The Vine: December 5, 2012
I’m looking for book suggestions for my just-turned-thirteen niece. It’s a very in-betweeny age, where her Christmas list is mostly clothes, but she still doesn’t want me to cancel her American Girl magazine subscription. Though I am a embarrassingly voracious reader of children’s and young-adult lit, I’m a little stymied for this age range. She has a high-school reading level, but younger interests. She does not really like things that are scary, but likes fantasy and stories set in the past.
I also have an almost-thirteen nephew and their interests are pretty much aligned (though I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t be caught dead reading some of the “girlier” things on this list (sigh)), so anything that works for him would be great too. His reading level is also high and he also likes to read, though not quite as much as she does.
Here are books I’ve given one or both of them before that proved popular: Suzanne Collins’ Gregor the Overlander series; Patricia Wrede’s Sorcery & Cecelia and Talking to Dragons series; N.D. Wilson’s Ashtown Burials series; The Penderwicks (and sequels); A Little Princess and The Secret Garden; Anne of Green Gables (and sequels); in other words, the Usual Suspects, both old and new. They’ve read and loved the Harry Potter books (obvi) and, because they are young and have not yet developed sufficient taste defenses, my niece also loves Twilight and they both like Percy Jackson and Riordan’s other series. She (more than he) liked okay some of the older stuff I’ve given her, like From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and The Westing Game.
The only books on which I’ve gotten negative feedback from my niece were Uglies and the City of Ember (though I think the latter was mostly because at the time she was scared of the dark so the books got in her head too much); she claims she liked the first book of The Hunger Games but I think she really found it too violent and generally adult in content (which I agreed with, and asked my sister what in the world, letting a 12-year-old read that, and then she told me all the fourth-graders had read it too. I am old and prudish, apparently, because my pearls got a good clutching at that). I think I tried to give both of them The Mysterious Benedict Society and I’m not sure that went over too well — though I love those books, I have yet to give them to a child who seemed at all interested.
The last book I gave her was Ruby in the Smoke by Pullman, and if she likes that I can continue with the Sally Lockhart books. But I’m looking for some fresh new ideas, new authors, and maybe stuff not everyone in their age group has also read. It would also be nice to get something set in a more contemporary/real world, anything navigating high school, like if the Sweet Valley High books were real, decent, thoughtful books instead of ones written by a computer-programmed Mad Lib enthusiast. Also anything in a graphic novel that’s cool and interesting and age-appropriate would be great.
I’m also seeking advice on whether certain books I already love are good for this age group, and I know there are a bunch of parents, librarians and teachers in the Nation who I figured would have thoughts. Is she too young for His Dark Materials? Cynthia Voight’s The Kingdom series? Jane Austen? Her reading level is high enough for these books on a vocabulary level, but I don’t have enough experience with kids her age to know if the ideas are too sophisticated or adult, or the content otherwise lacking in interest. Is Judy Blume too dated? I loved Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, and I know they’ve updated it a little, but do kids still like it?
Thanks in advance, Nation,
Stanley
*****
Hello, Sars and Nation —
I have a question about books and teen-aged boys. Specifically books for teen-aged boys. And because I am an awesome procrastinator I am writing this on December 5th to ask for help with a Christmas present. Whomp whomp. (If this doesn’t run before Christmas, which is totally understandable, I’d still love some help because his birthday is in early spring and I’ll be running into this same issue.)
Anyway, here is the deal: I have a 15-year-old nephew whose interest in reading is fairly limited, and I would like the Nation’s help in finding him some awesome books that he would like. Right now the only books he really enjoys are gory, scary sci-fi/horror books. Sadly, I know nothing about the current crop of YA horror, and I’d love some help finding fun, well-written, age-appropriate books for him. As reference, he really loved the Hunger Games series, and I know he was into the Cirque du Freak books a while back. He read Twilight because of the vampires, but I’d like to steer him towards stuff with a little more…literary merit. And a little less “you should control your girlfriend and sneak into her room and be creepy and undead” subtext. He’ll read stuff with a female protagonist, but I think he enjoys male protagonists a little more.
He reads well at grade-level and a little above, but he’d have trouble with adult-level reading, so keeping suggestions YA is pretty key here. Bonus points for series or authors with multiple books in the same vein!
