My 13-year-old daughter wants to try something by Stephen King. With which would you recommend she start?
My 13-year-old daughter wants to try something by Stephen King. With which would you recommend she start?
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The girl who loved Tom Gordon.
That’s exactly what I was going to say
Agreed!!! I read this book as an early teen and loved it!
Yes, perfect!
Misery – It’s one of his “short” stories and a great one to start with.
Cujo.
Firestarter.
The eyes of the dragon
I think it’s out of print, but it probably would appeal to a younger reader. Wasn’t his best in my opinion.
It’s a quick read. Might be out of print but you can still find used copies
The Stand
The Shining.
I started with IT at 11, then the Stand. Never was afraid of clowns or spiders, but every cough/sniffle after TS terrified me!
Talisman might also appeal, as it has a child as the central character.
Carrie
Or maybe “The Body.” It’s a short story and was made into one of my all time favorite movies “Stand by me.”
“The body” has kids in it and is about friendship… Firestarter is about female empowerment, IMO and the main character is a little girl.
The Body is a great suggestion & Stand by Me is also one of my all time favourite films ?
@Angela ❤️?
Eye of the dragon
depends on the person not the age I think ,,maybe start with the green mile ? I read many king books at a young age ..some of them maybe too early 😀
I get that–there are some images I wish I hadn’t had in my head quite so early.
The Eye of the Dragon, The Green Mile, The Body. On Writing. Hearts in Atlantis
Christine
CHRISTINE
Carrie was the first book of his I read. Christine is also really good! 🙂
Stand by Me.
Is the movie, based on The Body.
yep
I was gonna say Christine or Carrie ☺
Skeleton Crew. The stories are shorter and it will get her interested in the longer books.
The Langoliers is another option.
Oohhhh I forgot all about The Langoliers! Awww man lol see now I’m gonna be wondering where that book is for the rest of the day LOL
The struggle is real! That’s how I end up with like 3-5 copies of books… I can’t find it, I’ll buy another, then find the first. ??
I do that alot too lol
I started reading Stephen King around that age and Skeleton Crew was the first book. I was hooked.
I started reading Stephen King at about that age…Pet Sematery and Misery were my first 2 I believe.
Its about a plucky 9yo girl who gets lost in the woods. I loved it when I was a kid. It is simple, and not vulgar or inappropriate, but still scary and atmospheric!! It isn’t super long, but it has the best character development of any King book I’ve read.
It’s the perfect book to start.
Firestarter
Firestarter
Hearts in Atlantis and Tom Gordon
Although I think I was about 13 when I read Carrie
I began with Carrie. Also for some intriguing short stories, his early book Night Shift is one you could read and perhaps discuss together.
The Talisman
I agree – this is long, but has a young protagonist and it isn’t too scary.
It’s one of my favourites, and I loved The Black House too.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, or, The Long Walk (as a more scary but relatable in a way alternative to The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner)
Everythings eventual – a mix of short stories
Green Mile
Carrie
For a 13-year-old?
younger than that when I read it lol
It would depend on the child.
yep
@Dan I was either 11 or 12, too ?
Cujo!
For a 13 year old? I wouldn’t recommend that.
@Jeannette Fair enough. By 13 I had read all the books he had out at the time—which was quite a few
I started reading King aged 11 and Cujo was maybe my 6th or 7th book of his ☺️
Let’s say I wouldn’t recommend it for my 13 year old.
Carrie or The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
eyes of the dragon
Tommy knockers
The girl who loved tom gordon… I loved it and was around her age when i first read it also
That’s my suggestion too!
My first one was “It” and I was 10 – but then again I’m weird, so I wouldn’t recommend it ? and go with Carrie, which I only read a few months ago
I read IT when I was ten too!??
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is good and ok ish. I read Skeleton Crew when I was quite young and everything he wrote I could get my hands on at the time but I started my daughter off on Tom Gordon.
Stand by Me, Carrie, or Misery
Carrie or salems lot were my first reads of his
Carrie.
Thinner was one of my first (I believe that is under his pseudonym, Richard Bachmann). Carrie and It
thinner by stephen king
Carrie was my first I was in the 6th grade
Didn’t Stephen King Cole author some young adult books
No, babe. He’s written a “children’s ” book that isn’t really for children ?
True
Salem’s lot. I read that book at her age.
Same!
Needful things.
Salem’s Lot
I’d say The Long Walk (which is a Bachman Book) or something like Eyes of the Dragon ?
(He wrote Eyes of the Dragon for his daughter when she was younger)
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
The Stand was my first King at 13 and look how I turned out. ?
Oh! I have that book!! I somehow found it and got it for $1. My 11 year old daughter wants to watch the move The Tower by Stephen king. Thought it was too scary for her. Is the girl who loved tom Gordon ok for 11 year old?
I don’t have kids so I’m not the best person to ask. But that book is about a girl who gets lost in the woods. There’s nothing outrageous in it. No contrived ghouls.
Thinner is good and pretty tame.
My very first King book (written as Bachman). I have never looked back in the 20 odd years since!
The Firestarter would be an excellent starting book.
Carrie or It
Christine was my first, but I was 15 at the time. I would start her off with Eyes of the Dragon. I definitely wouldn’t start with It.
Christine was my first book by him and did i did not realize it. But, the movie was different and i was disappointed.
Me too!
“It”, related to the fears that kids have while growing up. If she can read that book, she’ll be ready for the other ones.
The Door to December (or is that koontz? I always get them mixed up lol)
That one is Koontz!
Insomnia
That’s a good one too for a 13 year old.
Gwendy’s Button Box is good. I believe it is new, too.
Stand By Me
The Eyes of the Dragon.
The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon
Salem’s Lot. 😀
From A Buick 8 it’s not as intense as most of his stuff and would be a good starter for a teenager