Any ideas on a good book for a 15 year old boy?

Question

I need to purchase some books for a 15 year old boy. This gift is for the giving tree at my daughter's school, so I do not know anything about this boy or what his parents would deem appropriate. Any ideas would be great! Thanks!

Answer 1

"Ibn al-Haytham: First Scientist" by Bradley Steffens. It tells the fascinating, true story of a medieval Muslim scholar who overcame bouts of mental illness to develop the scientific method.

Born in what is now Iraq in 965, Ibn al-Haytham studied theology, trying to resolve the differences between the Shi'ah and Sunnah sects. He turned his attention to the works of the ancient Greek philosophers and mathematicians. He was the first person to apply algebra to geometry, founding analytic geometry. He traveled to Egypt to build a dam on the Nile, failed, and ended up imprisoned in Cairo for ten years. During this time he began systematically testing hypotheses with experiments, the core of the scientific method.

"Ibn al-Haytham: First Scientist" was just chosen by California Readers to be part of the 2008 California Collection. You can find reviews of the book, a sample, and order it at http://www.ibnalhaytham.net/

Answer 2

umm here are some of my favs. I think boys would like these too. I Think the best would be John Stewart's book on the history of America!!!! Hilarious! Kids these days don't like to read serious book, usually so this is a great one. I know Colbert also has one but I haven't read it yet. Also Ripley's Believe it or not and The Guiness World Record book anyway here are some serious ones:

For some reason my two boy cousins (ages 19 and 18) loved The Count of Montecristo
Kite Runner
A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Long Way Gone


Below are some links to more books. You might want to try just going to the bookstore and asking someone who is working there what teen boys usually buy.

Answer 3

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee*
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer*

I put a star next to the ones that I really like, and think are worth the read. The House of the Scorpion has won three awards, and everyone knows about To Kill a Mockingbird. The Silmarillion might be a bit too intense/hardcore for him, but I heard it's great. I named The Catcher in the Rye and Lord of the Flies too because both of them are at his reading level - or should be - and are just ones that I think a 15 year old boy might like.

Well, I hope this helps.

Answer 4

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. Classic and written so a 15 year old can understand. Same with Lord of the Flies by William Golding (I think that is right). Both very interesting but not just pap like Harry Potter or something.

Answer 5

Remember the choose your own adventure books? I loved them at that age. I used to borrow them from my cousin Chris. That is, if you can still find them. Any books with fantasy or dragons are great. Mysteries are big right now too. James Patterson is a fabulous author and I have read pretty much all of his books. I think he would love the 'When the Wind Blows' series. That is what got me started on loving his books. The title is misleading, it is the most fantastic book I have ever read!

Answer 6

Lord fouls Bane

It is a fantastic book. There are six books in the series.
Written by Steven R. Donaldson

Answer 7

"1984" - Orwell
"Brave New World" - Huxley
"Catcher in the Rye" - Salinger
"Farseer" trilogy - Hobbs
"Catch 22" - Heller
"Adolf Hitler - my part in his downfall" - Milligan

All good "adult" stuff for a 15yo, but nothing that any but the abslute weirdest of parnts could object to.

Answer 8

speaking from experience there are two books i loved at fifteen (and i wasn't a big reader but they were good books) Animal Farm and 1984 both by George Orwell.

Answer 9

Eragon or Eldest great books

Answer 10

Anything by Gary Paulsen will be LIFECHANGING!
Louis Sachar is awesome and so is Christopher Paul Curtis