Sci-Fi readers: Recommendations for a preteen?

[Cindy B]

My son is really getting into science fiction books.

He really likes the Star Wars series and has read most. He likes book where kids/teens are mostly the characters. (His favorite now are Young Jedi Knights). He has read most if not all of the Star Wars books that my library has.

He usually get books from the young adult section, or even the adult section. He has incredible reading comprehension/ability so he likes books that I guess would be high level, he is still in elementary. (This is a kid that read Harry Potter at the end of kindergarten by himself!)

I really don't know anything about sci fi books. I do try to pre read his materials because I just like to preview it. However, as he is getting older, I think he can sort of censor himself type thing.

What do you recommend for him? He likes space related, teens/kids as main characters, action and a good well written story. He doesn't like to be talked down to as well, if a book is written poorly he will show me the mistakes! I guess if we had to give a reading level he last test last year showed 9th-1oth grade. (if I remember right). It also has to not be a HUGE book because he is busy with activities and other stuff. If it has to be a 400 plus page book thats ok, but he seems to like the smaller style paperbacks that he can knock out in a day or two.

Thanks!

 

[Karel]

Well, the obvious book is War of the Worlds.

Also, the Tripods series - I think it's by John Christopher.

How about Hitchhiker's Guide?

And the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card.

 

[WDWLVR]

I would recommend the Tripod series by John Christopher.

I read the set as a trilogy: The Whie Mountains/The City of Gold and Lead/The Pool of Fire back in the 70's. From what I read on Amazon thre is a 4th book When the Tripods Came was added after but as a prequel.

 

[Cindy B]

Well, the obvious book is War of the Worlds.

Also, the Tripods series - I think it's by John Christopher.

How about Hitchhiker's Guide?

And the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card.

He already read Hitchhikers Guide and found it a bit boring. What is the Tripods series about?

 

[laurie31]

My favorite is Riddlemaster of Hed

Here's a description:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345331044/002-1053093-6324066?v=glance

It's a little more fantasy than sci/fi, and I generally don't care for fantasy (although I loved Tolken too) but I loved this trilogy.

I think I read every sci/fi book in the library when I was in middle/high school and I don't think I ever came across anything...um...inappropriate.

Laurie

 

[WDWLVR]

He already read Hitchhikers Guide and found it a bit boring. What is the Tripods series about?

The tripods series is about the world being taken over by aliens that rule from giant tripods. When a young adult comes of age they are "capped" which means a device is affixed to their head to control their brains and actions. This is how the tripods keep the adults of the world under control. In The White Mountains the main character is coming up to his capping and runs away. The book describes his journey as he is joined by his cousin and then another boy. They head to the White Mountains where they hear that men are free. The other two books continue the journey after they get to the White mountains and meet up with others who want to fight and defeat the Tripods.

I read this as a trilogy, but it appears there is now a 4th book that tells how the Tripods took over the world in the first place.

I think they are great books for a young sci-fi fan.

 

[merrily]

Has he read the books by Christopher Paolini? He has written a trilogy that is very popular with the middle school crowd. I don't think the 3rd book has been released yet but the 1st one is Eragon and the 2nd on is called Eldest.

 

[daannzzz]

I also recommend "The White Mountains" trilogy. I have loved it since the 7th grade. The fourth book was disappointing and felt extremely rushed.

Another set of books is Zenna henderson'a "Pilgrimage" and "The People"
These are a hair more challenging for youngsters but are extremely good science fiction books.

 

[RachelEllen]

Oh, I remember being 12 and just sobbing after the first tripod book. What a great series.

How about some early Heinlein? He wrote some good stuff for young readers. I particularly remeber 'Have Spacesuit, Will Travel'

 

[Cindy B]

Has he read the books by Christopher Paolini? He has written a trilogy that is very popular with the middle school crowd. I don't think the 3rd book has been released yet but the 1st one is Eragon and the 2nd on is called Eldest.

Yes, I think he has read at least one of those.

 

[TigerCheer2009]

I liked The Transall Saga by Gary Paulsen.

