Pratchett, Gaiman, Jones, Le Guin and Reeve for 12 year old ds

[lisabees]

Ds12 is looking to branch out from Pratchett. He loves the British humor in the Discworld books. I am considering Neil Gaiman, Diana Wynne Jones, Ursula Le Guin and Philip Reeve books. Which books can you recommend by these authors? I believe some of their books are adult; some are for teens. Just want to be sure which are which!

 

Ds has already read the Chrestomanci series by Jones.

 

I am considering Le Guin's teen series, starting with Powers.

[KarenNC]

Gaiman: Graveyard Book, Coraline, Stardust, The Wolves in the Walls are all popular with my 11 yo. We're avoiding the Sandman series for right now. There is a children's edition of MirrorMask, but I'm not sure we've read either version.

[Farrar]

Well, I think Diana Wynne Jones is best writer of that group (for YA and MG fiction anyway - LeGuin's adult stuff is better), though I've enjoyed them all. And she would build off the humor and the quirkyness of Prachett. Crestomanci is good, but I really like A Tale of Time City (feels like a total Doctor Who episode) and I loved the two that include Deep Secret. She really wrote wibbly wobbly timey wimey I just bent your mind a little bit better than anyone. She doesn't have any adult books, by the way, so they would all be appropriate.

 

But they're all good. LeGuin's Powers series is nice - but a bit darker and nuanced than anything you'll find in Prachett. Her Wizard of Earthsea is a masterpiece - but pretty humorless. Those are her two totally appropriate for young readers series.

 

The recommendations above for Gaiman are the place to start. I'm not as big a fan of his writing style, honestly, though I think he's an amazing storyteller, if that makes sense.

 

Phillip Reeve is just fun and full of adventure. His more Victorian steampunk series Larklight skews a little younger - it's outer space Victorians in giant houses with alien pirates and giant crabs and stuff. Very weird. His Mortal Engines series is, I think, a better series, but is more firmly YA - though I don't remember anything inappropriate for younger readers really. It's more post-apocalyptic steampunk. I still haven't gotten around to reading Fever Crumb, but I seem to recall it's a bit more grown up.

 

Speaking of steampunk, I have to throw in another recommendation - if you're considering Philip Reeve, definitely consider Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series too. Also YA, but nothing really inappropriate at all. I keep wondering why they didn't sell it as middle grades, but I'm guessing it was just a marketing decision.

Edited November 19, 2011 by farrarwilliams

[Chris in VA]

Just to throw another one in there, have you looked at Cornelia Funke's Inkheart Series, and The Thief Lord?

 

We like Neil Gaiman--Coraline is a fav here since 2nd grade!

[morosophe]

What about Patricia Wrede? She might not be as funny as Pratchett, but I'd definitely recommend Mairelon the Magician for some very funny moments. Her Dealing with Dragons series can be good light-hearted fun, too.

 

I've also enjoyed Gilbert Morris' Squire's Tale series, which rewrites Arthurian legend with a light and deft touch.

 

And going another direction... There are some traditional British humorists who are at least as clean as Pratchett, although usually marketed to adults. Have you tried P. G. Wodehouse? His short stories (of which there are loads) might be more accessible, but it's not like his longer books are hard to read. Do try to find the beginnings of series, or stories that aren't parts of series at all, or he might get a little lost in the sea of names that come, for instance, with his growing Woosterian universe near the end.

 

The generation of writers from whom Wodehouse pulled include Saki (who I find gets depressing in large doses), and Jerome K. Jerome, whose classic Three Men on a Boat, to Say Nothing of the Dog is just as readable now as in the heyday of Victorianism, when it was written. If your son enjoys time travel, he could try out Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog, which, as you may have guessed, is based on Jerome's classic work, but has a very different style. More than my other recommendations, it was written for adults, but I can't remember any objectionable content to it.

 

A note on Stardust: Boy, does that book have a real downer of an ending. And it's none too happy at the beginning or in the middle, either. Nothing like Pratchett's overall optimistic view of the world; then again, that's what you often get from Gaiman. I hate to say it, because I loved his 1602 Marvel comic book series, and do occasionally reread bits of Good Omens (which was cowritten with Pratchett, of course), but I'm not actually a big fan.

[Momling]

If he hasn't already read them, he might like Eva Ibbotson's books (her funny kid ones, not the romantic teenaged ones). My 9 yr old Pratchett fan loved them. Neil Gaimon is great.. maybe Douglas Adams? The Patricia Wrede idea is good too, my girl loved the dragons series...

[nmoira]

A few seemingly random thoughts, as I'm on my way out. If he hasn't read the complete works of George MacDonald and the short stories of Kenneth Grahame (there are two volumes) , they're worth the step back into "children's" books. He might also like Walter Moers.

[SEGway]

Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones is appropriate for your son's age group. It's also one of my favorites. :)

[lisabees]

Gaiman: Graveyard Book, Coraline, Stardust, The Wolves in the Walls are all popular with my 11 yo. We're avoiding the Sandman series for right now. There is a children's edition of MirrorMask, but I'm not sure we've read either version.

