What are good books for a 14 yo boy who doesn't like to read?

[Quiver0f10]

I am looking for book recommendations for my son who I wrote @ in the other thread. I am hoping to get some books on CD for him and also some books that might get him interested in reading.

 

I am going to go ahead with testing this summer, but I also want to get him reading now.

 

Thanks!

 

Edited: he is 15 not 14. I am a moron LOL.

[Michelle in AL]

I just finished the Odyssey and loved it. I would consider this for an audiobook, but not to actually read as it may be a little difficult. Maybe this would be a good choice if he hasn't already read it.

 

I have girls, but some my dd has liked that seem that boys might like as well are: The Giver by Lois Lowry and The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.

[Jane in NC]

For something fun, how about one of Bill Bryson's travel books? My son adored the one about hiking on the Appalachian Trail, A Walk in the Woods.

 

My 16 year old avid reader loves fantasy/sci fi stuff. Has your son tried any of the classic authors of this genre, people like Asimov, Bradbury or Heinlein? Salvatore is another favorite.

 

If your son has not read Douglas Adams books, I would definitely try these. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series is a hoot.

 

You could look at his fall reading list and get him started on something early, but the fun route may be more encouraging.

 

Jane

[K-FL]

The classic adventure stories: Twain, Verne, RL Stevenson

 

Louie L'Amour are good too, plus you do get some western US history.

[pmegan]

That can be a tricky age for fiction, as teens that age often don't really identify with adult themes yet. I second the Bill Bryson books. You also might want to look into history books. For fiction, Michael Shaara has a Civil War trilogy that is supposed to be a very good read.

[nmoira]

 

If your son has not read Douglas Adams books, I would definitely try these. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series is a hoot.

And Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, begining with The Colour of Magic. There are some excellent audio book versions read by Tony Robinson (Baldric from Black Adder) and Nigel Planer (Neil from The Young Ones).

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks for the suggestions, ladies! :)

[JFSinIL]

Horatio Hornblower series! Historical fiction by James Alexander Thom or Jeff Shaara.

[Jane in NC]

And Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, begining with The Colour of Magic. There are some excellent audio book versions read by Tony Robinson (Baldric from Black Adder) and Nigel Planer (Neil from The Young Ones).

 

Terry Pratchett is also one of my son's favorites! Good choice.

[Nan in Mass]

I second the Hornblower series. My non-reader also liked Artemos Fowle, Captain Blood (vanished into his hammock for days one summer vacation and only emmerged when the book was through - we were very surprised), and Midshipman Quinn. He like the Lindsey Davis series (beware - adult) and All Creatures Great and Small on tape.

[Janie]

...and find books that meet that qualification that are easy. Drop back a few grade levels.

 

The books mentioned are great stories, but if your son is not a proficient reader, he will still not like to read.

 

So, if he reads comfortably and easily at grade level, find books in his area of interest. The clincher for my reluctant boy reader was Harry Potter. And I gladly let him read them! Then came Eragon. And the Tom Clancy. Maybe not great literature, but one thing is almost guaranteed, if he doesn't read well, none of the great literature of the world will interest him until he becomes an accomplished reader.

 

Not mentioned but quite interesting for a boy is the Little Britches series by Ralph Moody.

[Maura in NY]

...and find books that meet that qualification that are easy. Drop back a few grade levels.

 

The books mentioned are great stories, but if your son is not a proficient reader, he will still not like to read. ...Maybe not great literature, but one thing is almost guaranteed, if he doesn't read well, none of the great literature of the world will interest him until he becomes an accomplished reader.

 

I agree with Janie's advice. I grimaced a bit when I read some of the suggestions, because I have a 14 yos who LOVES to read, and while he's read and enjoyed Jules Verne and RL Stevenson, the language slowed him down and it it took longer to get into the story.

 

A few more suggestions - Rick Riordan's "Percy & the Olympians" series (begins with The Lightening Thief) or Dave Barry & Ridley Pierson's Peter & the Starcatchers and sequels. If fantasy isn't appealing to him, you might try the Alex Rider series (sort of a teen aged James Bond thing by Anthony Horowitz). For humor, something by Gordon Korman (I highly recommend No More Dead Dogs) or one by David Lubar (Sleeping Freshman Never Lie). I just recommended these two in some other thread. They are both big favorites here -- They both take place in a school setting, but don't have anything inappropriate, and don't portrat school in a way that makes our kids feel they are missing out on anything.

 

Good luck!

 

Maura

[jaltman25]

Maybe some True Story type books, I know that Usborne has a true story series for ages 10+, they might grab his interest.

