I don't really have anything to add, I just love this book. I searched for "The NeverEnding Story" in this community, saw that there was no post about it and wanted to fix that :).
Image found on Facebook. I think the source of that specific printing is the Spanish version of the book, [EDIT: as pointed by @alvarolh@lemm.ee, the version on the link is also a Spanish version, I may have had a brainfart because of the font (?)] ~~but it's very similar to some German version covers~~.
As a 30 something, the movie is part of my dna, but I never read the book sadly. May check it out soon though, I'm trying to get my 7 year old to read more with me atm. And that cover art is beautiful.
As a German 30 something, the books are part of my DNA ;) For a darker (but still a book for teenagers) and more grown up (heh) story, I can also recommend his other famous work Momo, or the strange story of the time-thieves and the child who brought the stolen time back to the people (I used the translated German title because for once it’s cooler, but also because it tells you a bit more about the book) which often undeservedly gets overshadowed by The Neverending Story
Edit: Wanted to say that I obviously also read the other big Ende books: The Night of Wishes: Or the Satanarchaeolidealcohellish Notion Potion and Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver, both imo better for smaller children than Neverending or Momo.
I thought about adding a warning about the movies... I find very hard to ackowledge they exist (half kidding :P). Not because they are bad, but they are sooo different from the book; it's sad for me that they are the reference for the name.
I'm not sure I would recommend the book to children younger than ... (?) 11-12 years old. Although maturity in this regard is very personal and subjective and I'm not the one to say who should read what.
The NES movie was my gateway into fantasy.
Good to know, thanks! Something for when he's a bit older definitely. Also sorry lol, hopefully others here enjoy the books too.
Hehe, no need for it.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying the films!