Recommendations for boy just discovering not all YA is equally enthralling.

[Prefx]

If he has a sense of humor, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is pretty popular for young teens.

The Giver by Lois Lowry would probably be a good choice as well. It echoes in some ways the dystopian world encountered in the Hunger Games but is, in my opinion, much better written and suspenseful.

 

[BookStop]

I love The Giver, read it a few years back and immediately got my girls to read it (both hated it), and Caleb read it in school last year (also hated). I just don't get it. It's a fabulous story!

One thing I find so interesting is that my 3 children have vastly different tastes, not only from each other, but also me. It's a rare thing for all of us to enjoy the same book.

 

[ljdevet]

I would recommend the likes of The Lorien Legacies (I am Number Four and The Power of Six), by Pittacus Lore, and The Percy Jackson Series, by Rick Riordan.

 

[Jacob Larch]

Hunger Games is well written, fast, well paced and dynamic as a story. I actually preferred them to Meyer's Twilight series, but like all literature it's a personal thing. The love interest doesn't deter either, because some boys (you know who you are) secretly quite like the idea of a "love story" though they'd be loathe to admit it to their friends! Also, I found Katniss Everdeen a far more realistic heroine than Bella, taking the subject matter of vampires vs gladiatoral combat aside.

 

[rand00]

He'll like books from Guy Gavriel Kay.

Try starting with Tigana first, then continue with The Fionavr Tapestry, and so on.

 

[BookStop]

He decided to give Hunger Games another try, and blazed through it this time. Wasn't in the mood first time 'round, I guess.

He's enjoying Feist's Magician now, and is eyeballing my Stephen King section of the bookshelf for his next read. He loved IT! At 13 years old, he's so ecclectic in his reading, I'm actually quite proud, not that I'd tell him. Don't want to spoil it

My daughter is expanding her horizons, as well. She is looking beyond the older classics, and has picked up The Book Thief, an excellent read, one of my favorites!

 

[Parson]

Glad to hear it. Hunger Games is a great read for anyone. YA or not. I liked it and I could qualify for YA about 5 times over. (sigh!)

 

[BookStop]

Yeah, me too. I picked it up to read after he finished, but my 10 year old has it now. I will get around to reading it!

Another interesting note: My 10 year old's teacher decided to read the book to her class, with the priniciple's permission, but parents complained that it was too adult for 5th graders, so she had to stop, send a letter of apology, and remind the kids that it is available in the library for finishing at home only. I totally understand that parenting styles are different, but is the book so inappropriate that they need to limit their kids reading?

(I figure reading, is reading, is reading, as long as it's not overtly graphic and sexual in nature to the not-yet-adult crowd)

 

[Parson]

I'm struggling to think of why parents would complain. Certainly its sexuality is chaste, and the language is G rated. The only thing I can think of would be the violence.

I suppose the idea of a 16 year old hunting other Young Adults could be considered a bit over the top. [Not like anything like that could happen say in an inner city or something. Even here in rural Iowa we've had cases of young teens killing others. ] If the said parents don't allow their children to watch things like Law and Order, or CSI etc. maybe they have a case, but I'm not buying it.

 

[Timba]

I'm struggling to think of why parents would complain. Certainly its sexuality is chaste, and the language is G rated. The only thing I can think of would be the violence.

I suppose the idea of a 16 year old hunting other Young Adults could be considered a bit over the top. [Not like anything like that could happen say in an inner city or something. Even here in rural Iowa we've had cases of young teens killing others. ] If the said parents don't allow their children to watch things like Law and Order, or CSI etc. maybe they have a case, but I'm not buying it.

I am with you Parson, makes me wonder if they exclude their children from the news also, you know, all those stories about 18 and 19 year olds in combat around the world.

 

[Parson]

I am with you Parson, makes me wonder if they exclude their children from the news also, you know, all those stories about 18 and 19 year olds in combat around the world.

Yes, there is most certainly that as well. But it seems whenever I think that there is a connection a chimp could make, I find some humans totally clueless.

 

[Timba]

Yes, there is most certainly that as well. But it seems whenever I think that there is a connection a chimp could make, I find some humans totally clueless.

LOL Sad but so very true.

 

[Warren_Paul]

He's enjoying Feist's Magician now ... He loved IT! At 13 years old, he's so ecclectic in his reading, I'm actually quite proud, not that I'd tell him. Don't want to spoil it

The first three books are good, but keep in mind that Prince of the Blood is definitely not a book for YA imo, full of sexual content - although by today's standards...

 

[SiobhanT]

I read IT when I was 11 and loved it, going through any Stephen King I could get my hands on over a couple of years, glad to know I wasn't the only kid doing so.

I recently read China Mieville's Railsea, it's just come out and is less obviously YA than Un Lun Dun, and nearly as good, the world-building is as perfect as anything I've read and the plot doesn't feel tacked-on.

 

[Moggle]

It seems like a no brainer to start your son on Harry Potter if you're looking for additional reading material. Then there's the Inkworld trilogy, Ranger's apprentice, Hunger Games, etc. Your daughter might also like the Little House series.

 

[biodroid]

I am currently readin I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore and its entertaining so far. A bit different to the movie and more flashbacks to the history of Lorien the planet the characters come from. Maybe he could try that.

 

[LastRemnant]

I don't know if you have ever heard of the Pendragon series, but it has to be one of my favoirte book series of all time.

 

[LastRemnant]

It left enough mystery and suspense to keep my eyes glued to the pages. GREAT books

 

[M Harold Page]

Scarrow's "Time Riders" is reportedly awesome - young time cops fight a time war in a variety of temporal locations.
Try also Hill's "Department 19", basically Buffy in the UK with more guns and male POV characters.

 

[dwndrgn]

Very late to this discussion but wanted to add the Dragonback Chronicles by Timothy Zahn, the first is Dragon and Thief; who wouldn't like to have a living 'dragon' tattoo as a friend, helper and protector? And also, Kenneth Oppel's Airborn the first in the Matt Cruse series is a terrific alt history/fantasy with a steampunk feel.