ISO of clean books for an 11 yr old voracious reader

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Forum -> Hobbies, Crafts, and Collections -> Reading Room

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Reality

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 8:18 pm

Around the World in 80 Days. What about abridged classics? I loved reading them at your son's age. Beau Geste, Call of the Wild, White Fang, The Red Badge of Courage.

What about Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde? Animal Farm. The Pearl.

Reality

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 8:22 pm

Old Yeller. Where the Red Fern Grows. Hatchet. Except in Hatchet there is a part where he remembers his mother having an affair. Far North, same kind of adventure story as Hatchet but totally clean. Shane. Tuck Everlasting.

Reality

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 8:23 pm

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The Westing Game.

This is bringing me back such good memories. I just adored these books!!

Reality

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 8:26 pm

The Prince and the Pauper. I read it in school in 7th grade. It might be a little hard but if he is a very good reader...

Mrs Bissli

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 9:01 pm

Another thumb-up for Artemis Fowl series.

Not sure if you get similar kind of books, but pretty much all written by Michael Morpurgo (not the cute animal stories but something a bit more substantial like War Horse, Private Peaceful, Alone on a Wide Wide Sea).

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver
Most works by Terry Pratchet, but especially I Shall Wear Midnight, the Nome trilogy series.

On something more contemporary, The Breadwinner (Deborah Ellis), Refugee Boy (Benjamin Zephania)
On something more classic, Watership Down, Around the world in 80 Days, Swallows and Amazons.

My 8yr old finished Encyclopedia Brown. It's clever tricks but maybe not enough for 11yr old? My 11yr old is reading the Hobbits and she likes it though said the story development is rather tedius. I think I read the whole Tolkien series at around 13-15yr old.

UQT

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 9:18 pm

If he's into sports my non-reader 10 year old loves the Matt Christopher books.

alte mamme

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 9:26 pm

How about The Mysterious Benedict Society? I've only read the first one. Too scary for my child, but I thought it was good and pretty clean.

FranticFrummie

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 9:33 pm

Are you OK with mythical figures, like Greek gods?

If so, pretty much any book by Rick Riordan is going to be perfect. Strong boy characters, lots of adventure, and super clean stories. They're all about history and mythology, and extremely well researched. Female characters are sisters or allies, but never a love interest.

http://www.amazon.com/Rick-Rio.....2-ent

DD is 10, and she loves these stories for the strong female characters and clever dialog. Snappy, humorous, but never chutzpadik. I confess that I've gotten hooked on them too!

spring13

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 10:17 pm

The Cay and Timothy of the Cay (Theodore Taylor)
Mike Lupica's Comeback Kids series (if he's into sports)
John Grisham's Theodore Boone series
Dorothy Hoobler's Samurai Mysteries (Ghost in the Tokaido Inn and so on)

Wonder is fantastic, there's one mention of a kiss between the older sister and her boyfriend but it's just a mention in passing. Such an excellent book, not worth skipping because of that one sentence, trust me.

Gary Paulsen's Tucket books (historical fiction, cowboys and Indians adventure stuff).
Blue Balliett - The Calder Game, Chasing Vermeer
Masterpiece by Elise Croach

DrMom

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 10:26 pm

Reality wrote:

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The Westing Game.

This is bringing me back such good memories. I just adored these books!!

Me too! My oldest son enjoyed these as well.

Pita

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 10:27 pm

I was going to suggest Tom Sawyer (though explain to him, if you have not yet, that one NEVER says the "N" word, which is in the book). Pippi Longstocking (simple books, but good!). Pinnochio. Anything older/classic.

oliveoil

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 10:45 pm

Karen Hesse books

Marcus Lehman books

STovah

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 10:57 pm

The Mysterious Benedict Society books are excellent for that age.

gp2.0

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 11:05 pm

Reality wrote:

White Fang! I loved that book. And Black Beauty.

Rubber Ducky

Thu, Dec 19 2013, 11:14 pm

How about the (frum) Jewish series The Cheery Bim Band? 10 enjoyable books, I think they're still widely available.

amother

Fri, Dec 20 2013, 12:00 am

Wow! You guys are amazing! I will print this list out and take it with me to the library.

I showed my son quickly this thread just so he could see how many new options there are for him, and he was so happy.
He's been begging me for books for so long.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

You are welcome to continue posting if you think of more books. I will continue to follow the thread.

CK2

Fri, Dec 20 2013, 12:18 am

John Grisham's Theodore Boone series
Carl Hiaasen
The westing game
gordon korman books - son of interflux, bruno and boots (all of them), tolilet paper tigers, I want to go home, the twinki squad
Henry Reeds

rosenbal

Fri, Dec 20 2013, 12:23 am

STovah wrote:

The Mysterious Benedict Society books are excellent for that age.

For any age! My DH and I read them along with DS and loved them! OP make sure you read them before they go back to the library!

rosenbal

Fri, Dec 20 2013, 12:46 am

You should check out the chinuch.org link someone posted. Often we don't remember the objectionable things in books or people have different standards. Some people care about Xmas, Christian themes and some dont. Some people care about just a kiss, some only about more serious boyfriend girlfriend issues and some only if there's more explicit zzexuality.I don't think all the books mentioned here would be approved by you. based on your description, I don't think you'd want your son to read the later Harry potters but one poster assumed he already read them.

The chinuch.org list us great b/c it lists the potential issues in each book and then parents can decide what works for them and what doesn't. It's a long list but of course won't be comprehensive. There are a couple of websites that are helpful alsosuch as common sense media.

I for example would never want my kids that age reading Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank) although I read it at 11 or 12. It's pretty explicit and I heard thst the newer editions put in previously censored writing making it even more explicit. (I'm not bashing Anne btw, I just don't want my 11 year old reading about all her zexual yearnings...

On the other hand, I don't care about Christian themes. Either my kids don't get it, or they just think it's strange. I don't think reading about the long xmas mass in a Ramona and her Father will make my kids want to convert:-) I just don't read about xmas, Halloween etc to really little kids. Once they know about those holidays like by age 4 or so...Little Critter and the like stop being censored:-)

boysrus

Fri, Dec 20 2013, 12:50 am

what about C S Lewis the chronicles of Narnia series? It has Christian undertones I discovered whe n I saw them int he window display of a misionary kind of storefront, but my brothers and I loved these books as kids. We re-read them over and over again.

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