Book recs for my 13 year old boy

[Wallabyone]

It’s my son’s birthday coming up and we’d like to get some books for him.

He enjoys reading, and is currently reading the second in the Hunger Games series. He’s read several classics, including Animal Farm, The Hobbit, etc, loves HP. Any suggestions would be great-thank you!

Has he read Nevermore by Jessica Townsend? I think it's the best series I've read since HP. They belong to my DS (who's read them twice). I'm on my 3rd re-read as the 4th book comes out this week.

Have you bought him the prequel books to Hungar Games?

@BakingQueen14No, he hasn’t and I don’t know them-will look them up now, thank you!
I will wait for his feedback on the HG series before I get him the others I think-he enjoyed the first book but said the ending was very obvious 😂

Just looking at Nevermore-do you think the pitch is right for a teen?

Enders Game
Ready Player One

I love nevermoor and waterstones posted me the new one early, I'm so excited but my excitement is not shared by the teens lol!! Though they have agreed to the audiobook on summer road trip 😁

So it might be a bit young - it's a lot like HP tho

Has he tried the scythe books?

The first Nevermore is probably aimed at younger like the early HPs. I've read it as an adult and it's excellent. The child lead character is growing as the books progress. There's meant to be 9 altogether but we've been waiting ages for book 4. It's possible you wouldn't get a teen to read them because of the young look of the covers.

You could also look at The Broken trilogy by L A Weatherly. Broken sky is the first one. It's set in a twisted 1940s america. That's young adult rather than kid.

@SummerLightning I was like that over HP when they came out. Felt I was too old! Ended up being persuaded to read them by a friend in uni and loved them. I'm very jealous you have a copy of Silverborn!

Patrick Ness. Michelle Paver.

I’ve got to disagree about Nevermore. I thought it was dire and badly written! 11 yo DC agreed and we gave up…

Redwall series by Brian Jacques. I loved it at that age and have reread the first 2 as an adult. Lots of good sized books to work through.

Department 19.

This might help

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book-recommendations/bookfinder/bookfinder-recommendations/?ageGroups=12%2B%20years

For a 13yo recently I bought the first book in the Diamond Brothers series by Anthony Horowitz; the first book in the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore; and The Rules by Paul Orton which we haven't sampled but sounded interesting:
Somehow, he lost his freedom. Now he belongs to the Academy, and the rules have changed. What started out as a game has become a matter of life and death.
When Ryan Jacobs hacks into a top-secret computer system, he has no idea that his life is about to change. He faces his worst fears as a sinister organisation tries to use his skills for its own evil ends.
If he doesn’t think fast, someone will die.
At thirteen you shouldn’t have to face these kinds of issues. But at thirteen, you don’t get to decide THE RULES.

S1 enjoyed the Wardstone Chronicles - first book The Spook's Apprentice - by Joseph Delaney. Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines. Biggles (I have not read these and have no idea how they fit with modern sensibilities). S2 spent several years with Skulduggery Pleasant, and Charlie Higson's Young Bond (Silverfin is the first). One or both of them was quite keen on Alex Rider. Asterix was a perennial favourite.

Oh yes Nevermore. My 16 year old is still excited just because she has been waiting so long for the next book. Our copy is ready to collect at the book shop so be she and 13 year old ds will have to battle it out.

Recently ds has loved the Naomi Novik Deadly Education series and then started on her Temeraire books. He also enjoyed A Language of Dragons by S. F. Williamson.

He likes some of the stuff I see as utter froth like the Heart stopper books.

I do find them tricky at that age. Sometimes he will go and reread old books aimed at younger readers and that's just fine, comfort reads are important too! He's re reading all the Frost heart books at the moment, he seems to go back to those a lot. Dd always reads Heidi when she needs a pick me up.

Will be keeping an eye on this thread for other ideas to bridge that gap and help him find YA that he loves.

Thanks so much for all the fab suggestions-lots he hasn’t read yet here. The Book Trust site is good too, I hadn’t thought to look there!

I know what you mean about comfort reads @OakleyStreetisnotinChelseaMine does that too 😊

Terry pratchett? There are a couple young adult series my 12 year old really likes. Am assuming he’s already read lord of the rings if he liked the hobbit. The divergent series is on my list but my daughter hasn’t read them yet. And my husband just mentioned Ender’s Game as he loved that series as a teenager.

my daughter veers from quite grown up to comic books and re reading her brother’s books that used to be hers so it’s hard to pinpoint her tastes - it’s an interesting age!

Has he read Rick Riordan? The heroes of Olympus etc are still enjoyed by my 14 year old

Ready player one

Maze runner series

Wheel of time series

Mortal engine series

Divergent series

Chaos walking trilogy

If he’s read the Hobbit, why not Lord of the Rings?

Just found the books I couldn’t remember - his dark materials.

Mine is also a fan of the Mortal Engines series, also loved Goodnight Mr Tom, the Young Bond books and The Boy Behind The Wall.

My son absolutely loved Project Hail Mary by Andy weir at that age

Divergent series
Northern lights series
Cherub series
Sabriel series
Henderson boys series
Terry Pratchett

Thank you!
He read the first LotR and then decided to have break…
We read Northern Lights together a couple of years ago; he still has the third one.
He has read and loved Rick Riordan. He did try some Pratchett (can’t remember which). Lots more here he hasn’t read yet-the Amazon basket is being added to! Much appreciated

If he loved the Rick Riordan books has he read the two newer ones, which focus on Percy again. Chalice of the Gods and Wrath of the Triple Goddess.

The Young Samurai series by Chris Bradford. Young Samurai https://g.co/kgs/Pu16ju4
My lads devoured them all at that age.

Lots of good suggestions in here (not just fantasy):
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/5327924-next-read-for-a-pratchett-loving-young-teen?page=1