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Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

Quality YA fiction for 14 year old?

14 replies

Rainatnight · 13/11/2016 13:39

I'm visiting friends soon and want to buy a book for their 14 YO son. He's slightly unusual - definitely not into 'boys' things and is quite camp (there's no other way to put that!). He likes clothes, Manga, music. He's very intelligent and sensitive, but also has quite a dry, sharp sense of humour.

Would love recommendations for quality young adult fiction.

Thanks.

OP posts:
LBOCS2 · 13/11/2016 13:51

Pratchett? Garth Nix's Sabriel series?

lljkk · 13/11/2016 14:02

Book voucher? You have No Idea what he's already read.

MiladyThesaurus · 13/11/2016 14:12

Garth nix's old kingdom series (Sabriel is the first one) is great. DS1 (16) thoroughly recommends them (as does DS2).

DS also enjoyed Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Boys series (the covers are a bit little imagination paranormal romance and don't reflect the actual story very well).

He also likes the Throne of Glass series (although it does have some, generally quite cringey, sex in it so you might not want to buy it for a 14 year old that's not your own).

Terry Pratchet is a good idea, but he might already have several discworld books and there's a danger of duplication.

If you want a manga recommendation, DS1 thoroughly recommends Assassination Classroom and Fullmetal Alchemist (FMA is really good and has some good feminist piss takes of the kind of fan service you too often get in manga).

MiladyThesaurus · 13/11/2016 14:13

But I agree, it's possibly worth finding out what he's already read.

PikachuSayBoo · 13/11/2016 14:21

Black Butler manga books?

mrsmortis · 14/11/2016 12:38

Hitchhiker's Guide would be another option. Though I'd be tempted to get the radio scripts not the books.

Given his sense of humour I'd also consider Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books.

Snafflebrain · 14/11/2016 16:14

I was 14 when I read Iain Banks The Wasp Factory, thought it was fantastic and it was my gateway into all of Iain Banks books incl his Sci-fi. Maybe worth a look.

PolterGoose · 14/11/2016 16:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BlueChampagne · 14/11/2016 20:52

Second Jasper Fforde. Neil Gaiman's Sandman?

I enjoyed Mary Renault and Robert Graves (I Claudius) about that age.

SaltyBitch · 14/11/2016 20:54

John Green?

LBOCS2 · 14/11/2016 20:57

Thirding Jasper Fforde. The nursery crime books are good too.

Rainatnight · 18/11/2016 10:00

Thanks everyone, for the suggestions! Some really great ideas here. Much appreciated. Off to investigate them all

OP posts:
iseenodust · 18/11/2016 10:13

Battle Royale (Remastered) - English trans of Japanese novel thought to possibly have inspired Hunger Games. Has Manga style cover.
Got to disagree with The Wasp Factory suggestion, especially if he is sensitive.

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