Annie Laurie Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 For Christmas, I always get my kids some book sets that they've wanted to read or that they enjoyed so much they want to own. This year I'm stumped on my two middle boys. My 12 year old does not like to read. He prefers non-fiction, visual trivia type books or comics when it's free reading. My 8 year old likes to read, but he gets bored easily and his preferences vary so widely. He likes action and adventure, graphic novels and comics, some historical fiction, and fiction like Andrew Clement's books, and fantasy like Harry Potter and Narnia. Any ideas on some books they would enjoy? I'm desperate- I don't seem to have one single idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Horrible Science's Bulging Box of Books for the older, non-fiction kid, and perhaps the Horrible History series for the younger one. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeneralMom Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Although I cannot recommend it because I have not personally seen it or pre-read it, but we have several friends with older boys who have recommended the Ranger's Apprentice series to us. Funnily enough, the whole series is on sale in the Scholastic book catalog they brought home from school today so it may end up as a joint present for them but that is here in Australia. Here is a link to the whole series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 Horrible Science's Bulging Box of Books for the older, non-fiction kid, Love, love, love this idea! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 Although I cannot recommend it because I have not personally seen it or pre-read it, but we have several friends with older boys who have recommended the Ranger's Apprentice series to us. Funnily enough, the whole series is on sale in the Scholastic book catalog they brought home from school today so it may end up as a joint present for them but that is here in Australia. Here is a link to the whole series. These sound really awesome, too. You ladies are good! My fantasy loving dd would like those books too. Still open to other ideas as well, I like to buy lots of books. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeneralMom Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Have they tried the Percy Jackson series? Or the Kane Chronicles? Both by Rich Rhiordan. DH just got back from a month long trip and I made the boys wait to read the newest one, because DH loves doing them as read-alouds before bed. They are chomping at the bit for him to get over his jet-lag so he will start reading to them. I think I may have promised them tonight is the night.... Books by Emily Rodda. There is a whole series of DVDs for her series Deltora Quest so you could do books and movies. Here is a link to the books. She also has other series, but I am not familiar with them, although they are on my boys' lists. One is called The Three Door Trilogy. Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles was one of my first introductions to fantasy when I was about 10 and still holds a very dear place in my heart. The Belgariad series and the Malloreon series (which is basically a continuation of the Belgariad) by David Eddings are also wonderful. His other series is the Elenium and The Tamuli (continuation of the Elenium). I haven't read his Dreamers series, so cannot recommend it. There is also the series of books called Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer that my kids have been begging for, but like the Ranger's series I haven't actuall had a chance to look at them. I think the main character my not be your typical protagonist (not really a good guy) but is hugely popular. If I think of more, I will add them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeneralMom Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 You are going to get so sick of me, but I am writing these down too. M DS7 is a voracious reader and DS9 has just found the love of reading. I have heard good things about the Underlander Chronicles by the authour of the Hunger Games. I think she wrote the Underlander stuff first. When I went to Amazon to look up the Underlander series, a number of boxed sets showed up, including the Prydain series I mentioned before. Also mentioned are: Shadow Children boxed set (review says good for reluctant readers) Inkheart Trilogy Fablehaven boxed set - don't know anything about this series, but the authour bio says "Brandon’s greatest regret is that he has but one life to give for Gondor" which is enough to make me want to buy it. There is, of course, the Chronicles of Narnia. The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers Alright, got to stop now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bug's Mom Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Aldo Zelnick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Horrible Books, for sure. DD loves the science set. A set of books that combines book facts and a great storyline is Guardians of Ga'hoole. DD learned so many facts about different owls. The author has taken the time to do her research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeneralMom Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Horrible Books, for sure. DD loves the science set. A set of books that combines book facts and a great storyline is Guardians of Ga'hoole. DD learned so many facts about different owls. The author has taken the time to do her research. My kids hated the movie. Are the books different/better? I have hesitated getting them because of how much they did not like the movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acablue Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I'll suggest Guinness World Records 2013 and MythBusters: The Explosive Truth Behind 30 of the Most Perplexing Urban Legends of All Time for the 12 year old. I would get him one really good novel and give him lots of time to get bored enough to read it. Harry Potter, Holes and Hatchet got my book-phobic stepson into reading at about 11. jenr had a lot of good suggestions for your younger guy. If he hasn't read them yet, the Percy Jackson books are a great place to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 My kids hated the movie. Are the books different/better? I have hesitated getting them because of how much they did not like the movie. Why did they hate it? The visuals are beautiful, although DD is not a video person or maybe I don't really allow any screen time, so we've never finished it. And, she has never actually requested subquently. I was stumbling around looking for a series that was age-appropriate. I found some of Tamora Pierce's books to be too mature for DD, but anything with animals is almost always suitable. She's beyond the simplicity of Burgess. We had finished Ranger's Apprentice, which has some violence and a good plot, but I was tired of boy-likes-girl of the human variety. Guardians has great, lovable characters, with a clear over-arching theme of good versus evil, which seems important to DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeneralMom Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 The boys said they found the movie uninteresting and it dragged. They did not want to finish it. The girls walked out after 10 mins. I didn't watch it so I have no opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 Have they tried the Percy Jackson series? Or the Kane Chronicles? Books by Emily Rodda. There is a whole series of DVDs for her series Deltora Quest so you could do books and movies. Here is a link to the books. She also has other series, but I am not familiar with them, although they are on my boys' lists. One is called The Three Door Trilogy. Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles was one of my first introductions to fantasy when I was about 10 and still holds a very dear place in my heart. The Belgariad series and the Malloreon series (which is basically a continuation of the Belgariad) by David Eddings are also wonderful. His other series is the Elenium and The Tamuli (continuation of the Elenium). I haven't read his Dreamers series, so cannot recommend it. There is also the series of books called Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer that my kids have been begging for, but like the Ranger's series I haven't actuall had a chance to look at them. I think the main character my not be your typical protagonist (not really a good guy) but is hugely popular. If I think of more, I will add them. Great suggestions! My 8 yr old boy and his 10 yr old sister have read both Rick Rhiordan series and they loved them. My dd has read some of Emily Rodda's books, but I didn't know there were so many different series. The other suggestions are great too and I'll look into those. You are going to get so sick of me, but I am writing these down too. M DS7 is a voracious reader and DS9 has just found the love of reading. I have heard good things about the Underlander Chronicles by the authour of the Hunger Games. I think she wrote the Underlander stuff first. When I went to Amazon to look up the Underlander series, a number of boxed sets showed up, including the Prydain series I mentioned before. Also mentioned are: Shadow Children boxed set (review says good for reluctant readers) Inkheart Trilogy Fablehaven boxed set - don't know anything about this series, but the authour bio says "Brandon’s greatest regret is that he has but one life to give for Gondor" which is enough to make me want to buy it. There is, of course, the Chronicles of Narnia. The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers Alright, got to stop now. Never! I can't ever get sick of someone with book suggestions, I love hearing them, thank you. Inkheart, Narnia, and the Borrowers have all been read here, but I will check out the other suggestions. I'll definitely save the ones they don't get for Christmas as library book ideas. Aldo Zelnick! This looks like something my boys would really like! Horrible Books, for sure. DD loves the science set. A set of books that combines book facts and a great storyline is Guardians of Ga'hoole. DD learned so many facts about different owls. The author has taken the time to do her research. I'm definitely getting the Horrible Science books. They read the Ga'hoole books and loved them. I'll suggest Guinness World Records 2013 and MythBusters: The Explosive Truth Behind 30 of the Most Perplexing Urban Legends of All Time for the 12 year old. I would get him one really good novel and give him lots of time to get bored enough to read it. Harry Potter, Holes and Hatchet got my book-phobic stepson into reading at about 11. jenr had a lot of good suggestions for your younger guy. If he hasn't read them yet, the Percy Jackson books are a great place to start. Can you believe that my 12 year old got bored with Harry Potter? I really need to be more insistent about free reading time for him. He'd rather do something physical with his time, but I feel like he's missing out by not developing a habit of reading too. His siblings have read the Percy Jackson books. My dd got a boxed set last Christmas, and I don't know why I hadn't thought of having my 12 yr old borrow those. The Mythbusters book I'm definitely looking into. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 I really like the word definitely. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 For Christmas, I always get my kids some book sets that they've wanted to read or that they enjoyed so much they want to own. This year I'm stumped on my two middle boys. My 12 year old does not like to read. He prefers non-fiction, visual trivia type books or comics when it's free reading. My 8 year old likes to read, but he gets bored easily and his preferences vary so widely. He likes action and adventure, graphic novels and comics, some historical fiction, and fiction like Andrew Clement's books, and fantasy like Harry Potter and Narnia. Any ideas on some books they would enjoy? I'm desperate- I don't seem to have one single idea. I think the book, "Thor's Wedding Day" by Bruce Coville will be perfect for you youngest, and maybe work for your eldest. It is a funny novel based on the histrocial Norse Myths. Lots of action and adventure, and fantasy. It also has several nice pictures in the chapter book, or if you prefer great advice acting in the audio book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 These sound really awesome, too. You ladies are good! My fantasy loving dd would like those books too. Still open to other ideas as well, I like to buy lots of books. :D If you have a fantasy loving dd, and haven't already done so read,, "The Enchanted Forest" series starting with "Dealing with Dragons" I was stumbling around looking for a series that was age-appropriate. I found some of Tamora Pierce's books to be too mature for DD, but anything with animals is almost always suitable. She's beyond the simplicity of Burgess. We had finished Ranger's Apprentice, which has some violence and a good plot, but I was tired of boy-likes-girl of the human variety. Guardians has great, lovable characters, with a clear over-arching theme of good versus evil, which seems important to DD. A story your DD Mght really like that involves animals that has a great plot is (poop, I forget the series names) The first book is Poppy. It's written by Avi. There are seven books in the series including. Prequel to Poppy named Ragweed. I personally like to read Poppy first, and then go back to Ragweed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme824 Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Fun suggestions!!! My kiddos get lots of books for Christmas. Horrible Histories and Horrible Science are at the top of my list right now. Along with the Fablehaven set. It looks like I have more to look over and decide upon. Thanks :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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