Suggestions for good books for a child who reads very little

[cirks]

My daughter is a reluctant reader - few books she's tried have caught her imagination and often she gives up part way through. She's not a great reader (ie ability/vocab wise) so need to really find something that's not too tough and is engaging from the first few pages. Any suggestions? She's just turning 12. Her interests are playing sports and would read about 'adventures'.
Thanks in advance

[Happy82]

I enjoyed the deptford mice at that age, seem to remember it was fairly easy to read

[nsa]

At that age I read a lot of Choose Your Own Adventure books. Each page is numbered and the story develops depending on which path you take, so you have to "go to page 124" etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_15?url=...

I remember this one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forbidden-Castle-Choose-Yo...

But my favourite was called The Lost Citadel or something. Can't find it on Amazon though.

Edited by nsa on Wednesday 24th April 09:38

Edited by nsa on Wednesday 24th April 09:39

[Nobaccymaccy]

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
main character is a young girl close to your daughter's age which might attract ?

[cirks]

Thanks for the suggestions - I'll check them out. Any more are of course welcome and appreciated

[pidsy]

"The weirdstone of brasingamen"

By alan garner.

Plenty of adventure, magic and a fantastic good vs evil story.

Read it in english when i was about 12 and still read it once a year.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0007355211/ref=red...

Edited by pidsy on Wednesday 24th April 10:07

[SGirl]

Terry Pratchett's Nome trilogy, or his Johnny Maxwell books. Both have gone down well with our 10-year-old because they're funny and interesting.

[Nobaccymaccy]

pidsy said:

"The weirdstone of brasingamen"

By alan garner.

Plenty of adventure, magic and a fantastic good vs evil story.

Read it in english when i was about 12 and still read it once a year.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0007355211/ref=red...

Edited by pidsy on Wednesday 24th April 10:07

I had to read that at school too ! Excellent book

[bint]

Moomins - pretty random gentle musings and a bit different if she won't go for the expected Famous Five etc.

Things I was hooked on;

Diana Wynn Jones books
Nicholas Fisk
Alan Garner - Weirdstone of Brisingamen as mention, Owl Service too
The Secret Garden
Wind in the Willows
Narnia Series

[AMLK]

Seeing the suggestion for chose your own adventure really brings back memories for me. I was a very reluctant reader when I was young and my Mum got me reading these books, now you struggle to get my nose out of a book! Although I think they may be slightly young for her - but I cannot really remember (oh, I feel old!!)

As for the suggestion of 'The Book Thief' - an absolutely fantastic bokk, one of the best I have ever read, but I would not recommend it to a reluctant reader, though once she does get more into reading I would say it is a must.

My suggestions would be:
Anothony Horowitz - His Alex Rider(junior spy) collection or his Power of Five(supernatural kids) series.
Willard Price - Adventure stories set in the artic, undersea, safari etc
Phillip Reeve - Mortal Engines (survival in a post-apocalyptic future)
Phillip Pullman - Sally Lockhart collection (victorian history based action - it is better than it sounds!!!) and of course his Dark Materials trilogy, great set of books but some people can struggle to get into them.
Michael Grant - Gone series (kids with supernatural powers in a world with adults)
Pittacus Lore - Lorien series
James Pattison - Maximum Ride series (kids that can fly)
Michael Morpogo - mostly animal based books, one of his most famous being War Horse
Garth Nix - Sabriel trilogy andKeys to th Kingdom series (fantasy books)

Hope you can get her interested in books!!

[Dominicc01]

Try the Lemony Snicket books. They should be at the right level, and seem sufficiently engaging.

[jimmyone]

real "funny " age to suggest a book for, but treat her as an adult,forget all those so called "teenage books " and get her Moby Dick,
guarantee she will finish it

[whirligig]

My daughter devours books at a rate of knots and is currently enjoying Hollow Earth (and the sequel can't think what it's called just now) by John Barrowman (of Torchwood etc fame) and his sister. I think they'd be perfect for a 12 year old girl as they're quite easy to read but a good story to them as well.

Thinking back a couple of years she read everything by Jacqueline Wilson, Lucy Daniels, all the Harry Potters (but the later ones are quite heavy going for that age maybe), Michael Morpurgo etc

[MentalSarcasm]

Despite the length of time since the books were first written, I read my way through the entire Famous Five collection around the age of 11. No computers mentioned, just lots of mystery and adventure. My littlest sister isn't a great reader and she's working her way through the Lemony Snicket series after our brother gave it to her (he read the whole series first and he's far from being a "bookworm" as well).

Editted to add- If she doesn't have a library card yet then get her signed up to your local library and take her there every other Saturday, most libraries will have a well-stocked children's area as they know who their future audience is!

Edited by MentalSarcasm on Monday 6th May 20:02

[bearman68]

Harry Potter has to be a good shout - easy to read and engaging.

[KennyWF]

Mine reads a lot of Michael Morpurgo and has only recently got into reading for pleasure.
She also likes the Hunger Games books and Anthony Horowitz scary stories.
Does she like cats? My daughter has just finished a book called To Be A Cat by Matt Haig about a boy who turns into a cat, a bit like Freaky Friday but with cats. It's very easy to read.
I loved Alan Garner books when I was growing up but my kids don't seem to be that bothered about them. Typical.

[CapitalGreens]

We read the start of Joan Lingards' Kevin and Sadie series around that age at school and I remember of a number of classmates who'd typically be reluctant readers went out and got the remaining books in the series to read themselves.

[anonymous-user]

If you can find one with a character that the child connects with, that will become a firm favourite.

I don't think there is anyone character that would do this universally.

One that our kids enjoyed (and as a result want to be giants!) is The Naughty Little Giant and the toy train

It is on amazon here

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/099289610X

[Some Gump]

Apologies if I'm aiming too low. My kid is only months old, so all I can remember are the stand out favourites from my childhood. I can't really picture being 12, but either way it's a bit irrelevent because I was a bit ahead as a reader from about 4, rather than reluctant.

Stig of the dump - I loved that as a kid.
Fungus the bogeyman* - I think I read that non stop for a year or so.

• This is like a graphic novel so if she disengages easily maybe it'd keep her interested?

Anything by Roald Dahl
Grimble - Clement Freud
Adrian Mole (obviously)
Fighting Fantasy series (Jackson / livingstone) - I think I did them all. Never used any of that dice rubbish tho.
Point horror - they're gash but I loved em. Might be too boyish tho?

Good luck turning her into a reader - I think it was probably hard when I was a kid, doing it in the ipad / internet age must be bloody impossible!

[extraT]

I was the same growing up many years ago....Then I discovered The Demon Headmaster. Great series to get into if you are a kid!