[SkateLeft]

How about Tim Severin's books? He's a historian/explorer who recreates historic voyages that make for fascinating adventures -

http://www.timseverin.net/

[Storm Bay]

My ds hates to read, but he's only 7. However, my dad got my brothers to read by letting them read things like Asterix comics (that was amazing, as my sister and I, who were older. hadn't even allowed comics!) and making them read one chapter per night in a book of their choice. This was separate from school assigned reading.

 

Personally, I think action books with male heroes are usually the best choice. The action classics mentioned before. I think getting them on CD, unabridged, is a good start. He can either listen first and then read, or listen while reading, or listen, discuss, then read, etc.

[AngieW in Texas]

I would try:

 

Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (all books on audio with great reader)

Lightning Thief

Sea of Monsters

Titan's Curse

4th book to be released in a few days

 

P.B. Kerr's Children of the Lamp series (only the first two books are on audio, great reader)

The Akhenaten Adventure

The Blue Djinn of Babylon

The Cobra King of Kathmandu

The Day of the Djinn Warriors

 

Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series (all on audio with wonderful reader who has a fabulous accent)

Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident

Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code

Artemis Fowl: The Opal Incident

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony

[cabrams755]

my daughters just got done reading the first two (in 3 days) and said they wouldn't mind the last two. Look for the series called The Lost Books Chosen (The Lost Books, Book 1) (The Books of History Chronicles) My daughters now want to read the adult versions (which I read and enjoyed immensely, although I'm not a fan of all his books), and they are 14 and 16. Other favorites among boys in the homeschool group are the Redwall books, and the ones about the dragon written by a homeschooler.

 

HTH,

Chris

#3 and counting

[cabrams755]

Once and Future King

Treasure Island and other RLS novels

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and other Jules Verne novels

Watership Down by Richard Adams

King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard

 

HTH,

Chris

#4 and counting

[Jean in Wisc]

j

[RebeccaC]

Here are some books that my just 14yoboy has been devouring for pleasure,

 

The Viking Quest Series (strong Christian content in these books)

 

 

• Raiders from the Sea
  
• Mystery of the Silver Coins
  
• The Invisible Friend
  
• Heart of Courage
  
• The Raider's Promise
  

 

 

He also enjoyed Avi's books on Beyond the Western Sea. He read for pleasure Hatchet and really like it.

 

He worked his way through the book of Acts NIV and the book of Ps NKJ this year. Acts was assigned and Ps was his choice.

 

It took him 9 weeks to work through Treasure Island but he did it and enjoyed it. It took about a week or just over to work through the Viking books. He just fell in love with them and when he finished one he asked for the next in the series. This is the first time he has push through a series so quickly and without me assigning the reading.

 

Both my sons had dyslexia and I am a big believer in having them read more books below grade level to build fluency, vocab, decoding skills, ect.... reading only a few at whatever the high end of their grade level is, and then listening either to me read aloud above grade level or books on tape above grade level.

 

For science he is reading and enjoying Apologia's General Science and the Tiner book Exploring Planet Earth. He read the Learning Through History issue on the Vikings to go along with the Viking Quest series.

[Jane in NC]

 

Diana Wynne Jones has a lot of exciting books, for a variety of age levels. She is a good writer, but her books are very accessible.

 

I don't like Heinlein, but some of his juveniles have a lot of appeal, the only two we've deemed appropriate (so far) are: Red Planet and Have Spacesuit Will Travel

 

Eragon is *horribly* written, trite, and derivative, but for kids who haven't read its predecessors, especially more reluctant readers, it, despite its excessive length, can really appeal. My ds, who is a reader, reveled in it (though he was bored by the sequel and has no enthusiasm about the third)

 

Better than Eragon, but not great lit, is the Bartimeaus trilogy - but they get darker and more violent as the series progresses. Only two of mine have tried it so far, but both have stopped near the beginning of the third book. (We screen for violence, but as they get older, tend to give them some books with a warning and let them decide when/if to stop.)

 

 

 

Another vote for Diana Wynne Jones.

 

Both my husband and son read science fiction and fantasy--I do not. Yet I do listen to some of these books on tape in our travels. I completely enjoyed the recorded version of Have Spacesuit will Travel and the entire Bartimeaus trilogy (which turns into a blood bath by the end of book three--not my style but by that point I needed resolution.

 

As far as books on tape/CD go, I don't think anyone is funnier than Daniel Pinkwater. Looking for Bobowicz is one of my favorite recorded kid's books of all times.

 

I have not criticized Eragon since I was not sure if it was sacrilege in these parts, but your assessment matches my son's. He could not even make it through the first book.

