Book ideas for DS-14yrs old

[scrapgal123]

I would like to purchase a few books for my DS who is 14 for Christmas.

Any suggestions? He enjoys adventure type books but not too much the Vampire stuff..

TIA

 

[Fyrefly]

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is full of Greek myths updated to the modern world, lots of action/adventure.

Artemis Fowl series has a great antihero, diabolical plots, and the fairies aren't girlish, they're elite operatives with hoards of awesome technology

If he isn't reading Harry Potter yet, he should.

You could also start with The Hobbit possibly, it's difficult but not as dry as Lord of the Rings.

 

[dawson5]

If he enjoys stuff like Lord of the Rings, there is a four book series by Christopher Paolini. The first book is Eragon. It's a lot like LotR, but I found it easier to read that LotR.

 

[angierae]

The Artemis Fowl books might be a bit young for him, but they're good.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Shipbreaker by Paulo Bacigalupi

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson has a female protag but is about an English boarding school, and investigating Jack the Ripper-esque murders in modern day. (It's paranormal, and there are sequels coming. There's descriptions of the murders, so if that would bother you or DS, be forewarned. My 16 year old daughter does't like gore, but enjoyed the series.)

Scott Westerfeld has many YA series that are very good, but for a boy I'd recommend Leviathan and the sequels - this is about a girl who masquerades as a boy in WWI, and it's a combination of steampunk and biopunk and is a lot of fun. His Uglies series is also fabulous (female protag again - this shouldn't be a big deal, IMO, but for some boys it is.)


My daughter really enjoyed the Inkheart series, but I didn't read these (I have read the ones above.)

 

[stsomewhere]

M son is 13. He hates to read but really loved The Hunger GAme series.

 

[d96j97]

Another vote for the Hunger Games!! Both of my boys loved it and neither of them read. They started reading it at school and neither one of them could put it down. And....the movie is coming out early next year so it would be good to read it first.

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

Another vote for the Hunger Games, here, too.

 

[MickeyManiac]

I'm another with a non-reading son that LOVED the Hunger Games. He read the first book in 2 days. (miracles never cease )

 

[cornflake]

Has he read Ender's Game and the sequels/shadow books?

 

[sherreis]

My DS likes anything by Rick Riordan - whether it be the Percy Jackson series or the series that started with The Red Pyramid. He would also vote for Hunger Games. All of these were books he could not put down which is saying something - cause he was not a reader prior to them. Another series he has liked is The Starcatchers Series by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. And the last one I can recall right now is The Kingdom Keepers series but I can't remember how old he was when he read them.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

My DS *11* is an avid reader.
He has read and re read the following ~
Hunger Games Trilogy *I like these books too.
Ender's Game *I enjoyed it as well.
The Eragon books *huge, he read them so quickly.
The Hobbit
Artemis Fowl
Daniel X Series by James Patterson *I like these also.
I'll ask him about other series he likes after work.

Thought of another series' ~ Percy Jackson, The Heroes of Olympus *The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune, The Kane Chronicles *The Red Pyramid & The Throne of Fire

 

[rszdtrvl]

I was going to say Hunger Games too. I just bought my son the 3 book set for Christmas. They are also AR books, worth 15 points each, so he can read them for school.

 

[mjkacmom]

My DS likes anything by Rick Riordan - whether it be the Percy Jackson series or the series that started with The Red Pyramid. He would also vote for Hunger Games. All of these were books he could not put down which is saying something - cause he was not a reader prior to them. Another series he has liked is The Starcatchers Series by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. And the last one I can recall right now is The Kingdom Keepers series but I can't remember how old he was when he read them.

Dd10 read all of those Rick Riordan books last year, and couldn't put them down. We're both reading The Hunger Games, and ds13 is dying to read them (he's getting a new ipod touch for Christmas, so he can download them from my amazon account, too).

 

[maggiew]

I was going to suggest the Percy Jackson series too. We listened to the book on tape on our drive down to Florida last year. I enjoyed it. My 2 teen girls (18 and 16) weren't quite as impressed.

Also, the Harry Potter series.

Maggie

 

[momtwoboys]

just another option...our DS 13 is a reader and reads all the time, but NO vampire stuff either!! He has read all of the above mentioned but also for fun has really enjoys reading the Calvin and Hobbs Comic books, and The Far Side Gallery. We got him a few more to go along with some hard cover books that he asked for. he also just finished "the Ultimate Hitch hikers guide to the galaxy"

 

[Local_Girl]

Yet another vote for the Hunger Games series. DD has read the first two books and loved them. She also loved the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage(currently 6 books are out, one on the way). The books are titled: Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, Syren, and Darke. The series is similar to Harry Potter, but different.

 

[It'sOffToDisneyWeGo]

Another vote for The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

I don't know if anybody has suggested these yet as I have not read through the posts but the Hunger Games trilogy is a series (of 3) about teenagers. It's very action/adventure futuristic. The books were excellent. I read all 3 in 2 weeks they were so good. The first one is being made into a movie for March 2012 so now would be a good time to read them.

The order is THE HUNGER GAMES, CATCHING FIRE, and MOCKINGJAY.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Another vote for the Hunger Games! Also, Harry Potter series, Eragon series, Narnia series, Lord of the Ring series, and/or maybe some books marketed toward adults (daVinci Code is one my ds enjoyed--also reads Clive Cussler books)

 

[sbakersub]

If he hasn't already read them, my son loved the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. And I love getting kids hooked on a series 'cause it gives all the relatives future gift ideas! The description of the first book by Amazon:

This enthralling tale is jam-packed with the things we long for in a great adventure: danger, laughter, hairbreath excapes, tragedy, mystery, a touch of wonder, a truly despicable villain, and a hero we can take to heart.

That hero is Matthias, a young mouse who must rise above his fears and failures to save his friends at Redwall Abbey. The villain is Cluny the Scourage, one of the most deliciously despicable rats of all time. The unforgettable cast of supporting characters includes the stalwart badger Constance, an irrepressible hare named Basil Stag Hare, and the elderly wisemouse Brother Methuselah.

But most of all there is Matthias, seeking his true destiny in a journey that will lead through danger and despair to true wisdom.

Edited to add: My son is 23 now, and still has all the Redwall books on his book shelf!