Suggestions for an 11 yr old boy

I have a pretty smart 11 year old boy on my hands that loves to read. We are starting his "library' this year. Instead of friends and family buying him toys that he is too old for we are asking for books.

The challenge: I want the books to be more the type that he will want to keep into adulthood. We can get the one-time readers from the library. His grandpa is getting him the Lord of the Ring series for Christmas.

Anyone have any ideas?

His Dark Materials
The Chronicles of Narnia
A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels
The Count of Monte Cristo

I think The Count of Monte Cristo is pretty heavy for an 11-year-old! Of course I would advocate an unabridged version. (And I suppose I did read War and Peace at thirteen...)

I think Mary Norton's Borrowers series is worth keeping throughout life, even though it's written for a younger audience. I know I am always wanting to reread my copies, and I'm in my mid-twenties.

The Chronicles of Narnia are definite keepers!

Ronia, the Robber's Daughter is another book I reread a lot.

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. I still have the copy I read to tatters!

Mary Stewart's Merlin series, starting with Crystal Cave.

Smokey, the Cow Horse by Will James

ETA: Check out Jon Scieszka's website "Guys Read." He has some great suggestions for every age and interest.

#3
I read The Count of Monte Cristo in middle school. And the request was for things he can keep through adulthood...

He's a pretty mature reader. He's already read all the Lord of the Rings books, he loves Garth Nix and George Orwell. I think he would actually like Count of Monte Christo if I could talk him into reading it - which is often a challenge.

I read abridged versions at that age, but never the full version until this year. And reading the full version this year was a bit of a challenge! Very rewarding, but I'd hate for a kid to decide he doesn't like a certain classic just because he tried it too early.

The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, a five book series that is tops.
The Dark is Rising series, also five books, by Susan Cooper.
Has he read Blue Balliett's series, three so far, starting with Chasing Vermeer?
The Magyk series by Angie Sage is a good one.
How about the Belgariad by David Eddings? The first five books are quite good.
Diana Wynne Jones, whether Howl's Moving Castle or Dark Lord of Derkholm.
Steven Brust's Vlad series, starting with Jhereg. Three of the books in the series are a direct homage to Dumas, which might give you your lead-in.

All of these are ones that I keep as an adult.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
There are four books in that series so far.
The Lightning Thief
Sea of Monsters
The Titan's Curse
Battle of the Labyrinth.

Also the Maximum Ride series.
Angel Experiment
School's Out--Forever
Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports
Final Warning

The Jules Verne books/stories are classics that can be enjoyed by all ages.
Books by Mike Lupica and Walter Dean Myers are written for young adults but can be appreciated and enjoyed by adults.
Also, consider some of the Newbery Medal and Printz Award winners. (Comprehensive lists can be found at

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newbe...
and
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/printzaward/Printz.cfm

The Thief Lord
Call of the Wild
I will second A Wrinkle in Time and the sequels.

John Flanagan's The Ranger's Apprentice series is brilliant. I like the Percy Jackson series. Anthony Horowitz is popular with the Alex Rider series. Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl is fun too.

Wow, you guys are amazing. I'm compiling a list of all of your suggestions. I LOVE that he's become such a reader (takes after his old mum, sniff sniff). It really is great for him to receive gifts I know he'll enjoy for life.

John Mardsen's Tomorrow Series is a great read that I enjoyed as a teen as well as an adult. Given that in the book Australia is invaded by a neighbouring country, the book deals with many issues including the emotional and physical ramifications of violence... so perhaps it may be better to keep this series in mind for Chirstmas a few years from now. (I think I was about 13 or 14 when I first read it).

To this day, this series is still one of my favourites.

As usual in these requests, I'd like to know more...what types of books, what subject matter does he like? It's a big world out there, with all sorts of types and interests. Anyway, some great YA books I can't say enough about: The Maestro by Tim Wynne-Jones is great. (NOT Gerard Hoffnung, as the touchstone listing I've created has offered! I must be doing this wrong...?) Music is involved. The bush. Mr. Wynne-Jones, who has also written some amazing adult material (the creepy Odd's End, also edited a classy collection called Boys' Own (no, NOT by Edmund White!), whose female equivalent Girls' Own was edited not by Lois Browne but by Sarah Ellis. Also, I don't much differentiate between boys' books and girls' books...I'd also recommend Kit Pearson's trilogy about London in wartime (The sky is falling, Looking at the moon, and The Lights go on again). Just off the top of my head.

