Hi,
All of my life I’ve hated to read. It’s always been boring and I usually just fall asleep, whether it’s broad daylight or dark outside. Funny thing is, when it’s a book with illustrations I can stay awake the whole time!
My Adv. Lit. teacher Mrs. R says I’m far too gifted to feel like this and I’m wasting my life on drawing and sketching. She says only little kids like books with illustrations like comics or graphic novels and I need to grow up. She says they aren’t real books and an A student should have read a book on his/her/their own by now and that it’s a shame my brain is being wasted on garbage 🚮 without any substance.
I tried all of Mrs. R’s book suggestions and I don’t mean to cuss, but honestly they all SUCKED. I fell asleep 😴 on all of them.
I’m not popular in school, I’ve been bullied, I don’t have any friends and I’m usually laughed at by the other kids because I live with my Nana and she‘s on a fixed income so we are very poor and I don’t wear the best clothes or shoes. Kids are really mean 😢 to me, even the girls call me a geek and I eat all alone at lunch, so I can’t ask anyone else to suggest anything for me to read.
Can anyone help me with finding exciting books for kids my age PLEASE?
Thank You,
N.S.
by Fit_End5220
16 Comments
>She says only little kids like books with illustrations like comics or graphic novels and I need to grow up.
Your teacher is wrong. There are some fantastic graphic novels that are very much meant for adults out there. They still count as books even if they have pictures.
That said, there’s also a world of great literature that doesn’t have pictures, so *only* reading graphic novels can be somewhat limiting.
>Can anyone help me with finding exciting books for kids my age PLEASE?
What kinds of things are you interested in? Particular genres, particular types of characters or stories, etc. Not necessarily just in books but in any sort of media.
Here are some ideas:
* The [Guild of Specialists series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/62162-the-guild-of-specialists) by Joshua Mowll
* [The Last Mission](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/863625.The_Last_Mission) by Harry Mazer
* The [Earthfall series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/118294-earthfall) by Mark Walden
* The [Dolphin Ring Cycle](https://www.goodreads.com/series/51015-the-dolphin-ring-cycle) by Rosemary Sutcliff
* [The Seven Professors of the Far North Series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/54442-the-seven-professors-of-the-far-north) by John Fardell
* [The Dark Is Rising](https://www.goodreads.com/series/44420-the-dark-is-rising) by Susan Cooper
* [Hal & Roger Hunt Adventure Series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/57728-hal-roger-hunt-adventures) by Willard Price
* [The Tripods Series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40878-the-tripods) by John Christopher
* [The Viking Saga](https://www.goodreads.com/series/42899-viking-saga) by Henry Treece
* The[ Mortal Engines Quartet](https://www.goodreads.com/series/212609-mortal-engines-quartet) by Philip Reeves
* The [Earthsea Cycle](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40909-earthsea-cycle) by Ursula K. Le Guin
* The [Blackthorn Key series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/174324-the-blackthorn-key) by Kevin Sands
* The [Tripods series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40878-the-tripods) by John Christopher
* The [CHERUB series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/55394-cherub) by Robert Muchamore
* The[ Artemis Fowl ](https://www.goodreads.com/series/42742-artemis-fowl)series by Eoin Colfer
*The Thief of Always* by Clive Barker
*Un Lun Dun* by China Mieville
OP, what comic books (or assigned reading stuff) have you read that you’ve enjoyed?
-Percy Jackson & the lightning thief by Rick Riordan
-The Outsiders by SE Hilton
-Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
As the other poster said, your teacher is wrong. She’s an Adv. Lit teacher so it makes sense that she might have that prejudice against graphic novels, but she’s still wrong. Are there any graphic novels you’ve really liked? That might help us suggest books you’d like, too.
As a 27 year old PhD candidate in English literature, let me tell you that your teacher is incorrect. I absolutely love manga and graphic novels. So do many of my colleagues, some of which already have their doctorate degrees.
As another commenter said, it’s wise not to limit oneself to graphic novels ONLY, but I would rather you continue to read something you love while also experimenting with fiction.
My recommendations for fiction are:
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Shapeshifter by Ali Sparkes
Chrestomanci Series by Diana Wynne Jones
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
My advice would be to look up the titles suggested to you here, and start with the books that sound the most interesting to you. If you find it difficult deciding what sounds appealing – try to imagine which ones you’d be drawn to if they were graphic novels. If you are a visual thinker, know that when one becomes absorbed in a book, it unfolds like a movie within the mind.
Good luck! Never give up hobbies you love because someone shames you for them, but, also, try new things and don’t limit yourself!
The only time wasted is time complaining or feeling guilty.
I’m 26 and I’ve only been able to get back into reading since college!
It’s really difficult to do things when you’re being TOLD to. It can turn you off of all of it
If you haven’t yet, read the Watchmen! I read it about your age. Dark for sure, but I think you’ll love it
You have full permission to respectfully decline and say you’ll get plenty of reading done your way in your free time
And roll your eyes afterwards lol
I tend to like fantasy and scifi. Here are a couple with a lot of action. That might keep you interested.
Goon Squad by Jonathan L. Howard. A superhero team works in Manchester England. The perspective changes along the main characters.
Yahtzee Croshaw, funny author with great characters.
Differently Morphus and Existentially Challenged – Governmental agency involved in the regulation of magic and extra dimensional beings.
Mogworld – Main character is undead. Hijinks insue.
The Jacques McKeown series – An unemployed star pilot tries to get by in a universe where transporters are a thing. The first book in the series is Will save the galaxy for food.
L.G. Estrella’s Unconventional Heros Series
The 2 Necromancers series. 2 Necromancers try to earn a pardon for past crimes by doing odd jobs for a kingdom. Strong found family vibe. The first book in the series is 2 Necromancers, A Bureaucrate, and an Elf.
Attempted Vampirism Series. A vampire noble has his castle repossessed for back taxes. He becomes an adventurer to try and earn money to buy it back. The first book in the series is Attempted Vampirism.
The Traveler’s Gate Trilogy by Will Wight. Magic is used by calling energy and creatures from other worlds called territories. People who can draw from their territories are called travelers. The first book in the series is House of Blades.
What are your favorite games/animes/graphic novels/etc.?
If you really want to try and read all text books, what kind of genres and stories do you like?
Fantasy? Sci Fi?
What kind of comics do you read?
I first read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie at age 13. I guarantee you will love it.
Once day you’ll meet your geek friends and not feel so alone, I promise. We all go through it.
Your teacher is a bit misguided about graphic novels. There are some graphic novels which are taught in college English classes. Some of the graphic novels I had for assigned reading are:
Maus by Art Spiegelman (this is about the holocaust, just fyi)
Watchmen by Alan Moore
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Three of my favorites:
Archer’s Goon by Diana Wynne Jones.
Red Sky at Morning by Richard Bradford.
The Catalogue of the Universe by Margaret Mahy.
I didn’t start reading until around 15 when I picked up “the eyes of the dragon” by Stephen King.
I was scared of everything horror growing up but when I read the synopsis of this book, my mind was blown. It was everything I dreamed it could be.
Hopefully you’ll enjoy it too and kickstart your reading adventure.
Also, for comics, check out Battling Boy by Paul Pope. It’s a small graphic novel (novella?) and I also just read all three books in this series.