Help me find a fictional book/series for my sons (10 and 12yrs)

[battlemaiden]

My boys are in a free reading rut. I'm clueless, and I don't really want to go to Borders or the library just now. We have a lot of history reading for school but they need some fantasy fiction to lighten the load, IYKWIM? They can read higher grade levels, but I wouldn't mind if it was below level for this type of free reading selection- it's nice for them to breeze through a book without too much effort now and then.

 

Books they lean towards, but are not exclusive to:

 

LOTR

Starcatcher series

Eragon

Chronicles of Narnia

Chronicles of Prydain

Mysterious Benedict society

Shakespeare Stealer series

 

Thanks!

 

Jo

[sleepy]

Have they read The Dark is Rising series? Good stuff. :001_smile:

[dhudson]

The Artemis Fowl series by Eon Colfer

 

The Squire Tales series by Gerald Morris

 

The Dragon Keeper Chronicles by Donita K Paul

 

My 10 year old son highly recommends these series.

[Melissa in CA]

Well, some might feel this is "twaddle" but my son absolutely loved A Series of Unfortunate Events. He read all twelve books, and has asked me to get them all for him in hardback. :001_huh: Perhaps so he can save them for HIS children?

 

He also very much liked Redwall but I made the mistake of getting him book #2 after it, which is actually book #1 because it goes back to the beginning before book #1 (or so he tells me) and he just can't get 'into' it. I apparently should have gotten him book #3 which is the next book after book number #1. Is any one else as confused as I? :blink:

 

Right at the moment he is reading the first book of The Sisters Grimm series. He seems to be enjoying it. The second book is titled The Sisters Grimm: The Unusual Suspects.

 

Of course NONE of these are hard reads...just fun ones.

Edited November 4, 2008 by Melissa in CA
speling arrers galoor

[abbeyej]

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan -- the first is Lightening Thief

 

the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz -- first is Storm Breaker

 

and I'll heartily second Susan Cooper's "Dark is Rising" series :)

[TeacherZee]

David Eddings The Belgariad and The Mallorean.

 

They are two series of 5 books each. The Belgariad is the first series

Edited November 4, 2008 by TeacherZee
to add information

[Paintedlady]

The Bark Of The Bog Owl, which is the first book in the Wilderking Trilogy is amazing. It's the only kids book I've read that I want to pick up and read for myself.

[battlemaiden]

He also very much liked Redwall but I made the mistake of getting him book #2 after it, which is actually book #1 because it goes back to the beginning before book #1 (or so he tells me) and he just can't get 'into' it. I apparently should have gotten him book #3 which is the next book after book number #1. Is any one else as confused as I? :blink:

 

 

yes,yes,yes! My kids liked the books they read years ago but then I got completely confused and gave up trying to figure out which one came next. I need a Redwall For Dummies book.

 

Btw- there are several different lists of *correct* order for this series. And people disagree about the right way to read them. It's enough to make me give up.

 

Jo

[PinkInTheBlue]

I highly recommend all the books by Cornelia Funke. Personally, I love them all. :)

[Angel]

"The Enchanted Forest Chronicles" by Patricia Wrede. I believe the first is "Dealing with Dragons." There are four in that series.

 

My older dd is reading "The Sisters Grimm" and liking them.

 

"The Dragons in our Midst" series by Bryan Davis. Dd and all her fantasy loving friends LOVE this series. I believe the first one is "Raising Dragons."

 

I would second David Eddings's "The Belgariad." I reread these books every year almost. "The Mallorean" books have a few questionable spots for a 10yo (IMHO). I just reread these earlier this year. I, personally, would wait a couple years before letting him get into these. There is no cliff-hanger at the end of "The Belgariad" books, though, so he could enjoy those now. I love Eddings!:001_wub:

 

Love this genre!

[Jenny in Florida]

The Ranger's Apprentice series, John Flanagan

The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Jonathon Stroud

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Rick Riordan

Charlie Bone, Jenny Nimmo

The Keys to the Kingdom series, Garth Nix

The Seventh Tower series, Garth Nix

 

Last year, I assigned The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, and he loved it so much that he read the other four books in the series just for fun. The same thing happened the year before with the Squire's Tale series (Gerald Morris) that someone else already mentioned.

 

I should mention that the majority of these are just plain fun books, not great literature. I've been pleasantly surprised, though, with some of them, especially the Keys to the Kingdom and Bartimaeus.

[Melinda TX]

I agree with Percy Jackson - we have loved all of them

This is a series we are enjoying as well - starts with Magyk

http://www.septimusheap.com/

[Julesnpebbles@suddenlink.]

Excellent choice would be Douglas Bond's Books, "Crown and Covenant Series" and Chuck Black's "kingdom Series"

[mom31257]

Have they read "The City of Ember" and the books that follow? We read the first 3, but haven't seen the movie yet. Book 4 may out, but I'm not sure when it is.

 

Do you mind Christian fiction? My dd reads a lot of books that I would think appeal more to a boy. She loved the kids Left Behind series. There are 40 books. We got them all through the library here. She also enjoyed a series

by Jerry B. Jenkins called The Wormling Series.

 

 

My dh and dd just read a series of books by John Christopher. They are "The White Mountains", "The City of Gold and Lead", and "The Pool of Fire". At least I think these are the right titles. They are science fiction.

[Baseballmom]

I second the Alex Rider Series by Anthony Horowitz. My 12 (almost 13 year old) loved this series. It is a spy/action/adventure fiction series. It is usually available at the library. We bought cheap paperback versions at Walmart.

Dorothy

[Lizzie in Ma]

Great fun and Greek myths!

[MySerenity]

I also recommend The Dragon Keeper Chronicles. (Just a warning there is heavy christian content in them, I don't know if that's an issue or not.)

[Cindy in the NH Woods]

Have they read "The City of Ember" and the books that follow? We read the first 3, but haven't seen the movie yet. Book 4 may out, but I'm not sure when it is.

 

 

 

My dh and dd just read a series of books by John Christopher. They are "The White Mountains", "The City of Gold and Lead", and "The Pool of Fire". At least I think these are the right titles. They are science fiction.

 

 

My kids are crazy about these books, too- particularly the John Christopher "Tripod" trilogy mentioned above.

 

:iagree:

[melissel]

I second The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Jonathon Stroud. DDs are too little for them, but I devoured these books! :lol:

[mom31257]

My kids are crazy about these books, too- particularly the John Christopher "Tripod" trilogy mentioned above.

 

:iagree:

 

 

My husband and daughter are trying to find out about a tv series or movie that was made about the Tripods. He even thinks there's talk of making a new movie of them. Do you happen to know anything? My dd is an avid reader, and really enjoys books designed for boys. She has read some Christian series for girls as well, but sci-fi, is her favorite. She's a huge Star Wars fan.