Over the past (almost) 12 months, the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook group has blossomed into a wonderful community of nearly 2000 members. Time and again, I’ve seen call-outs from desperate parents, looking for books for readers of all levels, ages and interests, answered so swiftly and fulsomely that you just know there are kids across the country staggering around under teetering new TBR piles.
Today’s discussion was no different, and I’m going to share the recommendations here because I KNOW how commonplace a problem this one is. Firstly, the question.
I have an 11-year-old son who used to be a prolific reader. He’s in Year 6 but since Year 4, his reading has slowed considerably. He says most books bore him. He is not interested in fantasy or sci-fi, which a lot of boys’ books involve. He loved ‘Wonder’, ‘The London Eye Mystery’, ‘The Bubble Boy’, the YR version of ‘Ugly’. Books with real life themes seem to interest him most. I have asked the library and our local independent bookstore but both agree, there is little around for pre-teen boys without interest in the above. Can anyone here help us? Thanks so much in advance.
And now, a list of 24(+) recommendations, garnered from the collective wisdom of the YKNR FB group (made up of parents, teachers, librarians, authors, booksellers) and offered in no particular order.
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Once (series) by Morris Gleitzman
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
I Survived (series) by Lauren Tarshis
Lion (A long way home) (young readers edition) by Saroo Brierley
Aliens, Ghosts and Vanishings: Strange and possibly true Australian stories by Stella Tarakson (ill. Richard Morden)
Every Falling Star: The true story of how I survived and escaped North Korea by Sungju Lee and Susan McClelland
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Ghost (Track #1) by Jason Reynolds
Mao’s Last Dancer (young readers edition) by Li Cunxin
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard
Blueback by Tim Winton
The Call Of The Wild by Jack London
White Fang by Jack London
300 minutes of Danger by Jack Heath
The Martian by Andy Weir (YA edition)
Two Wolves by Tristan Bancks
The Fall by Tristan Bancks
Escape From Mr Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
Run by Sarah Armstrong
Danger Road by A. L. Tait
Villain (series) by Adrian Beck
Book lists you might also find useful
125 Books That Boys Are Reading (And Loving) Right Now (2025)
50 (Mostly) New Adventure Books For Kids Of All Ages (2025)
60 More Tried-And-Tested Books For 13/14 Year Old Boys
Are you new here? Welcome to my blog!
I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of 12 middle-grade novels, including adventure fantasy series such as The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries, and contemporary stories including THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE, WILLOW BRIGHT’S SECRET PLOT, DANGER ROAD and THE LAST WORD.
You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
If you’re looking for book recommendations for young readers, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community, tune in to the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and sign up for the Your Kid’s Next Read newsletter.
I have been retired from teaching for a while now but I also found Hatchet by Gary Paulsen was a sure fire winner with reluctant early teens. Also My Life in Dog Years by the same author.
Great suggestions Carol! Thanks!
My 10 yr old son loves the Masterminds series by Gordon Korman, the 13-Story Treehouse series, Beetle Boy, the Terrible Two series, Mr Lemoncello’s Library series, The Island of Dr. Libris, Hatchet series, The Map to Everywhere, the I Survived series, Pax, A Boy Called Christmas, The Night Gardener, Cooper and Packrat series, Timmy Failure series, Stitch Head, and his most favorite…Wonder! And this all comes from a boy who”doesn’t like to read”!!!!
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George is an amazing book.
Great company to be in, Allison. Thanks so much for including ‘Two Wolves’ and ‘The Fall’. I’ll try some of these ideas out on my boys. So many of my faves here, too. ‘White Fang’, ‘Once’, ‘Striped Pyjamas’ etc.
I’m a ‘Hatchet’ and ‘Holes’ fan as well as ‘The Invention of Hugo Cabret’ and Lian Tanner’s ‘Icebreaker’. ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ can also work as a readaloud or readalone with tween boys. 😉
I’d suggest The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be and other books by Farley Mowat. My own tween son loved anything by Patrick McManus, especially The Grasshopper Trap. He also loved the Little Britches and the rest of the series by Ralph Moody.
Thanks so much Barbara!