#19 -- When you put a touchstone into your post, as you are typing it should appear in the "Touchstones" box to the right of the box where you enter text. For example, I tried The Maestro. As with you, it gave me the book by Gerard Hoffnung, but then after the title was the word "(others)" which, when clicked, gives a list of other books with that title or similar titles. By clicking on that, I was able to come up with the Tim Wynne-Jones book (third on the list). This doesn't always work, but it often does!

And thanks for the recommendation of Tim Wynne-Jones. He's an author I've been meaning to read for a while now.

The Ranger's Apprentice series, Graceling by Kristin Croshere.

A must for every boy's library:
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Again, we have an author (JuanR) promoting his own book without disclosing his conflict of interest. Not good ton. If you want to talk about your book, guy, be up front about it and tell the group why we would be interested. All you do this way is inspire a resolution to ignore the book, regardless of the merits.

Ditto that. Shameless self-promotion — and attempting to be deceptive about it — is pretty much enough to make me avoid the book forever.

Personally, I would include books in the following two catagories:
1) Arthurian legends - Start with T. H. White's Sword and the Stone and eventually work up to the entire Once and Future King. These tales are the back bone for much of today's fantasy and myth writing.
2)Greek and Roman Myths - There are many children's versions available but eventually he should have a copy of Edith Hamilton's Mythology; (and Bulfinch in later years).

These will give him a good grounding in the fundamentals of Western European Culture.

(A good collection of bible stories and stories from other religions and cultures wouldn't hurt either.) You can see where I'm going with this thought.

Try Jason's Gold if you are interested in the outdoors. Maybe even Hatchet as well.

Stormbreaker is what all the boys I see are reading
I totally second the Maximum Ride series! It was great! I didn't like The Final Warning as much though. The Artemis Fowl series is also a good suggestion
Oh! The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and The Amulet of Samarkand

I don't know about Howl's moving Castle though. I think girls will like it more than boys

These are what I belieave are good books. I'm 11 and I like to read so I think your son will enjoy these too! This is only what I have read so work with me. :)
Chasing Vermeer,City of Ember,The Series of Unfortunte Events,Hatchet,Heat,Skelton Man, The Chronicles of Narnia, Hardy Boys (since he is a boy),SOS Titantic,The Lighting Theif,Harry Potter,Charlie Bone,and The Three Musketters,also Victory By Susan Cooper. I hope you think this are good books. I hope he finds books he likes! :)

-Taylor Brooks 5th Grade

A new Harry Potter paperback boxed set with stunning artwork will be released July 7, 2009 so I highly recommend waiting for this version: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Harry-Potter-Paperback-Boxed-Set/J-K-Rowling/e/...

To compliment it, I'd recommend these:

Tales of Beedle the Bard: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Harry-Potter-Paperback-Boxed-Set/J-K-Rowling/e/...
Quidditch Through the Ages, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them boxed set: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Classic-Books-from-the-Library-of-Hogwarts-Scho...

To compliment the Lord of the Rings series that his grandpa is getting him, I'd recommend The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is the version I own and is the nicest I've seen: http://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618260307/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&...

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick was the most remarkable story for children I read last year. Two-thirds of the story is told in black and white illustrations with the rest in words, giving it the feel of a silent black and white movie. The story itself - about a very clever invention constructed by a young boy - is also original in concept.

The Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley - two sisters discover they're descendants of the Brothers Grimm and that fairytale characters are real. Along with their eccentric grandmother and Mr. Canis, aka the big bad wolf, they solve mysteries involving a mishmash of fairytale characters. Different popular fairytale characters appear within each book with the added bonus of a hilarious fairy (Puck) who will have your son laughing out loud at many a comical moment.

Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach - a good mystery

Two very popular fantasy series' among both boys and girls are Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer and Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.

Other good fantasies are The Divide by Elizabeth Kay, Nightmare Academy by Dean Lorey and Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton.

