Anonymous
01/15/2026 19:29
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
Anonymous wrote:Suggestions so far are excellent
More authors:
Jim Butcher - Dresden Files
Kevin Hearne - Iron Druid Chronicles
Ben Aaronovitch - Rivers of London
Catherine Webb - Midnight Mayor series (a woman! Her books are very good and have a lot of suspense and fast moving action)
I read these again recently and didn’t think the early ones held up to more modern stuff. The later ones (like after the t-rex) are still good.
Anonymous
01/15/2026 17:10
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
My 14 yo loves all of Alan Gratz’s books. He’s read them all multiple times and gets excited when a new one comes out.
Anonymous
01/15/2026 17:09
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
Anonymous wrote:Whalefall
Novel by Daniel Kraus
Aa teenage scuba diver is swallowed by a whale while searching for his deceased father's remains, leaving him with only an hour of oxygen to escape and confront his guilt. The book is praised as a suspenseful, cinematic adventure that blends survival with an exploration of a difficult father-son relationship; critically acclaimed, appearing on numerous "Best of 2023" lists
This is really good book. (School librarian responding again here) but when I book talked it and kids checked it out, they said it was too much about the technical
Aspects of scuba.
It was pretty emotional too.
I’d say 10-12th grade level or very mature 9th grader.
Personally, I loved it.
Anonymous
01/15/2026 12:52
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
Suggestions so far are excellent
More authors:
Jim Butcher - Dresden Files
Kevin Hearne - Iron Druid Chronicles
Ben Aaronovitch - Rivers of London
Catherine Webb - Midnight Mayor series (a woman! Her books are very good and have a lot of suspense and fast moving action)
More authors:
Jim Butcher - Dresden Files
Kevin Hearne - Iron Druid Chronicles
Ben Aaronovitch - Rivers of London
Catherine Webb - Midnight Mayor series (a woman! Her books are very good and have a lot of suspense and fast moving action)
Anonymous
01/15/2026 12:35
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
The Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson
The Fantastic voyage Isaac Asimov
The Fantastic voyage Isaac Asimov
Anonymous
01/15/2026 12:22
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
Anonymous wrote:Got this one for xmas:
The Trail a novel
by Ethan Gallogly with illustrations by Jeremy Ashcroft
Published by Sierra Nevada Press
This unusual novel is the story of a hike by two men along the John Muir Trail in the High Sierra in California. What happens to them along the way, who they meet, and how the hike changes them make up the fictional story. Alongside this is a description of the trail and its history and what a hike along it is like. The author skilfully weaves this factual material in with the adventures of the two hikers and the two fit together comfortably.
Sounds good and in the same vein A Walk In the Woods by Bill Bryson
Anonymous
01/15/2026 12:17
Subject: Re:books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
Anonymous wrote:Susan Cooper - Dark Is Rising series
I've been thinking of pushing these on DCs... But coming off of the "re-reading childhood favorites" thread, I am wondering how they "hold" up for today's audience? I recall loving them as a preteen but not sure if they would seem too slow or convoluted now--if any DCUM'er has personally read them recently?
I just re-read Over Sea, Under Stone and it has aged delightfully. I didn’t even like that one much as a kid. Highly recommended.
Anonymous
01/15/2026 11:50
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
Got this one for xmas:
The Trail a novel
by Ethan Gallogly with illustrations by Jeremy Ashcroft
Published by Sierra Nevada Press
This unusual novel is the story of a hike by two men along the John Muir Trail in the High Sierra in California. What happens to them along the way, who they meet, and how the hike changes them make up the fictional story. Alongside this is a description of the trail and its history and what a hike along it is like. The author skilfully weaves this factual material in with the adventures of the two hikers and the two fit together comfortably.
The Trail a novel
by Ethan Gallogly with illustrations by Jeremy Ashcroft
Published by Sierra Nevada Press
This unusual novel is the story of a hike by two men along the John Muir Trail in the High Sierra in California. What happens to them along the way, who they meet, and how the hike changes them make up the fictional story. Alongside this is a description of the trail and its history and what a hike along it is like. The author skilfully weaves this factual material in with the adventures of the two hikers and the two fit together comfortably.
Anonymous
01/15/2026 11:41
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious series has a fun mystery.
I'm slightly on the fence about The Expanse Series as there is some violence/horror elements but probably nothing worse than a kid who plays some video games has seen.
Redwall he's probably already encountered but if not there's just a ton of those books and can keep a reader occupied.
Leigh Bardugo but I'd stick with Six of Crows. It's more fun than Shadow and Bone which had the YA Romance elements.
I'm slightly on the fence about The Expanse Series as there is some violence/horror elements but probably nothing worse than a kid who plays some video games has seen.
Redwall he's probably already encountered but if not there's just a ton of those books and can keep a reader occupied.
Leigh Bardugo but I'd stick with Six of Crows. It's more fun than Shadow and Bone which had the YA Romance elements.
Anonymous
01/15/2026 11:40
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
Whalefall
Novel by Daniel Kraus
Aa teenage scuba diver is swallowed by a whale while searching for his deceased father's remains, leaving him with only an hour of oxygen to escape and confront his guilt. The book is praised as a suspenseful, cinematic adventure that blends survival with an exploration of a difficult father-son relationship; critically acclaimed, appearing on numerous "Best of 2023" lists
Novel by Daniel Kraus
Aa teenage scuba diver is swallowed by a whale while searching for his deceased father's remains, leaving him with only an hour of oxygen to escape and confront his guilt. The book is praised as a suspenseful, cinematic adventure that blends survival with an exploration of a difficult father-son relationship; critically acclaimed, appearing on numerous "Best of 2023" lists
Anonymous
01/15/2026 11:26
Subject: books for 14 year old boy? adventure, mystery, fantasy
Marie Lu's Warcross books (or anything by her really)