Can you recommend Young Adult books suitable for a 9 year old?

[Blatherskite]

OK, there's no way of saying this without sounding like I'm boasting so I'm just going to apologise here - sorry - and go with it...

DS is 9. A month off turning 10. According to the school's assessment, he's been reading ahead of his age since about year 2. We've been to parents evening tonight and they've said that he's gone up to a reading level of 14.3 years!!

I'm amazed and proud and excited obviously. He loves reading and it shows. I'd love to buy him a new book to celebrate his achievement but I'm not sure what to buy. I guess to support his ability I should be looking at Young Adult type books aimed at teenagers but not all of them are suitable as he is in reality, still only 9 with all of the naivety and interests that go with that age.

Could anyone recommend some books which might be suitable?

/boast

Has anyone mentioned Molesworth? Challenging in terms of reading ability for deciphering the spelling and arcane vocabulary, funny, good for dipping in and out. Treasure Island, or would that be too frightening? Such a great story.

Ds1 loved the tripods trilogy but DS2 was freaked out by Chocky. I really do think you have to be careful with this age group. I have friends who have chucked things like the Hunger Games, Maze Runner and the Gone series at their 9/10 year olds without even thinking to read them first. They are all completely unsuitable in places. People seem to think that because the books are about teenagers then they are ok for 8-10 year old children. They are not.

Mine love skulduggery pleasant and artemis fowl is fantastic, we all enjoyed the whole series on audio book as a family. Matt Haig is great when writing for children too (and when writing for adults for that matter - read The Humans - fabulous book)

His Dark materials is one of my all time favourite series but the final book would be tough going for a 9 year old. And if you are very religious you might find it offensive. We have again done the series by unabridged audio book as a family (we spend a lot of time in the car). Northern Lights is a work of genius. The Subtle knife is good but not as good and The Amber Spyglass was put on hold for a couple of years until Ds2 is a bit older and can both appreciate the story and understand it.

There are so many amazing childrens series out there. I just don't understand why people give their children YA books. And I'm in a similar position to you OP where mine both have reading ages 4-5 years above their age (which in any event remember is based on averages and so doesn't necessarily mean what it appears to mean at first since some children are very poor readers)

I think some of the more dated stuff actually puts children off. A Little Princess was my absolute favourite book as a child and still works. On the other hand, I also adored Enid Blyton but much of her work hasn't stood the time and is actually quite poorly written. In any event, something like the Secret Seven would seem to be way to simple for the OP's child. Its more for children of about Year 2/3 age.

I think you have loads of great suggestions though to explore Please do read any young adult stuff through first. And a word of warning don't go on the film versions either. Hunger games for example is far worse in the books than in the films (genetic mutation of murdered children to create half human half animal hybrids which then try to rip other children to bits). Maze Runner has children dying from their flesh melting off their bodies, suicide, murder, drug taking, radiation poisoning - all IMO too heavy for a 9YO.

I do agree with Sadik.
My dc have generally enjoyed much more the old books.

Biggles, Chalet School, Lone Piners, Blue Door Theatre, Punchbowl Farm, Stormy Petral etc
Those are the books they read and reread. Modern books get read once and offered into the Charity shop bag generally. Alex Rider an exception, and dd1 loved Cherub etc.

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned Noel Streatfield? Books like Thursdays Child / The Growing Summer / Apple Bough etc might appeal.

I saw Eragon recommended upthread - dd was given the series as a 9th birthday present and I was quite but she really loved them and they got read and re-read.

Lloyd Alexander, book of three etc. Vaguely Lotr ish but based on Welsh myths and legends, with the main character growing up 5 books. Watership down. Loved, loved, loved that at 8 and still read it on occasion. The Indian in the cupboard series? Or a bit young?

There are some great new books out on kindle that have a grown up feel but are still age appropriate. It's a trilogy called Cat's cradle trilogy and without wanting to sound sexist the first two are probably aimed more at pre teen girls but the third one is more of an adventure and deals with intelligent issues like cloning. The main characters are travelling around the world so if he is interested in different countries he might enjoy it.
The main message is that we are all the same underneath. Shame Trump hasn't read it. It's Cat Lives by T. J. Healy.

Tea- but Trump doesn't read. He gets all his info from watching tv. There are rumours he's functionally illiterate.

I loved A Little Princess too. My favourite childhood book.

There are some brilliant suggestions here. So much so that I'm losing track! I think I may need to go through with a notebook and pen and make a list.

We have a good selection of Artemis Fowl, Lord of the Rings, Hobbit, Terry Pratchett and Philip Pullman and Unfortunate Events books on the shelves outside of his room already thanks to me being quite a voracious reader as a teen/young adult myself so we have a good starting point to get going from. I will choose a few from the suggestions and load his Kindle up ready for our holiday in April and hope for a few days snuggled up together and reading by the pool.

Matt Haig is a good suggestion that I hadn't thought of Newtssuitcase. Matt is a friend of my sisters and the kids both have signed copies of the Christmas books. Did you know he's writing another?

My sister also asked her publishing/bookselling friends on Twitter for me. I'll make a list of those and report back as there are some very interesting suggestions on there which I think would be good to share.

I didn't know that OP but I'm really pleased. Mine have loved all of his children's books. The Christmas books are amazing. We read them aloud as a family last Christmas and this Christmas and we all really enjoyed them. Ds2 also had the runaway Troll and Shadow Forest for Christmas.

Gallivanting. Fair point. Maybe we should start a new thread on picture books suitable for Trump? I'd start with The Piggy Book by Anthony Browne. (This by the way is the best book ever and a must for a nine year old boy too!)

Oh yes, DS1 LOVES Lewis Carroll's Alice. He also tore through the Unfortunate Events series.

How about:
Sherlock Holmes
The Prisoner of Zenda
The Scarlet Pimpernel