I learned to read when I was four. We lived in the country, didn't have a lot of books, and didn't have access to a library, so I read anything I could get my hands on, including books that were too old for me.

Must have been formative, because I have spent my entire lifetime reading whatever I come across.

I was a fantasy lover at that age, and I loved the Piers Anthony Xanth novels. I also got into sci-fi and read a bunch of Robert Heinlein (some with content my parents probably wouldn't have approved of).

Hmmmm..... I never really read fantasy until I was in university. When I was much younger, I was into Hardy Boys for a year or two. I also remember reading a lot of Enid Blyton books along with a lot of detective stories -- everything from Erle Stanley Gardner to Sherlock Holmes to Ellery Queen.

Then, when I was in my early teens (ok, maybe 11-12) I started reading Robert Ludlum's books. Thrillers (such as those written by Frederick Forsyth and John Le Carre) became my staple for quite a few years.

By the time I was in my late teens, I was reading a lot of Clavell and Michener. I remember trying to read the classics (such as Dickens!) but I kept falling asleep. ;-)

Your son is all ready reading well-written lit that will stand him in good stead. I'm impressed.
He may have all ready read these, but has he tried:
Eragon and Eldest
The series by Susan Cooper that begins with The Dark is Rising
The Giver (you may want to read along with him on this one-lots of discussion opportunity)
The dragon series by Yep (I think...)
As far as the "classics" go, I do believe that it takes some maturity to be able to wade through them. They are very word-dense-much more so than current literature, even when it is well-written. Sticking with a classic at his age is a challenge. Twain might be a good start. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court perhaps. Or Jules Verne.
The other thing that I have had students say to me-even enthusiastic readers of fiction, is that, in high school, when they have to read long selections of non-fiction for class, they have trouble concentrating since there is no plot or "action." Does he read any non-fiction? Biographies or books about things he is interested in would also be something that will yield rewards down the line.

ccrdmrbks,

Thanks for the suggestions. He's read some of your suggestions for fantasy, but I don't think he's read the Dragon series by Yep...I'll have to check it out.

He's read some books about basketball. So, I may try to get him some more to get in some non-fiction reading. It makes sense to have him read some books where he's looking for information and facts versus reading a story.

Someone mentioned the Giver, I loved that book as a tween we read it in 7th Grade G/T and it has stuck with me ever since. I too read very adult material as a child/tween I can't say it did me much harm. I really liked the Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles. But for you son may I suggest the John Jake's North and South series. They are at a higher reading level but still very interesting historical fiction read or the John Jake's Homeland series, the books are about German immigrants in Chicago shortly before WWI. Or perhaps your son would like the who-dunnits more? Like Agatha Christie or John Grisham.

An Australian author called John Marsden has written a well received series starting with Tomorrow When the War Began.
I read lots of Enid Blyton, lots of pony and horse books, and then went on to Agatha Christie and John Wyndham in my early teens. Dick Francis writes good thrillers without much sex in them, although there is often a fair bit of violence.
A couple of more modern books are The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-time by Mark Haddon (has a smattering of bad language but the story is good) and one not so well known that both my sons enjoyed called Q & A by Indian author Vikas Swarup.

I started reading at four, went through the children's books in our main library in short time, and soon was reading anything I could get my hands on: my parent's magazine subscriptions to Life and Readers Digest, books off their shelves, off my college age sister's shelves, the newspaper....I was hooked early. Id always loved sci fi, but read it esp in HS and college.

I was about 10 when my sis started sneaking 'adult section books' from the library for me (this was in the days when you had to have an 'adult card' to check out those books, otherwise you were stuck with kiddie books till you were 16). Nothing drastic happened to me except improvment in comprehension and awareness of new worlds. So thats not something I'd worry about. Think about some 'adult' older sci fi classics: Time Machine, War of the Worlds, 20,000 leagues under the sea (really anything by Jules Verne) are good places to start. I read Dune at 14; it might be too high for him but its worth a try, excellent book.

>I was growing up I wasted an inordinate amount of time on sports-related books such that were not good quality writing, but they did make me into a reader.

Not a waste of time at all. My DH was into westerns and comics. He grew up in a non reading family, and those were teh impetus for his current love of books. Anything that gets kids reading gets a star from me.

Stephen King The Dark Tower series. I am not a fan of his horror, but this fantasy series is excellent.

I got into science fiction when I was about 10, and devoured most of the Jules Verne books, as suggested by Cindy. I also went through Edgar Rice Burroughs' Martian series, everything by Andre Norton (remember those cheap Ace paperbacks! I always liked Night of Masks and later all her Estcarp/Escore/Dales magic fantasies), and the Heinlein juveniles, like Citizen of the Galaxy, still one of my favorites. I don't consider these to be fine literature, but I loved it all.

My parents had a set of classics, and I went for a lot of Charles Dickens and Dumas at the same period (10-12). They also had a set of the traditional children's classics, which put The Jungle Book, Arabian Nights, etc. into my hands.

It's always worth checking the newbery list: Johnny Tremain and The Trumpeter of Krakow are both historical fiction; I read them at 10 or 12 also, and both made a huge impression on me. More recently published, try The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner, which is more of a fantasy and one of my absolute favorites; or Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword. Those who liked the Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander books will probably like both Turner and McKinley.

