Any thoughts on these teen books?

[cruisnfamily]

My son's high school has put out a list of summer reading, none of it is required, it's just a list of suggestions to keep the kids reading. I've gone through the list and picked out some titles that sound interesting and wondered if you or child had read them and had any commentary.

Thanks!

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by MT Anderson
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Beastly by Alex Flinn
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
20,000 leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne

 

[Ceila]

Those are all great books, but of course everyone had different preferences. If I were you, I would send my son off to the public library with that list and let him pick out whatever he finds interesting, or have him browse Amazon for those titles so he can see what he wants to try.

 

[Ceila]

oops - double post!

 

[mom2travel]

My son's high school has put out a list of summer reading, none of it is required, it's just a list of suggestions to keep the kids reading. I've gone through the list and picked out some titles that sound interesting and wondered if you or child had read them and had any commentary.

Thanks!

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by MT Anderson
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Beastly by Alex Flinn
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
20,000 leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne

I would also just let your son pick from the list. Just because they are interesting to you, doesn't mean they will be interesting to him. I also have a teen DS; besides being old enough to do it himself, I wouldn't pick for him because we have different preferences when it comes to books. Unless you are looking to read some yourself

 

[Mickey's Minion]

My son's high school has put out a list of summer reading, none of it is required, it's just a list of suggestions to keep the kids reading. I've gone through the list and picked out some titles that sound interesting and wondered if you or child had read them and had any commentary.

Thanks!

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by MT Anderson
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Beastly by Alex Flinn
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
20,000 leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne

Are you asking for yourself? They are all good books, but everybody's interest is different. 20,000 Leagues is a classic.

If this is for your son, he is in high school and should be picking out his own books. Mom's should not be picking out high school kid's books as high school kids know what genres they enjoy and what they don't. I am not sure a high school boy would be caught dead reading the Wizard of Oz.

I agree with everybody else. Give the list back to your son and either put him on the computer to google book reviews on the list or just send him to the library. Let him pick out books that appeal to him, not to mom.

 

[golfgal]

Are you asking for yourself? They are all good books, but everybody's interest is different. 20,000 Leagues is a classic.

If this is for your son, he is in high school and should be picking out his own books. Mom's should not be picking out high school kid's books as high school kids know what genres they enjoy and what they don't. I am not sure a high school boy would be caught dead reading the Wizard of Oz.

I agree with everybody else. Give the list back to your son and either put him on the computer to read book reviews on the list or just send him to the library. Let him pick out books that appeal to him, not to mom.

I agree, what sounds interesting to you may not be for him. Let him do his own picking. Your involvement should be to drive him to the library or book store if needed and nothing more.

 

[Rora]

Never heard of any except for 2000 Leagues and Oz. I agree with what the others said!! Or, your DS could do a quick Google Search for a synopsis of each book, just to narrow down the list a bit. Then, off to the library!!

 

[Magic Mom]

Are you asking for yourself? They are all good books, but everybody's interest is different. 20,000 Leagues is a classic.

If this is for your son, he is in high school and should be picking out his own books. Mom's should not be picking out high school kid's books as high school kids know what genres they enjoy and what they don't. I am not sure a high school boy would be caught dead reading the Wizard of Oz.

I agree with everybody else. Give the list back to your son and either put him on the computer to google book reviews on the list or just send him to the library. Let him pick out books that appeal to him, not to mom.

I've bought books for my teen son before. I know him well enough to have a good idea what he likes to read. It never bothered him and he knew he could return any one of them if he wasn't interested in reading it. Some of the books were Pre: the Story of Steve Prefontaine, Once a Runner, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, and All Quiet on the Western Front.

 

[golfgal]

I've bought books for my teen son before. I know him well enough to have a good idea what he likes to read. It never bothered him and he knew he could return any one of them if he wasn't interested in reading it. Some of the books were Pre: the Story of Steve Prefontaine, Once a Runner, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, and All Quiet on the Western Front.

I have bought books for my kids too, but this is a school assignment and it isn't only about reading books, it is about taking a list of books, doing research on what the books are about and then selecting some books that sound good to that person. It sounds like a simple task but it still is a learning process.

 

[Magic Mom]

I have bought books for my kids too, but this is a school assignment and it isn't only about reading books, it is about taking a list of books, doing research on what the books are about and then selecting some books that sound good to that person. It sounds like a simple task but it still is a learning process.

It's not an assignment, just some suggested reading to nudge the kids into reading through the summer. From the OP:

Any thoughts on these teen books?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My son's high school has put out a list of summer reading, none of it is required, it's just a list of suggestions to keep the kids reading.

