Book+Recommendations

=Book Recommendations= This page is about authors, books and the links to their sites. When your looking for a good mystery you just go to this section and look around. You can also add on your own favorite books. Enjoy ! = = [|Rick Riordan Homepage] [|Anthony Horowitz Homepage] [|Mark Walden Homepage] [|Jeff Kinney/Diary of a Wimpy Kid website]

These are some reccomendations for Percy Jackson fans. =Rick’s Reading Recommendations= //I frequently get asked to recommend other books for kids to read while waiting for the next Percy Jackson. Below are some ideas. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but these all are books that I have enjoyed, and that have been “vetted” by my sons, who are reluctant readers, or other young readers I’ve worked with. The grade levels are simply my own rough estimates. They are not set in stone.// //And for mythology:// And when in doubt, always ask your local librarian or independent bookseller. They are a wealth of information when it comes to kids’ books.
 * The Underland Chronicles**, by Suzanne Collins. The first in the series is Gregor the Overlander. A boy falls into a fantastical world under New York. For grades 4th-6th, roughly. My son devoured these.
 * The Hunger Games**, by Suzanne Collins. Fantastic adventure novel. In the near future, children from twelve provinces are forced to fight for their survival in the ultimate reality television program. My son loved this. Be aware the book presents some life and death situations and is meant for a slightly older audience, but the violence is not gratuitous. I would say it is appropriate for grades 7-10 (or older).
 * Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher**, by Bruce Coville. And many other titles in his Magic Shop series. These are easier reads, ideal for 2nd-4th grade. Both my boys loved these.
 * The Time Warp Trio series,** by John Scieszka. Again, for younger readers, 2nd-4th grade, but very funny and fast-paced. These books got my older son through a difficult 2nd grade year.
 * The Thief Lord,** by Cornelia Funke. My favorite by this author. It’s a fast-paced read with a great premise and interesting characters. Grades 4th-7th.
 * The Alex Rider series,** by Anthony Horowitz. A teen thriller series very much like James Bond. Good action and no-nonsense prose. Grades 6th-8th.
 * Airborn** and **Skybreaker**, by Kenneth Oppel. Adventure novels in the tradition of Treasure Island and Jules Verne, but with a modern sense of storytelling. These take place in a world where airplanes were never invented, and dirigible airships rule the skies. Grades 6th-8th. Again, my son Haley ate these up.
 * Gods of Manhattan**, by Scott Mebus. An interesting new take on mythology in New York. Rory and Bridget discover a hidden world in New York City where spirits of the past live on and sometimes become gods. If you liked the Gregor books, you may well enjoy this. Grades 5-7.
 * Artemis Fowl**, by Eoin Colfer. Lots of fantasy and humor, perfect for middle grade sensibilities. Grades 4th-7th.
 * Skulduggery Pleasant**, by Derek Landy. A funny fantasy/mystery featuring a detective who just happens to be a fire-throwing skeleton. Grades 4th-7th. I don’t “blurb” many books, but this one I recommend without hesitation. The sequel, Playing with Fire, was released May 2008.
 * The Bartimaeus Trilogy**, by Jonathan Stroud. The first title is The Amulet of Samarkand. A more challenging series, but brilliant stuff. A young London magician summons an ancient djinn to help him with his problems. Grades 6th-8th.
 * Everlost, Downsiders, Dark Fusion series,** by Neal Shusterman. My son loves these books — all great adventures, very accessible. Grades 6th-8th.
 * Diary of a Wimpy Kid**, by Jeff Kinney. I’ve never heard my son laugh so much while reading a book. This cartoon novel is a real crowd-pleaser, especially for middle grade boys. I loved it too. Just be warned, it’s a quick read. Both my son and I polished it off in a few hours and were ready for more. Fortunately, Jeff is making it a series! Grades 4-8.
 * Warriors**, by Erin Hunter. Clans of cats battle for supremacy. Again, my son has really enjoyed these, and he’s not necessarily into animal stories. He can burn through a book a day. Fortunately it’s a big series! This is one of those series that works well for both boys and girls, which I really appreciate. Grades 4-7.
 * Bone,** by Jeff Smith. A nine-book series of graphic novels. And yes, comics absolutely qualify as reading! My sons and I all enjoyed this series — fast, high-interest reads with plenty of action, humor, romance and fantasy. Pretty much everything you could want, and the coolest red dragon ever. Grades 4-8.
 * Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths**, by Bernard Evslin. Much better storytelling than D’Aulaires, in my opinion.
 * Greek Gods and Heroes**, by Robert Graves. Another great anthology for young readers. I used this as my classroom text for 5th-6th grade when I taught English in San Francisco.
 * The Usborne Illustrated Guide to Greek Myths and Legends**, by Cheryl Evans. A little hard to find, but very accessible, with high-interest illustrations.