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Old Christmas Threads (gifts, well wishes, etc)

I have never read Garth Nix, but I know that many adults enjoy his work. Given that Nix and the HP books are not traditional fantasy, I would suggest "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman. Even "Stardust" by Gaiman. Though I am not sure about language, meaning swearing. I know the f-bomb, though quietly (in a much smaller font) shows up once in "Stardust". "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" may be a good one, too.

I have enjoyed everything I have read by Robin Hobb. "The Liveship Traders" might be a good series to try, given that three of the main characters are females. Though again there may be a few things unsuitable in it. It depends. I don't want to blurt out spoilers, but if you need to know, I can PM. It may be too grown up, but again, one of those female leads is a 14-15 year old, and her role is a coming of age thing.

I have no ideas to offer the 12 year old. Though "Stardust" may work well for her, minus the one word.
 
Here's some ideas:

Pick any series by Mercedes Lackey-she has so many, and they're all great

The Amber series by Roger Zelazny-starts with Nine Princes of Amber

The Mirror of Her Dreams-Stephen R. Donaldson

Deryni Rising-Katherine Kurtz-good starting point for the whole Dernyi series

Windmaster's Bane-Tom Deitz-first of a really good series starring three high school kids.

Tea With A Black Dragon- R.A. MacAvoy

The Book of Kells-R.A. MacAvoy

Shapechanger's Song-Jennifer Roberson-begins the Cheysuli series


These are just a few I really loved. My 16 year old daughter has a list as long as your arm of her favorites. I'm glad you posted this request; it gets my mind in gear for shopping for MY avid readers..
 
scooter13 said:
I have never read Garth Nix, but I know that many adults enjoy his work. Given that Nix and the HP books are not traditional fantasy, I would suggest "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman. Even "Stardust" by Gaiman. Though I am not sure about language, meaning swearing. I know the f-bomb, though quietly (in a much smaller font) shows up once in "Stardust". "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" may be a good one, too.

I have enjoyed everything I have read by Robin Hobb. "The Liveship Traders" might be a good series to try, given that three of the main characters are females. Though again there may be a few things unsuitable in it. It depends. I don't want to blurt out spoilers, but if you need to know, I can PM. It may be too grown up, but again, one of those female leads is a 14-15 year old, and her role is a coming of age thing.

I have no ideas to offer the 12 year old. Though "Stardust" may work well for her, minus the one word.
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Oh, yes! Please do PM me! And I'm smiling here, because I can't imagine that thiese kids got to be the ages they are without ever having heard or read the f word! :D And the twelve year-old is currently reading Wicked! I mean!
 
abecedarian said:
Here's some ideas:

Pick any series by Mercedes Lackey-she has so many, and they're all great

The Amber series by Roger Zelazny-starts with Nine Princes of Amber

The Mirror of Her Dreams-Stephen R. Donaldson

Deryni Rising-Katherine Kurtz-good starting point for the whole Dernyi series

Windmaster's Bane-Tom Deitz-first of a really good series starring three high school kids.

Tea With A Black Dragon- R.A. MacAvoy

The Book of Kells-R.A. MacAvoy

Shapechanger's Song-Jennifer Roberson-begins the Cheysuli series


These are just a few I really loved. My 16 year old daughter has a list as long as your arm of her favorites. I'm glad you posted this request; it gets my mind in gear for shopping for MY avid readers..
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I just knew I could count on you guys. Thanks, ABC. I'm printing this out.
 
Try Oliver Twist maybe? With the movie coming out it could be an opportunity to slip in a true classic. And of course the bruohaha surrounding The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a good time to get the Narnia books out. Watership Down by Richard Adams maybe?
 
How about one of the other Gregory Macquire books, "Mirror, Mirror" "Son of a a Witch" or "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister"
 
How about His Dark Materials Gift Set: "Northern Lights", "The Subtle Knife", "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman.
 
Cabrasopa, which kid would these suit? I'm really clueless here.

Actually, I'm not really Clueless (who seems to have gone away), but you know what I mean. :D
 
Prairie_Girl said:
How about one of the other Gregory Macquire books, "Mirror, Mirror" "Son of a a Witch" or "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister"
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Allyson, are these as sexually explicit as I supect them of being? I read the first part of Wicked, and it made me wonder about that. I mean there was that story about the man with the genitalia both front and back part...
 
