Birthday present for 9 year old boy

[pabla]

Has anyone got any suggestions? Otherwise, as he is not that interested in books (but can read well IYSWIM) I had thought of trying to find some that might spark his interest. I got him some on a football theme a couple of years ago which went down well.

Natural World do some lovely sciencey type sets, excavate a mini dinosaur, magnet magic - that sort of thing. Or a magic set? horrible Histories books?

the book people have some good offers on sometimes.
my 8yo ds loves the horrible history books, particularly if they are on something he has done at school. e.g romans, vikings, egyptians

definitely horrible histories or sciences books. or magnetix/geomag, science kits generally are a real hit in our house, but so are wrestling figures and PS2 games

DS loves horrible history

My dad got him a subscription to the comics which he loves as well as the books

or Alex Rider

lego

geomag is very good, my ds loves it but it is very expensive and you don't get much in a box, so if he already has nay more is always appreciated

Does he play football? If so you could get him a good ball (c £10-12) or shinpads or goalie gloves.

Or a DVD, there are loads of football ones - put football into the DVD search on amazon (tried a link, wouldn't work) the front page is all serious ones about specific teams (do you know who he likes?) but there are lots of jokey ones too (eg Football Nightmares) with people like Nick Hancock.

Or a semi-grownup DVD like Dead Ringers - my DSs used to love things like Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse at around that age, they cotton on to older stuff sooner than you'd think! I will try to remember to ask them tomorrow what would be good now.

If you definitely want to get a book, I'm told that the book Holes is supposed to get even the most determined non-book interested boy into reading. I think it's about right for age 10.

Yep - Holes is good but Alex Rider is better!!!

A Hot Air Balloon Kit

A mini digital camera

My ds has just turned 9. He got a chemistry set (made by the horrible science people), a Star Wars lego model, Harry Potter book 4, Yu-gi-oh cards, Dr Who DVD and books, a build your own jet engine set, Bionicle lego, etc.

Any of that inspire you?

Also, you can get the Horrible History books on audio tape or CD. My ds loves his tape on the Tudors.

Thanks for all your suggestions - I think I'll go for a book or two (or one on tape - they are driving up to Scotland for their hols from the SE so might help to pass the time.)