[ads11]

Interesting to see a few people suggesting some contemporary young adult series, the rest of the suggestions skew a bit older. I remember when my parents suggested some of these classics and they bored me to death. But to each their own.

Can definitely attest to the power of Rick Riordan in luring in people who don't read at all into becoming avid readers. In no particular order, are my suggestions for what I consider stalwart series in the YA category and a few niche ones too:

• Rick Riordan works

  • Percy Jackson series
  • Heroes of Olympus
  • Kane Chronicles trilogy
  • Magnus Chase trilogy
  • Trials of Apollo series

• Inheritance saga (once you get past the very obvious Star Wars influence, it still makes for excellent worldbuilding and if all else fails, I can think of few series that have such alluringly iconic cover design)
• Bartimaeus Trilogy (incredibly quippy, very witty but becomes weightier as it goes on)
• Artemis Fowl (it's a travesty how Disney waters down the razor sharp wit of this series)
• Septimus Heap (low key think this is a far superior series of 7 books centred around a magical universe)
• Samuel Johnson vs The Darkness series (another less well known series, and another one with all the breezy wit that seems to be the purview of Irish authors)
• His Dark Materials trilogy (feel like this is an obvious counter point to the overtly religious undertones of the Chronicles of Narnia, thankfully spared the wrath of Christendom due to Harry Potter absorbing all the airwaves)

On a side note I do think I noticed an Indian author under the umbrella of the Rick Riordan stamp producing an Indian oriented series in a similar vein. I haven't read it and not heard much buzz around it so I can't attest to it but it seems an obvious direction to go given the rich back catalogue available (also wise of Rick to sidestep any issues that could arise from him penning it).

I saw quite possibly one of the most gorgeous coffee table books ever at the airport. I had to buy it despite the weight. I've had a chance to flick through and it looks to be a pretty comprehensive compendium of the Mahabharata. The way it blends artwork and craft and the spread of Hinduism throughout SE Asia through time, I appreciated it. I think even now, this is probably the way I'd like to consume the mythology behind the epic.
https://www.amazon.in/Illustrated-Ma...s%2C114&sr=8-2

I used to be a snob about only having real books instead of a Kindle but you know what, at the end of the day reading is reading, and you'd much rather the reading was done on the gentle e-ink screen of a Kindle than say an iPad. It's inculcating the habit that counts, not the medium through which it's achieved. Plus it makes breezing through series way easier if you can download the next book at the press of a button. Only downside is the lack of some gorgeous hardcopies or paperbacks on your bookshelf. Maybe in time we'll start to see colour e-ink screens at affordable prices, then you open up a plethora of options when it comes to graphic novels (a genre I regret not having much exposure to) and comics.

[Dcs99]

By far my favourite childhood books were
1)Treasure Island by RL Stevenson - I simply used to get lost in dreams after reading the book
2) Journey to the Centre of the Easth - Jules Verne
3) Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
4) Three men in a boat - Jerome K Jerome
5) Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn - Mark Twain

Ofcourse as many members have suggested - Hardy Boys

On a side note - for slightly younger kids - please do check out the Finding Waldo/Wally Series by Martin Handford... You get a books of illustrations where the object is to find Waldo, his friends and some objects. Its not easy and children have to really concentrate to find them..

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by ads11

On a side note I do think I noticed an Indian author under the umbrella of the Rick Riordan stamp producing an Indian oriented series in a similar vein. I haven't read it and not heard much buzz around it so I can't attest to it but it seems an obvious direction to go given the rich back catalogue available (also wise of Rick to sidestep any issues that could arise from him penning it).

Are you talking about the Aru Shah series by Roshni Choksi?

My daughter loved it when she was in the Rick Riordan reading stage.

[ads11]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Are you talking about the Aru Shah series by Roshni Choksi?

My daughter loved it when she was in the Rick Riordan reading stage.

It must be this. I like the concept of this "Rick Riordan Presents", gives room for writers from other cultures to present their own take on the premise of mythology in a modern context for children, but under the banner of a much more recognisable author. I might have to grab a copy for in flight reading on my next flight.

[Drivaholic@2727]

As a former 11 year old I will recommend the following books:

1.The famous Five by Enid blyton
2. Diary of a wimpy kid by Jeff Kinney
3. Captain underpants by Dav Pilkey
4. Geronimo Stilton by Elisabetta Dami
5. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
6. The Secret Seven by Enid Blyton and Pamela Butchart.
These are just my recommendations, to be honest just take your kid to the bookstore and let him loose, he will get something that he likes. Thats how I bought my first books

[SmartCat]

Dictionary is out of fashion thanks to Google, but this one will grab the attention of younger kids. My daughter spends lots of time looking at the words and photographs/illustrations, especially on weekends.





Price: Rs. 850

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/1465488820/

[Porsche306]

A good Atlas.with physical features.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by SmartCat

Dictionary is out of fashion thanks to Google, but this one will grab the attention of younger kids. My daughter spends lots of time looking at the words and photographs/illustrations, especially on weekends.

Can you please check if there is there is a picture of the word "Horizon". I had a picture dictionary as a kid and I have been trying to find the same book for my daughter. Horizon is the only picture that I remember from that book. What a book it was!

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Can you please check if there is there is a picture of the word "Horizon". I had a picture dictionary as a kid and I have been trying to find the same book for my daughter. Horizon is the only picture that I remember from that book. What a book it was!

Not this one. This has a bunch of horses under 'hor'

[dailydriver]

Of the books that passed through my hands as a teen long back, one that I keep revisiting even now, just for the pleasure of experiencing it afresh, is Norman Lewis' Word Power Made Easy.

At around a hundred bucks a piece, etymology couldn't probably find a better and cheaper proponent.

[arnav17]

Originally Posted by d.w.w.

Few books that are already covered

• Harry Potter (of course)
  

Would advise you to check out the Percy Jackson series and also books like Asterix and Tintin. Both of them are excellent, funny, and entertaining stories.

Do also check out the Secret Seven Series which is similar to famous five and Amarchitrakatha stories which are quite informative.

[casnov]

1. Gulliver's Travels
2. Tom Sawyer / Huck Finn
3. Erle Stanley Gardner - Perry Mason
4. Hardy Boys
5. Treasure Island
6. Robinson Crusoe
7. Alice in Wonderland
8. Count of Monte Cristo
9. When I was young we used to get Shakespeare's works in the form of comics.
10. Sherlock Holmes
11. I finished the whole Nancy Drew series too.
12. Enid Blyton
13. Harry Potter
14. Black Beauty.
15.Oliver Twist
16.Ruskin Bond
17. Jungle Book

That's all I can think of currently.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by Eddy

My 11 year old really enjoyed reading Sapiens. The graphic novel version for kids is in two parts and are amazing. In fact, I also loved the first one.

Second this! My cousin who's 10 loved it! It's an amazing book and the adult version is great for adults here who haven't read it yet.

[Karaboudjan]

Great thread! I have an 8yo and she is an avid reader. The must read books for children, in my opinion:
1. Any book by Roald Dahl
2. Famous Five by Enid Blyton
3. Secret Seven by Enid Blyton
4. Adventures of Tom Sawyer
5. Treasure Island
6. Huckleberry Finn
7. The Three Investigator series
8. Hardy Boys
9. Ruskin Bond. I am a die hard fan of him.

Happy reading! It’s good to see so many of our children picking up this habit. It’s a dying hobby.

[Mafia]

Mrs. Sudha Murthy has series of books for children like Grandma's bag of stories

Devdutt Pattanaiks Devlok is popular among his other books