book thoughts?

[tempestsarekind]

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 (

Comments

[lareinenoire]

Boo to the comment about girls. That is so ridiculous. If more boys at that age read books with female protagonists, they might understand women better when they're older. Sheesh.

Isn't The Song of Achilles supposedly a YA novel? I haven't actually read it and it's had mixed reviews from my friends who have, but if he likes Greek mythology, that might be worthwhile. I personally loved Black Ships by Jo Graham, which is based on the Aeneid.

Also, Rosemary Sutcliff! I was obsessed with her Arthurian books when I was in fourth and fifth grade.

[tempestsarekind]

Yes - boys are often told or shown their whole lives that they don't need to go outside of their comfort zone or empathize with characters of the opposite gender; how can that *not* have effects on the men they grow up to be? I was really rather surprised to hear my best friend say that, especially given our feminist, all-girls high-school education. Ah well.

And thanks for the suggestions! I'll check to see if he likes historical fiction as well, because Rosemary Sutcliff could keep him busy for a while, if so. :)

[litlover12]

Gordon Korman. He's got tons of great books for kids -- not fantasy, but still great. Some are adventure and some are humor -- and the humor ones are HILARIOUS. I still read him myself. :-) You might suggest the Swindle series, or "No More Dead Dogs." I understand he's also got a kids' series about the Titanic that's popular, though I haven't read it myself.

Personally, I found "Dragonhaven" terribly difficult, though I like McKinley as a rule. It's one of her most self-indulgent books, if you will, in regards to style -- she rambled on and on and on and ON until I got hopelessly lost. Even her tangents had tangents.

[tempestsarekind]

Thanks! A friend of mine really likes Gordon Korman as well, though I have yet to read any of his books.

I've got a lot of catching up to do with Robin McKinley's later books (instead I just seem to reread Sunshine over and over...), so it's helpful to have the experience of someone who's actually read Dragonhaven.

[teliesin]

Ursula K Leguin - Earth Sea trilogy?
T.H. White - Once and Future King?, anything with King Arthur
Lewis Carroll?
C.S. Lewis?
I may be off base but had to throw them out there.

[tempestsarekind]

Thanks! I should find out whether he likes fantasy in general, or just specific subsets.

[valancy_s]

I'm audiobooking the Books of Beginning trilogy by John Stephens at the moment (#1 The Emerald Atlas, #2 The Fire Chronicle, #3 not yet published). Enjoyable fantasy series about a family of siblings, heavy on the action sequences, comparable reading level to Percy Jackson.

My nephew, 10 & and a voracious reader, loves the Rowan of Rin books by Emily Rodda. Also fantasy/action oriented. Darker in tone than PJ (or anyway, no jokes).

[tempestsarekind]

Thank you! Those sound like they might be just the thing.