Expanding on the title: I have an 11-year-old who inhales books. He especially loves fantasy and sci fi, and gravitates toward series. He's a fairly advanced reader, but he's only a newly minted 11 year old. It's a great age, and I want to start recommending some slightly more adult series while also protecting the part of him that's still just a kid. I'm also interested in beginning to thread in more classic literature that still scratches that high fantasy or page turner itch.
Some recent favorites include the Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband series, the Skandar unicorn series by A.F. Steadman, Dune, the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the latest in the Christopher Paolini Inheritance Cycle.
What would you recommend for this kid? He's gobbled up nearly everything in the kids' and YA sections at our local library, and we're heading off on vacation next week. I'd love to surprise him with a few truly wonderful books.
by thedalahorse
10 Comments
My kid is in that age range and loves the Wings of Fire series. It’s currently at 15 books and two prequals.
It may not be Sci-Fi but the books that worked for me when I was young is the ‘The Hatchet’ series. I believe it’s 4 books and it tells the story of a boy who gets lost in the Canadian wilderness and survives until rescue comes, but it is such an entrapping and compelling story that I always recommend it to young readers.
Sebastien de Castell has a series for young readers that’s a lot of fun called Spellslinger (also the title of the first book).
Also Megan Whalen Turner has a YA series called The Thief that I adored.
Mm. Maybe the Vorkosigan series? The author is my favorite, but it would really depend on his maturity level and your own comfort in discussing topics that will come up.
For example, there is interstellar travel using worm holes, which allows for different planetary cultures and wars fought over these trade routes. There’s cloning, genetic manipulation, and uterine replicators, which all play out in very interesting ways.
The Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend
have spacesuit-will travel
enders game (does get a bit violent and depressing)
the graveyard book
dodger
The Wheel of Time
Chronicles of Amber (been a while since I read it, I think it would be ok, plenty of violence though)
If he likes starwars Jedi Apprentice Series and Republic commando series. Jedi apprentice is a YA series, republic commando is older with lots of violence (its about soldiers) but pretty clean otherwise if I recall correctly)
The Martian, Project Hail Mary, and We are Legion We are Bob are wonderful books, but the science might be a little above his age.
Check out some Bruce Coville. My Teacher Is Wn Alien was my favorite book when I was 10.
Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series.
*The Thief of Always* by Clive Barker
*Un Lun Dun* by China Mieville
*The Books of Swords* by Fred Saberhagen
The Once And Future King, by T. H. White. It’s a version of the King Arthur mythos which should keep him busy for a while