Right now my only real plan is to plunk myself down in the YA section of the library and read anything with a scary-looking cover until I find something that seems good. Any direction from the Nation would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Trying To Maintain My Book Cred With Today’s Youth
Tags: Ask The Readers happy hellidays popcult shut up Twilight
For LW1’s niece, has she read the Princess Diary books? While I liked the movies, I kinda wished they had followed the books more closely because I would pay big bucks to see Julie Andrew’s chain smoking and chugging sidecars! The Little House books and all the Wizard of Oz books remain favorites.
I have no helpful suggestions for boys but I’m sure the rest of the Nation will have wonderful ideas.
Definitely Robin McKinley for the girl – I loved Spindle’s End and sounds right up her street, though some of the subtext might go a little overhead. I was also pretty into Brian Jacques’ Redwall series at that age, though I think there’s a very particular time window to read them before you notice the recycling of tropes. Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching series is a great shout.
For both of them Philip Reeve’s Hungry City Chronicles might be good – the content becomes a little darker in the later books but the first one’s fairly straightforward swashbuckling, in a very steampunk dystopian way. If LW1 wants to gift the second book to her niece, mind, be aware that there are references to sex before marriage (its existence, rather than anything graphic) and related pregnancy – both of which are dealt with in a matter of fact, non-judgemental way which I think is awesome but sister might not.
For LW#1 – my girls both loved the Fablehaven series http://www.amazon.com/Fablehaven-Complete-Set-Boxed-Sanctuary/dp/1442429771 and since it’s complete, you wouldn’t have the problems with frustration over the cliff hanger endings.
Stanley: Your neice and nephew might both like Mary Stewart’s Merlin trilogy. I read and loved these in middle school and still go back to them from time to time. They are fantasy, set in the past, suspenseful, exciting, adventure, not too scary, not too girly. If they liked Harry Potter, I think they will like these. They are more advanced reading-level-wise but touch on similar themes and have the same kinds of compelling characters.
I think the Miss Pergrine’s book might be too scary for your niece Shirley.
Diana Wynne Jones’s books, especially The Chronicles of Chrestomanci.
Diane Duane’s Youn Wizards books, which are quite different then Harry Potter, although also about teenage wizards. I
Janni Lee Simner’s Bones of Faerie.
For both letter-writers I would recommend the series ‘The Secrets of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel’ by Michael Scott. There are six books in the series, starting with ‘The Alchemyst’.
Also, Justine Larbalestier’s How to Ditch Your Fairy
Aprilynne Pike’s Wings series
James Owen’s Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica is good for both girls and boys-and you can order signed personalized copies from here
http://coppervaleinternational.com/
This would mostly be for LW #1, but I think it might also work for LW #2, the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. It’s about a preteen master criminal.
For the LW1, I would recommend anything by Pamela Dean, especially her Secret Country trilogy. It’s very Narnia-ish (cousins play a “fantasy” game where they are kings/queens, then happen upon a magical land where IT’S ALL REAL), but without the Christian imagery. Also anything by Diana Wynne Jones (Howl’s Moving Castle, Fire and Hemlock, Chrestomanci series) is awesome – think whimsical fantasy without anything scary but lots of good characters. I also LOVED the Redwall books by Brian Jacques at that age, although those might be slightly under her reading level; they’re about talking animals (mice, squirrels, badgers, you get the idea) that live in a medieval abbey and have lots of adventures, quests, defend the abbey against baddies, sword fights, swashbuckling, etc.
Yes to everyone who suggested The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper for either of the young readers in the first letter. I loved those books when I was young, and I’ve recommended them successfully, too.
Robin McKinley might be good. Any of her older fairy tale retellings (except Deerskin, which is dark) could work, but my personal favorites are The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown.
I loved the Blossom Culp books at that age! They’ve got both historical and fantastical elements that might particularly appeal to the girl reader. Ghosts I Have Been is probably the best in the series.
I recently came across a blog post that was a response to complaints that there aren’t enough YA books for boys. The bloggers compiled a “wall” of 140 titles that she thought would be good for teen boys. That list might be useful for either of the letter writers. Genre labels are added, so you can get a sense of the content. My personal vote for the reader in the second letter would be for Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Kind of gory in spots, but also very funny! Megan Whalen Turner’s Thief series might be good for either of the readers in the first series, too.
