Another vote for LeGuin’s Wizard of Earthsea, and a reccomendation for Stephen R. Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever
Nicely summarized. Actually, quite a lot of the L’Engle ouevre might be appropriate, but Wrinkle was first and arguably best. If it’s not a “wrap[ it and surprise him” type of gift, why not ask him – “This is considered a really great story by a lot of fans of HP/LOTR type stories. The lead character is a girl about your age (Meg’s 13, IIRC) but it’s not a ‘girl’s book.’ Interested?”
Contains a rape scene within the first 10 pages… doubt the family would approve.
My 16-year-old sister and 12-year-old (male) cousin both love this series.
That’s be the series in which the protagonist rapes a woman correct?
Uh, I haven’t read the series so perhaps I shouldn’t pass judgment, but is it really age-appropriate for a 12-year-old?
I suppose The Eye of Argon wouln’t make it past Standards and Practices?
If you’re referring to Lena, it’s about 90 pages in (from quick search on Amazon), but yes, there is a single paragraph rape scene. It’s not graphic, and it’s the driving force that the main character spends the next five books trying to redeem himself for, once he accepts that it really happened.
It’s an excellent series, and the parents could be sold on it as the unbeliever becoming a believer.
Take it or leave it, it was just a suggestion.
Try him on the Heinlein juveniles. If he’s reading at LOTR level at age 11-12, they’re right on target.
Pratchett’s Juvenile books would be excellent too.
The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy,
Only You Can Save Mankind
Johnny and the Dead
Johnny and the Bomb
The Bromeliad Trilogy (I gave them to the son of a friend who is 11 and he loved them)
Truckers
Diggers
Wings
The Tiffany Aching books
Wee Free Men
A Hat Full of Sky
Wintersmith
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
The Carpet People
How about Terry Pratchett? He has some books for younger readers that don’t contain anything objectionable and even the adult series are pretty tame in terms of sex and curse words. There’s some violence, but nothing much worse than the Potter books. My daughter loves them–she’s an advanced 10-year old reader.
Dangit. Every time I think of something someone else posts it while I’m typing.
Good idea, Polycarp. I vote for Starman Jones and Farmer in the Sky over The Star Beast, Rocketship Galileo, or Have Spacesuit–Will Travel.
I learned to use a slide rule to calculate logs from one of these long, long ago.
Since Pratchett and other favourites of mine, including Mary Stewart, have been already suggested, I’ll throw in a slightly different suggestion: the Videssos cycle by Harry Turtledove. A detachment of a Roman legion is mysteriously ported in another dimension where magic actually works. Lots of battles, intrigues and good old fashioned Roman stubborness - ahem, sense of duty.
Just so yours isn’t the only post on this page, Lars, because that bugs me to death–
I ended up getting him the first in the Dark is Rising series. Sounded really interesting, and I couldn’t ignore the fact that like four of you recommended it. In fact, if there’d been another copy at the local B&N, I would’ve grabbed myself one just to see what the fuss is about! 
Thanks, guys, as always.
I second the Prydain chronicles, and absolutely, positively A Wrinkle in Time, which IMHO is the best YA novel ever. When Meg realizes
she’s the only one who can rescue her brother,
to me it’s one of the most moving moments in any kind of fiction.
Oh, and The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Gawd, what fun that one is.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
The Green Knowe series by L. M. Boston
The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
The Chubby Lewis series (The House with a Clock in Its Walls and its sequels) by John Bellairs
A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels by Madeleine L’Engle
The Oz books by L. Frank Baum
Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet, and The Story of the Amulet by Edith Nesbit
The House of Arden and Harding’s Luck by Edith Nesbit
The Earthsea books by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Snarkout Boys books by Daniel Pinkwater
The Charlie and Willy Wonka books by Roald Dahl
The Princess and Curdie and The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
I would like to add my 2 cents and heartily recommend the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer.
I think that is one of the best series ever written for young boys.
It has magic, weapons and lots of humour and suspense.
Another vote for Diana Wynne Jones, particularly the books that are listed under ‘Miscellaneous’ on her wikiepedia entry.
And I’ll second Have Space Suit - Will Travel as well.
The Old Kingdom triology and the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix would be good choices (the first one is a bit dark though - features necromancy and magic and whatnot). The first books of each are Sabriel and Mister Monday respectively (I’d probably plump for Mister Monday, based on the information you’ve given us).
Patricia Wrede’s **Talking to Dragons ** foursome. Great fun.
I would highly recommend the mentioned **Chronicles of Prydain ** by Lloyd Alexander
**Wrinkle in Time ** should be loved by any kid that is already a fan of Tolkien and Potter.
The Earthsea books by Ursula K. Le Guin should be particularly appealing to a Potter fan.
The **Dark is Rising ** by Susan Cooper, David Edding’s **Belgariad ** & even the first 3 books of **Xanth ** are great choices.
I will add:
Anne McCaffrey for her **Dragonriders of Pern ** series.
**Riddlemaster of Hed ** by Patricia A. McKillip
Another good one is **Master of the Five Magics ** by Lyndon Hardy.
Jim
Found an interesting review of the Tripod trilogy here.
It’ not as richly-detailed as Tolkien and Potter, but it is about interesting ideas, and it’s got some realism to it that made me feel more adult when I was young and read the trilogy for the first time.
Sailboat