Children's book recs sought! Queer Narrative Fictional Client Revealed!

[rachelmanija]

I need recommendations for books which are likely to appeal to an 11-year-old who likes sf, fantasy, and the Alex Rider series, AND to a 10-year-old who likes mysteries and Lemony Snicket. To clarify: a single book must appeal to BOTH kids.

On a completely different topic, I double-checked with my Queer Narrative professor, and got an okay to do a fictional therapy session with a queer character from a historical work. He said to just insert myself-as-therapist into their historical context. I am leaning toward one of the heroines in Sarah Waters' Fingersmith. Lots of issues regarding social narratives, personal "stories," "problem-saturated narratives," queerness, and "madness" there! (I could also counsel them as a couple, but we haven't yet gotten into couple's counseling so I don't feel on firm ground with that.)

Comments

[badgerbag]

I suggest The Cryptid Hunters. It was very engaging, has an orphaned brother-sister team who have to suddenly go live with their weird mad scientist/paleontologist/dinosaur-hunter uncle on his awesome private island with a mansion... There is a mystery and it's an exciting story.

The True Meaning of Smekday might also be good. It is somewhat less narratively complicated than Cryptid Hunters, and is about alien invasion and has a sort of Not-Disneyland theme to it. It's good but for someone who likes Stormbreaker I'd say Cryptid Hunters is a better fit (and not too disturbing for a 10 year old)