For Stanley – I recommend Markus Zusak’s books.
For trying – if the nephew liked The Hunger Games, then she might want to consider The Maze Runner Trilogy.
Stanley – I loved loved loved YA historical fiction author Ann Rinaldi when I was that age. She wrote several books that revolve around real events (Salem witch trials, Boston Massacre) or historical people (a slave owned by Thomas Jefferson.) They are not scary, but they are very rich in detail and well-written stories. Plus, there are a BUNCH, so if she likes them you’ve got lots of options!
Are these letters in the Tomato Nation wheelhouse, or what? I love it.
I heartily endorse the Susan Cooper, Lloyd Alexander, Madeleine L’Engle, Agatha Christie recommendations.
Bringing the old-school in response to Stanley, I’ll recommend Zilpha Keatley Snyder, most especially The Egypt Game, The Velvet Room, and The Changeling. I still read those over and over again, years later.
I saw somebody mentioned Howl’s Moving Castle, and I’d like to second that, and add that ALL of Diana Wynne Jones’ books are excellent–I still reread mine when I need a little book encouragement.
There are also either 15 or 18 books in the Wizard of Oz series, the first half of which are pretty good (Baum turned the series over to other writers later on, and the mythology of Oz and the quality of the storytelling dropped way off). Baum also wrote a book called The Sea Fairies, an its sequel Sky Island, which don’t take place in Oz, but are pretty good.
For either, both Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are great, great reads… maybe a little old for 12/13, depending on her reading level, but still excellent. I think I first read them at around that age, but I’ve been reading ahead of level since I was really little, which makes it hard for me to judge.
I also started to devour the Series of Unfortunate Events books at around that age. They’re magnificent, and there are a ton of them (13, to be exact), and they’re full of wordplay and a really rich vocabulary–plus they’re really funny.
Do NOT do what my Aunt does and give her Christian-themed romance novels that you’ve already read (you know, to make sure there’s no smut in them). That isn’t good gift giving.
And one more–how could I forget! For the niece, 13 is the right age for The Hobbit, for the nephew, Lord of the Rings!
Also for the niece: Megan Whalen Turner’s The Thief. The sequels are a little old for her, but The Thief is excellent, and I remember adoring it at that age.
The nephew is the right age to start in with the Valdemar books (Mercedes Lackey), too, I think.
For the girl, since I only read girly books:
– At slightly younger than teen I loved Beverly Cleary’s books for teenagers, especially “Fifteen.” They are charming, down-to-earth, realistic stories about first love and navigating the dating world. They were written (and are set) in the 50s, but it’s actually a perfect time period for dating books, and the feelings and lessons don’t feel dated to me.
– The Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (starting with “Agony of Alice”) covers similar topics and is a bit more modern (1980s-present). The Alice character ages in each book, so the books get a higher reading level over time.
– The Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, from around the same time period as Anne, are an extreme example of a character who grows over time, from 5 years old in the first book to her first year of marriage. Start her on “Heavens to Betsy”, where Betsy is in ninth grade, which is the first of the ones we’d now consider YA (not children’s). If she likes them, she can go back to the earlier ones.
Slight clarification-at least two people have mentioned Lloyd Alexander’s Taran Wanderer series, and I highly agree with this, but Taran Wanderer is acutally the name of the 4th book. The name of the series is The Prydain Chronicles, and the titles, in order are-The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of LLyr, Taran Wanderer, and The High King.
Letter Writer #1-You mentioned almost every thing I can think of, but I would recommend C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series. It’s Christian allegory, but you can take or leave that as you see fit (and unless your niece and nephew are pretty sophisticated, it will probably fly over their heads anyway). They are good stories whether you are religious or not.
For your niece that likes things set in the past and reads above grade level, I think she might be old enough to tackle Gone With the Wind. Personally, I would check in with mom first due to the racism and themes, but I think I read it about that age, and, deservedly or not, it’s an American classic.
Letter #2-If he loves horror, and he’s 15, might as well start him on the King, by which I mean Stephen. I don’t think his books are that adult as far as reading level (content is another story), but if he likes horror, sooner or later he’ll be into King. Salem’s Lot or The Shining would be my first choices.
