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M$5 December 14, 2008 09:15 AM

What would be a good book for a 12-year old boy to read?

The boy just really got into reading, and we want to keep him there. There are so many series out there, we don't know where to start.
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December 14, 2008 01:14 PM
If he has not already read Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series, it is a fantastic series for boys. It's about a young boy with ADHD who discovers that his father is a sea god. Riordan wrote the books specifically to appeal to his own son's budding interest in reading and mythology.

"The Edge Chronicles" are also another fantastic series about sky pirates. There are nine books in the series at this time, and every child I know that has read them, couldn't put them down.

Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book" is a great book for both boys and girls around that age, about a little boy who is raised in a cemetery by the ghosts.

There is also the "Septimus Heap" series, similar to Harry Potter, but possibly more age appropriate, about a seventh son of a seventh son who discovers he is meant to be a magic user.

"Artemis Fowl" is also really popular among the boys in that age group. It features a boy genius who also happens to be a criminal mastermind.

The "Alex Rider Adventures" are about a little boy spy. The main character has been compared to James Bond, only on a youth scale.

"The Starcatchers" Trilogy is a prequel to J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan books, full of action and adventure.

All of those, except for the Gaiman book, are full series, which might be a good place to start. Once he is interested in the first book, he'll want to go on and find out what awaits in the next. Good luck!
Source(s):
http://www.mahalo.com/Percy_Jackson_and_the_Olympians
http://www.mahalo.com/The_Edge_Chronicles
http://www.mahalo.com/Artemis_Fowl_%28Series%29
http://www.mahalo.com/Septimus_Heap_Series
http://www.mahalo.com/The_Alex_Rider_Adventures
http://www.mahalo.com/The_Starcatchers_Trilogy

Asker's Rating:
• Great to have a list and brief synopses of each series to choose from and links to go check out the series for myself.


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December 14, 2008 06:48 PM
I was browsing recent questions and my 13 year old son was standing behind me at the computer when I came across this one. He immediately said "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton is a must read.

He said that it greatly depicts the struggle of fitting in. It shows the negativity of being stereotyped and the way people react to being pressured into a certain group or gang. He told me that once he picked the book up and starting reading, he found it hard to put down.

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December 14, 2008 07:36 PM
The 'Best Answer' to this question is, I believe, a fine answer to your own :)

http://demo.mahalo.com/answers/books-and-authors/who-is-the-author-of-the-the-max-quick-series-and-how-do-i-purchase-his-materials

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December 15, 2008 05:56 AM
He already listened to book 1 & 2. Got him started reading in the first place. Here's Thanks & Cheers to that author of Max Quick series ;)

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December 14, 2008 08:42 PM
At that age I see to remember reading things like:

Catcher in the Rye
A Tale of Two Cities
The Hobbit
Ender's Game
Animal Farm

Perhaps those are a little more 13/14 years old?

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December 15, 2008 05:58 AM
Yes, for the little bit older. The boy recently got the reading bug. Have to keep him going before we hit him with the 'classics'

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November 16, 2009 03:14 AM
no. no. no. Enders Game, maybe. Tale of Two Cities was a book in my AP English Literature class in the 11th grade. That would put him off reading forever. It is a great book, but not for a child, and especially one who doesn't read a lot. It is best to start with something like the Olympians, or even something as simple as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, or Harry Potter. At this stage, it is best to get kids interested in reading itself, they can get to the more advanced stuff once they are ready and realize how great reading is :)

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December 14, 2008 10:40 PM
I asked my husband this question during a long car trip Thanksgiving weekend. He sayd at 12-years old he was reading Xanth by Piers Anthony and Frank Herbert's Dune, but he also says he wasn't the typical boy-child.

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December 15, 2008 06:02 AM
this kid isn't a typical boy-child either. You are not alone. thanks for the reminder of Dune.

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December 14, 2008 11:23 PM
"A Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket is a great series for a boy this age. It will inspire him to continue reading.
Source(s):
http://www.amazon.com/Unfortunate-Events-Lemony-Snicket-Books/dp/B000WMBXK2...


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