To be thinking about Stephen King for my 11 yo

[talksensetome]

So DS is an avid reader with a reading age far above his actual age.

I am thinking back to what I was reading in high school and I know I read Stephen King (along with Mills and Boon) so would I be unreasonable to get DS one or two for Christmas and what would you recommend? It has been so long since I read them that I can't remember too well what is in each one.

He likes quite dark books with a supernatural theme.

I was thinking Pet Cemetery or IT as a first read?

[JustAnotherPoster00]

OP I'd suggest starting with his short stories the 2 books I can think off the top of my head is skeleton crew and night shift

HTH

[Gowgirl]

The bogey man in the night shift is responsible for my hatred of built in closets! there are loads of em in this house and I check they are shut every bloody night!

[Jonsnowsghost]

Also read Stephen King from a young age and have three dedicated book shelves of all his books now. I think most of the sea stuff went straight over my head but I wasn't disturbed by any of them, and I love horror films and books now. It really kick started my love of reading!
Echoing a lot of pp with saying fire starter/Christine (my fave)/the girl who loved Tom Gordon are good starting places.

[Jonsnowsghost]

Sex stuff not sea!

[StressedOuMyMind]

Terry pratchett would be great.

Under The Dome is a good, non scary SK book.

The Sabriel/Lirael books are also great.

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

I loved Stephen king at that age.

If you are worried that Stephen king is too much of a step up from goosebumps there was a series of books called 'point horror' that are a good inbetween sort of book, definitely more adult than goosebumps but not as full on as King. If you Google they might still be available?

Sorry if someone has already recommended them, just skimming through.

[MrsNuckyThompson]

His early works are too scary. But for example the Dark Tower series is not really horror and maybe some of the more recent short story books too.

I love Steven King.

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

In fact I just googled them myself and r.l.stine actually wrote some of the Point Horrors as well.

[littlejeopardy]

Point Horror were an obsession for me as a teen, but they might be too easy a read for your DS.

I agree Terry Pratchet is a good shout. Good Omens is brilliant.

I would worry about the adult content in IT. I don't know if it is just in later additions but there is a child sex orgy at the end, and it begins with a gay hate crime. Not sure how many 11 year olds could handle that.

[ClashCityRocker]

The talisman, whilst not one of my favourites, would be a good place to start. The protagonist is around his age, it's not scary or particularly gory and has a grand 'adventure' feel.

Tommyknockers is also good fun - it has a 1950s sci-fi feel, don't think there's too much in there I'd be bothered about a mature eleven year old reading.

The 1963 one is nice in a nostalgic kind of way, but a bit boring. Oh, right. He's come back, it's all reset, let's do that all over again. And again. I enjoyed it as an adult with a bit more knowledge of the historical context but would've found it dull as a kid I suspect.

Christine, salems lot, cujo and misery are also fine, I reckon - good old fashioned horror.

[FloodMud]

From a Buick 8 might be a decent starting point, thinking about it. Not one of my favourites, but there's very little/no sex or violence on it (from memory, feel free to correct me)- it's basically a car that occasionally spits out weird things. No more scary than yer average Point Horror.

[Jonsnowsghost]

Oo I forgot to add Misery! That is not too scary

[hippoinamudhole]

I'd say joyland, Mr Mercedes, the Colorado kid would not be a bad place to start.

[chocolateworshipper]

Misery is one of my favourites, but it is quite violent. The Dark Tower series might work if he likes fantasy books (personally I found them utterly tedious). You could also try Joyland - which is a crime novel, but excellently written by King.

You could also try the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz - and Breathless is an amazing book by Koontz that isn't violent.

[BaldricksWife]

Timeline by Crichton, fascinating.

[KermitTheFudd]

I used to read my parents' SK books at that age. I tried to take a couple out from the library but the librarian wouldn't let me!

TBH she was scarier than any of the books anyway...

[Jonsnowsghost]

On the Dean Koontz vein...try Watchers, it's not scary, and it's got a very clever dog! It's one of my favourites

[NannyR]

How about some of Roald Dahl's short stories, tales of the unexpected and he did one aimed at young adults - the amazing tale of Henry sugar and other stories. It's a while since I've read them but I don't remember any sex or horror (apart from one bizarre one about a vegan visiting an abbatoir).

[doistayordoigo]

Definitely not IT or Pet Cemetary for an 11 year old! I love Stephen King but the themes in those two are too adult, in fact I haven't read Pet Cemetary because the film upset me too much. Needful Things was slightly less adult, however there is a scene if I recall where a dog is killed in a very gruesome manner, and even I had to put the book down for a couple of days before I could forgive King enough to carry on.

I've just this year introduced my DS who is 16 to Dean Koontz, which I think is a milder introduction to the genre. To the PP who suggested Richard Laymon ...he is utterly gruesome and goes even further than Stephen King IMO. James Herbert can go either way I think.

What about the Theodore Boone series by John Grisham? They would probably be suitable. I also agree that John Wyndham would be worth a go...Chocky, Day of the Triffids, The Kraken Wakes etc

[DrDreReturns]

I wouldn't recommend Pet Cemetery to a child - I gave up as I had a sense that something horrendous was going to happen and it was freaking me out! tbf I can't think of a single book of his that I've read that hasn't got adult themes. I'd say they would be appropriate for a mid teen - 14 or 15 perhaps.

[Leonas]

I loved Steven King as a young teen! I would second the suggestion of short stories: novellas - the collection with 'The Body' and 'Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption' is superb. I only read 'It' relatively recently, mainly because it was such a scary film, and the ending is (pants!) quite sexual iir? He/ you might not mind that but I was quite surprised because it's different to the film. I loved 'Cujo' - not supernatural at all though, just a rabid dog and a very hot summer!

[Jonsnowsghost]

Another you could try for Stephen King is The Long Walk...not really a horror and main characters are teenagers, there is a lot of death though (including shootings) I really like this book though as it is different from the real 'horror' type books without straying into the dull category (his most recent books are pretty dull...)

[Farmmummy]

Been a huge so fan since 11 started with the stand then did the tommy knockers and some of the short stories. Would also recommend the shining and dr sleep. The dark tower is fantastic I get something out of rereading the saga about once every 2 years although wind through the keyhole while a good yarn isn't the proper Ka tet. The girl who loves tom Gordon, from a Buick 8 and Duma key also

[Outbackshack]

I was happily devouring Stephen king at his age. I agree nightmare and dreamscapes good introductory book. If he likes the fantasy style then Terry Pratchett also worth a try, I started these at age 11 and hooked for life.