Suggestions--exciting, inspiring books for pre-teen boys

[homeschoolally]

What are some books your boys haven't been able to put down and have been positive and encouraging? Thinking ahead to our winter break--would love to find some great reading material for my oldest that will lift his spirits and inspire him. He is prone to winter blues and we're already seeing a bit of it now. I remember being his age and how wonderful it was to get lost in a really great book--think he could use that now.

 

Also, I'd love to hear about great books your younger boys have loved. Since he will be on break from school, I don't mind if he reads easier material. My hope is just to find some books that he gets excited about--I try to avoid twaddle, but in this case it wouldn't be assigned reading so I need things light enough that he'll be motivated to read them in his free time. His interests are varied--I'd say anything would work except sports-type material or anything too far into the occult-type fantasy realm.

 

Thanks so much!!:)

Edited November 16, 2009 by homeschoolally
typo

[gfam]

I'm not sure of his reading level, but these are all chapter books.

 

Any books by...

 

Marguerite Henry

Jean Craighead George

GA Henty

Jim Kjelgaard

 

Boys of Grit who became Men of Honor by Archer Wallace

 

I've got others. Let me think about it a minute.

[battlemaiden]

How about the My Side of the Mountain series?

 

The Chronicles of Prydain.

 

My boys both recently read Little Men- a surprising favorite for both of them.

 

My 13yo seems to be enjoying the Artemis Fowl series, but I recall there being something objectionable in them. Anyone?

 

Redwall series.

 

Sherlock Holmes.

 

My oldest is reading Murder on the Orient Express right now and loving it. Another surprise.

 

A school assigned book that both my 11 and 13 yr old loved recently was Trails to Poosey.

 

The Alex Rider series has been enjoyed in the past. It is James Bond for kids. My oldest told me last night that last two books were "sloppy" writing. LOL. He prefers the first three in the series, but he does mention that they have some violence within.

 

For December we are reading aloud:

 

Hans Brinker

The newest Mysterious Benedict Society (the 3rd)

Little Women

and lots of Christmas books

Edited November 16, 2009 by battlemaiden

[AK_Mom4]

The Bronze Bow

Treasure Island

The Black Arrow

Huckleberry Finn (Tom Sawyer...not so much)

the really really old Hardy Boys (not the new ones!)

[EmilyK]

My then 10 year old loved Snow Treasure. He also has loved the Ordinary Boy series.

 

The above books have some decent messages. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series isn't so strong on that, but it definitely has the "can't put it down" aspect.

 

Graphic novels especially about battles and war have been in that category here too.

[LibraryLover]

I agree. Snow Treasure is very interesting, and not difficult.

 

Hans Brinker is boring boring boring. There, I said it! :D I would never suggest that book to a reluctant reader, nor would I read it aloud. Ever. Again. Gah.

[Trixie]

These aren't necessarily inspiring, but they're all books that my ds reads over and over. Several have already been mentioned.

 

"The Mysterious Benedict Society" & sequels

"Tom Sawyer" & "Huck Finn"

"My Side of the Mountain" & sequels

"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"

"The Sea of Trolls" & sequels

"The 13 Clocks"

"The Adventures of Hugo Cabret"

Any of the Moffats books

[abbeyej]

In addition to other suggestions, some newer ones that ds has loved include the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (the first one, Lightning Thief, is being released as a movie in February -- oh, and the author even home schooled one of his sons for a while!), and the Alex Ryder series by Antony Horowitz.

 

Another thing I wanted to mention -- you say your son seems to suffer from seasonal blues? Have you had his vitamin d levels tested? Deficiency is rampant, and among many other problems that can cause is that sense of seasonal depression. Supplementation is simple, cheap, and safe and could make a huge difference in his life...

[Melinda in VT]

I don't know exactly what you mean by "positive and encouraging" and I don't know how old your son is exactly, but with those caveats in mind . . .

 

Three series my preteen kids enjoying reading (over and over and over):

 

Warrior series

Edgewood Chronicles

Gregor the Overlander

 

There is a religious element to the Warrior series, but I wouldn't call it occult.

 

I read the first Warrior book and the first Edgewood Chronicles book. The Warrior books have an absolutely ridiculous premise, but I had to admit the book was well-plotted. Lots of nice values.

 

The Edgewood Chronicle book was very episodic and not as well-written, but my son loves it because of the many, many strange creatures (and the illustrations are nice).

 

I haven't read the Gregor books, but I did recently devour The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by the same author. She can write.

[homeschoolally]

I appreciate them very much.

=)

[yvonne]

My boys really got into the Redwall books. After listening to a bunch on cd, they read the ones they couldn't find on cd and then read the rest that they'd already listened to. The characters in the series speak in heavy English/Scottish dialects, so it is definitely worth listening to the first book on cd to get a feel for it before you try to read it.

 

Right now, I'm kind of hesitant to mention it bec. I haven't read them and they do tend toward the twaddle end of the spectrum, but the boys are really, really into the Indiana Jones books by Rob Macgregor and Max McCoy. They certainly aren't quality lit., but they have raised some interesting topics because of the archeology/ancient treasures/mysteries themes.

 

Also, Rolf and the Viking Bow... We just finished that as a read aloud & they loved that one.

 

They've also read & liked Swiss Family Robinson and Wizard of Oz.