Does he like comics/graphic novels? I tentatively recommend The Walking Dead series. Be advised that the comics are VERY graphic, and VERY dark (much darker than the show, which is plenty dark to begin with). But they are well written and might be right up his alley. There are hardcover editions available that collect about every 10 issues, starting here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Walking-Dead-Book-One/dp/1582406197/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1354731987&sr=8-8&keywords=the+walking+dead
I second the Leviathan series recommendation. Also, my 13-year-old (boy) just finished Boneshaker and loved it. Both boys might like the Piers Anthony Incarnations of Immortality series. Not gory, but clever and interesting enough to get you hooked, with an appeal to a wide age range.
For LW #1’s niece, if she liked the dystopian themes in The Hunger Games but doesn’t like the violence, she might like Ally Condie’s Matched trilogy.
For the first letter writer – I would highly recommend the Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Loved her when I was that age.
Stanley – Thirding (I think) the recommendation for the Wrinkle In Time (L’Engle) series. They take some sophistication but aren’t violent per se. I used to love Paula Danziger too (The Cat Ate My Gymsuit) and I think the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series should be good for that age too.
I don’t think there is a single activity I enjoy more than giving book recommendations :) It’s the only reason I like the holidays
13 yr old girl: Tamora Pierce (anything, but try the Circle of Magic Books); The Laura Ingalls Wilder Books, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
13 yr old boy: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Teen Boy (Letter #2)- same answers as above, but I’ll add (specific to YA Horror) Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, Feed by M.T. Anderson and The Enemy by Charlie Higson
Anne McCaffery YES
Wrinkle in Time series YES
for a new author, new book, how about
The Firma Twins and the Staff of RA
http://www.amazon.com/Firma-Twins-Purple-Staff-Death/dp/1478211792/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354734285&sr=8-1&keywords=Timpko
scary suggestions, maybe
The Talisman by Peter Straub
sometimes it is scary, sometimes it is funny.
“for something a bit more ambitious — Connie Willis’ The Doomsday Book — time-travel, medieval times (the era, not the theme park), wonderful heroine, lots of history, great characters to love”
Yes, yes, yes! Connie Willis is an amazing rec for both letter writers! Her short stories are terrific (But “All My Darling Daughters” would most probably be way too dark for them, so maybe skip that one for now) and she’s got a whole collection of Christmas-themed ones that would make a terrific gift! Connie Willis Forever!
Ahem, now that that’s out of my system…
LW1, I’d go with Elizabeth Marie Pope’s The Perilous Gard and The Sherwood Ring. The first is set in the last years of Queen Mary, and involves a stubborn, intelligent young woman who has to take the fall for her pretty-but-a-moron sister and is banished to a remote castle, only to end up battling genuine Fairy Folk. These are not cutesy little winged beings but a genuine and dangerous enemy. Plus, the love story actually grows out of the two protagonists TALKING to each other–an excellent precedent to set!
The Sherwood Ring is a ghost story, but in the most benevolent sense. A young woman is recently orphaned and packed off to an estate owned by her eccentric uncle, where she ends up making freinds with a real young man and a pack of ghosts, all of whom have great personalities.
And again, the two lead characters form a genuine bond arising from good conversation and respect.
LW2, I like the Heinlien suggestion. Stranger In A Strange Land is what everyone starts with, but that’s because it’s genuinely good, with a complex but not too complex plot and easy to process language.
Ohh, almost forgot:
For both LWs, The Fault In Our Stars is getting rave reviews. It’s not fantasy–it’s about two teens with cancer and how they face it–but it’s far, far away from the sentimental goop that might be conjured up by that description.
And LW2’s nephew might enjoy Holes by Louis Sachar and Lizard Music by Daniel Pinkwater.
I’d recommend Clive Barker’s Abarat series. Female protag, amazing creatures/worldbuilding (and gorgeous illustrations of same). It’s got some creepy bits, but I feel like it’s fantastical enough to not be worrisome? I could be wrong.