When my son was at that age, he enjoyed science fiction/fantasy--Ursula K. LeGuin's stories were favorites.
P. S. He was reading at age 3.

The Newbery List is an excellent suggestion.
I am a firm believer in the benefits of reading well-written literature as soon as possible...on the other hand, a little exposure to the "cultural icons" that they may meet as literary references is not a bad thing. Nancy Drew (and her roadster), Romana Quimby, Henry Huggins...a lot of precociously early readers skip these books-even scorn them sometimes as being too babyish (face it-a lot of childhood is competition-and reading fat books at an early age can be right up there!) I encourage my students to occasionally take a "light reading break" especially after they have soldiered on through a challenging book. We all need a brain potato chip now and again! Just not as a steady diet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Newbery Medal winners

Am I the only won who grew up reading The Bobbsey Twins? I can't say they were formative for me, or I would be standing aorund in a frilly apron watching the boys have all the fun. I do remember A Tree Grows In Brooklyn as having a big impact on me.

I used to read Enid Blyton and Gerald Durrell, but your son sounds more interested in other things. How about Alastair McClean? Not sure I got that name right, but he's the guy who wrote Guns from Navarrone and Ice Station Zebra among lots of other ones. My brother thrived on these when he was a young adolescent.

>I can't say they were formative for me, or I would be standing aorund in a frilly apron watching the boys have all the fun

To me formative doesn't mean 'imitate or model' but rather books that gave me something to base other information on, if that makes sense. So I'd consider Bobsey Twins as formative, as was everything by Beverly Cleary. I think we are the same age, so consider the times we were living in. Every read was the same, girls in the house, the boys having all the fun. Its amazing that our generation turned out to be rebels!

Tree Grows in Brooklyn remains a favorite, and its one I put in the hands of various nieces when they reach a certain age. Really a timeless read.

Oddly enough, my taste in reading was formed by watching The Twilight Zone.

Has he read Philip Pullman's 'Dark Material'? It begins with Northern Lights - I just finished the trilogy last week and think it's really good.

I also think Stephen King's Dark Tower series is fantastic. It's a cross between science fiction and a Western with a bit of everything else thrown in, too!

I grew up reading Sci-Fi, the first being 'The Chronicles of Amber' series by Roger Zelazny. I remember really enjoying them, though it has been almost 20 years since I read them. I also really enjoyed Terry Brooks' series about Landover, beginning with 'Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold!'

I agree with looking at the Newbery list (not just the award winners, but the honor books as well). It contains a diverse range of books that should appeal to this age group.

I'd also like to recommend Michael Ende's The Neverending Story if your son hasn't read it yet. It's classic fantasy, IMO, and can be read on different levels -- overall, a very transcendent piece of literature.

I've recently discovered Nancy Farmer's books, too, and am a big fan of hers. Sea of Trolls has a boy protagonist and would make a nice tie-in for learning about Norse mythology.

John Bellairs' Lewis Barnavelt or Johnny Dixon books are good for the age 9-12 range (sort of creepy, gothic mysteries for kids). I enjoyed them as a kid (and they are fun, nostalgic reads for adults, as well).

The Lensman series by E E (Doc) Smith were a good read, though the latter works lacked a little.
Bob

I second The Dark is Rising series, Ursula LeGuin's Earth Sea books,and P. Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, terrific writing, though somewhat disturbing and bleak.

For historical fiction, I'd suggest Kenneth Roberts books as a great way to start. My high school American History teacher required us to read Northwest Passage or Rabble in Arms. If he's at all interested in Indians, Mari Sandoz's Crazy Horse is really good.

Further to the post re the Lensman series. I notice a couple of these novels are available on the Gutenberg site.
Perhaps your teen might want to preview them there?
Regards,
Bob

When I read formative I immediately thought of these two books: A Separate Peace by John Knowles and Watership Down by Richard Adams. I've been trying for years to get my daughter to read the latter, but to no avail.

Knowles wrote a sequel to A Separate Peace; it wasn't bad but I don't think it made as big of a splash as this one did. Loved the book; I think at the same time I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird, Grapes of Wrath, Animal Farm. Interesting year, that.

I read just about everythihng I could get from the library. I loved the illustrated Greek Myths, The Boxcar Children, The Elsie Dinsmore series and of course the Little House in the big Woods series and still reread them.My mom joined me to the Junior Literary Guild and was the proud owner of a book a month.
Elizabeth Coatsworth books were favorites. I didn't like dog stories they were kind of for boys and the dogs all seemed to die in them.

kathy, I, too, loved Knowles "A Separate Peace." Have you read the sequel, "Peace Breaks Out"? (I liked that one, also).

Great minds think alike (see above :)

Now reading The Preservationist by David Maine. Its a retelling of the story of Noah and the ark. Good writing, good imagining how it might have worked. I think I still like Canadian Timothy Findley's version Not wanted on the voyage better (tho it is creepier and more disturbing), but I am liking this just fine. Oh, and the cover is one of the most creative I have seen

That last part was meant for the July thread, sorry! Will repost (wish there was a way to easily delete posts here)