I grew up reading comics such as Sgt Rock and Ghost tank and really did not get into proper books until 12 or so. I started with Piers Anthony, moved to Clancy etc.

Looking for recommendations for my son, we read none fiction together and he reads books such as Dogman on his own.

I am looking for books that not only are interesting but hold classical/American values or ideas.

Check out the Chronicles of Prydain - by Lloyd Alexander. These are great stories - the 2nd book was made into a Disney movie - but the movie doesn't do the story well.

The Book of Three
The Black Cauldron
The Castle of Llyr
Taran Wanderer
The High King

Zane Grey western novels?

Nancy Drew series and Hardy Boys series.

The Dangerous Book for Boys
The Double Dangerous Book for Boys

My nephews couldn't put the first one down. They're grown now (one's a police officer, the other's an auto mechanic working on becoming an electrician), but I'm thinking I'll get them the second one for Christmas.

quote:

Originally posted by Fdan:
Zane Grey western novels?

Try Longarm, it'll hold their attention.

The series “Hank the Cowdog”

I enjoy them to this day.

Very timely thread. Cleaning out my Mother's house, I found a couple of books that I loved as a boy:
Great American Fighter Pilots of World War II
The Flying Tigers

It seems I was about that age when I read them. They are not expensive, and available used on Amazon, but please shoot me an e-mail and I would love to send them to you.

I got them for Christmas long ago and I have been wanting to see that they get passed on to some youngster who would enjoy them as much as I did.

Edited to add: Check your e-mail.

I had a couple of "Mercer Boys" books at that age. They weren't as well known as the Hardy Boys, but they were good. Robert A. Heinlein also wrote a number of "juvenile" novels that might be acceptable:
Rocket Ship Galileo
Space Cadet
Have Space Suit--Will Travel
Farmer in the Sky
Starman Jones
Red Planet
Citizen of the Galaxy
The Star Beast
Between Planets
Time for the Stars
The Rolling Stones
Tunnel in the Sky (may be better for high schoolers)

There is a very good exposé of these books on the web, and you might want to read it in determining if you think they would be appropriate.
https://www.heinleinsociety.or...inleinjuveniles.html

I read most of them when in grade school and continue to re-read them as an adult. The young heroes are charming and capable, and the stories interesting. You might enjoy them, yourself.

flashguy

Rush Limbaugh’s “Rush Revere” book series, and a book I enjoyed as a boy, “Silver Chief, Dog of the North,” Jack O’Brien

Get them the Rush Limbaugh Rush Revere series. They are the right age for it now. They will learn REAL American history! I can't think of anything much more important right now.
Looks like TMats and i posted at the same time.
Link

One summer when I was in that age range, my mother made me read Jack London's 'Call of the Wild' to get get me interested in reading. It worked as I have been an avid reader ever since. The Hardy Boys series is a good suggestion as well.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Schiessuebung:
The Dangerous Book for Boys

Great book. I bought a copy for each of my boys.

At that age, I read just about all the Hardy Boys mysteries, a lot of Choose Your Own Adventure books and more importantly, that was the age I first read Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo and Guadalcanal Diary.

Both of those got me started reading Penguin military history books. I read every one I could find as a kid. Ballantine war books too.

I also remember reading a bunch of Newberry award winning books. I read some Matt Christopher books as well. Oh, and my aunt and uncle would always give me books by Kenneth Thomasma for Christmas so I read all those too.

All these years later, I'm still reading military history books mainly.

quote:

Originally posted by John Steed:
Very timely thread. Cleaning out my Mother's house, I found a couple of books that I loved as a boy:
Great American Fighter Pilots of World War II
The Flying Tigers

It seems I was about that age when I read them. They are not expensive, and available used on Amazon, but please shoot me an e-mail and I would love to send them to you.

I got them for Christmas long ago and I have been wanting to see that they get passed on to some youngster who would enjoy them as much as I did.

Edited to add: Check your e-mail.

Thank you very much, as I mentioned in my response passed down books are the best.

Thanks as well to all the great responses, Christmas is just around the corner.....

He is big into solving mysteries so I will start with some Hardy boys, they weren't my cup of tea....tended to focus on the war non-fiction.

So I read Deathwatch by Robb White when I was about that age. It was a great book that left a lasting impression. Ben and Mavic.

If you would like a copy, I will be happy to send you/your son a copy. Send me a mailing address and it’ll get to you.

It’s a pretty fantastic book. I might have to read it again, as I don’t remember the finite details.

The first books I remember at that age were all Tarzan Books. I was hooked still browse through some of them.

The Little Prince

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
Robert A. Heinlein also wrote a number of "juvenile" novels that might be acceptable:
Rocket Ship Galileo
Space Cadet
Have Space Suit--Will Travel
Farmer in the Sky
Starman Jones
Red Planet
Citizen of the Galaxy
The Star Beast
Between Planets
Time for the Stars
The Rolling Stones
Tunnel in the Sky (may be better for high schoolers)

There is a very good exposé of these books on the web, and you might want to read it in determining if you think they would be appropriate.
https://www.heinleinsociety.or...inleinjuveniles.html

I read most of them when in grade school and continue to re-read them as an adult. The young heroes are charming and capable, and the stories interesting. You might enjoy them, yourself.

flashguy

Agreed - highly recommended. Then move up to Starship Troopers as a tween

A great book for youths, and anyone for that matter. "Helmet for my Pillow" They list it as 14 year olds, but I know a few boys much younger than that really enjoyed it. No heavy duty sex and little battle field gore. Just follows the average guy who enlisted and his travels through the war. Of course you as the parent need to make the determination, and if you think he can't handle it, wait until he's a bit older. Whenever, it's a great read that's hard to put down.