I'm not ready for him to read anything with sex or profanity. I think To Kill a Mockingbird, etc is probably over his head thematically. Don't want to go into YA. That's the issue, really...Trying to keep him a kid a little longer. I haven't gotten Ender's Game because I'd heard it was more YA?
The Belgariad/Mallorean - David Eddings
The Sword of Shannara (there's a related Netflix series my daughter and I are currently enjoying) - Terry Brooks
Riftwar Series (enormous, begins with Magician: Apprentice) - Raymond Feist
Guardians of the Flame series - Joel Rosenberg
I'll look at these. I was warned that Sword of Shannara has aged very poorly as far as attitudes towards women.
The book lists in Resources I've been through. We've kinda done the Newberys that are of interest. The Mensa list (dated list, I gotta say) does have a few he's missed (Cheaper by the Dozen--he'll like that!), so I'll get them, but mostly done.
It's not that I'm so focused on Lexile as that I just want to make it clear that he CAN read just about anything. He's been expressing boredom with some kids' books, too. A series he used to like came out with a new sequel and he felt sad to find that it didn't interest him anymore. I get a sense that he's just chewing through pap middle-grade fantasy restlessly.
Send more if you've got 'em. Like, big thick kids' books that are still kids' books. An example of a series that kept him nice and busy was Redwall.
He really reads a lot...
