Novels for teen girl

Senior Member Joined: Jul 13 2009 Posts: 178

Hi - Do any of you have any recommendations for a good book for a teen girl to read? When we go to the library, the shelves are full of fantasy-type books. That is obviously the trend. There are books about vampires, time travel, fantasy worlds, etc. My daughter doesn't like those. There are of course the rest of the books, which are inappropriate romance books. Not so much that I wouldn't let her read them if she wanted to, but she doesn't like them.

What my daughter does like are the books that are similar to Joanna Philbin's The Daughters. This is a new series about how teenage girlfriends cope with their parents being famous. My daughter also liked the Traveling Pants series and the Princess Diaries series.

Any suggestions?

Posted: Thu, Jan 12 2012, 12:11 pm Post subject: re: novels for teen girl

I liked the 1-800 where are you series also by meg cabot (author of princess diaries)
and Ally Carter novels. try Uncommon Criminals, Heist Society, etc...
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Posted: Thu, Jan 12 2012, 12:12 pm Post subject: re: novels for teen girl

go to amazon and choose teen novels. then sort by what genre you want

Platinum Member Joined: Mar 12 2009 Posts: 13168

There's a secular book list on chinuch.org. What's great about the list is they mention what's objectionable, knowing people have different standards, so there are a wide variety of books there. I'm not sure how old it goes up to, since much of YA is a wasteland. (Not making any judgment on your standards, just offering this as a source.)
Also, isn't there a website dedicated to, if you like this book you'll like....?
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Posted: Thu, Jan 12 2012, 1:29 pm Post subject: re: novels for teen girl

This is a good age to introduce the classics: Jane Austin, Charlotte Bronte, Victor Hugo, George Elliot, John Steinbeck, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Charles Dickens, etc. (I left out all the sci-fi type stuff since it sounds like she prefers realistic settings)

Executive Member Joined: May 26 2009 Posts: 306

Cornelia and the audacious escapades of the somerset sisters
The Penderwick sisters

Gold Member Joined: Jan 01 2007 Posts: 2430

my dd just read War Horse, she liked it a lot - movie out this week too.
Aother dd just read The Hunger Games.
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Senior Member Joined: Jul 13 2009 Posts: 178

Thanks for all your suggestions. I have heard great things about Hunger Games, and she says a lot of the kids at school are reading the series, but I thinks she's afraid of the scenario, that it may be too violent. It's supposed to be great though. Maybe I should read it - sometimes I like the books meant for teens.

I was thinking that when I was a kid, I read the classics and also was very into Leon Uris books. I gave my daughter Exodus to read, and she sort of liked it but didn't finish it. Did any of you read those books? I still have such great memories of those books.

What do you all have good memories of reading yourselves as teens?

Posted: Fri, Jan 13 2012, 11:40 am Post subject: re: novels for teen girl

what I liked as a teen you said your daughter doesn't want to read Wink

I LOVE (yes, present tense) harry potter. I am a huge fan and think they are great. J.K. Rowling is a FANTASTIC author.

I also like Jackie Collins. SOOOO inappropriate for a YA but my mother never checked what I was reading. I also like the gossip girl series and sweet valley high.

Posted: Fri, Jan 13 2012, 12:14 pm Post subject: re: novels for teen girl

how about Ann of Green Gables?

Last edited by Chayalle on Fri, Jan 13 2012, 3:43 pm; edited 1 time in total

Platinum Member Joined: Jun 30 2009 Posts: 8228

I think the Gossip Girl series is highly inappropriate. No need to introduce that to a teenage girl- it doesn't have any literary value, either.

Senior Member Joined: Jul 13 2009 Posts: 178

My daughter watches Gossip Girl - I admit I watch it with her. I started watching it with her just to see what it was, and now it's escapism that we do together. She never read the books.

I also loved Gone with the Wind, and Rebecca. I never read Ann of Green Gables - maybe it's something we could read together.

Did any of you read Harlequin romances in high school? I did - loved them. There was an author named Victoria Holt who was very popular also.

Regarding Harry Potter, I also read all of them, and loved each one. JK Rowling is a master storyteller. She held millions of people's attention for years, waiting for each installment. And did not disappoint.

Platinum Member Joined: Apr 12 2010 Posts: 5773

Little girl on the prarie (series its great!!!!)
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Senior Member Joined: May 25 2005 Posts: 108

Shannon Hale has some great reads! They are fantasy, but not vampire, zombie, etc. Set more like historical fiction, except it's all fiction. I also love the Bloody Jack series (About a girl who escaped the slums of London and disguised herself as a boy to join the Navy and all of her adventures after). If you let her read The Princess Diaries, maybe you'll be fine then with the Pretty Little Liars series or the The Lying Game both by Sarah Shepard. There is more and I have read all types (my kids are not old enough ;o)...) While in the library, ask the librarian what she would recommend based on the types of books that your daughter likes. Gone With The Wind is too heavy for someone who is reading the books you mentioned. She is probably not up to that yet but Anne of Green Gables is good. What about Pollyanna? So many, many books out there!

Posted: Sat, Jan 14 2012, 5:30 pm Post subject: re: novels for teen girl

Would she enjoy something with historical context? "I, Coriander" by Sally Gardener, Mary Harper's "At the Sign of the Sugar Plum" and sequel "Petals in the Ashes". If she has enjoyed the Lord of the Rings, then go for the original and another Tolkien's work, the Hobbit.

My 9yr old loved Ann of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie series.

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 21 2011 Posts: 2683

I loved Jane Eyre. but when I read it when I was in my early teens I remember being really moved the most by the beginning part when Jane is being mistreated and abused by her family and that all really touched me out of the whole novel! and then of course when I re read it years later I understood all about love