Great list! I have only a few additions:

The sight and/or Fire bringer by David Clement-Davies
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
Charlie and the chocolate factory and anything else by Roald Dahl - still so enjoyable as an adult!
The giver by Lois Lowry
Bone series by Jeff Smith
The jungle book by Rudyard Kipling

I have to enthusiastically second The invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

Taylor: That was a great list. Thanks for your expert opinion. HOWEVER, my dear, you are underage for this site. Sorry. Wait until you're a little older. (Not our rule - some sort of government rule.)

Definitely the Ranger's Apprentice series - truth, honesty, loyalty, bravery, and all that good stuff we want to get across!

Why has no one mentioned ((Terry Pratchett)) yet. I recommend (Johnny and the Dead). - or is he too english!?
Also, for myths, there's (The Heroes, or Greek Fairy tales) by ((Charles Kingsley))

Glad to see someone else likes (Smoky).

((Carl Hiaasen)) writes juveniles too - (Flush)

Sorry about repeat, have found right choice of parenthesis.
Why has no one mentioned Terry Pratchett yet. I recommend Johnny and the Dead. - or is he too english!?
Also, for myths, there's The Heroes, or Greek Fairy tales by Charles Kingsley

Glad to see someone else likes Smoky.

Carl Hiaasen writes juveniles too - Flush

Me again. (@ 17.48 our time) Just remembered Our Island Storyfor anyone my side of the pond. It fills all the gaps in our history education system. Recently republished over here but I have the 1930 edition.

Gateaupain, if you click on the pencil at the top right of a message you added, you can amend it that way. :)

Thanks, Hermee; I'm a beginner at this stuff.
While I'm on line can I suggest almost anything by Gerald Durrell. He can read brother Lawrence later.

You're welcome, Gateaupain. If you're wondering how to do something, feel free to ask. Have figured out a lot of it now.

How about the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore . Start with Cherub- the Recruit. My students LOVE these books - 10 so far.

The Anybodies by N.E. Bode is a great book for readers who like fiction fantasy. Young readers like it very much.

I started my 9yr old grandson on (Waggit's Tale) and it had a lot of pages. It took him awhile to finish it but he really found out he could read many pages! I bought (Waggit Again). ( Peter Howe) is the author and there is even a web page. It is a great book about working together. The next besides small ones we would pick up was (Cross Roads) by (Chris Gabenstein)

SallyRose: Try square brackets instead of parentheses. You'll get a cool touchstone - usually! Waggit's Tale

Waggit's Tale Waggit Again Peter Howe

The CrossRoads Chris Grabenstein

Thank you, MerryMary.

I highly recommend the Belgariad series by David Eddings, the first one is Pawn of Prophesy, I still have those books and read them through out my teenage years and my DBF read them for the first time at age 24.

I second the suggestion of John Marsden Tomorrow when the war began series (i read those at age 13 - 15) and the Hatchet books by Gary Paulsen (I read those at age 11 and 12).

The Hobbit by Tolkein is a great way to get into Lord of the Rings - my teacher read that out loud to my class when I was 10... I was about 14 before I tackled Lord of the Rings.

He's a little young now but To Kill a Mockingbird would be great for a teenage girl or boy.

"Christmasville" - although the novel features a heroine (Mary Jane Higgins), many of my young aduklt readers enjoy the novel because model trains are involved (Mr. Lionel is an actual charater).
I would point out that - unbeknownst to (most) of the characters, it's only the reader who discovers, at the conclusion of chapter one, that the town of Christmasville is actually situated on a 4 x 8 model train platform.
If you're interested, readers comments on Amazon, B&N, etc.
Cheers,
Michael

I must say, I very much like some of the names here:
"MerryMary" and "SallyRose".
Very nice!

47) You might have told us that you were the author. Well at least you told us about the book.

Tex by S. E. Hinton is a pretty good book. All of her books are great reads for YA boys (and girls); I read most of her books at the library and then ended up buying them because I wanted to be able to keep a copy. You might want to wait until he's a little older to give him some of her other books though just because of content.

How about Leatherstocking Tales, Sherlock Holmes stories, and my favorite Good ole Boy by Willie Morris young and old alike love the book

(Months later...I haven't been on LT for ages) Thanks for that Touchstone tip, foggidawn.

Also, I wanted to recommend Message 18's John Marsden's Tomorrow series to my niece (starts with Tomorrow When the War Began, but felt it would freak her right out. But it really is gripping war stuff. I wouldn't foist it on the unsuspecting.

