Kid's book recommendation needed

It's that time of year again. I need book recommendations for my nephew. He's nine; however, his reading level is a few years beyond that. Keep in mind that while he reading level is advanced, he still is only nine.

I thought for a "classic" I would get him The Phantom Tollbooth or maybe The Hobbit.

I'd like to get a current "popular" book for him as well. He likes soccer, karate, Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokeman, strategy games, and Spiderman.

If you want to get him started on something you can go back to the well for, it's never too soon for graphic novels. Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1: Power and Responsibility is the first in a series of trades so you can surprise him now and then with additional volumes.

As far as authors go, I don't think you can ever go wrong with Jack London or Ray Bradbury when it comes to bringing him into the world of adult reading. If you're gong for Ray, I'd personally start with The Illustrated Man or The Martian Chronicles.

I always recommend Kenneth Oppel's Silverwing trilogy, (Silverwing, Sunwing and Firewing), for this age group. The books are really good; even older readers I've introduced them to have enjoyed them.

My nine YO son (also advanced reader) loves anything by Cornelia Funke (try starting with Dragon Rider), the Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, and Artemis Fowl. He recently found a graphic novel version of Artemis, and is currently reading that over and over again. He also loved The Hobbit, which we read aloud when he was a bit younger, and he loves reading comics -- Calvin & Hobbes, the old Flash Gordon and The Far side are some of his favorites. He tends to shy away from ones that are too violent, so some of the Spiderman ones don't work for him, even though he likes the character. Anything by Roald Dahl is also great, and Shel Silverstein's poetry collections.

I got him James and the Giant Peach last year so don't want to get another Dahl. Silverwing is a possible. I also don't want to get too advanced with the themes, so the violence in comics might be too much.

I recommend
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins It's wonderful!

Also
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
Loser by Jerry Spinelli
Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo

And for a classic My Side of the Mountain
All are excellent

My daughter just turned nine and is an advanced reader as well. A couple of weeks ago, she read The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin (full disclosure--I do know the author). She said "I love this book! It combines two of my favorite things--reading and puzzles!" The book is full of puzzles to solve, some as part of the overall mystery, and some that are stand-alone. It sucked her in more than Harry Potter, which I thought was impossible--she even chose to read it on the evenings she's allowed to watch TV.

I was nine a long time ago, but as well as The Hobbit, I remember at about that age enjoying the Narnia books of C. S. Lewis and The First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells. Other favourites from about nine or ten included Elidor by Alan Garner, The Gay Dolphin Adventure by Malcolm Saville, Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome, and the Professor Branestawm books of Norman Hunter. I also read Enid Blyton's Famous Five books and it doesn't seem to have done me any harm(?). I don't think I started on Ray Bradbury or Isaac Asimov until I was nearly eleven.

Both of my sons have loved the Warrior series (author: Hunter). I don't exactly understand the draw, but kids in their classes are into them, too. They're about clans of feral cats battling for territory. These are relatively new to the scene, and new books are being published often. Give it whirl!

At that age and grade (4th to 5th) I read and enjoyed the following;

The dog who wouldn't be
by Farley Mowat
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Steveson
Tales of The North By Jack London and Men of Iron by Howard Pyle

Bruce Coville has some great series including four books that start withMy Teacher is an Alien. I definately recommend these as a possibility.

#9 Both of my sons have loved the Warrior series (author: Hunter). I don't exactly understand the draw, but kids in their classes are into them, too. They're about clans of feral cats battling for territory. These are relatively new to the scene, and new books are being published often. Give it whirl!

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I strongly second this recommendation. My (somewhat tom-boyish) daughter started reading these when she was 9 and she's mad about them. Every time we walk past the bookstore at the mall she runs in to see if the newest one is out yet.

She liked Silverwing too, but not nearly as much. Also, she reads at two levels above grade level (she'll be eleven next month), but I think these are written at a level that any competent nine-year old reader would be able to enjoy.

I would reccommend Brian Jacques's redwall series. I read them when I was nine or ten and loved them.

another vote for Artemis Fowl

I like Artemis Fowl, but I can't seem to interest my kids in them. (I'd say it's because they're girls, but my younger one at least is a very non-girl girl.)

How about something by Susan Cooper (The Dark is Rising series) or Gary Paulson (Hatchet, etc.)?

ooh, kudos to the Gary Paulsen stuff. I read that at about your nephew's age. hatchet and it's sequel The river are fantastic. honestly its one of the reasons I got into boy scouts.

note touchstones not working for author and book

I love Susan Cooper, but couldn't get my son to read enough of it to get hooked. Now that there's a movie tie-in, though he might be more interested. *sigh*

Loved the Susan Cooper and Brian Jacques series. It's an older series, but the "Taran" books by Lloyd Alexader are great.