There’s also Martin The Warrior by Brian Jacques. I was obsessed with that in middle school. The Redwall books start to get repetitive after a while (big intricately described feast, adventure/quest, rats and weasels are evil, don’t piss off a badger, moles talk funny, hares are British, mouse beats the baddies, another big intricately described feast), but even though there’s violence and such, that is mitigated by the presence of adorable woodland creatures.
For the niece:
The Percy Jackson series, and the Kane Chronicles series, both my Rick Riordian.
These might be a leeetle bit juvenile, but my 15 y/old and I both read these recently and loved them: Wildwood and Under Wildwood, by Colin Meloy (of Decemberists fame) with illustrations by Carson Meloy. Enchanting!
LW #1 – Nthing the recommendations for Tamora Pierce (any of the series really though Alanna was my favorite), Mercedes Lackey’s Alanna, and Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan series. Your niece might like the first 2 books (Shards of Honor is the start of the series) which focus on Cordelia, Miles’ mother, and your nephew would probably like to leap in with the Young Miles books.
For your niece, you might also like to consider Georgette Heyer’s books, particularly the Regency ones. (She also has more modern-well for her day at least- mysteries.) They’re Jane Austen-like, and funny, but the humor and writing is a bit more accessible. Many of her books have been republished lately, so they’re fairly easy to find.
My nephew also really really loved the Inheritance cycle books by Christopher Paolini (Eragon is the first one). 15 year old boy is the protagonist… be warned though that there are lots of names to remember, and I think it’s a bit hefty…
Book Cred (LW #2) here–
Thank you all so much for these awesome suggestions! I am stoked to head to the bookstore to check some of these out. I can’t believe that I didn’t come up with Heinlein or Orson Scott Card on my own (DUH), but I now have a great long list of stuff that I think Nephew will probably love.
Keep the suggestions coming – I have birthdays and graduations around the corner, too. (And I plan to curl up with a fair number of these myself!)
Thanks, Nation – you are pretty much the best ever.
heart,
Book Cred
Some great suggestions have already been made (Gaiman, Pratchett, Eoin Colfer, Diana Wynne Jones) so I only have one to add!
LW1, has your niece tried any Meg Cabot? As well as the fun Princess Diaries series, or All American Girl, there are more supernatural ones such as the Mediator series, or Avalon High. Highly recommended.
Chiming in to Cred to second whoever said Orson Scott Card for the 15 yo boy. I’m a 30 year old woman, and I just read Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow this year and I wished I’d have read them sooner (like when I was 15 and all my friends read them). Sci-fi, boys, and game-playing keep boys’ interest.
My introduction to the Chrestomanci series so often recommended upthread was Witch Week. I’ve enjoyed all the Diana Wynne Jones books I’ve read, but when I first read Witch Week at 12 – it takes place in a boarding school, for context – I was like holy CRAP she’s writing about MY CLASS! And there were several scenes that made me laugh till I had tears running down my face.
For the first LW: Thirding, fourthing (whatever we’re up to now) the Wrinkle In Time rec. Madeleine L’Engle is still my favorite author of all time.
Since she liked Hunger Games, I think your niece might enjoy the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie. Set in a seemingly-ideal-but-is-really-dystopian future.
Oh! I see now that @Shanon beat me to that one. So, I heartily second! (The Nation is so much my people. I love that I’m not alone in still reading YA lit.)
Stanley – I agree that your niece might love the Madeleine L’Engle non-Wrinkle in Time books about the Austins (Meet the Austins, The Moon By Night, A Ring of Endless Light, Troubling a Star). They deal with real-world, early teen issues, and the last two have elements of the magical about them.Both of them might like the Wrinkle in Time series, and their offshoots (Arm of the Starfish, etc.)
They might be a tad dated, but since they mainly take place on vacations, I don’t think it’s as noticeable (vacation life and real life are never quite the same). Anyway, they’re all a little on the gentle side, which it sounds like your niece might appreciate.
Have either of them read Roald Dahl books? Matilda; The BFG; Danny the Champion of the World; Boy: a Tale of Childhood; The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. My brother and I both loved these books. We read them a bit younger, but continued to love and reread them for years.
Finally, I think of the Judy Blume books as classics, if a bit dated. I mean, I am an old crone of 30, but even I was way too young to know what a sanitary napkin belt was. I still liked them.
