lulubelle Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 My ds has really enjoyed the Oz books. There are only a few left for him. He seems to like quirky stories that are funny and unusual. He's read one Harry Potter and is done. He's read Ember and didn't like the next. He seems not to like anything dark. He is not interested in the Hardy Boys. I was hoping for another great series for him to try out. I've read or we have listened to many of the usual books. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 The Moomintroll books by Tove Jansen sound like they'd fit the bill. They are very quirky, well written and not dark at all. Also your son might like some of the later Oz books by Ruth Plumly Thompson. She was the first author after L. Frank Baum to continue the series and they are considered to be relatively good at keeping the same atmosphere and tone as the Baum books. Also, not a series, but wonderful books all the same are 'The Princess and the Goblin' and 'The Princess and Curdie' by George MacDonald. Despite the princess reference in the title these are books any boy would thoroughly enjoy and they are wonderfully written with some quirky characters that might appeal to your son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulubelle Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Thanks, I have read one of the Jansen books to them and I will look into the series. I did not realize someone took up where Baum left off! Great! We have listened to both MacDonald books - great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Yes, there are quite a few books after the Baum ones but according to the Oz fans in the family only the RPT ones are worth reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Yes, Moomintroll!!! Quirky, happy, not too dark fantasy. That's it. Also, maybe Edward Eager - Half Magic, Magic by the Lake, Knight's Castle, etc. On the more quirky end, assuming he's done Roald Dahl, he might try Joan Aiken. We especially liked Arabel's Raven, but she has many good ones. I'm also thinking that The 13 Clocks or The Wonderful O might be good picks. A brand new one that we're just finishing up - The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland. It was amazing. The language was so wonderful and the story was so complex. Sticking with newer books, maybe also The Flint Heart. I liked it that one - it also has an old fashioned feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulubelle Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Great! Thanks so much for the recommendations - my list is started! So, so helpful!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meggie Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson. They. Are. Hilarious. So funny, I can't stop laughing when I read them. There's four books out now, I think he's planning to do a fifth, but that could be part of the big joke, I'm not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) GENTLE FANTASY - Enchanted Forest Chronicles series (Wrede) - Dragon of Lonely Island (and sequels) (Rupp) -- and others by this author - dragon trilogy: Dragon Spell; Dragon Quest; Dragon Knight (Paul) - Dragon Rider (Funke) - Inkheart (Funke) - Peter and the Starcatchers (and sequels) (Barry) - Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series (Betty MacDonald) - Chronicles of Narnia (Lewis) - The Story of Dr. Dolittle (Lofting) - My Father's Dragon (Gannett) - Half Magic; Magic by the Lake, Knight's Castle; Time Garden; Seven Day Magic (Eager) - Five Children and It; The Phoenix and the Carpet; The Amulet (Nesbit) - The Book of Dragons (Nesbit) - The Father Christmas Letters (Tolkien) - The Secret of Platform 13 (Ibbotson) -- a much kinder, gentler sort of Harry Potter - The Borrowers (series) (Norton) - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Fleming) - Charlie & the Chocolate Factory; Great Glass Elevator (Dahl) - Pippi Longstockings; Pippi in the South Seas (Astrid) - The Phantom Tollbooth (Juster) - The Never Ending Story (Ende) QUIRKY/HUMOROUS - Ben and I (Lawson) - Mr. Revere and Me (Lawson) - the Mouse Prisoners' Aid Society series: The Rescuers, Miss Bianca, The Turret, Miss Bianca in the Salt Mines, Miss Bianca in the Orient (Sharpe) - Basil of Baker Street (and sequels) (Titus) - Owls in the Family (Mowat) - The Bears on Hemlock Mountain (Dalgliesh) - The Whipping Boy (Fleischman) - McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm (Fleischman) - Adventures of TinTin (Herge) - By the Great Horn Spoon (Fleischman) - Sideways Stories at Wayside School (Sachar) - Trumpet of the Swan (White) Edited November 18, 2011 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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