 

[paigevz]

Has he read the books by Christopher Paolini? He has written a trilogy that is very popular with the middle school crowd. I don't think the 3rd book has been released yet but the 1st one is Eragon and the 2nd on is called Eldest.

My son read Eragon, but hasn't asked for Eldest yet..........so that's a good one, though you said you thought he read it.

He likes Sci Fi and also Fantasy, they seem to be similar in style.
My son is into the Narnia books right now...........

There are the Tolkien books, and for Christmas, I have for him the set of Madeleine L'Engle books.........A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, etc.

Also, the old BBC series Dr. Who was a big favorite of my brothers and I, and they did have paperbacks of that series.

Don't know if any of that will help or not, but good luck!

 

[Cindy B]

My son read Eragon, but hasn't asked for Eldest yet..........so that's a good one, though you said you thought he read it.

He likes Sci Fi and also Fantasy, they seem to be similar in style.
My son is into the Narnia books right now...........

There are the Tolkien books, and for Christmas, I have for him the set of Madeleine L'Engle books.........A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, etc.

Also, the old BBC series Dr. Who was a big favorite of my brothers and I, and they did have paperbacks of that series.

Don't know if any of that will help or not, but good luck!

He's read some of the Narnia books, and I know he read one of the Lord of the Rings books.

I am getting him the Narnia book collection for Christmas. Dr. Who has books? I had no idea.

 

[Crankyshank]

Terry Pratchett books. They've got the sci fi fantasy element, easy to read, and are pretty funny.

 

[phillybeth]

How about some early Heinlein? He wrote some good stuff for young readers. I particularly remeber 'Have Spacesuit, Will Travel'

I agree- Heinlein wrote a whole bunch of YA sci-fi in the 60's. Farmer in the Sky is a good one. Also, try him with Starship Troopers- nothing like the movie or animated show. Avoid Heinlein's later writings for now- anything after Stranger in a Strange Land will be too adult for him IYKWIM.

 

[Sparx]

Ok, these books are long, involved, but great. They are also more fi than sci, but can still fall into the sci fi catagory. The Eye Of The World series. There are about 11 books so far, and they are amazing. Robert Jordan writes them, and I highly reccomend them.

 

[RachelEllen]

I agree- Heinlein wrote a whole bunch of YA sci-fi in the 60's. Farmer in the Sky is a good one. Also, try him with Starship Troopers- nothing like the movie or animated show. Avoid Heinlein's later writings for now- anything after Stranger in a Strange Land will be too adult for him IYKWIM.

Oh my...I didn't think about that. Definitely stick with Heinlein's juviniles. Any of his adult stuff would be, um, slightly inappropriate. But it's easy to tell the difference!

 

[Rajah]

Try looking into any of Andre Norton or Anne McCaffrey's sci fi books. You may have to hit the library for some of them, but I remember reading Norton's Time Traveler series and it was great.

Also, I don't know if they'd be too advanced for him, but Larry Niven has some *great* sci fi books out there.

 

[MosMom]

How about Dragonriders of Pern trilogy by Anne McCaffrey?

ETA: Hahaha Rajah, I didn't even see you mention Anne McCaffrey until I posted.

 

[Viking]

The tripods series is about the world being taken over by aliens that rule from giant tripods. When a young adult comes of age they are "capped" which means a device is affixed to their head to control their brains and actions. This is how the tripods keep the adults of the world under control. In The White Mountains the main character is coming up to his capping and runs away. The book describes his journey as he is joined by his cousin and then another boy. They head to the White Mountains where they hear that men are free. The other two books continue the journey after they get to the White mountains and meet up with others who want to fight and defeat the Tripods.

I read this as a trilogy, but it appears there is now a 4th book that tells how the Tripods took over the world in the first place.

I think they are great books for a young sci-fi fan.

Yes,
The Tripods are available as a boxset containing the original three books plus the prequel.

I would also recommend the early works of Robert A. Heinlein as all these books have teenagers as the main protagonist i,e, Red Planet, Farmers in the Sky, The Rolling Stones, The Menace from Earth, have spacesuit-will travel.