Ideas for very fast reader, ds aged 12

[admylin]

Ds (12) is a very fast reader. He loves books and has recently got through all the Harry Potter books, the Eragon books, the Bartimeus triology, the Spooks Aprentice books, the Alex Rider books, The Tripods, The Book Thief, To Kill a Mockingbird and is on The Alchemist at the moment (the last three taken from my book shelf as he has nothing left to read).

Any tips on what to get him next? I'm looking at getting him 3 or 4 to keep him going. If I give him a good book on Friday he'll be asking for a new one on Sunday!

I've not read the Cherub series, but I sent off for a free copy of the first one in the series (not received it yet) but here

I would second/third the recommendation for Robert Muchamore's Cherub series if he hasn't read them - DS and all his friends have. Also the Hunger Games trilogy (Suzanne Collins) went down well. And how about the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy?

Hunger Games yy

And Skulduggery Pleasant

And Adrian Mole

depends on his maturity which is not meant a as a judgement but it is hard to find good literature which will capture a child's interest and is yet not too adult. Dc often find things they are ready for which is why I think it best to let them browse and select but ok if that is not how you wish to do it, I've been trying to think how I would steer my dc.

He may be too old for these already so I don't know, also perhaps a bit fixed in his taste so they may not appeal to someone who has found their feel for fantasy, IYSWIM but maybe Mark Twain (I am not sure for a 12 year old really, aimed at a younger audience) or Frankenstein which is a reasonable quality but also a bit fantasy? When you next go to tothe UK, maybe note down a whole pile of interesting looking books. It is harder when you are overseas and there are not whole bookstores full of English books to browse through I know!

ah, I have an 11 year old dd who reads incredibly fast too.....
She's reading Rebecca at the moment (which has slowed her down a bit!, Really enjoying it though).

She also loves Marcus Sedgwick (not girly!).
And lots of others already mentioned on here.
We sometimes use Lovereading4kids for inspiration.

Dd is reading The Fire Theif Trilogy by Terry Deary (she started book 1 on Friday and is on book 3 now, so they are a quick read) she also really enjoys all the horrible history books - though not sure if they are maybe a bit young for a 12 year old?

Ursula Le Guin's Erthsea books might be good for your ds?

Tons of series still out there for his age-range:

Percy Jackson series - Rick Riordan
Cherub/Henderson's Boys series - Robert Muchamore
Mortal Engines series
Larklight series
Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series
Garth Nix - Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen series
The Piratica series - Tanith Lee
Young Bond series
Charlie Higson's The Enemy zombie series
Patrick Ness's Walking Chaos trilogy
Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy
Catherine Fisher's Incarceron/Sapphique
Melvin Burgess Bloodsong and Bloodtide

I agree John Wyndham would also be excellent, possibly Ian Fleming, Douglas Adams, books by Mal Peet. The list is endless. The Amazon Recommends suggestion is a good one too.

I find Amazon marketplace best for buying books - the only thing that has sold DD2 (13) down is the Jane Austin set of books bought from the Book People/Red House!!!

Thief not theif

Artemis Fowl books are quite meaty! My DS is just getting into Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast books ATM, if he's into things that are a bit weird.

Has anyone mentioned the classics:

Treasure Island
The Three Musketeers
Jules Verne
The Prisoner of Zenda

Abebooks is also very good for cheap 2nd hand children's books - not sure if the postage would be high outside the UK, but I generally reckon on getting three books posted for well under a tenner.

we pick up stuff from Oxfam - we like it that occasionally somebody just like you, who was your age say 5 years ago, has just dropped off a load a books - sort of like a slightly random and quirky "feelgood" Amazon - and if you use "tag a bag" to give things back, it can be enormously satisfying. Just today, we had an email saying that sales of our donations had raised £50 since April!

Another interesting piece of news for seriously serious readers, I noticed that Nick Hornby is opening his new Ministry of Stories in London tomorrow. Sounds fun.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_18?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=rangers+apprentice&sprefix=rangers+apprentice#/ref=sr_kk_1?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Arangers+apprentice+book+1&keywords=rangers+apprentice+book+1&ie=UTF8&qid=1290297638 Ranger's Apprentice series

loads of them ... ds1 loved them at 11/12

search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=rangers+a pprentice&sprefix=rangers+apprentice#/ref=srkk1? rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Arangers+apprentice+book+1& keywords=rangers+apprentice+book+1&ie=UTF8&qid=129 0297638 Ranger's Apprentice series

trying again

i give up ....

admylin, my DS has started on Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" recommended to him by his cousin - it is witty and very good for an advanced reader with a keen sense of humor.

Amy

Is there anyway you could get him e-books via a UK library? Our local libraries (Surrey) now offer this service, and you can download loads of books for free (they expire after 2-3 weeks I think).

Must be hard if you're trying to get English books in Germany?