Children's Books discussion

A friend is asking for a recommendation for her 15-year-old great nephew whom she doesn't know very well. She's giving the classics to all her grandchildren this year and doesn't know what to give him. He's very smart and likes "sciency" stuff. My friend is wondering about someone like Jules Verne? Do you have any ideas for authors or books?
Thanks so much!
Sandy

My personal favorites are Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow. A 15 year old boy might also like some of Terry Pratchett's books. There is also a lot of good older science fiction - Brin, Bear, Pournelle, Asimov, LeGuin, Tepper, and so on.

WOW--you're wonderful!
Thanks so much!
Sandy

Thanks so much--you all are wonderful!
Sandy

Perhaps Tolkein?

ALso thought about Sherlock Holmes. That might be interesting for a 15 year old. I fear that Jules Verne doesn't read that well and may turn him off. (Although we 20,000 leagues under the sea this year to my 7b year old and he liked it but I honestly would have quit).

Thanks so much for your suggestions!
Sandy

Here is a book for a scientific minded boyLeviathan
My scientific minded son was crazy about it. Read it in two days. It has over 400 pages.

Another great idea! Thanks so much!
Sandy

if she can stray from the classics i would recomend the golden compass,the skulduggery pleasant trilagy not very scientific but i fineshed in one day about 390 pgs very captivating.also artemis fowl great author pretty scientific just some suggestions mabye a little under his reading level

Thanks again--I know our granddaughter loved the books you're suggesting!
Sandy

A newer book that he might like is Cory Doctorow's Little Brother.

Classic science fiction suitable for teens can also be found by Andre Norton, Robert Heinlein, James Tiptree Jr., David Brin, etc.

I also second the idea of Tolkien (start with the Hobbit, that's the new movie they're making) and Sherlock Holmes. Definitely Ender's Game!

Thanks so much!
Sandy

Although this thread has dried up, I feel compelled to say that any book by Gary Paulsen is a good candidate to please young male readers.

I'd start with "Hatchet" which has been popular for over 20 years. It's the story of a boy whose on his way to Alaska to spend the summer with his dad when the pilot of the Cessna dies and he crash lands in the Canadian wilderness. It's a coming of age, finding yourself, kinda novel.

Good boy-friendly fair.

omg I love that one

and cirque du freak is a good choice as well a great author

Thanks Abigail for the support :)

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You know, Cirque du Freak has been on my TDAR (track down and read) list for too long. I'm moving it on up on your recommendation, Darren StVP. Any other guy-friendly YA you can think of?

Check out GuysLitWire: http://guyslitwire.blogspot.com/
It's a blog all about YA for guys, and not always the stuff you'd expect. They do reviews, interviews and even hosted a great community service project where they got book donations to help the youth prison system in Southern California start a lending library for the inmates last year. They have some awesome recommendations. Go through the archives, too. It's an absolutely fantastic resource.

Thanks, Katie. Guyslit is great.

How about Philip Reeve's steampunk Mortal Engines series (sometimes called The Hungry Cities Chronicles): Mortal Engines; Predator's Gold; Infernal Devices; A Darkling Plain. And the spin off prequel Fever Crumb series: Fever Crumb; A Web of Air; Scrivener's Moon.

Heh. :)

I love necroposts, and I'm sure someone can benefit from your excellent suggestions. But the teen is now 25... too funny.

Cheryl wrote: "Heh. :)

I love necroposts, and I'm sure someone can benefit from your excellent suggestions. But the teen is now 25... too funny."

Oh dear. My apologies. At least I've learned a new word today.

No, no apologies necessary! Lots of old threads deserve to be revived once in awhile, including this one!

Cheryl wrote: "Heh. :)

I love necroposts, and I'm sure someone can benefit from your excellent suggestions. But the teen is now 25... too funny."

More like 26 or 27 depending on when his birthday is. But recommendations for teen boys are always welcome, and I am glad this thread was revived.