Seconding The Hobbit for both letter writers. I read it when I was younger and it was great fun, but I’d wait before having them attempt the rest of the books. I tried reading them right after The Hobbit and they were so dry, I’ve never touched them since. :/
Definitely throwing my vote in for Pratchett, Tamora Pierce, Anne McCaffrey, Robin McKinley, and the Wrinkle in Time series.
For Stanley: try Patricia McKillip.
Seconding Leigh’s suggestion of Lois Lowry, especially The Giver and the three that follow in the same “series” (Gathering Blue, Messenger, and the just-released Son). They’re dystopic-fantasy, I’d say, and a good (much milder) complement to The Hunger Games.
Autumn Street is another good Lowry book, though none of them are awful.
For the 13-year-old girl: Diana Wynne Jones — some of her books are for the younger set but at that age I think she’d love Howl’s Moving Castle and its two sequels, Castle in the Air and The House of Many Ways.
For the 15-year-old boy: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer sounds right up his alley. Dark, dystopian sci-fi mystery about cloning and such. Won a National Book Award I think.
For #2, definitely agree with the Chaos Walking recommendations (Patrick Ness). Another series that could be good is by Michael Grant. First book is called “Gone.” Basically everyone over the age of 16 suddenly disappears out of a certain part of southern California, and crazy things start happening. A little sci-fi and a little scary. The series is almost complete but I think the last book (6) comes out next year.
Stanley – for your neice I’ll add my support for the Jane Austen, L’Engle, Wynne-Jones, etc. I’ll add any collection of O’Henry short stories. Fast reads with enough mild romance or pathos to enthrall any pre-teen or early teenage girl (not that they mightn’t also appeal to your nephew).
For all: Mark Twain (especially Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court for the 15 year old). His stories are enjoyable whether you’re at an age to understand all the nuances and satirizations or not.
I also read the Three Musketeers sometime between 12 and 15 and liked it immensely, but that reading level might be a bit higher than you want for this Christmas.
I just want to say first that I’m ecstatic over this whole thread. Nothing better than awinter break spent turning pages with one hand and stuffing Christmas candy into my mouth with the other. (I…still spend them this way, actually, in my 40s.)
Nth-ing Robin McKinley here; Beauty was actually one of my Christmas gifts when I was the niece’s age, and I still treasure my raggedy copy.
For either of these kids, what about Cynthia Voigt’s Tillerman-family series? Homecoming is the first, with a female protagonist trying to hold her family together after their mom walks out on them, but the later books delve into other family members, multiple generations. Not fantasy, but beautifully written–set in the late 70s, I think, but not tooooo dated.
And for LW2, yeah, Irritating Uncle Stevie is surely the way to go. Start with the old, early stuff; at some point, Stephen King became enough of a phenomenon that his editors couldn’t bring themselves to tell him “no,” and it really, really shows in the quality and…let’s say sheer poundage, of the later books.
You’re probably more likely to believe my recommendations if I prove I do know how to spell niece. I really do!
This one’s for Stanley!
For more of a fantasy kick, how about a little David Eddings? The good news is the Belgariad and Mallorean series are gender-neutral, there’s a whole whack of books through which to plow, and if they like those they can always move on to the Elenium and the Tamuli. (Or, you know, read them in the opposite order if knights are more appealing than wizards.)
Also from a fantasy perspective, I recall having loved Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy when I was that age…in fact, a lot of Mary Stewart’s works sound good to me, particularly for your niece.
Finally, a rec for Bridge to Terabithia, Samantha’s Secret Room and George MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin/The Princess and Curdie.
Good luck!
I second all the recs for Pierce, Pratchett, and Nix. I think that E. Lockhart’s The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is a great suggestion, for both (it’s definitely about a girl and written for girls and has lots of girl-related-things, but it’s really interesting and precisely the kind of books boys should be reading, and also has a really great reading of Foucault in it, in a way that’s super awesome for kids).
Pratchett’s Equal Rites might also be a good bet, #1, because it’s about fairy tales, and I’d start with the Protector of the Small books over Alanna, personally.. More for #1: also Kristin Cashore’s Graceling books–Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue (SO GOOD YOU GUYS. And Bitterblue is one of the few kickass YA books that isn’t about a Chosen One or someone with Exceptional Skill [though Graceling and Fire both do have them]. I’m convinced that Bitterblue is a super rare version of YA fantasy, one that’s more about a city and society and the social than with the fantasy of the individual).