 

Thanks. Just what I need to know!

 

Well, I think Diana Wynne Jones is best writer of that group (for YA and MG fiction anyway - LeGuin's adult stuff is better), though I've enjoyed them all. And she would build off the humor and the quirkyness of Prachett. Crestomanci is good, but I really like A Tale of Time City (feels like a total Doctor Who episode) and I loved the two that include Deep Secret. She really wrote wibbly wobbly timey wimey I just bent your mind a little bit better than anyone. She doesn't have any adult books, by the way, so they would all be appropriate.

 

Like a Doctor Who episode? That would work in our family!

 

But they're all good. LeGuin's Powers series is nice - but a bit darker and nuanced than anything you'll find in Prachett. Her Wizard of Earthsea is a masterpiece - but pretty humorless. Those are her two totally appropriate for young readers series.

 

I realize Le Guin is not known for her humor, but I heard good things about her Powers series.

 

The recommendations above for Gaiman are the place to start. I'm not as big a fan of his writing style, honestly, though I think he's an amazing storyteller, if that makes sense.

 

Perfect sense. ;)

 

Phillip Reeve is just fun and full of adventure. His more Victorian steampunk series Larklight skews a little younger - it's outer space Victorians in giant houses with alien pirates and giant crabs and stuff. Very weird. His Mortal Engines series is, I think, a better series, but is more firmly YA - though I don't remember anything inappropriate for younger readers really. It's more post-apocalyptic steampunk. I still haven't gotten around to reading Fever Crumb, but I seem to recall it's a bit more grown up.

 

Reeve also has the Hungry City Chronicles, which are out of print. Are they worth hunting down?

 

Speaking of steampunk, I have to throw in another recommendation - if you're considering Philip Reeve, definitely consider Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series too. Also YA, but nothing really inappropriate at all. I keep wondering why they didn't sell it as middle grades, but I'm guessing it was just a marketing decision.

 

You have recommended this to me before. I'll have to check it out. Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

Just to throw another one in there, have you looked at Cornelia Funke's Inkheart Series, and The Thief Lord?

 

We like Neil Gaiman--Coraline is a fav here since 2nd grade!

 

Ds has read and enjoyed Funke. Oooh - maybe my 3rd grader would like Coraline. It's not too creepy?

[lisabees]

What about Patricia Wrede? She might not be as funny as Pratchett, but I'd definitely recommend Mairelon the Magician for some very funny moments. Her Dealing with Dragons series can be good light-hearted fun, too.

 

 

Wrede's Dealing with Dragons is on dd8's book shelf. He wasn't going there! But I'll be sure to check out her other works.

I've also enjoyed Gilbert Morris' Squire's Tale series, which rewrites Arthurian legend with a light and deft touch.

 

We love anything Arthur here. Off to check it out.

 

And going another direction... There are some traditional British humorists who are at least as clean as Pratchett, although usually marketed to adults. Have you tried P. G. Wodehouse? His short stories (of which there are loads) might be more accessible, but it's not like his longer books are hard to read. Do try to find the beginnings of series, or stories that aren't parts of series at all, or he might get a little lost in the sea of names that come, for instance, with his growing Woosterian universe near the end.

 

Ds hasn't read these. Thank you!

 

The generation of writers from whom Wodehouse pulled include Saki (who I find gets depressing in large doses), and Jerome K. Jerome, whose classic Three Men on a Boat, to Say Nothing of the Dog is just as readable now as in the heyday of Victorianism, when it was written. If your son enjoys time travel, he could try out Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog, which, as you may have guessed, is based on Jerome's classic work, but has a very different style. More than my other recommendations, it was written for adults, but I can't remember any objectionable content to it.

 

Or these! ;)

 

A note on Stardust: Boy, does that book have a real downer of an ending. And it's none too happy at the beginning or in the middle, either. Nothing like Pratchett's overall optimistic view of the world; then again, that's what you often get from Gaiman. I hate to say it, because I loved his 1602 Marvel comic book series, and do occasionally reread bits of Good Omens (which was cowritten with Pratchett, of course), but I'm not actually a big fan.

 

I have only read Good Omens by Gaimain (and Pratchett). Now I'm curious what it is about Gaiman that turns people away.

 

If he hasn't already read them, he might like Eva Ibbotson's books (her funny kid ones, not the romantic teenaged ones). My 9 yr old Pratchett fan loved them. Neil Gaimon is great.. maybe Douglas Adams? The Patricia Wrede idea is good too, my girl loved the dragons series...

 

Ahh yes, Douglas Adams. We've listened to a few on audio. He would like the books.

 

A few seemingly random thoughts, as I'm on my way out. If he hasn't read the complete works of George MacDonald and the short stories of Kenneth Grahame (there are two volumes) , they're worth the step back into "children's" books. He might also like Walter Moers.

 

Walter Moers is now on our list. We have many MacDonald and Grahame books on our shelves.

 

Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones is appropriate for your son's age group. It's also one of my favorites. :)

 

 

 

Off to add Diana Wynne Jones to the list. Thank you.

 

 

Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to share your favorites. It is greatly appreciated!