Good books for teen-ager

[DreadpiratK]

Tamora Pierce is a fantastic author if she is into fantasy books at all. Her Alanna series is the best.

I second this, these were my DD's favorite books when she was that age, and she still reads them over again sometimes. Her most prized possession is a signed copy of Bloodhound. Her goal last year was 150 books, and she beat it by 6 so keeping her in books is a full time occupation.

Another favorite of hes is the Maximum Ride books by James Patterson. those are not very long I think.

I'm constantly pushing my DD to read some of the older, and in my opinion better written and deeper YA fiction works, such as the Pern series by Anne McCafrey (lukewarm reaction there) but she did like the Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. The Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin is another classic she read and grudgingly admitted had merit. (translation: I liked it by would never tell you that)

I like to think that at 14 I still had some pull in her reading habits, but at 18 I fear I have none at all.

 

[Kat73]

In regards to the library not having a YA section/no local bookstore: I'd recommend getting on Borders and Barnes&Noble's mailing lists. Both have online retail and are sending me emails all the time. Buying books at the store as opposed to the library can get expensive, but both places are always sending me 15-40% off coupons that can be used in the store or online.

There are so many good YA level books, but for me the best part was and is just searching through the stacks for some unknown gem. I wish I could remember the names and titles but I'm terrible at that. If you're looking for some more mainstream names that are likely to be in a library with no YA section, the Meg Cabot and James Patterson ones are probably a good bet. Happy Reading!

 

[ceecee]

DD loves James Patterson Maximum ride, there's a series. Also the "clique" books she had to read all of those by Lisa Harrison and this is a series, really easy short books. Her lastest author of choice is Sarah Dessen. Her favorite book of all time is "Before I go" by Riley Westin and she has read it at least 6 times if not more, I keep asking why she is reading it again and she said because she loves it. It's about a skater who has cancer and it's really sad! She has read Meg Cabot books as well. We are fortunate and have a great library and can request copies of books from all the branches. Their teacher gave them a list of summer reading last year of 20 books and they needed to do a book report on one of them, she read 12 of the 20 suggested books, so maybe check with her language arts teacher or librarian above suggested reading.

 

[bluesaturn]

Sarah Dessen is great for that age.

 

[Sandy51]

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

There are several more in this series. These are great especially if your daughter likes animals.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.

Mysteries by Phyllis Whitney. They are older, but still good mysteries.



Sandy

 

[brytorlyn]

We homeschool our DD9 (advanced reader) and we did homeschool our DD now 19 for her early teen years and some books they have enjoyed are :

Chronicles of Narnia
Percy Jackson series
Eragon Series (I loved this)
Artemis Fowl books
Tolkien Series
A Wrinkle in Time

 

[DisneysRedhead]

Please please please get her the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series by Louise-Rennison. They are the diary of a 14 year old British girl, finding her way through high school.

They are some of the most entertaining, hilarious books I have ever read. I would literally laugh out loud in public places. I am 23 and still own them and re-read them from time to time. The first book, Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging was turned into a movie that airs on Nickelodeon.