Omni Personal Shopper: Let's Do Something
This Omni Personal Shopper project is not getting any easier. Jude says:
One of my kids doesn't have lots of interests. He's 15 years old, plays bari sax in band (but doesn't really care about it), gets straights "As" without trying (and feels no passionate interest in any of his classes, although he likes a few of the teachers), and seems to only be truly happy when we're driving, so I try to take him driving a lot (he's still in the learner's permit stage). He complains that his friends only want to play video games instead of *doing* things like camping, hiking, or biking anywhere, but even though he complains about them sitting around playing games, he likes to play video games too, although he quickly loses interest in any particular game. He really wanted a laptop, but I can't afford one yet. He has a good sense of humor. He's a good person. He frequently counsels his older sister and attempts to make his irrational, older, angrier brother think more rationally. He likes using StumbleUpon when he uses my computer. I'm *really* worried about him because my other kids have strong interests. I'd like him to care about something passionately.
I'm guessing there's more than one of us here that share/shared similar traits with your son--for example, I'm still theoretically interested in video games, but my patience for them maxes out at about 10 minutes. Fortunately, your son is only 15 and has ample time to grow out of this, whereas I am apparently a lost cause. Unfortunately, 15 is probably the worst age to shop for. But let's try.
Tom's first thought was The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet, a story in words and drawings of a painfully precocious boy that has the sort of restless (and funny) intelligence that seems like your son might grab hold of. Another very funny story of a bored fellow who finds more adventure than he bargained for, which he loved at that exact age and attitude, is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (and all the sequels).
Anne suggests John Green's Paper Towns as a book that will also appeal to his sense of humor, calling it a work of "this breathless energy and wit and just truth--the kind of truth that makes you dog-ear page after page so you can find that line again when you need it." She also thought that To Kill a Mockingbird might resonate in a "good person," (it will) and that his inner mentor/moderator would relate to Dave Eggers's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.
My inclination is toward books about people (kids especially) that do things like "camping, hiking, or biking," because those are things that I like to do (and forgive me, I am about to ramble on a bit). At 12 or so, I loved The Tracker, Tom Brown, Jr.'s autobiographical account of learning how to identify and follow animals based on prints and sign, as well as developing wilderness survival skills--knowledge that ultimately led to work with law enforcement and his own tracking school. Strangely enough, the jacket hasn't changed at all in the 30 years since I tore through it.
At about the same time, I read Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (maybe the ultimate book about a kid really doing things) and The Call of the Wild (even though it's ostensibly about a dog, trust me: a kid can identify) If he's read those (or if you think he may be interested in some true-life drama), there's always the armchair adventurist genre, with books like Jon Krakauer's take on the disastrous 1996 Mt. Everest expedition, Into Thin Air, and mountaineer extraordinaire Ed Viesturs's survey of K2 attempts (both successful and spectacularly not), K2: Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain. These books are aimed at an adults, but there's really nothing to them that would challenge a smart teenager. However, they do recount serious, real-world consequences and probably (if I remember correctly) contain a little bit of coarse language. But I would have eaten these up at age 15. (Note: I'd avoid Krakauer's Into the Wild for now.)
I'll add one more suggestion before moving on again to other people's recommendations (especially if I've really gone down the wrong track here). You mention that he's happy when driving, and I thought that might translate into an interest in maps and route-finding. Wilderness Navigation is a readable and informative manual on finding your way in the woods and hills, and its concepts can be practiced at home. Of course, he'll need a compass. Anne also recommends the ultimate on-the-road book, Jack Kerouac's On the Road. Adult themes here, though some might argue that they're overgrown child themes.
Ok. Time for something different.
Kind of. Dave, well, he had the same idea as me. He says, "If living life in the great outdoors is what your son craves, I recommend Jean Craighead George's classic, My Side of the Mountain. It's a great story for any budding naturalist who also might need to be reminded that the modern world isn't really all that bad. (However, I don't support the befriending of raccoons. They are nasty critters.)" Agreed.
Alex, our resident comic book/graphic novel expert thinks that kids like comic books. I don't know, he might be onto something. He brings three recommendations (and the attached comments):
Scott Pilgrim Vol. 1: The first installment of this charming, funny, and frenetic series aimed at teens. Videogames play heavily into the style and tone of the main character’s perception of everything around him, from girls to bullies to homework.
Calvin & Hobbes: Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat: This classic collection of daily and Sunday strips will be perfect for the reader whose attention span is on the go. Plots never last longer than a page or two, and they vary enough to prevent stagnancy or repetition. Bill Waterson’s artwork is action-packed, chameleon-like, and matched only by his wild sense of humor. There isn’t a bad Calvin & Hobbes book in print, but this one is a personal favorite.
Batman: The Long Halloween: If your son is looking for more of a reading commitment, the 12 chapters contained herein make it easy to stay focused and entertained. Batman faces his entire rogue's gallery as he hunts down a mysterious villain behind a series of holiday-themed murders. Lots of colorful, kinetic artwork from Tim Sale, and an explosive plot by Jeph Loeb.
Finally, Lauren points out that it might be worth calling out the Top 10 Picks for Reluctant Readers from author (and former school teacher) Rick Riordan, who has managed to get millions of kids to crack open a book.
Jude, I hope that gets you started, or maybe fuels more ideas of your own.Good luck, and happy holidays.
--Jon
Jude on December 18, 2009 at 05:19 PM
Wow. This is enormously helpful. I've added 13 items to my Amazon shopping cart based on your recommendations, and I'll winnow that down tonight. After thinking awhile, I purchased him a teen-written cookbook (he's always hungry and has minimal cooking skills, but seems to enjoy helping me) called Teens Cook and the Chessex Pound of Dice which is supposed to have 100 dice, probably because I thought I'd like that; they're on the way, so at least he'll have something under the tree. Then I can throw in a few more titles which will probably arrived after Christmas (but maybe in time). Thank you so much!
Phoebe on December 21, 2009 at 12:58 PM
You might try something like Personal Effects: Dark Art (http://www.amazon.com/Personal-Effects-Dark-J-C-Hutchins/dp/0312383827), or pretty much anything from the Games or "Books to Play" section of the Culture hacker guide here: http://culturehacker.workbookproject.com/2009/12/the-first-ever-culture-hacker-gift-guide/
Nothing like a "fake" phone number that actually has a voicemail message from a "fake" character. :D