book recommendations for 14 yr old boy

[womanofdulwich]

We have done Darren Shand, Anthony Horrowitz and CHerub. CHris Ryan and Artemis Fowl etc. But now we are stuck. My eldest went onto Gareth Nix ( I think ) and Mallory Blakman but my 14 year old is not inspired. So many titles look so predictable - boy s-trouble- drugs - violence- safety/ hero etc. These are a real turn off ( his favorite book used to be Coral Island). He loved Of Mice and Men , but I think he is losing his reading stamina as it is the same 10 books he reads and re reads. I even tried some Ian Fleming James Bond but they were discarded.

Half way through half term and apart form listening to the Uncommon Reader Alan Bennet cd we are going no where. Can anyone offer anything as a suggestion please?

[nicolemodesti]

Have you tried books by Jonathon Stroud? Bartimaeus trilogy? Depending on whether he likes magic and golems?? Cliff McNish, Silver Child, is another and a small book.

[intexasatthe moment]

Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

Un Lun Dun by China Mieville

Tom Becker Darkside series

Measles and the Mallockee - Ian Ogilvy

Darkside series - Tom Becker

pm me if you'd like to come and browse my son's library - welcome to borrow ,but would want returned .

He refuses to dispose of his books ,which is why we have a library .

[nymom]

The Giver by Lois Lowry

[gwod]

Holes by Louis Sachar is very excellent ( for teens or adults) and what about the His Dark Materials trilogy, by Phillip Pullman. Coram Boy jamila Gavin(?SP) is great and is a very quick read which can help to inspire - And The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)is a great book too, a bit more challenging and dark but great none-the-less.

So great to see a thread in the family room for families of older children!

[intexasatthe moment]

If he liked Coral Island - would he go for William Goldings Lord of the Flies ?

Maybe the old Swallows and Amazons books ?

More Steinbeck if he liked Mice and Men ,Grapes of Wrath ?

[BAM]

Also, the H.I.V.E series by Mark Walden. Would definitely echo Jonathan Stroud and Phillip Pullman (have enjoyed all of these as an adult!).

[sillywoman]

Me & my boy (nearly 13) are currently enjoying the 2nd of 'The Knife of Never Letting Go' trilogy (?), by Patrick Ness. Good writing, interesting concept, no drugs/violence/boys troubles stuff.

The other books he's loved are the Michelle Paver 'Wolf Brother' books. Really well written & very enjoyable.

Don't know whether either of these would suit your son? HTH

[womanofdulwich]

wow thanks for such quick responses- no to book thief and coram boy and philip pulman ( tried and failed them all)or magic- we never liked Harry Potter either.. grapes of wrath looked too long and i think swallows and amazons is too prissy ( sorry can't think of the right word). maybe there is another short book by Steinback - They did Holes at school but there are some titles I have never heard of so will have a library dash later to check out all the other suggestions. It would be nice to read a book together, but my misguided attempt at the sword in the stone was not appreciated at Christmas.!! Any more suggstions welcome.:)

[gwod]

Oh dear, maybe its time for Science Fiction then(Bleugh! but boys seem to like it) a bit of Asimov or some of the shorter Peter F Hamiltons.....

[Ruffler]

My 13-year old son recommends The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Lord of the Flies and The Kite Runner, though the latter might be more suitable for older teen readers.

[nicolemodesti]

Try books by David Almond????

[njc97]

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, definitely.

Treasure Island is superb, as is kidnapped by RL Stevenson.

How about Biggles or Gimlett by WE Johns? Or 49 steps by John Buchan.

I know it's magic, but Terry Pratchett maybe?

What else does he like, maybe film/tv stuff - Dr Who, Star Wars etc?

Horror stuff maybe (might just be a bit too young) - Stephen King, Shaun Hutson etc.

Long but good - I read Gorky park when I was 13 (but it takes some going).

[womanofdulwich]

Funny I thought Huckleberry Finn too and it was painful to read for me. Have you read it recently ? Do you think it only ever appeals to the male of the species? I was so uncomfortable reading it our loud it was abandoned by page 10. Fussy aren't I?

[njc97]

I actually read it again last year and loved it. But from hazy memory, I may have not thought it as good as Tom Sawyer when I read it as a teenager. When you say painful, do you mean the language/accents? I think that sort of thing can be painful for a while but (reading to yourself) you soon get used to it.

Might be a bit off, but how about comics graphic novels? When I was last in Chener books there was a boy of around 13 discussing them with the owner.

[womanofdulwich]

you could be right reading the accents aloud was terrible- maybe i'll get a talking book first to suck him in....

He has never shown an interest in those graphic novels and to be honest I think it is regressive going from Mice and Men to them-but I think I may have read Wilbur Smith and Jeffery Archer books when I was 14.........I wonder how they read now??

[Keef]

I got in to Raymond E Fiest when I was about that age, and still like them. Fantasy type stuff for the nerd within.

[Ondine]

What about John Grisham?

[njc97]

Or Tom Clancy maybe if he likes that sort of thing. Or Firefox by Craig Thomas (must. think. in. russian. etc)

Although it's a small step from that sort of trash to Dan Brown, and we don't want to be encouraging that sort of thing....