Good books for teens and pre-teens

xoxolovexoxo · 05-24-2005, 06:12 PM

AHHHH! young siblings attack! they would like to know what to read, as they are becoming stupider by the seccond! Any segestions would be nice, even really good adult fiction books! Thank you sooooo much! (I also hope I'm not the only one plagued by these kinds of troubles!

Perry Winkle · 05-24-2005, 06:15 PM

what are they interested in? Sci-fi, fantasy, biography, history, general fiction, etc.

dar512 · 05-25-2005, 09:59 AM

Boys or girls?

BigV · 05-25-2005, 12:32 PM

It may come as a surprise to some, but there were books around when I was a member of that age cohort.

And propping up the short leg on the table was NOT the only thing we used them for...

Anyhoo, what I (lotta i's typin that...) remember reading and enjoying would be what I'd recommend. Like:

All Edgar Allen Poe. I spent my allowance on a biiig book "The complete works of..." or something like that. Truly dug it. Not non-fiction, but it fed the majority of my fantasy life: Road and Track, Car and Driver, and Motor Trend (weak sister...). I include these in spite of your request for fiction because I believe that reading is contagious. Read what you like and you'll like reading more and it just goes round and round and round. There'll be some fiction in the mix soon enough. For the preteens in my current circle, number one with a bullet is anything and everything Calvin and Hobbes. Um, yeah, they're MINE and I share them grudgingly (hey! careful with that cover!!!) I could post pics of SonofV sleeping with Calvin and Hobbes flopped onto his face.

The Harry Potter suite is very enjoyable. I read a ton of Heinlein in my yout.

One other advice-y part, the kids will follow your lead. Let'em catch you reading too. Have abundant books around. We have a ton of movies and video games, but for every one of those, we have ten books. They don't have to be your books, btw. Go to the library. [/sermon]

Good luck, report back, I'd like to share your success!

wolf · 05-25-2005, 01:34 PM

The Jungle Books - Rudyard Kipling, The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis, The Dark is Rising Sequence - Susan Cooper, The Green Knowe books - L.M. Boston, Black Beauty - Anna Sewell.

That and the Heinlein juveniles should keep them busy for a while.

Troubleshooter · 05-25-2005, 01:42 PM

The Whale of Time is being split up into volumes that don't require a two-handed carry now as well.

jaguar · 05-25-2005, 02:54 PM

anything by margret atwood or paulo coehlo.

dar512 · 05-25-2005, 04:17 PM

The Harry Potter series.

My girls like the Traveling Pants series and the Nancy Drew books. Speaking of which, there is an excellent series of computer games for girls based on the Nancy Drew series. Lots of puzzles and stuff you have to work out. Certainly challenged my kids.

The Clique - for girls

Chicken Soup for the Pre-teen Soul.

For profession recommendations, you might also check the various books on Reading Aloud to your kids by Jim Trelease. He has books to recommend in all age groups. And, as always, check with your local librarian.

dar512 · 05-25-2005, 04:50 PM

For older boys - Across the Nightingale Floor

Happy Monkey · 05-25-2005, 05:00 PM

Anything by John Bellairs.

wolf · 05-25-2005, 05:35 PM

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

The Phantom Tollbooth - Norton Juster

The Black Stallion series - Walter Farley (these stories are very, very dated. There's stuff that you'll have to explain about life in the 40's and 50s, but if you have a horse-crazy kid these books are the way to go.)

Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell

My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George

Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George

Harriet the Spy - Louise Fitzhugh (similar to, but entirely unlike the movie)

Follow my Leader - James Garfield

With the exception of Harry Potter, I am pretty much innocent of any information regarding children's books published after 1980 or so.

Lunaephiliac · 05-25-2005, 07:22 PM

If they're smart & just a bit cynical: Terry Pratchett(Discworld Series) Actually, I think most of you would like these books.

TP!

Happy Monkey · 05-25-2005, 08:57 PM

Robert Louis Stevenson

The Yearling

melidasaur · 05-25-2005, 10:29 PM

When I was a teen, I loved anything by Chris Crutcher, Ellen Conford, Gary Paulsen and Lynne Reid Banks.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George is FANTASTIC! I still read it every once in awhile when I get a chance.

Catwoman · 05-26-2005, 06:22 AM

Is xoxolove related to Bruce??

The Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton, harry potter, the alchemist, the concise oxford dictionary (will help when they're older) and lord of the flies.

05-24-2005, 06:12 PM	#1
xoxolovexoxo Tangerine & Chocolat Chick Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere in Ontario Posts: 12	Good books for teens and pre-teens AHHHH! young siblings attack! they would like to know what to read, as they are becoming stupider by the seccond! Any segestions would be nice, even really good adult fiction books! Thank you sooooo much! (I also hope I'm not the only one plagued by these kinds of troubles!

