# Best Stephen King book to start my kid on? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 11, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862 "2015-07-11T16:13:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/21 "2015-07-11T22:16:48Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > _The Talisman_, maybe? It’s been a long time since I read it, but it had a young protagonist. It could be too far into ‘fantasy’ though. That would have been my recommendation as well - it’s a good coming of age story and I don’t remember any particularly skeevy bits. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/22 "2015-07-11T22:22:46Z")
I think _Carrie_ is the best start- especially for a teenage girl. I was a little older when I got into Stephen King- my first was _Misery_ but \*Carrie \* is what hooked me. ---
**Author:** ![Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Last_Glacial_Maximum)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/23 "2015-07-11T22:24:24Z")
I would give her “The Mist”. It can be easily found as a thin, stand alone book. I really think the premise of the book would be very interesting to a 12 year old of either sex… Also consider one of King’s book of short stories. “Night Shift” would be a good start. . ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/24 "2015-07-11T22:48:22Z")
The Eyes of the Dragon was the first Stephen King book I read, but I wasn’t as young as 12, just 9 or 10 at the most. By 12 I was enjoying It, having already read Fire Starter and I believe The Shining. I probably was 14 before I read The Talisman but I think it’s a good contender too because Jack Sawyer is only 12 himself, which should appeal to her. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/25 "2015-07-11T23:57:04Z")
I think Carrie would be an absolutely horrid place to start, unless she is completely secure about herself, has no angst or personal issues, and never feels unsure socially. Carrie did not make me feel the love as a teen. Cujo is hard for animal lovers. Depends on her sensitivities. I would actually vote Shining or The Stand. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/26 "2015-07-12T00:44:56Z")
Eyes of the Dragon would be good but isn’t horror in case that matters. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/27 "2015-07-12T00:53:28Z")
I like [Different Seasons](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0451167538). It’s 4 novellas, one of which was the basis for the movie “Stand By Me” and another was the basis for “Shawshank Redemption”. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/28 "2015-07-12T01:13:39Z")
I don’t really like anything he did past It… But if she’s “vehemently anti-fantasy” I’d skip The Talisman, as the other world has a queen, magic, and basically a medieval fantasy universe. I’d recommend either Night Shift or Skeleton Crew. Then if she enjoys it, isn’t too freaked out, and is ready to delve into something longer, maybe **Salem’s Lot** or **Pet Semetary**. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/29 "2015-07-12T01:22:29Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > I think Carrie would be an absolutely horrid place to start, unless she is completely secure about herself, has no angst or personal issues, and never feels unsure socially. Carrie did not make me feel the love as a teen. I dunno–I think it’s a rare teen who fits that tall order. I think part of why Carrie resonated–and continues to resonate–with readers and viewers is that almost everyone, no matter how seemingly confident, can relate. ---
**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/30 "2015-07-12T01:35:48Z")
_The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon_ would be my first choice; _11/22/63_ my second (I don’t remember any adult issues). _From a Buick 8_ is not that great a book, but wouldn’t be inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/31 "2015-07-12T01:44:54Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > That would have been my recommendation as well - it’s a good coming of age story and **I don’t remember any particularly skeevy bits.** Emphasis added. Sheriff in the men’s room at the country bar where the protagonist is roped into involuntary servitude and the threats invoking him. _Most_ Stephen King has skeevy bits :D. You gotta step carefully if you want to avoid them all. _The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon_ is definitely more young reader-friendly and is also reasonably short. There is a little bit involving involuntary excretory issues, but nothing a 12 year old probably hasn’t already experienced and actually pretty realistic in context. I happen to like it, but I know a number of folks who are kinda meh about it. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/32 "2015-07-12T01:54:10Z")
> [@Apocalypso](#): > > I’d recommend either Night Shift or Skeleton Crew. _Skeleton Crew_ at least has the story **The Raft** - teen(?) sex transitioning right into some truly serious unpleasantness. Both great collections though with some really disturbing/frightening stories even absent sex scenes. I always found **Gramma** in particular to be seriously creepy. In a good way. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/33 "2015-07-12T02:07:25Z")
The Shining also opens a chapter where Wendy and Jack are post coital, Jack asleep, and Wendy enjoying the feel of Jack’s semen running down her legs while she ruminates on her life. OK, then. OTOH, there are very few King books I would worry about for my 13yo daughter - skeevy bits are a fact of life. If you want to do classic King, _Pet Semetary_ is where I would start (if she likes horror), _Different Seasons_ for teen angst and characters and more “real world” stories, and _The Cell_, for what 12yo girl would not be entertained by a story where a cell phone call brings down humanity? ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/34 "2015-07-12T02:29:48Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I think _The Eyes of the Dragon_ and _The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon_ are the closest King has come to writing specifically for younger readers, though that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best choice for what you’re looking for. I remember attempting to read Eyes of the Dragon when I was 8 or 9 and learning that King really enjoyed describing the penises of characters. I don’t think I read any of his kiddie sex, small penis monster, or cum in pants chronic masturbator stories until I was 10 or 11, though. When I was a kid my favorite King books were actually the stories from The Bachman Books, but they might not appeal to a teen girl. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/35 "2015-07-12T05:17:53Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I dunno–I think it’s a rare teen who fits that tall order. I think part of why Carrie resonated–and continues to resonate–with readers and viewers is that almost everyone, no matter how seemingly confident, can relate. Exactly- even kids that do seem to have had it easy in school probably had a few instances where they had an embarrassing incident or had other kids pick on them. It’s those experiences that make _Carrie_ so real and compelling. And …for a kid like me that was picked on a lot at some points in my life- it gave me a sense that my experience was not unique and that someone had survived the same thing and lived to write about it. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/36 "2015-07-12T06:21:18Z")
another vote for Night Shift. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/37 "2015-07-12T13:17:14Z")
I would start with a collection of short stories, Nightmares And Dreamscapes, say. If I had to choose a novel, the aforementioned Firestarter is a great one. Carrie, Christine, or roll the dice with The Gunslinger. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/38 "2015-07-12T16:48:10Z")
I had forgotten about \*Firestarter \*- she might like that! Of course my husband pointed out that her self-described taste in books is “depressing things and epidemics,” so _The Stand_ might be for her. Maybe I’d get it on the Kindle so she doesn’t get freaked out by how long it is. _The Talisman_ is great, but it’s long, it’s fantasy-ish, and the big thing is I just finished cancer treatment - not sure I want to go for the “mom’s dying of cancer” maguffin right now. I’m leaning toward getting her a novel as well as _Night Shift_. That’s got “Jerusalem’s Lot,” “The Boogeyman,” “I am the Doorway,” and “Strawberry Spring.” So much great stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/39 "2015-07-12T17:14:09Z")
\*The Talisman \*is one of my favorites, and the one I am starting my daughter on, but I also told her the first twenty pages or so drag. What about _Low Men in Yellow Coats_? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862/40 "2015-07-12T19:42:44Z")
> [@Apocalypso](#): > > I’d recommend either Night Shift or Skeleton Crew. My thoughts exactly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-book-to-start-my-kid-on/724862.md?page=3)