Paired Reading with an 11 year old - I just started volunteering, any advice?

[toolonglurking]

Hi all,
Last night I had my first ever meeting with an 11 year old boy I am going to be 'befriending' through a well known charity's befriending scheme.
Speaking to his carers and the Educational Psychologist, one thing I can really help this wee boy out with is his reading. He currently reads at about the level of a 7 year old, and as he is starting secondary school next year, they are keen to get him more interested in reading.
Apparently he quite likes anything practical, or that involves wildlife.

I have very little (to be honest, no) experience working with Children, but I really want to do right by him and help him out.

Does anyone have any advice, or suggestions for a good series of books that might spark his interest - or any techniques to hold his attention?

Thanks very much!

Deadly 60! That's what got my 6/7 year old to realise reading was fun. OK so they aren't novels (Steve Backshall's novels are for a bit older readers) but they are fascinating if you like animals.

The novels DS likes (he's 7.5 with a pretty average reading level) would be Tom Gates, and he loved "fortunately the milk" by Neil Gaiman.

Thank you so much for that - I'll have a look online and see what I can get before our next session

I've been so nervous about it, with our first one-to-one on Tuesday I have the weekend to do some reading into techniques and order some books.

I have a daughter in the same school year and she loves joke books and factual books like Ripleys Believe it or Not and The Guiness Book of Records. There is a computer games version of the latter which we also enjoy.

I also have a 7 year old of average reading ability and annuals and comic strips go down well. My oldest learned to read thanks to The Beano.

You can get them in all sorts of themes like Minecraft, football, Dr Who and Deadly 60. After Xmas they are sold really cheaply so look out for them then.

Diary of a wimpy kid series
Any of david Walliams books
Tom gates series

Michael Morpurgo's books are always recommended but to be honest I find most of them rather worthy and a bit dull

Thanks so much - this is all brilliant!

This is the first time I have started a thread and I am so glad I did

Many fiction books that 7 year olds like will not be suitable content wise for an 11 year old as they will come across as too babyish. You can find lower reading age books with a more grown up theme if you do some googling.