05-25-2005, 09:59 AM	#3
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	Boys or girls? __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

05-25-2005, 12:32 PM	#4
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	It may come as a surprise to some, but there were books around when I was a member of that age cohort. And propping up the short leg on the table was NOT the only thing we used them for... Anyhoo, what I (lotta i's typin that...) remember reading and enjoying would be what I'd recommend. Like: All Edgar Allen Poe. I spent my allowance on a biiig book "The complete works of..." or something like that. Truly dug it. Not non-fiction, but it fed the majority of my fantasy life: Road and Track, Car and Driver, and Motor Trend (weak sister...). I include these in spite of your request for fiction because I believe that reading is contagious. Read what you like and you'll like reading more and it just goes round and round and round. There'll be some fiction in the mix soon enough. For the preteens in my current circle, number one with a bullet is anything and everything Calvin and Hobbes. Um, yeah, they're MINE and I share them grudgingly (hey! careful with that cover!!!) I could post pics of SonofV sleeping with Calvin and Hobbes flopped onto his face. The Harry Potter suite is very enjoyable. I read a ton of Heinlein in my yout. One other advice-y part, the kids will follow your lead. Let'em catch you reading too. Have abundant books around. We have a ton of movies and video games, but for every one of those, we have ten books. They don't have to be your books, btw. Go to the library. [/sermon] Good luck, report back, I'd like to share your success! __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

05-25-2005, 01:34 PM	#5
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	The Jungle Books - Rudyard Kipling, The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis, The Dark is Rising Sequence - Susan Cooper, The Green Knowe books - L.M. Boston, Black Beauty - Anna Sewell. That and the Heinlein juveniles should keep them busy for a while. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

05-25-2005, 01:42 PM	#6
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	The Whale of Time is being split up into volumes that don't require a two-handed carry now as well. __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

05-24-2005, 06:15 PM	#2
Perry Winkle Esnohplad Semaj Ton Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: A little south of sanity Posts: 2,259	what are they interested in? Sci-fi, fantasy, biography, history, general fiction, etc.

05-25-2005, 02:54 PM	#7
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	anything by margret atwood or paulo coehlo. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

05-25-2005, 04:17 PM	#8
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	The Harry Potter series. My girls like the Traveling Pants series and the Nancy Drew books. Speaking of which, there is an excellent series of computer games for girls based on the Nancy Drew series. Lots of puzzles and stuff you have to work out. Certainly challenged my kids. The Clique - for girls Chicken Soup for the Pre-teen Soul. For profession recommendations, you might also check the various books on Reading Aloud to your kids by Jim Trelease. He has books to recommend in all age groups. And, as always, check with your local librarian. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

05-25-2005, 04:50 PM	#9
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	For older boys - Across the Nightingale Floor __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

05-25-2005, 05:00 PM	#10
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Anything by John Bellairs. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

05-25-2005, 05:35 PM	#11
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl The Phantom Tollbooth - Norton Juster The Black Stallion series - Walter Farley (these stories are very, very dated. There's stuff that you'll have to explain about life in the 40's and 50s, but if you have a horse-crazy kid these books are the way to go.) Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George Harriet the Spy - Louise Fitzhugh (similar to, but entirely unlike the movie) Follow my Leader - James Garfield With the exception of Harry Potter, I am pretty much innocent of any information regarding children's books published after 1980 or so. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

05-25-2005, 07:22 PM	#12
Lunaephiliac Nice people frighten me. Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Seattle. Yes, it's raining. Posts: 47	If they're smart & just a bit cynical: Terry Pratchett(Discworld Series) Actually, I think most of you would like these books. TP! __________________ Well, obviously no one is going to give you a nickel every time something common happens, so stop using that idiotic phrase. Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished, persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. -Mark Twain

05-25-2005, 08:57 PM	#13
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Robert Louis Stevenson The Yearling __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

05-25-2005, 10:29 PM	#14
melidasaur Traded your soul for pogs. Join Date: May 2004 Location: Champaign, IL Posts: 646	When I was a teen, I loved anything by Chris Crutcher, Ellen Conford, Gary Paulsen and Lynne Reid Banks. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George is FANTASTIC! I still read it every once in awhile when I get a chance. __________________ I love England, what can I say?

05-26-2005, 06:22 AM	#15
Catwoman stalking a Tom Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: on the edge of the english channel Posts: 1,000	Is xoxolove related to Bruce?? The Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton, harry potter, the alchemist, the concise oxford dictionary (will help when they're older) and lord of the flies. __________________ I've decided I'm not going to have a signature anymore.

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