 

Finally, if Quiver's son enjoys history, any of Albert Marrin's books would be terrific choices. These are not fiction. Most of the ideas presented so far have been, so it only seems fair to mention a captivating author of non-fiction books.

 

Keep reading,

Jane

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks again! He does like sci-fi and has been reading some Hardy Boys, which I know aren't classics but he is reading them lol. I am making a list of your suggestions and we will see what draws him.

[Jane in NC]

Do you have a good children's librarian who might guide him? At our library, there is a wonderful librarian overseeing the children's and young adult's department. Her recommendations have been so valuable! Not everyone is as blessed as we are, but a good librarian can be one of your best pals.

 

Jane

[Kris]

My reluctant reader "turned the corner" with Treasure Island and The Odyssey. I wouldn't say he's an "avid" reader now, but it's not the battle it used to be, either. He seems to look forward to his reading now. Currently, he's doing "The Histories" and is really liking it.

[Storm Bay]

Do you have a good children's librarian who might guide him? At our library, there is a wonderful librarian overseeing the children's and young adult's department. Her recommendations have been so valuable! Not everyone is as blessed as we are, but a good librarian can be one of your best pals.

 

Jane

 

Yes, ours has helped my middle dd a lot. My eldest is choosy, but she likes to read. My 7 yo likes Nate the Great, so even though it's younger than him, I'm happy to let him read them. It's the first thing since Dick and Jane he enjoys reading, with rare exceptions.

[clwcain]

Quiver,

 

Are you focused on fiction reading? I can think of a few non-fiction books that I devoured as a younger man that might appeal to your ds.

 

I'll note that I was never a poor or indifferent reader, so I don't know that I have much to offer.

 

Let me know if you're interested in exploring some non-fiction titles.

 

:001_smile:

[Storm Bay]

How about some of Farley Mowatt's earlier works? Owls in the Family is for younger kids, but The Dog Who Would Be is humourous. It's about his dog when he was growing up on the prairies (he was born c. 1933 as he's around my dad's age). I'm not sure how many of his books you'll be able to find, since he's Canadian, but our library has one in the Children's Room and I think there are others in our network.

[lv2sing]

Our son loved the Chuck Black series called the Kingdom's Edge series. These are exciting and scripturally allegorical. He is 14 now and read them as they came out since he was younger. He also says that he really enjoyed the Hittite Warrior. He read the Odyssey this year but says that if you don't love reading to definitely choose something lighter to start. I agreed.

 

Joy to you today,

 

Ronda

[Quiver0f10]

Quiver,

 

Are you focused on fiction reading? I can think of a few non-fiction books that I devoured as a younger man that might appeal to your ds.

 

I'll note that I was never a poor or indifferent reader, so I don't know that I have much to offer.

 

Let me know if you're interested in exploring some non-fiction titles.

 

:001_smile:

 

 

Sure. Anything that gets him hooked would be great!

[lv2sing]

Maybe this is in the duh column, but our son loves anything by C.S. Lewis. He read the sci-fi series last summer and wishes there were more. I agree with these other contributors that it is ok to be reading at a level that is not your grade. I do it all the time. Isn't that what every magazine in America is written to?

 

Joy to you today!

 

Ronda

[tbmoran]

My son loved reading The Giver, G.A. Henty books, The Hiding Place, The Show Children series by margaret Peterson Haddix, Albert Marrin Books.

[clwcain]

For non-fic, I'd start with biographies of people who interest him or books about a time and place that interests him.

 

For me, I spent a couple of years in early childhood reading everything I could on World War 2. Guadalcanal Diary & The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (definitely neither are suitable for most kids) along with anything I could find in the juvenile section. Some of it was well beyond my reading level (I was 6 or 7 at the time) but it was what I needed.

 

When I got bored/saturated with WW2, I moved on to Vietnam, including the whole Time-Life series that the father of a friend of mine owned.

 

From there, by my early teens, I landed in the ancient world and the Middle Ages with Homer and Hesiod and Chaucer, etc.

 

Is he a poor reader, or just not interested in reading? If the former, maybe look for some biographies or well-written histories that are grade, rather than age appropriate.

 

If the latter, try to point him, as others have suggested, towards topics that do interest him.

 

But, by way of recommendations I'm not sure, upon reflection, that I have much to offer. :blushing:

 

When I reflect on what I was reading, either fic or non-fic, when I was his age...I have nothing to draw on besides what I've already mentioned.

 

But what kept me an avid reader was that I was generally free to read what I wanted in addition to my assigned school reading.

 

HTH