book thoughts?
Occasionally my best friend asks me for book suggestions for her...step-nephew? He likes the Percy Jackson books (which I've not read), so I'm trying to keep my recommendations to fantasy with a mythological bent, although occasionally I slip up and just recommend a favorite that doesn't quite fit the criteria. Here's what I've recommended so far (with asterisks next to books I haven't actually read):
- the D'Aulaires' book of Greek myths
- Pamela F. Service, The Reluctant God
(this was the book about which my friend said, "oh, I don't think he's at the stage yet where he'll read books about girls," and I got all ragey, like, NO THAT IS NOT HOW THAT WORKS)
- R. L. LaFevers, the Theodosia Throckmorton books; the Nathaniel Fludd series*
- Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle; The Chronicles of Chrestomanci
- Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time and the rest of the Murry family books
- Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising series*
(I know, I know, I'm a horrible human for not having read these - although I did read Over Sea... at long last, so maybe there's hope for me)
- Neil Gaiman, Coraline; The Graveyard Book; The Books of Magic
(being slightly self-indulgent with this recommendation)
- Virginia Hamilton, The Magical Adventures of Pretty Pearl
- Lloyd Alexander, The Arkadians; the Prydain Chronicles*
(as you can see, I'm no good at reading series)
- Robin McKinley, The Hero and the Crown; Dragonhaven*
- Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn
(this might be a bit "old" for him)
- Franny Billingsley, The Folk Keeper
- Jane Yolen, Foiled
- Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, The Spiderwick Chronicles*
(though these might be a bit young)
Anything you can think of that I ought to suggest? I think he reads a lot, so it might be worth having a lot of recommendations at the ready.
- the D'Aulaires' book of Greek myths
- Pamela F. Service, The Reluctant God
(this was the book about which my friend said, "oh, I don't think he's at the stage yet where he'll read books about girls," and I got all ragey, like, NO THAT IS NOT HOW THAT WORKS)
- R. L. LaFevers, the Theodosia Throckmorton books; the Nathaniel Fludd series*
- Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle; The Chronicles of Chrestomanci
- Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time and the rest of the Murry family books
- Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising series*
(I know, I know, I'm a horrible human for not having read these - although I did read Over Sea... at long last, so maybe there's hope for me)
- Neil Gaiman, Coraline; The Graveyard Book; The Books of Magic
(being slightly self-indulgent with this recommendation)
- Virginia Hamilton, The Magical Adventures of Pretty Pearl
- Lloyd Alexander, The Arkadians; the Prydain Chronicles*
(as you can see, I'm no good at reading series)
- Robin McKinley, The Hero and the Crown; Dragonhaven*
- Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn
(this might be a bit "old" for him)
- Franny Billingsley, The Folk Keeper
- Jane Yolen, Foiled
- Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, The Spiderwick Chronicles*
(though these might be a bit young)
Anything you can think of that I ought to suggest? I think he reads a lot, so it might be worth having a lot of recommendations at the ready.