• Welcome to BookAndReader!

    We LOVE books and hope you'll join us in sharing your favorites and experiences along with your love of reading with our community. Registering for our site is free and easy, just CLICK HERE!

    Already a member and forgot your password? Click here.

boys books

T

tmwilko

New Member
Could anyone suggest a series of books, maybe mystery but I'm open to suggestions, for my 10yr old son. His reading is quite advanced and covers a wide range of topics. He is always begging me for more books and I'm running out of ideas. Help please?
 
Try Agatha Christie. Her stories aren't too sophisticated, yet very interesting and incredibly addictive.
 
Depending on his maturity level, I liked mystery/thriller novels at that age (Robin Cook, Michael Chrichton and similar.) I also like Stephen King, but I'm not sure that was the best thing for my psyche. I'd pick and choose what is appropriate.
 
Not to belittle Ashlea's recommendations but I remind everyone that he is only ten. Michael Crichton, I think, is too advanced for any ten year old. (A lot of adults don't understand what is written in novels such as The Andromeda Strain, let alone youngsters)

Some of the first novels that hooked me on reading were The Hardy Boys stories by Frank W. Dixon. These books are specifically targeted for growing boys and introducing them to reading as a lifelong hobby.

You could also consider novels based on Choose Your Own Adventure. Many people aren't familiar with these but I thought I'd mention them anyway . . . They also target younger readers and have the ability of letting the reader choose the path of the story at often times. For example, a certain point in the story will have the main protagonist reach a crossroads. The book will then say 'To see what happens to your character if he chooses this course, turn to page 60' and 'To see what happens is he does this, turn to page 88'. This lends a re-reading value to the stories since the reader may wish to see what befalls the hero if he had chosen differently. Great for introductory readers!

Another classic would be C.S. Lewis' Narnia collection. Hands down some of the best imaginative fiction ever written. Lewis Carroll has many great short stories too, not the least of which is his Alice In Wonderland tale.

There's an immense catalog of stories targeting young readers. Don't feel the need of having to result to more adult and mature stories because I think it's with creative, sparkling, imaginative writing that sparks a child's curiosity the most.

I'd also like to mention that it would be both bond strengthening and personality forming to read with children too! For, as most people can attest, reading stories such as these to a child causes as much, if not more, enjoyment for themselves as for the child.

Hope this helps.
 
The Prydain Chronicles is a great fantasy series for youths by Lloyd Alexander. It's based on Welsh mythology. There are parts that are very moralistic but it's less dualistic than the Narnia series.

When I was around ten I loved to listen to the book 'Die schwarzen Brüder' by Lisa Tetzner. It's about young boys that are sold to work as chimney sweepers. The reason why I loved it was that it evoked so many strong emotions of different kinds.
 
I heartily recommend the "Three Investigators" series started by Robert Arthur. I think that they are currently out of print, but well worth the effort of tracking down. The three boys have a secret headquarters in the back of a salvage yard - what more could an inquisitive ten year old want? Plus, the mysteries often center around puzzles based on riddles or similar clues and really promote, imho, learning to think about problems or puzzles in several different ways.
You might also want to check out any of the three series started by Jonathan Bellairs. They occupy a curious position between mystery and supernatural thriller (i.e. Good vs. Evil in fairly broadly drawn, though not condescending, terms).
I would also recommend the Encyclopedia Brown series, though they may be a little too easy for a 10 year old.
I can tell you for a fact that both Encyclopedia Brown and The Three Investigators had a strong influence on me when I was in elementary school.
 
I agree with Encyclopedia Brown. When I was 8-10-12 yrs old I devoured those books.

This may be obvious, but the Lemony Snicket books are a blast. His "Series of Unfortunate Events" is refreshingly subversive, I think--like Mad Magazine used to be, and kids pick up on this.

There are also the Phillip Pullman books (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and the third I forget). They may be a little advanced but depending on your son's reading level... I also once looked at a book called "Holes." I forget who wrote it but it looked fun. I had no money so didn't buy it, but it seemed promising.
 
