS read. Read the book before listening to the relevant episodes though.

Horrible Histories?
Adam Kay has some in a similar vein for medicine/biology

Ditto on Percy Jackson and Skullduggery

My eldest also liked the Michelle Paver "Chronicles of ancient Darkness" series.

I have bookworms but they're also huge graphic novel fans so I would suggest (all series)
Amulet
zita the space girl
5 worlds
wynd
bad guys (the original comic not the comics of the film of the comics 🙄)
corpse talk (history)
Science Comics (from animals to the solar system there are all sorts but they really vary with how much reading they have so would be best to check each one)
The Olympians if he gets into Percy Jackson!

I wonder if any of the books labeled as "dyslexia friendly" would suit - our library has quite a few & they're older/more interesting but shorter.

Mine likes the Wings of Fire graphic novels (they're also available as normal novels, but that's too much reading).

Mine is liking these 👍

I agree with Wonder, mentioned above. My 13 year old will only read books like Wimpy Kid, Tom Gates etc but really enjoyed Wonder and the follow up. Another big hit was Bob, No Ordinary Cat which is a version of A Street Cat Named Bob with an inappropriate references (drugs, swearing) removed.

Would a book of short stories work? Plenty children's anthologies of short stories on amazon.

My own reluctant DS used to like the Star Wars comic type books, little bad man, treehouse books
basically anything with a picture to break up the page!
he also loved books he could dip in and out of like the what if books