Good books for 10-13yos for Xmas gifts

[Anonymous]

Looking for some recommendations on books for Xmas gifts: I have to buy for both boys and girls (nieces and nephews) as well as my own 12yo son, whose love for reading is fighting a losing battle with Youtube. He was into the Rick Riordan stuff but haven't found a series since that seems to have the same obsessive interest; he also reads tons of comic books and likes graphic novels. I have no idea what my nieces and nephews like beyond history and science and music, so any good ideas would be very much welcomed!

[Anonymous]

My son just started reading the Ranger's Apprentice Series. If your nieces/nephews/son have read any of those, there's a new prequel series out for it, "The Early Years."

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865639204/Author-John-Flanagan-tells-readers-what-to-expect-from-new-Rangers-Apprentice-prequel-series.html

As far as history, anything by Steve Sheinkin is great.

http://stevesheinkin.com/

Boys in the Boat might interest some of them, too. This link is to the original, but there is a young adult version out there.

https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Boat-Americans-Berlin-Olympics/dp/0143125478/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1482070402&sr=1-1&keywords=boys+in+the+boat

Kwame Alexander's books about a middle school boy are all in verse. They are really cool and fun to read.

https://www.amazon.com/Crossover-Kwame-Alexander/dp/0544107713

Some other fiction:

Hatchet
https://www.amazon.com/Hatchet-Gary-Paulsen/dp/1416936475

A Wrinkle in Time (oldie but a goodie)
https://www.amazon.com/Wrinkle-Time-Quintet/dp/0312367546/ref=pd_sim_14_12?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0312367546&pd_rd_r=BSCP6GQ5W4Z3ZYPRA27P&pd_rd_w=iLthn&pd_rd_wg=UVzPs&psc=1&refRID=BSCP6GQ5W4Z3ZYPRA27P

Ms. Bixby's Last Day
http://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2016/middle-grade#book/book-7

Pax (can be sad, though)
http://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2016/middle-grade#book/book-8

[Anonymous]

The above is a great list. Add Divergent series for the 12 yr old. Also Gregor the Overlander and The Dark Is Rising for all of those ages. For the history lover, agree that Steve Sheinkin's non fiction for kids is superb - also try Guts & Glory books, or Horrible Histories. Has your son read the Asterix comic books? They appeal a lot to my 11 yr old who loves funny comics like Calvin and Hobbes, and history.

[Anonymous]

Thanks - these are great ideas!!

BTW PP, you nailed it with Asterix. We actually started out reading a set of short stories by one of the authors, about a little French boy named Nicholas which happens to be my younger son's name. They were (are) such a hit that we went looking for other work by the same authors/illustrators, which set my older son into Asterix. We own all 37 or so.

[Anonymous]

A fun gift is Wreck this Journal

[Anonymous]

My 12yo loves the Randoms series, the Lunar Chronicles series, the Spy School series, the Bad Unicorn series,

[Anonymous]

The Inquisitor's Tale by Gidwitz
Fablehaven by Mull is a good series.
My daughter is a fan of The Keeper of the Lost Cities series.
Land of Stories also good (10-11 years)

[Anonymous]

Ranger's Apprentice for younger kids.

Dresden Files for older teenagers. (It has adult themes and gets dark.)

[Anonymous]

Un-Lun-Don by China Mieville

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Ashtown Burials series by N.D. Wilson (Dragon's Tooth, Drowned Vault, Empire of Bones)

Steelheart series by Brandon Sanderson (Steelheart, Mitosis, Firefight, Calamity)

Dragonsong/Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey

Beauty by Robin McKinley

Graceling series by Kristin Cashore (maybe a little too much for a 10 year old, but okay if a little dark for a 13 year old) (Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue)

The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper