So your child hates reading? Just hasn't found anything interesting... or has trouble so is discouraged? I'd like to use my experience as an educator and also working in a book store to offer a few suggestions! Hopefully you'll find this helpful

Books for 9-12 Boys and Girls

Got a boy who likes real action? Try some awesome young historical fiction!
The My Story Series by various authors: [link] are fantastic introductions to the genre! Inspired by true events though still fiction these books follow the lives of young boys and men during times of war and conflict. With many cliff hangers young guys will rip through their first book and look for more. The covers are artistic and not childish so this is a perfect book for the older boy that's having trouble reading as it looks like an adult history book. And of course, girls will love them too. If she doesn't want to read about boys she can check out The American Girl books [link] or the Dear Canada books [link] that are similar themes delivered in a similar way.

Got a visual kid? Pair a graphic novel with a series!
There are many book series out there that have graphic novel companions. Reading a graphic novel is not the educational sin it used to be as schools are adopting divergent thinking and learning patterns as opposed to convergent. With many series only the first books is available as a graphic novel. Why? Well... motivation! Your child has an issue getting into books or trouble reading? They can skim through a graphic novel no problem to see if the series is something that may interest them. In many situations despite having literacy problems a child will read the first graphic novel and not being able to wait to find out what happens will make the leap to the book series! Some book series like Erin Hunter's Warrior series fill in the gaps from the stories with graphic novels: Book: [link] graphic novel: [link]
Do they feel like they're stuck reading a classic or Shakespeare? Lots of children and youth have issues with these books and this should be no surprise because adults do as well! Some graphic novels make for perfect companions while studying the original and others that are complete full text make for perfect replacements. It's not bad to be a visual person- visual ques can make all the difference! Graphic novels can also be used on a reward basis for reading regular text.

Twilight
Say what you will about good ol Stephenie Meyer... but there are some key reasons why her books are so popular that you may want to consider before freaking out when your friend/relative brings one home! The Twilight books can be an easy read for some because they encompass many genres. There's romance, action, sci-fi, adventure- initially most people can pick up books like this and find something they like about it! The reading level is very average and well paced. You may not like the writing style but the chapter lengths are about the same, the terminology isn't too challenging or varied, and well.. the font is big! Twilight also touched on some key moments that many people can relate to: First Love, High School, Coming of age etc. If you're child is on the Twilight band wagon and looking for something else to read be happy! It's great to see young people with a renewed interest in reading even if they're sticking to a vampire genre for now! There are many other books you may want to consider making a jump to! Such as these!
Scott Westerfield: Uglies : [link]
P.C Cast: House of Night (older readers) [link]
Justine Musk: Uninvited: [link]

Prize Winners
It's hard to go wrong with Prize Winning books as the very issues you're concerned about when it comes to helping your child read are the very things they take into consideration when judging a book! My top fav right now is The Graveyard book by Neil Gaiman: [link] The Graveyard book brings together Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean once again to create a literary and artistic masterpiece. Gaiman is the master of believable fantasy. Got a kid who doesn't like the traditional fantasy? Pass them onto Neil! He's got books for all ages so he's a great author to start with if your child enjoys one- there's many for him/her to go to next! Gaiman leaves room for the imagination as opposed to answering all the questions up front or detailing too much. This encourages healthy intellectual development and cognitive skills- something not many writers can boast with their books! Many book store website have a section for award winners... so be sure to check in!


A few tips before we end part 1

Don't be discouraged if you're child seems uninterested at first. Often enough kids and youth are embarrassed they're not at the reading level of their classmates and get frustrated, while others really are just too busy with life to realize the enjoyment a book can offer.

Go to a physical book store and ask employees for recommendations! We're in a bad economy here and from my own experience I can guarantee you that most of the employees you encounter really do know what they're talking about and are passionate about it because book companies can't afford people who aren't. These people know their stuff! Ask them questions. Let them ask you questions. Be up front when you think a suggestion wont work. Come back and let them know if it did work so they can help you find more!

Converse with your child's teacher. You're not enemies you're on the same side. If you have concerns make them known and don't push aside a teachers concern. She/he can only do so much in the classroom. They need your help too.

Create a positive reading environment at home. Your child isn't going to be interested in reading if you're not reading yourself! Keep books in the house, talk about books, read a book before seeing a movie!

I hope you find these helpful, I'd love to hear your own suggestions and experiences and I'll be making a part 2! Please note/comment with any good book reviewing websites you've encountered as well.