If you got him that Boys' Own title mentioned, he might find something he liked in that and that would be a direction for you.

And hey, heck with sticking to kids' books. It's a mistake to worry, I think, if they're ready. And you did stipulate they be of interest into adulthood. On that point, my very favourite read this year was Herman Hesse's Narcissus and Goldmund and, almost as good for me, Siddhartha. (I just prefer northern climes and locales in my novels; that's just me.) These were my first rereadings of this hugely-popular-in-the-1970s author since I was a teen. Wow.

Now for a crossover 'hit' author (he's got youth and adults in his sights), check out Paul St. Pierre. He's a BC author/journalist whose books are set in the Cariboo/Chilcotin country of our fair province....read, cowboys and First Nations (I don't use "Indians"). His teen book--likely too young for your son--is Boss of the Namko Drive, which I haven't read. But I devoured his pitch-perfect Breaking Smith's Quarter Horse and its follow-up, Smith and Other Events. However, I feel we're going all over the map. I think we need to know your boy likes, say, outdoorsy subjects or inner-city ones, fantasy or olde England. So I'll stop. Incidentally, LT is 'loading' many of these authors/titles, but not very quickly. I'm pressing 'send.'

I recommend these for youngsters and oldsters alike:

Interworld
The Mysterious Benedict Society
The Graveyard Book
The Great Brain series
anything by E. L. Konigsburg (touchstone not loading)
Peter and the Starcatchers and the others in the trilogy
Books by Betsy Byars
Un Lun Dun

You could also try The Ruby in the Smoke and its sequels.

The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer

The Fire Stone: Book One of The Reign of the Elements by Riley Carney

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Stewart

Pendragon series by D.J. McHale

Rangers's Apprentice series by John Flanigan

They're all great for a boy that age!

the Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke

Second The Invention of Hugo Cabret!!
And Percy Jackson!! And The Giver.

What about Bone Vol. 1? (The graphic novel) My coworker has read all of them, then passed them on to another coworker's daughter.

Also enjoyed Jordan Sonnenblick. And what about The Outsiders?

Way back at #33...I second The Ranger's Apprentice series. I work with middle schoolers and they loved the series! Not all of the books are out in America yet, so I had to order the last 4 books of the series from Australia. After I read them I donated them to our media center. I highly recommend!

I also like the Chet Gecko series.. it could be a gateway to other noir reads later.

Don't be afraid to give him classics, and you may find, as we have, that a lot of boys love epics.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Monkey, and the Niebelungenlied have all been hits in our family.

Chelsye - You could set up a wish list for (and with) him on Amazon. Let everyone know they can order a book from him there. That way you get the binding you want.

I would agree with a lot of what's already been suggested, but my son also loved the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, which has the advantage of being lo-o-o-ong! He also read The Ship That Flew by Hilda Lewis until it disintegrated.

How about something by Gary Paulson like Hatchet?

I think for a 11year old boy to read isThe Diary of whimpy kid series it's realfunny

Hmmm.,
Well, I am a HUGE historical fiction reader, so might I suggest:
-The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
-Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

....I can't really think of anything else......
Maybe it'll come to me. :)

My Side of the Mountain and its Sequels On the Far Side of the Mountain and Frightful's Mountain by Jean Craighead George

A boy decides to run away from home and live off the land up in the mountains.

At 11 my son also loved the Ranger's Apprentice series, the Pendragon books (both mentioned above) and Paolini's Eragon series. At 18 he still wants me to pick up the new releases for him as they come out.

My 10 year old is currently enjoying the Warriors books by Erin Hunter, both in manga and novel form. They look like books that would be good for 11 year olds as well.

Ranger's apprentice
Percy Jackson
Brother band
The Hive series
The Kane Chronicles
Harry potter
Young Samurai
Mysterious Benedict society

Holes by Louis Sachar
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron (a little dated but it's fun)

Ender's Game is a great one. An amazing amount of story arcs and really cool ideas explored. Much better and much more complex than the movie, which was actually OK for the time allowed. I know it is sic-fi, but it fits the YA genre well.

The Crossroads is the first of a series by Chris Grabenstein involving the same main character. Excellent series.