Beleive it or not, I almost mentioned Louis Sachar's Holes. It is something of a mystery, but very different in it's tone. Very interesting.
 
I'd reccomend the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. He also has a newer series the starts with Castaways of the Flying Dutchman. I also like his 7 Strange and Ghostly Tales-specially the audio-read by the author..

Also, anything by Rosemary Sutcliff. I am most familiar with the series that starts with The Eagle of the Ninth-set in Roman Britain. She also has a series about King Arthur.

Gilbert Morris has a sci-fi /fantasy series called The Seven Sleepers. My kids like those.

Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series is excellent.

I've heard Walt Morey's books are good too. He wrote Gentle Ben.

Sterling North is a great writer too. Rascal and Captured My Mohawks are the ones I'm familiar with.

Marguerite Henry is wonderful Her Misty series is well loved by many kids. I also like Brighty of the Grand Canyon and Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin. That one makes a great read aloud.

We've just discovered Eva Ibbottson with Platform 13. This will appeal to Harry Potter fans. I've had to read three chapters at one sitting for the last two nights.

I know I know of others, but I that's what I can think of at the moment..

Oh, don't forget A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels! Although I was a little older than 10 or 11 when I read them on my own.
 
Well, for a 10-year-old boy I assume the Hardy Boys mysteries would be an excellent choice. I was more into Nancy Drew myself, but I have read a few of the Boys. ;) When he gets older, he might even like the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys crossover books. I really liked those.

The series Goosebumps might also appeal to him... I dunno, do kids read those books anymore? Some of mine I just couldn't bear to part with like Piano Lessons Can Be Murder and Deep Trouble. Too many fond memories.
 
I second A Wrinkle in Time! Madeline L'Engle is one of my favorite children's/YA authors. It's a fantasy story about children travelling through space-time to rescue their father, and they visit other planets and people on the way. Great storytelling, characters, and imaginitiveness.
 
Hardy Boys, Encyclopedia Brown, Narnia, -- all great recommendations and great series. I devoured those things when I was around that age. I also remember really liking the Tripods series by John Christopher.
 
the only two books that i read at that age i can remember were The Sign of the Beaver and a book called carlitos way, and no not the gangster movie, heh
i enjoyed them alot and still remember them vividly
 
dele said:
Try Agatha Christie. Her stories aren't too sophisticated, yet very interesting and incredibly addictive.
Click to expand...

Agree with dele,
My 10 year old enjoyed the usual 'Harry Potter' The Phillip Pullman books etc
But Has started reading and really enjoying my Agatha Christie books,
so far his read
'And Then There Were None' & 'Why didn't they ask evans'
 
How about the Alex Rider series - my brother really enjoyed them and he has just turned 14 (they have been out for a few years though so they should be ok for someone a little younger). They are kind of like a young James Bond according to my bro.

Lemony Snicket's books are great fun - each one is only 13 chapters long, so perfect if he needs a little push into reading.

I am sure there was another series, I can't remember off the top of my head - it will probably come to me as soon as I press send!

:rolleyes:
 
Fantasy Moon said:
Well, for a 10-year-old boy I assume the Hardy Boys mysteries would be an excellent choice. I was more into Nancy Drew myself, but I have read a few of the Boys. ;) When he gets older, he might even like the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys crossover books. I really liked those.
Click to expand...

Ah I read so many Nancy Drew books when I was that age, read them in Danish though.

The Fighting Fantasy books by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone among others - they're the 'choose your own adventure' type. I've always loved them, have been immersed in one of those in large parts of my life from age 9-15 hehe I still own a bunch.
 
I forgot to add Carry On Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham. My kids love that one.

The Spirit Flyer series by John Bibee is really good.


Redwall series-Brian Jacques

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman-Jacques(1st in new series)

The Marvelous Flight to the Mushroom Planet-Eleanor Cameroon-1st in a wonderful series

The Adventures of Tintin-don't remember the author
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top