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amother
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 Thu, Dec 05 2024, 1:29 pm
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Looking for relatively clean secular books for a teen girl. No fantasy. Prefer no relationships and not a lot of bad language. Ok with violence if there is fighting or wars.
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amother
Lightblue
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Thu, Dec 05 2024, 2:31 pm
Teen fiction books, as in written for teens specifically, not for kids but high interest, almost without exceptions are either fantasy, romance, or both. Maybe you will be able to find sci fi but I suspect that's the same as fantasy for you. The best that comes to mind is a series of books about a girl named Myrtle, starts with premeditated Myrtle. However there is minor romance as it is clear throughout the series that her father and governess are interested in each other, but they are very classy about ignoring it.
You are probably better off just sticking with Jewish books.
If you want to join a Whatsapp group for help with this you can so that here. Be aware the group members are vetted.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/E4gg.....JsefF
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amother
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Thu, Dec 05 2024, 2:47 pm
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Sci fi is fine it's the magical unicorns and witches and spells that are not wanted.
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amother
Oleander
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Thu, Dec 05 2024, 9:54 pm
Almost impossible to find a secular teen novel without any romance or woke agendas.
If she doesn’t mind a bit of war/action she might like the Trepid books. Jewish, so completely clean, but definitely not the typical “high school drama” type kosher teen novel. More of a sci-fi, contemporary fantasy genre. obviously no unicorns.
https://israelbookshoppublicat.....iform
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PinkFridge
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Thu, Dec 05 2024, 10:01 pm
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Does kosherbooks.org deal with teen books?
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oohlala
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Thu, Dec 05 2024, 10:25 pm
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Agatha Christie if she/he likes mysteries.
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amother
Eggplant
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Thu, Dec 05 2024, 11:39 pm
I think ’The Bitter Side of Sweet’ by Tara Sullivan would fit the bill. It’s about a young boy who needs to save himself and his brother from modern day slavery on a cocoa bean plantation, so it’s not a light read, but I think it was both very well-written and clean.
‘Echo Mountain’ by Lauren Wolk, set in depression-era Maine, is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve had the pleasure of reading.
What about older classics like ’To Kill a Mockingbird’?
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seeker
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Fri, Dec 06 2024, 3:01 am
I don't remember, was there romance in the Among series by Haddix? I'm also thinking about the books by Gratz (like project 1065? I think there was some thoughts about romance but no real relationship?)
I don't always remember the finer details so someone will have to fact check me. But those are both very gripping books that aren't fantasy and if they have any romance I don't remember it being pervasive.
I'll keep thinking but for teens I think Jewish literature actually has a lot to offer. Kind of hard to get if you don't live near people or libraries to borrow from.
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amother
Darkblue
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Fri, Dec 06 2024, 10:03 am
| amother Eggplant wrote: | I think ’The Bitter Side of Sweet’ by Tara Sullivan would fit the bill. It’s about a young boy who needs to save himself and his brother from modern day slavery on a cocoa bean plantation, so it’s not a light read, but I think it was both very well-written and clean.
‘Echo Mountain’ by Lauren Wolk, set in depression-era Maine, is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve had the pleasure of reading.
What about older classics like ’To Kill a Mockingbird’? |
Um, doesn't To Kill a Mockingbird involve a rape trial? Not exactly the clean book I'd want my DD reading.
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PinkFridge
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Fri, Dec 06 2024, 10:11 am
| amother Darkblue wrote: | | Um, doesn't To Kill a Mockingbird involve a rape trial? Not exactly the clean book I'd want my DD reading. |
And yet it's taught in high schools.
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amother
Snow
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Fri, Dec 06 2024, 10:24 am
| seeker wrote: | I don't remember, was there romance in the Among series by Haddix? I'm also thinking about the books by Gratz (like project 1065? I think there was some thoughts about romance but no real relationship?)
I don't always remember the finer details so someone will have to fact check me. But those are both very gripping books that aren't fantasy and if they have any romance I don't remember it being pervasive.
I'll keep thinking but for teens I think Jewish literature actually has a lot to offer. Kind of hard to get if you don't live near people or libraries to borrow from. |
my preteen likes fantasy so she often has no interest in the jewish books and if she does she reads though it so fast, there just isn't so many jewish books when a kid can read easily go through 10 books a month.
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seeker
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Fri, Dec 06 2024, 10:33 am
| amother Snow wrote: | | my preteen likes fantasy so she often has no interest in the jewish books and if she does she reads though it so fast, there just isn't so many jewish books when a kid can read easily go through 10 books a month. |
But OP is looking specifically for not fantasy, in which case there's plenty. It's not true that there aren't so many books, they're just not as easily available.
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amother
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Fri, Dec 06 2024, 10:37 am
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She’s read most of the Jewish stuff. But she’s picky with them and they don’t all work. I’ve also taken out all the books I know about from the library. She reads fast. Thanks for the suggestions.
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amother
Oak
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Fri, Dec 06 2024, 10:46 am
The Girl Who Owned A City
The Great Gilly Hopkins
Call of the Wild
White Fang
Alas Babylon
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devorah1231
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Fri, Dec 06 2024, 11:09 am
I read a lot of classics as a teenager.
Hans Brinker
Little women/men and all other Louisa May Alcott
Frank L Baum wrote many books beside wizard of iz
A lot of LM Montgomery
Austen is fairly clean though of course topic is romance.