I do not think that your niece is too young for His Dark Materials. If you think she might like a graphic novel, try Skim (by Mariko Tamaki and drawn by Jillian Tamaki). Super great.
For #2, Pratchett’s other, non-Tiffany Aching stuff is great and funny. I love the Same Vimes books, but there are all kinds of stand-alone books that work. He might also like some of Neil Gaiman’s other stuff besides The Graveyard Book—Stardust, Neverwhere, or GOOD OMENS (which is hilarious and about the end of the world and just such an awesome introduction to a whole world of other books–that is, everything else ever written by Pratchett or Gaiman–and it’s perfect for a teenage boy). Gaiman’s short story collections are also just mind-blowingly creepy. Like, give you nightmares, make you want to cry kind of thing.
You might also try Robinson Crusoe, or another of Defoe’s books, Journal of a Plague Year. It might be kind of difficult, but if he’s at all interested in plague and rotting bodies…plus, classic literature! Plus it has such a good title.
I would not do Divergent. I thought the first book was barely ok, but the second book was horrible, terrible, no good very bad (in my humble opinion).
The Fablehaven series would be great for any of the giftees–good, strong female lead, but her brother is almost as important. Brandon Mull has another series called Beyonders that would work as well.
Anything by Margaret Peterson Haddix (although some of them can be an emotional read)
I’m making my lists (12 year old boy, 13 year old sister) off of the Nation’s suggestions now!!
One more suggestion for all three, really: Calvin and Hobbes! My brother and sister and I all loved every strip/collection we could get our hands on, and we have very different tastes in reading as adults now. Any of the collections would make a fantastic gift for kids these ages.
@Kate Monster:
I was surprised to see Alice in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass listed as being above the reading level of 12/13? Am I reading that comment correctly?
I was always under the impression that it was a child’s book. I certainly read it between 7-9 (and loved it, it remains one of my favorite things ever), although this may have been related to the Disney film producing popular simplified readers / LPs with story-books, to which I was exposed even earlier, and thus I was primed for the books themselves. But I do see it listed as “5 and up” in various places, including Amazon. I had always categorized it as “the next reading step up from little-kid books such as A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh”. (Since that was my own experience.)
I’m just wondering, I guess, whether the consensus about it has changed over the years, for people specializing in children’s literature, and education?
There’s a great Annotated Alice from W.W. Norton & Co. available, which would be a great choice if there was any doubt about a young reader being able to handle all of the strange language and allusions.
I always loved Judy Blume growing up but I also loved reading Piers Anthony’s Xanth series.
Judy Blume is great for girls and, in my opinion, not outdated because Judy touched on subjects that are still relevant today.
Piers Anthony’s Xanth series would probably be good for both boys and girls.
For the first letter I’d recommend the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage, the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett (though all his YA books are brilliant) and the Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud.
For the second, I’d suggest the Midnight Palace and Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and the Diviners by Libba Bray.
And if it’s kosher, I’d like to suggest checking out the Capitol Choices lists of books. (http://www.capitolchoices.org/). I’m involved in the committee and many of the books the TN readers have suggested are on the lists.
#1: I’d say get her the whole series of “Hex Hall.” Set at a magic school like Harry Potter, pretty funny, not too scary at all, and there are three in the series so I think she’d dig it.
#2: He might like “Hold Me Closer, Necromancer,” which is a funny, goofy book about a teenage boy necromancer. Or my ultimate series right now: Patrick Ness’ Chaos Walking series. It’s totally unputdownable and I can’t believe it’s not as popular as it should be.
4th or 5th-ing Chaos Walking for the second letter-writer. Also was going to suggest Miss Peregrine for the second letter-writer, and argue that it’s not for the first letter-writer’s niece at all, because at 34 THAT BOOK SCARED THE BEJEEZY OUT OF ME.
I don’t like the Gallagher Girls (too silly) but most kids like it. I thought Heist Society was a little better, but either rec will probably go over well with the niece. Would also like to suggest Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, because it almost lives up to its title.