Speaking as a youth services librarian, I know the key to getting them to read without complaining is having them find something that interests them. Public library summer reading programs and the ALA website are good sources of book lists. I have sadly found that the lists our schools put out tend to be heavy on the curriculum items as well as what I think of as "dead white guys." Nothing wrong with the "classics," but do you only watch movies made before 1950? Your kid will want to read what other kids are reading too. (Captain Underpants rules!)
Don't forget that there are books galore on snakes, turtles, dirt bikes, dinosaurs and even traveling to WDW. Non-fiction really works for that reluctant reader who is only interested in skateboarding (one of my recent challenges).
In addition to the authors/titles/series suggested above, books by Andrew Clements (
Frindle), Matt Christopher (sports), Jame Howe (
Bunnicula, The Misfits), Diane Wynne Jones (
So You Want to be a Wizard series), the
Echo Falls Mysteries, the
Sammy Keyes Mysteries (like Nancy Drew but snappy and modern), and
Encyclopedia Brown Mysteries are all popular summer reading for grades 2/3 - 6 in our library system. Christopher Paul Curtis is an award-winning author who kids really enjoy (
The Watson's Go to Birmingham - 1963). His stuff is both serious and humorous, humor being a very attractive quality in a book for kids.
Manga, particularly
Dragon Ball &
Dragon Ball Z and
Naruto, are really hot with boys in 4 - 9 grades. Pokemon is still popular with younger kids. Lots of girls enjoy manga too. Just be aware that not all manga is created equal; in Japan, adults read it too, so look for the rating code on the cover (just like movie ratings). Kids also seem to be mad about Spiderman again.
If you have teens, vampire books (think
Twilight) are flying off the shelves for both sexes, as is manga. Teens also like funny books but won't admit it. Christopher Paul Curtis strikes again with
Bucking the Sarge for teens. My favorite funny book for grades 5 and up is
No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman. If you hate those stories where the dog dies, you'll love this book too!