Books with really short chapters for early teen boy

[SplendidPendips]

My 13 year old struggles to get in to reading a book. His reading ability is fine, but it's probably something to do with his attention span and regarding reading as a school chore that he wants to rebel against. We've had success recently with 'Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time' and 'Wonder'. Common theme seems to be short chapters. I can relate to this somewhat, as I love short chapters myself! Are there any other books with short chapters that might be suitable for a teen boy? Or indeed, shorter books (everything seems to be 370 pages these days). He's not into the style/language of "old fashioned" books. I've just bought the young reader edition of Bob, No Ordinary Cat which looks accessible.

Oh, he also doesn't want to read about anything to do with relationships (boyfriend/girlfriend kind), which a lot of the modern teen books seem to be geared around.

It may sound heavy, but why not try Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London? I read it in my early teens and really enjoyed it. Orwell has a wonderfully clear, simple style, and the book itself is really interesting.

My brother read (and loved) A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy around that age.

Herman Hesse's Siddhartha is another great book to read when you're young. Again, short and simple and beautiful.

My eldest was very similar, and still is to some extent.

Id recommend the Alex Rider series and the Skullduggery Pleasant series, unless you think they’re too young for him.

What about Holes by Louis Sachar?

Thanks all. He read Holes at school and enjoyed it. He doesn't seem into the Alex Rider type books, which is a shame as most books aimed at boys seem to be in a similar vein (martial arts 14 year old employed to be the President's bodyguard, young Bond etc). He seems to like realistic fiction, if that makes sense, like Curious Incident and Wonder. There seems to be so little of it about.

Sounds a bit off the wall, but what about the Lottie Brooks books - light, funny diaries set in yr7/8.

Try “Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer” by Jeffrey Boakye or “Something I said” by Ben Bailey Smith.Both aimed at boys around that age and light in touch.For a short but more serious and dystopian read you could look at “The Blue Book of Nebo” by Manon Stefan Ros which won the Carnegie award last year and is for his age group.

I don't know if he's the right age, but Dan Brown's da Vinci Code is all short chapters, some of them only a page. It's a real page turner, no romance. My husband hardly ever reads a book, but it got him reading.

I understand what you're hoping for, but instead of short chapters what if you got him something with no chapter breaks at all (plus a fancy leather bookmark) to foster the idea that he can pick up or put down the book as he pleases, not regard it as a chore having to plow though a chapter?

He might like this series:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Teacher_Is_an_Alien

They're pretty silly and fun while also covering some deep and meaningful themes.

Thanks all, I shall take a look at the suggestions. For anyone else looking for something similar, he's currently enjoying Bob, No Ordinary Cat (edited version of a Street Cap Named Bob to remove swearing etc).

Probably very dated but I loved the secret diary of Adrian Mole.