Agatha Christie recommendations
Joan Hall
My 11-year-old loves mystery stories with really cool plots. I suggested to
him that he might enjoy some of the books of Agatha Christie (even though
I've only read a couple of her stories myself), and he's interested in
giving it a try.
Any Christie fans out there who can suggest particular stories that would be
a good introduction? He would probably NOT prefer a story where romance is
the driving force of the plot.
Or maybe Doyle? I would love to get recommendations of good Holmes stories
as well.
Or other authors that we could look at? I'm not that familiar with the
genre.
Joan
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him that he might enjoy some of the books of Agatha Christie (even though
I've only read a couple of her stories myself), and he's interested in
giving it a try.
Any Christie fans out there who can suggest particular stories that would be
a good introduction? He would probably NOT prefer a story where romance is
the driving force of the plot.
Or maybe Doyle? I would love to get recommendations of good Holmes stories
as well.
Or other authors that we could look at? I'm not that familiar with the
genre.
Joan
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
When I was his age I was reading The Happy Hollisters. I tried
reading one of those aloud to Holly when she was nine or so, and she
was irritated by the ignorant 60's casual prejudices. So never mind
those, though some of the stories were really fun. Heavily into
secret passages and false identities.
If Doyle and Christie are hard for him to read, consider sound files.
Then he could listen and do other things at the same time.
http://www.audible.com/
I don't know what the current-for-boys mystery series is. I don't
know if Hardy Boys books still exist or whether they spawned other
series.
Sandra
reading one of those aloud to Holly when she was nine or so, and she
was irritated by the ignorant 60's casual prejudices. So never mind
those, though some of the stories were really fun. Heavily into
secret passages and false identities.
If Doyle and Christie are hard for him to read, consider sound files.
Then he could listen and do other things at the same time.
http://www.audible.com/
I don't know what the current-for-boys mystery series is. I don't
know if Hardy Boys books still exist or whether they spawned other
series.
Sandra
Sandra Dodd
Oh! Forgot to recommend movie versions of Agatha Christia, or the
movie "Clue" (with Tim Curry and lots of other cool actors he might
recognize, now or repeatedly later).
Sandra
movie "Clue" (with Tim Curry and lots of other cool actors he might
recognize, now or repeatedly later).
Sandra
Joyce Fetteroll
On Jul 8, 2010, at 10:58 AM, Joan Hall wrote:
If he does like them, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot are most people's
favorite characters and I'd stick with those because she did write a
couple of international spy type books. Though both Marple and Poirot
revolve around the psychological motivations for murder, the Miss
Marple ones are mostly "country estate" mysteries and Hercule Poirot's
take place in more exotic places. Both have novel length mysteries and
short story collections.
The language in Sherlock Holmes can be even more challenging.
I wouldn't discourage him from either. My aunt bought both for me,
including Poe when I was young and they became something to aspire
to ;-) I even worked through several Poe stories with a dictionary
next to me. But I'd include them in amongst other books that are more
geared to his age.
I was looking at the Wikipedia page and there are graphic novels
produced in India for quiet a few Agatha Christie stories. Those might
be perfect for 11 if they're available in America.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_christie#Graphic_novels
I agree with Sandra, the movies are a great idea. That way you could
watch them together and talk about them. There were excellent
adaptations of both Poirot (with David Suchet) and Miss Marple (with
Joan Hickson) on PBS's Mystery:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie%27s_Poirot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Marple_(TV_series)
(Apparently there's also a new one currently airing (in England) with
Julia McKenzie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marple_(TV_series)
As to mysteries more geared to his age, Hardy Boys might be good and
if they're like Nancy Drew there are contemporary stories as well as
the older ones. I'm pretty sure I was still reading Nancy Drew at 10.
Another series, if you can find them, that I loved when I was a kid
was Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators. They were actual
real mysteries. *Just* the first 6, though. A new writer was brought
in and they turned from mysteries into adventure stories.
Otherwise I'd tap into librarians and knowledgeable bookstore people
who would know current titles are popular among boys his age.
Joyce
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> Any Christie fans out there who can suggest particular stories thatUnless he's already read some, they might be challenging for an 11 yo.
> would be
> a good introduction? He would probably NOT prefer a story where
> romance is
> the driving force of the plot.
If he does like them, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot are most people's
favorite characters and I'd stick with those because she did write a
couple of international spy type books. Though both Marple and Poirot
revolve around the psychological motivations for murder, the Miss
Marple ones are mostly "country estate" mysteries and Hercule Poirot's
take place in more exotic places. Both have novel length mysteries and
short story collections.
The language in Sherlock Holmes can be even more challenging.
I wouldn't discourage him from either. My aunt bought both for me,
including Poe when I was young and they became something to aspire
to ;-) I even worked through several Poe stories with a dictionary
next to me. But I'd include them in amongst other books that are more
geared to his age.
I was looking at the Wikipedia page and there are graphic novels
produced in India for quiet a few Agatha Christie stories. Those might
be perfect for 11 if they're available in America.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_christie#Graphic_novels
I agree with Sandra, the movies are a great idea. That way you could
watch them together and talk about them. There were excellent
adaptations of both Poirot (with David Suchet) and Miss Marple (with
Joan Hickson) on PBS's Mystery:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie%27s_Poirot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Marple_(TV_series)
(Apparently there's also a new one currently airing (in England) with
Julia McKenzie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marple_(TV_series)
As to mysteries more geared to his age, Hardy Boys might be good and
if they're like Nancy Drew there are contemporary stories as well as
the older ones. I'm pretty sure I was still reading Nancy Drew at 10.
Another series, if you can find them, that I loved when I was a kid
was Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators. They were actual
real mysteries. *Just* the first 6, though. A new writer was brought
in and they turned from mysteries into adventure stories.
Otherwise I'd tap into librarians and knowledgeable bookstore people
who would know current titles are popular among boys his age.
Joyce
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Pam Sorooshian
On 7/8/2010 7:58 AM, Joan Hall wrote:
Encyclopedia Brown?
Nate the Great?
Are you look specifically for detective stories?
Joan - we have the entire Poirot Series with David Suchet on DVD - it is
fantastically well done. I'm just not sure about how much would go over
his head. But you could try an episode and see how it goes. I think
they're better watched than read, myself, because of the locales being
so interesting and the period clothing is great and the accents, of course.
Poirot would be more interesting than Miss Marple, I think (we have
those too, but there's less action, more sitting in the parlor talking).
-pam
Joan Hall
Great suggestions, everybody!
I had been thinking I would probably be reading things to him, but the
graphic novels might be good for him on his own. I'll look up some of
these. Thanks!
Joan
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I had been thinking I would probably be reading things to him, but the
graphic novels might be good for him on his own. I'll look up some of
these. Thanks!
Joan
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Deb Lewis
M.R. James wrote ghost stories that were mysterious. Dylan liked those when he was younger. You can find some of his stories online. The Treasure of Abbot Thomas is here: http://ghost.new-age-spirituality.com/mrjames10.html
There's some G.K. Chesterton stuff online, too.
Those two authors wrote a lot of short stories if a great, fat book seems intimidating.
There are other, older mystery stories by various authors here: http://www.hornpipe.com/mysclas.htm.
Deb Lewis
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There's some G.K. Chesterton stuff online, too.
Those two authors wrote a lot of short stories if a great, fat book seems intimidating.
There are other, older mystery stories by various authors here: http://www.hornpipe.com/mysclas.htm.
Deb Lewis
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