<p>I usually give S1 and S2 at least one book for Christmas, and I’m looking for suggestions. For S1, almost 17, I’d like to find something thought-provoking or inspirational. I’m thinking of Tracy Kidder’s biography of Paul Farmer, Mountains Beyond Mountains. In the past, I’ve given him Jared Diamond’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Nickel and Dimed. For S2, I’d like to find a beautiful hardcover edition of a classic.</p>
<p>All suggestions gratefully accepted!</p>
<p>My middle school son bought one of these two books for himself, and I would recommend it for your 11 y/o.</p>
<p>The Dangerous Book for Boys
Big Book of Boy Stuff</p>
<p>How about a nicely bound copy of the Lord of the Rings? My 16yo son is getting a nice copy of the British version of the first book in the Harry Potter series (he loves HP), in addition to about 10 other books.</p>
<p>Do they like sports? Sports Illustrated usually puts out a cool year in sports type book. </p>
<p>Check out the book tables at Costco.</p>
<p>“Where the Red Fern Grows” was very popular with my Son when he was 11. </p>
<p>My 17-year-old is getting 2 books this year: “Brave New World” and “American on Purpose.” I thought the varied combination of messages in the two could be eye-opening.</p>
<p>“A Separate Peace” is a wonderful classic that your 16 yr old might appreciate… about HS boys and WWII…and other dark things… we read it in our mother/son book group and the boys really did like it. </p>
<p>My oldest son (already a college graduate) just recently decided to read all the Nebula Award Winners… so if either of your S’s have a specific science fiction interest, then you could start their collection…Dune was the first winner, I believe…</p>
<p>I did read and did love “Mountains Beyond Mountains” and this would be excellent for your 16 yr old… Dartmouth has had it as summer reading for incoming students… </p>
<p>“Team of Rivals” is a very good book…not yet a classic… “John Adams” is also great as is “Mornings on Horseback”… the last 2 by David McCullough</p>
<p>“The River of Doubt” is a GREAT book… about Teddy Roosevelt’s trip down an Amazon tributary…</p>
<p>Classics for an 11 year old:
Tolkein’s Hobbit and Fellowship of the Ring Trilogy
C.S.Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia,
Alexander Dumas complete series on The Four Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo
Daniel Dafoe’s Robinson Crusoe
Robert Lewis Stevenson’s Black Arrow, Kidnapped & Treasure Island
C.S. Forester’s Hornblower series
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Esther Forbes - Johnny Tremain
Harold Keith - Rifles for Watie Newbery medal winner about civil war***
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird
Mark Twain - Tom Sawyer or The Prince and the Pauper
Jean Merrrill - The Pushcart War
Marjorie Rawlings’ The Yearling</p>
<p>Lots of suggestions here: [Books</a> for Boys Reading List | Boys Read](<a href=“http://www.boysread.org/books.html]Books”>Books for Boys Reading List | Boys Read)</p>
<p>***This is the one I’d choose if you haven’t read it. We listened to it in the car on a long car trip and blown away. A gripping story that’s sympathetic to both sides of the Civil War, but ultimately about the waste of war.</p>
<p>How Things Work
Complete Collection of Calvin and Hobbes</p>
<p>Get the elder one a copy of The Godfather. Its an offer that you cant refuse.</p>
<p>For the 11 yr. old…The Redwall Series by Brian Jacques.
S1 loved those books at that age.</p>
<p>
For the love of all things good, NO. I have seldom come across such a dark and depressing book. To this day it taints my views of prep schools. :eek:</p>
<p>
My #1 suggestion: The Sword in the Stone. Although much of the humor may go over his head, it’s a very fun read. (Note: NOT The Once and Future King).</p>
<p>A Wrinkle in Time and the other Time Quartet books</p>
<p>anything by E. Nesbit or Edward Eager (vastly underrated!!)</p>
<p>the Norby series by Isaac Asimov (people don’t seem to read this anymore)</p>
<p>Island of the Blue Dolphins or other O’Dell books</p>
<p>*Alice in Wonderland<a href=“best%20if%20paired%20with%20the%20marvelous%20new%20%5Burl=http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Glass-Wars-Frank-Beddor/dp/0803731531]Looking%20Glass%20Wars[/url]%20series”>/i</a></p>
<p>Wind in the Willows</p>
<p>anything by Jules Verne</p>
<p>anything by Roald Dahl </p>
<p>anything by Jean Craighead George, but especially the My Side of the Mountain saga (I love her environmental views)</p>
<p>I second the Narnia and The Hobbit suggestions. Lord of the Rings may be a bit a of trudge, depending on his reading level.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t call his works classics, but anything written by Lloyd Alexander is gold. His Prydain, Westmark, and especially Vesper Holly series are amazing reads for young adults.</p>
<p>Other good authors:</p>
<p>[ul][<em>]Walter R. Brooks (another great author nobody reads anymore)
[</em>]Laurence Yep (the Dragon series)
[<em>]Diana Wynne Jones (amazing!)
[</em>]Sherwood Smith (especially the Wren series)
[<em>]Gerald Morris
[</em>]Brian Jacques
[<em>]Ursula Le Guin
[</em>]Garth Nix
[<em>]Eoin Colfer
[</em>]Patricia Wrede (the Dragon series, not the Lyra series)
[<em>]Tamora Pierce (her Tortall books are strongly feminist, however)
[</em>]T.A. Barron (especially the Lost Years of Merlin and Kate series)
[<em>]Susan Cooper (especially the Dark is Rising series)
[</em>]Robin McKinley[/ul]</p>
<p>My son read Norby, but in first or second grade. Redwall was third grade. I loved Nesbit, but never got my kids hooked. They liked Edward Eager. Wizard of Earthsea (Ursual LeGuin might be a good choice. My kids love Diana Wynne Jones. </p>
<p>If you want to go classical there’s a new edition of Treasure Island that was mentioned on NPR today. It’s supposed to have nice woodblock illustrations. (I like the old NC Wyeth illustrations myself.)</p>
<p>Classic
[Zen</a> and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance]Zen”>Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>If you want a keepsake book, the books illustrated by N.C. Wyeth is just the thing, Kidnapped, Treasure Island, etc. My boys have all to these and the only one they did not love was The Boys King Arthur, but that was more because of the language.</p>
<p>The Complete Sherlock Holmes was one I cherished.</p>
<p>"“Where the Red Fern Grows” was very popular with my Son when he was 11. “”
^^
I’m a girl & that was my favorite book when I was 11(& still one of them). Great for anybody</p>
<p>I’d suggest looking into books they have read and liked in the past and/or asking them what they like to read. Not everybody’s a Harry Potter or LOTR fan!!</p>
<p>I ordered the Wyeth edition of Treasure Island for S2 and Mountains Beyond Mountains for S1. Thanks to all for the suggestions!</p>
<p>Some of the books that have been mentioned have already been Christmas presents for my sons. For example, I’ve given each of them (years apart) a beautifully illustrated hardcover anniversary edition of all the Narnia (in one book), and then read the book(s) to them at bedtime - this took months. This is a great gift, in case anyone is looking:</p>
<p>[The</a> Complete Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis; Pauline Baynes (Hardcover): booksamillion.com](<a href=“http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?isbn=0060281375#overview]The”>http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?isbn=0060281375#overview)</p>