 

[kristilew]

My son's high school has put out a list of summer reading, none of it is required, it's just a list of suggestions to keep the kids reading. I've gone through the list and picked out some titles that sound interesting and wondered if you or child had read them and had any commentary.

Thanks!

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by MT Anderson
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Beastly by Alex Flinn
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
20,000 leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne

OP, since you asked for thoughts on the books themselves....

The first one is for girls. Really. Typical teen froth.

The next two both deal with much deeper themes. They are quite different but I could see both appealing to a teen boy. The Octavian book has sequels, so if your son tears through books and like series, it would be good. Little Brother would be a hit if he likes modern techno thriller books.

Beastly is a modern retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story, with a male perspective. Perfect for a Disney freak, and there is a movie version of it coming out. Not as well written as some of the other books, but possibly engaging anyway.

Oz is a classic but imo way too easy for a high schooler and probably seems stupid to a teen boy. otoh, the subsequent oz books are darker and if he is into social commentary he might enjoy reading them all over the summer...plus, remember that this is the book John Conner's mother read over and over to him in the Terminator mythology, so....

Any Jules Verne book is a classic. If you like to set reading tasks for him over the summer, you could suggest he read that plus a modern steam punk novel and compare and contrast what is considered wildly adventurous today vs a hundred years ago.

Hope that helps!

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I'm embarrassed to say I don't recognize them all, apparently I'm not as up on young adult fiction as I used to be. However, those I do recognize seem a little...young...for a high schooler. I don't know about the rest of you, but I did the Wizard of Oz and 20,000 Leagues in elementary school. Perhaps since it's just a recommended list, you might want to look elsewhere for some suggested reading for those that are college bound:

http://kf001.k12.sd.us/suggested_reading_list.htm

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Since it is only suggested, I would forget the list and let my son read whatever he wants - but I would make him read if he doesn't do so voluntarily.

 

[punkin]

My DD17 did not like Octavian Nothing, but I thought it was fascinating. Jules Verne is a classic well worth reading. OZ is better for a grade schooler IMO. Those are the only ones I read on the list.

 

[golfgal]

It's not an assignment, just some suggested reading to nudge the kids into reading through the summer. From the OP:

So what if it is not an "assignment" it is still about going through the list, doing some research on the books and picking out some books you might like. It isn't about having mommy censor the list and telling you what to read. I would love to see the rest of the list and know why she narrowed the list to those books.

 

[jme829]

Since it is only suggested, I would forget the list and let my son read whatever he wants - but I would make him read if he doesn't do so voluntarily.

 

[Magic Mom]

So what if it is not an "assignment" it is still about going through the list, doing some research on the books and picking out some books you might like. It isn't about having mommy censor the list and telling you what to read. I would love to see the rest of the list and know why she narrowed the list to those books.

I guess we are reading the original post differently. I just saw it as a mom asking for opinions on some fun reading for her son over the summer, and not a mommy trying to micromanage and censor her baby's reading assignment.

And a schools suggested summer reading list is just that... suggestions for reading.

 

[FoundMyPrince]

I'm not sure about the books other than 20,000 and Oz. But, I will say, Oz would probably be way too easy for a hs student; my second grader read it this year (and enjoyed it).

 

[tower_of_terror_luvr]

13 little blue envelopes is what I consider a chick flick kinda book. I loved the book but I don't think a teenage boy would.

 

[Kitzka]

OP-Full disclosure. I work for a major publishing company in the sales dept. I ahve worked here for 3 years. before that I worked for another major publishing company in the kids marketing dept for 7 years. I read ALOT and have read all of the books on your son's list.

First i have to say I applaud, No give a standing ovation to the english teacher who came up with this list. Too often summer reading lists are made up of books that we published 50+ years ago. Often the newest book is the OUtsiders and while that is an INCREDIBLE book it can be dated to some kids.

Okay back to the topic. not knowing exactly the type of book he likes to read i think the ones he would most enjoy would be the Cory Doctorow and the Alex Finn or 20,000 Leagues, always a classic. Beastly is being made into a movie coming out this summer and should be hot with his age group (my 14 year old cousin is going to write her summer book report comparing and contrasting the book with the film. She will read the book first and then see them film).

13 little blue envelopes is more of a chick lit type book. More along the line sof Meg Cabot of princess Diaries fame.And Octavian Nothing is a WONDERFUL read but a bit challenging. the author did extensive research on how people spoke back then and for MONTHS he would only speak in this 'dialect'. I guess it's a form of old english or something. but i was fascinated by that fact.

Hope that helped and again i am so happy some teachers are putting books pulished in the last 5 years on lists. it does my heart good.

L