Books similar to the Hunger Games?

[lazarusb]

Dd and ds have both been addicted to reading these - in a way they haven't been since reading Harry Potter. Can anyone suggest anything similar for Christmas presents please?

Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen are a trilogy by Garth Nix, which I quite liked. I'll find a review

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabriel

Also Graceling, Fire & Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore are also good

I just asked DS. He suggested the Percy Jackson series.

quite a zombie-ish list below, but all with similar action-packed dystopian themes:

rot and ruin series by jonathan maberry

feed series by myra grant

gone series by michael grant

charlie higson's zombie books are really good reads too

sabriel series mentioned above also good, maybe more female skewed? how old are your dc?

They are 13 and nearly 11. Both have quite mature reading tastes - has sometimes been quite a challenge to find 'older' reading that is appropriate! I will definitely research all of the suggestions above. Many thanks to you all!

Divergent by Veronica Roth - I can really recommend it. It is being done as a film too though not sure when it will hit the screens.

I've got a list of dystopian books here that you can check out:

www.booksteensandmagazines.com/blog/dystopian-books

Have they done His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman?

Percy Jackson might be a bit too young, but they're such good page turners, they'r eprobably still worth a shot.

It might be time for the proper Dracula, Frankenstein and The Woman In Black.

I'd also recommend Gone - my 13 and 11 year olds have enjoyed them.

We've read Percy Jackson & Philip Pullman but we will are going to look at the other books recommended - thank you everyone! I knew MN would come to the rescue

The giver by lois Lowry is another great one, though perhaps not as action packed and a bit more socially set than the Hunger Games.

try using this site - type in the name of a book yu have enjoyed, and it gives suggestions of other books and authors. Gone is in there.

My DD recommended Antony Horowitch - Power of Five series.

ALso, SUzanne Collins also wrote The Underland Chronicles, which my almost 11 year old has devoured. It may be too simple for your 13yo, but its got giant rats, bat and spiders and other underground critters.

DD1 says
Skulduggery pleasant
Maximum ride (DD2, 12 wants these for Xmas)
Cherub
Eragon
Alex Rider
Throne of Glass
Beautiful creatures (DD2 is sitting on her bed reading this as I type)

The Knife Of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness is excellent. It is even more 'grown up' than The Hunger Games, though - I would say year 9 onwards, and I'm not a particularly cautious recommender.

Mine are now devouring "The Midwich Cuckoos" and "The Chrysalids." DD1 is reading the "Uglies" series too.

Yay to divergent series. Also the mortal instruments series

Another one for the Gone series. DD started them at 11 and enjoyed them.

The Noughts and Crosses series by Malorie Blackman (the current children's laureate)

Maximum Ride is definitely appropriate. Divergent is good too but it definitely hints towards sex - not sure whether this will feature in the last book, which isn't out yet.

Is Gone by Michael Grant?

I don't know, I haven't read it.

The Ask and The Answer series by Patrick Ness, starts with The Knife of Never Letting Go.
I know why The Hunger Games was more successful, the main character and premise held wider appeal, but having read both series, The Ask and The Answer is amazing, seriously good writing with themes that really make you think.
Would maybe hold them back from the eleven year old, they really do get inside your mind and I think the themes could be hard for an eleven year old to deal with.
Perhaps give them a read yourself first? They are well worth the time.

Mother Gone is by Michael Grant.

I'm looking forward to rooting round book shops - my favourite kind of shopping! Belle I do try and read what they reading/going to read but I don't have a great deal of time for reading myself I started reading Bleak House in the summer and I still have a third of the book to go! But I'm pleased my children have inherited my love of books.