I thought of some others:
The Catswold Portal-Shirley R. Murphy

The Man Who Was Magic-Paul Gallico

The Abandoned-Paul Gallico

The Xanth Series-Piers Anthony- starts with The Source of Magic (I love all the puns)

The Wierdstone of Brisingamen- Alan Garner

Pilgrimage-Zeena Henderson (may be OOP)

Tailchaser's Song-Tad Williams

The Dragonbone Chair-Tad Williams

The Sword of Shannara-Terry Brooks
 
StillILearn said:
Allyson, are these as sexually explicit as I supect them of being? I read the first part of Wicked, and it made me wonder about that. I mean there was that story about the man with the genitalia both front and back part...
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I read Wicked several years ago, and thought it was interesting, but I did not allow or encourage, my teens to read it due to the graphic sexual scenes. I haven't read the second one, so I can't say about it.
 
I'll second the recommendation for Philip Pullman's books :)
StillILearn said:
Cabrasopa, which kid would these suit? I'm really clueless here.
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They would be more suited to the 14 year old, as they are fantasy novels. Your 12 year old may also enjoy them, though, as they include quite a bit of supernatural aspects, such as different realms, witches, daemons and magic.
 
I'll third the Philip Pullman recommendation for the older child, and also recommend The Dark Magician trilogy by Trudi Canavan (The Magicians' Guild, The Novice and The High Lord). They're fantasy told mostly from a teenage girl's viewpoint and very gripping and enjoyable. They were marketed for adults, but lately I also saw them with new covers in the children's section at Waterstones.

I'd also recommend another trilogy by Stephen Bowkett, called Ice, Storm and Thaw. They're set after another Ice Age has gripped the world, and the main protagonists live in a strictly-controlled "Big Brother" kind of community until they decide to break free. Adventures follow etc etc... All three books are very good but no-one seems to have heard of them! I'd say they were suitable for the older child though (being Young Adult).
 
StillILearn said:
Cabrasopa, which kid would these suit? I'm really clueless here.
:D
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It would suit either, reviews say it aimed at 12-14 year olds, Adults including me also enjoyed it.
 
I'll forth it. I gave Pullman's HDM books to someone for Christmas last year - someone who wasn't really that much of a reader. He's now a member of the library and gets books out all the time.
 
My 12 year old is devouring the Series of Unfortunate Events books and Eva Ibbotson's books. We read Platform 13, Which Witch? and just started Island of the Aunts. I bet these would go over well. They're funny and have magic and mayhem.

Another set is the one that includes Half Magic by Edgar Eager. My kids loved them.

The Railway Children, and Five Children and It by E. Nesbit are good too.

Roald Dahl's books are great too.

Another wonderful series is the Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. She also has a set that starts with The Boggart.

Redwall by Brian Jacques is a good series..I love them on audio read by the author. He also has a book/tape called Seven Ghostly Tales that is a must-specially on audio. My kids also like his Flying Dutchman series.

Silly me, I almost forgot A Wrinkle in Time..I need to go do housework for penance...oh wait, I'm not Catholic..oh well!
 
For the grandaughter that is interested in SciFi Fantasy I highly recommend these books by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.:

Wellspring of Chaos - Saga of Recluse

Ordermaster - Saga of Recluse

These 2 books should be read in the order that is posted. There are other books in the Saga of Recluse Series that she can go back and read if she really likes these two.

My 13 yr old grandaughter was reading a book by Isabel Allende this summer, when she was 12, and she enjoyed it. She read the whole book in 2 days.
 
I think the older girl would like the Pullman books. They might both like them, but I'd suggest them first for the older one. I'd suggest the Talking to Dragons series for the older girl as well. They are fantastic and aimed at kids that age.

I'd suggest the Redwall series or the Baisil Broketail series for the younger girl since she liked Watership down. My brother read those series at that age and loved them. I honestly haven't read either, but I've heard they are both great from a few people.
 
I thought of some others that would be good for that age group:

White Fang by Jack London
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
 
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