Which classic books for 12yr old avid reader

[Tiggles]

DS is an avid reader. He wants to be an author when he grows up and is currently writing a novel.
I'd like to broaden his reading by adding in some classics. He's read Oliver Twist and enjoyed that.
What else would you recommend? He is nearly 12.

[Tiggles]

Oh and he loves reading Greek and viking mythology

[mbosnz]

Could try 'Vanity Fair', or Dostoyevsky's (sp) Crime and Punishment. Then there's War of the Worlds, 1984, Animal Farm, The Ilyiad, (sp).

As you can see from the misspellings, this is not my reading list. I am in the mortifying position of having a daughter that is far better read than I am.

[CrunchyNutNC]

The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings.

Terry Pratchett is great too.

[CrunchyNutNC]

I think i also started Bernard Cornwell around that age.

[ScarsdaleSurprise]

Just William.

[SheWranglesRugRats]

ursula le guin's Wizard of Earthsea trilogy. James Clavell and Wilbur Smith's sexy bits

[Tiggles]

Thank you
Just downloaded war of the worlds along with 120other works by hg wells for 49p to his kindle

He's read the hobbit so will get Lord of the Rings.

He's read some terry Pratchet and enjoyed them, shall add more. Had forgotten about those.

[Tiggles]

Bernard cornell sounds right up his street. Thank you

[PhantomErik]

Has he read Percy Jackson?

All of Rick Riordan's books are based around mythology & are really well written.

[Tiggles]

Yes he loves Percy jackson

[BigFatLiar]

Steinbeck
Hemingway
Solzhenitsyn
Verne
If he fancies some sci fi Clarke Herbert and the other classic writers of sci fi

[Blackcountryexile]

Treasure Island
Call of the Wild
Robinson Crusoe
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Weirdstone trilogy by Alan Garner

[CrunchyNutNC]

There are so many Terry Pratchett.

I read them in fairly random order first time but as I've re-read I go by individual themes, e.g The witches, the Watch, etc.

[Pieceofpurplesky]

The Gone series is great despite not being a traditional classic.

Anything Neil Gaimon
Catcher in the Rye
Lord of the Flies
To Kill a Mockingbird
Heart of Darkness

[Tiggles]

These are great thank you.

[SheWranglesRugRats]

Just a heads up, Bernard Cornwell is a terrible old misogynist and homophobe. Not what I'd give an impressionable 12 year old.

[CrunchyNutNC]

@SheWranglesRugRats

Just a heads up, Bernard Cornwell is a terrible old misogynist and homophobe. Not what I'd give an impressionable 12 year old.

Really? I can't say I remember?

[CrunchyNutNC]

He wrote a woman as head of an early 19th century portuguese guerilla group...

[garlictwist]

I remember loving Dracula at that age. In fact I reread it over lockdown and was still gripped!

[LadyPeterWimsey]

Eagle of the Ninth and indeed anything by Rosemary Sutcliff, esp if he likes ancient history and mythology

Sherlock Holmes and PG Wodehouse

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is not classic but is brilliant for that age.

Definitely agree Tom Sawyer and Ursula ale Guin.

John Wyndham is classic sci fi.

DS2 loved The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. (He's also read most of Austen at least twice - I think it's good to make sure boys read female authors too.)

[irregularegular]

My son enjoyed Sherlock Holmes.
Woman in White/Moonstone also good.
I noticed someone suggested 1984 but it is rather grim for a 12 yr old I think?
Second the Jules Verne suggestion.
Gormenghast?
Moonfleet

Also, not classics as such but both my kids really liked Frances Hardinge books. As did my husband!

[mbosnz]

Oooh, from my youth, what about The Scarlet Pimpernel? Man in the Iron Mask was a definite fav'. So was the Three Musketeers.

[imayhavelostmymarbles]

Children on the Oregon trail
East of Eden
Of Mice and Men
Usbourne have a version of the canterbury tales
Swiss family robinson (my favourite book ever)
On Amazon try a search for modern classics. I have done this for my 11 yr old keen reader and found a few I wouldn't have thought of.

[SheWranglesRugRats]

Not to derail but BC’s women are wholly unrealistic, saints or whores.

[LadyPeterWimsey]

Also agree with The Moonstone and To Kill a Mockingbird

Try The Diary of Anne Frank, Little Women, Watership Down, Robinson Crusoe and The Thirty-Nine Steps