Daddy Long Legs
Etc
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amother
Brickred
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Fri, Dec 06 2024, 12:39 pm
Catch You Later, Traitor. Historical fiction during Cold War. by Avi.
10 True Tales: Heroes of 9/11, Heroes of Katrina, Vietnam are all good. Some parts can get graphic, though.
Lines of Courage by Jennifer Neilson. Violent, historical fiction of four teens during WWI.
Books by Deborah Hopkinson. There are a bunch of these, all historical fiction or nonfiction history. Both genres are very well-written and perfect for teenagers (especially teenage boys). There is violence, sometimes even graphic violence, but it's within a historical context (WWII, etc), so similar to adult Holocaust memoirs. There was a minor subplot with boy/girl stuff in the one about the cholera epidemic, but the others (A Bandit's Tale, How I Became a Spy) are really very clean. I'm working my way through the nonfiction books, which are probably best for older teens who like history since they're very high level writing and might take some patience for younger readers to get through.
Woods Runner, by Gary Paulsen. Also a very good book, very very violent (occurs during the Revolutionary War), so better for older teens. A couple of uses of minor cursing.
Stolen Girl, by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. Historical fiction about a girl who lived through WWII, not Jewish. One line on page 128 that was joking, mentions a kiss just in passing.
Don't Tell the Nazis, by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. Very scary, obviously. Very close friendship between a boy and a girl, could be read as a crush, but so mild that it could also be read as a friendship.
Someplace to Call Home, by Sandra Dallas. Very wholesome historical fiction story about three siblings (one with Downs syndrome, although it's never named) working together selflessly to survive. Does have a chapter that takes place in a church about an Xmas service, but no prayers or sermons or anything. Good even for younger kids.
One-Handed Catch. Excellent realistic fiction (actually historical, but only as background) book. About a boy who loses his hand and learns to live without it, even becoming his team's pitcher.
Follow My Leader. Great classic, similar plot to one-handed catch but with a seeing eye dog.
No Summit Out of Sight. True story of kid mountain climber. Two D curse words.  but excellent book otherwise...
The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens. Great adventure book about surviving after an earthquake. At the beginning the author shows that the main character is really dependent on technology by having her texting like crazy, etc., so you get a bit of a "realistic fiction in middle school" feel that I normally don't love. But here I felt it wasn't so bad and the rest of the story was fantastic.
The Plot to Kill Hitler. Short books, a trilogy, historical fiction. Violent and suspenseful.
Firestorm, by Harlow. Good historical fiction book about the Great Chicago Fire. It feels like "Oliver" at the beginning, has a kid being a pickpocket, so there's the dishonesty angle. But she doesn't know another life...
Framed (and the rest of the series). Not historical fiction, but a fantastic series that even adults enjoy.
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amother
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Yesterday at 1:56 pm
| amother Brickred wrote: | Catch You Later, Traitor. Historical fiction during Cold War. by Avi.
10 True Tales: Heroes of 9/11, Heroes of Katrina, Vietnam are all good. Some parts can get graphic, though.
Lines of Courage by Jennifer Neilson. Violent, historical fiction of four teens during WWI.
Books by Deborah Hopkinson. There are a bunch of these, all historical fiction or nonfiction history. Both genres are very well-written and perfect for teenagers (especially teenage boys). There is violence, sometimes even graphic violence, but it's within a historical context (WWII, etc), so similar to adult Holocaust memoirs. There was a minor subplot with boy/girl stuff in the one about the cholera epidemic, but the others (A Bandit's Tale, How I Became a Spy) are really very clean. I'm working my way through the nonfiction books, which are probably best for older teens who like history since they're very high level writing and might take some patience for younger readers to get through.
Woods Runner, by Gary Paulsen. Also a very good book, very very violent (occurs during the Revolutionary War), so better for older teens. A couple of uses of minor cursing.
Stolen Girl, by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. Historical fiction about a girl who lived through WWII, not Jewish. One line on page 128 that was joking, mentions a kiss just in passing.
Don't Tell the Nazis, by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. Very scary, obviously. Very close friendship between a boy and a girl, could be read as a crush, but so mild that it could also be read as a friendship.
Someplace to Call Home, by Sandra Dallas. Very wholesome historical fiction story about three siblings (one with Downs syndrome, although it's never named) working together selflessly to survive. Does have a chapter that takes place in a church about an Xmas service, but no prayers or sermons or anything. Good even for younger kids.
One-Handed Catch. Excellent realistic fiction (actually historical, but only as background) book. About a boy who loses his hand and learns to live without it, even becoming his team's pitcher.
Follow My Leader. Great classic, similar plot to one-handed catch but with a seeing eye dog.
No Summit Out of Sight. True story of kid mountain climber. Two D curse words. but excellent book otherwise...
The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens. Great adventure book about surviving after an earthquake. At the beginning the author shows that the main character is really dependent on technology by having her texting like crazy, etc., so you get a bit of a "realistic fiction in middle school" feel that I normally don't love. But here I felt it wasn't so bad and the rest of the story was fantastic.
The Plot to Kill Hitler. Short books, a trilogy, historical fiction. Violent and suspenseful.
Firestorm, by Harlow. Good historical fiction book about the Great Chicago Fire. It feels like "Oliver" at the beginning, has a kid being a pickpocket, so there's the dishonesty angle. But she doesn't know another life...
Framed (and the rest of the series). Not historical fiction, but a fantastic series that even adults enjoy.
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These were great do you have more to add? Thanks so much!
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