Stephen King for teens?

[C-Man 27352]

My son is not the most voracious reader in the world. He'll be 13 in January and apparently asked his teacher what books he should perhaps read and enjoy out of class. I haven't cleared this with her but she apparently suggested Stephen King's Pet Semetary. I've never read a Stephen King book in my life but have enjoyed one of the film adaptations here and there probably with The Shining as my favorite (yes, I know King was not a fan of Kubrick's treatment). Seems I've always heard Pet Semetary is among King's scarier works -- is that wrong?

At any rate, I'm glad he's reached out to me to ask about buying more books for him to read for fun. He's seen quite a bit of the movies that defined my youth -- Airplane, Coming to America, Goonies, all Star Wars/Indiana Jones, Jaws, Aliens, Three Amigos, Romancing the Stone, Top Gun and so on -- so he hasn't been treated with kid gloves. I just don't want to give the kid nightmares from reading. He has watched Stand By Me with his mother and loved it.

[atomheartbevo 90054]

13?

Have him read It.

[ztejas 43744]

Yeah I don't think 13 year olds these days are going to get scared by Pet Sematary. They have enough actually scary shit weighing down their consciences.

[Texas St. Armadillos 1381]

Misery

Needful Things

11.22.63

The Novellas are great too for someone getting into King.

[smwhorn 483]

9 minutes ago, Texas St. Armadillos said:

Misery

Needful Things

11.22.63

The Novellas are great too for someone getting into King.

The first thing I'd tell him to read would be The Body from Different Seasons.  Then probably Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.

[CooterBrown 18090]

I think Salem’s Lot was the first one I read and then the Bachman Books.

[TKthunder2 5016]

Yes let him read it, then have him read The Stand, if he likes those introduce him to the Dark Tower series and have him read all the connected works, that should keep him entertained for a few months.

[dcbc 14568]

My older kid once was a voracious reader.  He read Eyes of the Dragon and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon when he was 9 or 10.  From there, he read 11.22.63 and The Shining.  He read IT when he was 12.  I keep suggesting Pet Semetary for him.  I listened to the audiobook earlier this year and enjoyed it.  It's creepy, but I think a 13 year old can handle it. 

Just bought an extra copy of 11.22.63 for my younger kid.  He's 11.

For your kid, I'd also suggest Different Seasons, but tell him to skip Apt Pupil.  Still possibly the most disturbing King story I've read (with the Patrick Hockstetter side story from IT as a close second).

Edited October 4, 2020 by dcbc

[TwiceHorn 31685]

Pet Sematary is one of my favorite King books.  I have read it maybe a half dozen times, the first time in my 20s.

Like most King books, it has a subtheme relating to life or human nature, in this case grief and loss.  It's also a ripping good yarn, with at least one great character in Jud Crandall.

I'm not sure any of the books are scary, per se.  He's a great storyteller and character developer.  I think it's that latter that gets him the rap of bad at endings.  You become so entangled with the characters, that it's difficult to accept their end and the end of the book.

Every boy that comes of driving age and covets or owns a first car should read Christine.

[C-Man 27352]

Thanks for all the help on this.

[Sam Lin 3564]

That's a solid standalone read. Then, as mentioned above, if he catches the reading bug (or the 'King' bug), have him start the Dark Tower series. He won't be able to put that down. And that really isn't a scary series, it's a grand adventure epic in an alternate-Western reality.

[Sam Lin 3564]

Tangent, but if you're trying to encourage a love of reading, you mention he's watched a bunch of movies. Are there some movies or some genres that he particularly loves? Many movies have book histories, and having some initial interest in the story from a movie may make those books more interesting for him, especially if he really wants to flesh out a movie more. Start with a love of a story in one media and use that interest to spread into other media.

 

The Star Wars canon for example, has many novels that are actually very well-written, touching standalone stories. (Choose carefully though, there's also a ton of poorly-written dreck in there.)

Edge of Tomorrow is based on the book All You Need is Kill, which is a not-difficult and fun read, ultimately a very human story.

Ready Player One, easy fun movie with a ton of gaming and pop culture references (though maybe before his age), and easy fun book.

Dune is my favorite single Sci Fi book, it has numerous video games, movies, and TV series. Not an easy read unless you're interested in the world already via one of the aforementioned other media. (See the huge Dune thread in the Movies forum for more info.)

The Hunt for Red October is a tough read just because of length, but if you see the movie and want to really flesh it out, it'll be an engrossing read.

The Witcher is a very popular TV series and a whole series of fantasy novels that are fun reads.

Harry Potter, obviously.

Lord of the Rings, obviously.

[South Austin 52688]

I started reading Stephen King earlier that 13. Some of his earlier works might seem dated to today’s teens — like Christine, for example — but I don’t think Pet Semetary will be.

[4th&Five 41701]

i was 10 when i read misery and it's still one of my faves.  11/22/63 is one of may favorite books ever and would also add in some historical stuff to think about.

[Hornius Emeritus 12497]

I was 13 when I read Carrie.  I still can't be alone in dark places.

[tx 3 putt 77928]

 Eyes of the Dragon 

[gyroprotagonist 2595]

it's been forever, but i think the Talisman and Black House tie a lot of other Kings novels together.  some dark tower stuff and I think some IT stuff.  they are more like fantasy than horror, though.

[austingirl 2193]

Mine is 12 and is reading Pet Sematary. I warned him to just make sure to put a few hours between reading it and bedtime. I mean, I still won't read it near bedtime. The Stand is my favorite SK book and if he's up for it I'm fine with him reading it if he wants.

[South Austin 52688]

On 12/14/2020 at 10:00 PM, austingirl said:

Mine is 12 and is reading Pet Sematary. I warned him to just make sure to put a few hours between reading it and bedtime. I mean, I still won't read it near bedtime. The Stand is my favorite SK book and if he's up for it I'm fine with him reading it if he wants.

About the same age when I read Pet Semetary. Good advice on reading well advance of bedtime.

[fakebusiness 129]

I was smoking joints at 13..

[mchookem 16519]

i read my first Stephen King book (Carrie) at 10, Salem's Lot at 11...that one DID actually gimme nightmares, but it was glorious lol

of course, i snuck The Exorcist and Deliverance off my parents' shelf at 10 as well...

my reading voracity was probably not standard 😊 

[burntorangebongos 10787]

The Dead Zone is great, especially for a kid that age. Kujo was also a great story. If he hasn't read those, get them for him.