bethben Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 Any good book suggestions for my 12 year old boy? He likes books with technology and cool invention type things. I don't want Harry Potter type stuff (I did read them - they freaked me out - just don't want this child reading them - he's a little sensitive). He also has read a bunch of classic type books. And yes, he judges a book by it's cover. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 (edited) Enders Game. ETA: I just reread your post. If Harry Potter is too much I might rescind that suggestion. Edited May 18, 2016 by texasmom33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 Robert Heinlein's youth novels Short story anthologies with classic Sci fi are great for that age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 You know, you might want to check out Jules Verne books. They're not modern-day inventions, but certainly inventions of that time period! And still very fascinating, I think. My kids loved them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 (edited) All of these are sci-fi, with a heavy dose of technology and inventions -- no personal experience with the second group of titles, but they look like they are geared for tweens, so less chance of language or mature topics and more of a chance they are geared for fun/adventure: - Tom Swift series (Appleton) -- titles from 3rd (1981-84), 4th (1991-93), 5th (2006-07) series - Bromeliad Trilogy: Truckers, Diggers, Wings (Pratchett) - Leviathan, Goliath, Behemoth (Westerfeld) -- fun steam punk vehicles/devices in an alternate WW1 world - Tripod series (Christopher) -- a quick-read series based on the idea of "what if the aliens of HG Wells' War of the Worlds had conquered Earth" -- more survival/dystopia based, but some alien tech - Twenty One Balloons (duBois) -- fun inventions in a Jules Verne-like 19th century setting - Airborn (Oppel) -- mystery flying creatures and attacking pirates, plus the tech of living on an airship - H.I.V.E. series (Walden) - Eager (Fox) - The Rule of Three series (Walters) - Six (Alpert) Probably at too young of a writing level (and, pretty old, as these were written in the 1950s-60s) is the Danny Dunn series -- just throwing that one out there in case it might be of interest to someone else with a young tween who loves science/tech based adventure stories. 😉 Edited January 14, 2019 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 don't want Harry Potter type stuff (I did read them - they freaked me out - just don't want this child reading them - he's a little sensitive) What does that mean? What do you think would be a problem? It's hard to suggest books when I'm not sure exactly what the limitation is :) Could you clarify? Are they too violent, or too Big Picture, or...? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 (edited) Robert Heinlein's youth novels Short story anthologies with classic Sci fi are great for that age. Agreed. For the Robert Heinlein youth novels, make sure they are definitely his youth novels. His adult stuff is probably not what you are looking for if Harry Potter is too much. Maybe start with Red Planet. Some techy stuff, boyhood action/adventure, some funny moments, etc. Actually I found it quite a fun book. Nice, quick read. I read it at his age and loved it. Along those lines you might also look at Isaac Asimov's Lucky Starr series and Alan Dean Fosters Thranx universe books, including the Flinx series. Edited May 18, 2016 by OneStepAtATime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutheart Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 (edited) Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine is a good one to start with, if you want to try the Danny Dunn books. Ruth Edited May 18, 2016 by rutheart 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 One I enjoyed at that age was Devil On My Back by Monica Hughes. She wrote a lot of really solid sci-fi for that age group. I think there are a few different editions and some of the cover art is ..... interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoorsy Type Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 When You Reach Me is one my 12yo is enjoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 For the Robert Heinlein youth novels, make sure they are definitely his youth novels. His adult stuff is probably not what you are looking for if Harry Potter is too much. Definitely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 A Wrinkle in Time series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 A Wrinkle in Time series. Maybe? I re-read it recently, the science has not aged well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 (edited) Just thought of another series of stories based on inventions and boy hi-jinx: Mad Scientist Club (Brinley). NOT a sci-fi setting, but set in the time of their writing (1950s/60s), so pretty dated in the cultural aspect. But the engineering/invention aspects of the boys' pranks still holds up well. Original Poster: I just wanted to add that while there are a lot of great sci-fi and fantasy suggestions by the very kind posters in this thread, almost none have anything to do with technology and cool inventions, if that is what you are specifically wanting at this time. On the other hand, if you are just looking for books that might click with your 12yo regardless of tech/inventions aspect, then you've got a good list to work from here! 🙂 Edited January 14, 2019 by Lori D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Not scifi and not exactly a book... How about "The Invention of Hugo Cabret". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 (edited) I second this, I read them in 5th grade and LOVED them (well, the ones that were written by then, I think there were only two at that were out by that time, there's been like three more since) Also, for my 12th birthday, an aunt of mine gave me a book called Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffery. It's not exactly targeted at that age group, and there *are* a couple of small parts that might be a little mature for the age group. But that book launched me into a love of sci fi and fantasy that has followed me to this day. My nephew just turned 11 and he's really into the Percy Jackson books that someone else mentioned earlier. I really liked The Ship Who Sang when I was reading McCaffery's books. Edited May 19, 2016 by Bluegoat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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