Off-Topic Need help picking a book

[Pipi]

My 14 year old son and I commute every day for about an hour. We've been listening to audio books. We just finished listening to The Martian. My son loved it. It gave us things to talk about, instead of him with his head phones on. So, I am looking for ideas of other great books that are age appropriate. We've both enjoyed the Book thief, Memoirs of an imaginary friend, the hunger games (all 3 books), Harry Potter series. He is an avid reader
Any ideas?

[bzar]

my kids liked the Percy Jackson audio's.

if he's reading anything for his English class, there might be an audio for that.

[LindaL]

What about a classic like Tale of Two Cities?

[Paula]

Maybe the Pittacus Lore sci fi series. I think book 1 is “I Am Number Four”.

Neil Gaiman writes books for teens that many adults like. I liked "Good Omens".

Have you thought about non-fiction? Biographies might be interesting for both of you.

[Demeris]

Originally Posted by LindaL

What about a classic like Tale of Two Cities?

I remember that when I was 14, my brother (one year younger) and I read all of Dickens. We loved him. My brother also fell in love with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that year as well as a number of books dealing with the Arthurian legends (sorry, can't remember the names of the books, just that he was on a King Arthur/Sir Lancelot kick all summer).

[BunnyHop]

I've listened to and enjoyed audio versions of Frankenstein and Dracula. They're much more literary than the movie adaptations, and entertaining stories.

Not an audio book, but James Stoddard's "The High House" is very well written and exactly the sort of story that I think would do well being read aloud. The sequel (The False House) is entertaining, in a slightly different style, and the third book Evenmere should be coming out some time this winter. (I've been a fan of the first for a long time, so the existence of the new book is exciting news!)

[lreidgreen]

I loved the audio version of Angela's Ashes narrated by Frank McCourt. His narration was excellent -different "voices" for the different characters. Very entertaining. I think a teenager might like it too. My DD read it last summer for school.

[Sassy]

The "Cat Who" mystery series is very good, and on the milder side of murder and mayhem. No gore, no strong language.

If you're not familiar, they are a series based around an old newspaper journalist who solves mysteries with his two Siamese cats.

The man who does the readings is wonderful - he's half the reason for the recommendation.


Also, if you can find it "Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story" is really wonderful! Lots of humor, but a full fledged mystery novel too. (What's not to love about crime solving sheep?)

[cfwb]

I keep buying Charles Dickens and Mark Twain books for my teenage nephews, but I have no idea if they've read them at all.

I've also sent them "When Worlds Collide" and "After Worlds Collide" by Philip Wylie. I enjoyed it as a teen - it was the ultimate adventure story. As a 40-something it brings up a whole other set of questions about life.

I recently sent my nephew a bunch of Kenneth Roberts books (historical fiction, mostly set during the American Revolution and the French and Indian War).

When I was that age, my dad convinced me to read James Fenimore Cooper (The Last of the Mohicans, etc.), and I enjoyed them. Another kind of adventure story.

[Jags]

The Road, Cormac McCarthy.