Recommendations for 10yo DS

[ASnowballsChance]

DS really enjoys reading when he has a good book/series to read but I'm all out of ideas now and he is preferring watching TV over reading which has never been the case up until now. I really need some recommendations to get him bitten by the reading bug again.

Things he's enjoyed - the first four Harry Potter's (think he's a bit young for the next ones), diary of a wimpy kid, Tom Gates, the how to Train your dragon series and Willard Price adventure stories.

Didn't really enjoy the lion the witch and the wardrobe or spy/detective novels.

Any ideas greatly received!

flat stanley series
middle school series

There are lots of series my DC enjoyed at that age. FWIW by age 10 I did allow my DC to read all the Harry Potter books (Or at least 5 and 6).

Ones which immediately come to mind that my DC have enjoyed:

• the “Secrets” series by Pseudonomous Bosch. the first book is “The Name of this Book is Secret”
• Percy Jackson series
• Lots of Eva Ibbotson books, such as “Not just a witch”
• Lemony Snicket books
• Age appropriate Cornelia Funke eg. Dragon Rider and it’s sequel rather than Inkheart or Reckless, which are probably aimed at at older kids.
• The History Keepers by Damian Dibbon

How about the Lemony Snickett series - about 13 books I think.

Or, old fashioned but none the less v funny the Jennings and Derbyshire books are good. As is the Just William series.

Excellent suggestions, thanks. He tried Lemony Snicket but couldn't get into them. I didn't think of the Jennings books - I loved them as a child! Also going to look into all the other suggestions too.

I had been toying with the idea of letting him read the next Harry Potter, he has been asking for a while.

Has he read Philip Pullman's Northern Lights series?
I also recommend The Shadow Guests by Joan Aiken, The Dalemark Quartet by Diana Wynne Jones... and pretty much anything by Rosemary Sutcliffe.

Also, there are lots of fantastic graphic novels for teens and pre-teens. I know that some people look down on them as being somehow 'not proper reading' because they have pictures, but personally I don't understand why because they are a fun and easy way to get into/back into reading and how can that be a bad thing...?

James Patterson - Middle School & I Funny Series
R J Palacio - Wonder
Louis Sachar - Holes & Small Steps
Michael Morpurgo

The Alex Rider series goes down well with Yr 7s as do the Michael Morporgo books. I'd also let him have a go at the Maze Runner or Percy Jackson at his age.

DS is a reluctant reader. Series he has enjoyed are Pete Johnson’s How to Train Your Parents, Tom McLaughlin’s Accidental Prime Minister and Kid Normal by Chris Smith and Greg James.

They’re not terribly taxing but all very funny and have really engaged DS, which is all I’m concerned about at the moment.

Tom fletcher books. Christmasaurus, the creakers, ice monster. All 3 are really good

The last wild by Piers Torday

What about divergent, hunger games and maze runner books

Goodnight Mr Tom (my DS10's all time favourite)
Malorie Blackman books - depending on his maturity, but things like Pigheart and Hacker are good for younger readers (Os & Xs are more YA)
Def second anything by Rick Riordan
Helen Moss - Adventure Island series (loads) and also the Secrets of the Tombs series (there are 3)

How about “the edge chronicles” my oldest loved them at that age

My 10 year old has loved the Ranger's Apprentice book series and also the Brotherband series by the same author. He also enjoys Michael Murpurgo books. He couldn't get into the Alex Rider or Percy Jackson books. I've just bought him the Northern Lights series of Ebay recently.

DS1 (12) is just now loving the Maze Runner books - he first tried the first one a year or two ago and didn't like it (didn't finish) but then tried again when his friends at school seemed to be enjoying it. I also think that Divergent and Hunger Games are a bit old for a 10 year old, particularly if his mum thinks 5-7 of Harry Potter are too much! I would say let him have a go at the rest of the Harry Potter series, as he's actually expressed interest for himself and you want to get him back into his reading mojo, but do encourage him to come to you and talk about it if there's stuff that's upsetting or something there.

I find it tricky because I read all sorts of stuff at all sorts of ages and I wouldn't stop either of my DSs reading any particular book if they picked it up, but I'm not pressing absolutely anything on my 12 year old! He likes TV and computer games but always reads for ages at bedtime and will sometimes turn off TV and gadgets to read if he's really into a book.

DS2 is 10 like OP's son and at the end of year 5 at school and has started to devour everything about football and recites stats but he is really hooked on game playing and will only read during set aside time at school and after bedtime. He has been reading his brother's Harry Potter book #5 for so long and carting it around in his schoolbag that DP had to tape it up today (poor DS1! - I have a better condition copy of the book that I will give him but not DS2 for his shelves at some point) .

OP, have you tried Diana Wynne Jones on your son? DS1 loved the Chrestomanci linked books - start with Charmed Life - at his age, and even DS2 has read and enjoyed some of them before his attention wandered. I am beginning to feel that if I were DS1 I wouldn't want to share my books with my very careless little brother though.

Jessica Townsend’s 2 (so far) books in the Nevermor series are terrific. Quirky and funny but with a proper level of scary.

Also Catherine Jink’s Evil Genius books - they’re long, but if he’s coping with Harry Potter he’ll be fine.

Darren Shan’s vampire circus books are entertaining and very popular.

The Irish crime writer John Connolly has written a series of YA books, starting with The Gate. They’re great, very funny, but a bit dark.

Also Zizou Corder’s Lion Boy books are terrific.

We enjoyed A place called perfect by Helena Dunbar and the sequel, the Midnight children by David Walliams and the Borrowers. Currently reading The Explorers by Katherine Rundell. I read to DS 10 at night when I can. On his own he devours the Percy Jackson books.

DS11 is currently obsessed with the Skulduggery Pleasant books.
He also loved the Magnus Chase ones by Rick Riordan.
And he's just started reading some of my old Rosemary Sutcliff books.

DS loved Michelle Paver's Wolf Brother series, I think it's actually called Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. They are quite scary though.

She has also written another series for slightly younger children set in Ancient Greece, which I think is called Gods and Warriors.

Also the Itch books by Simon Mayo