Books for teenagers, there's not much out there....
- Thread starter moomoo
- Start date
Ms T
Honey-coloured ramparts
I bet she'd really like Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. I used to work in children's books and it was one of the best books we published. I remember a friend of mine (male) picking it up, and getting so absorbed he asked if he could take it home. He rang me the next day to say he'd stayed up until 2am to finish it. 
I loved To Kill A Mockingbird when I was her age.
I loved To Kill A Mockingbird when I was her age.
5t3IIa
Registered User
I read a lot of Fay Weldon too, and Lynn Reid Banks and Graham Greene. Basically raiding my parents's shelves. I was quite the reader as a kid, what good it did me 
Thinking about it harder I wouldn't have read anything specifically for teenagers, I don't think
I'm sure I was a stupid little kid but I didn't like being patronised.
Thinking about it harder I wouldn't have read anything specifically for teenagers, I don't think
I'm sure I was a stupid little kid but I didn't like being patronised.gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
You could email my friend Laura - this is her livelihood and she really knows her stuff...http://www.lauraatkins.com/
She has put me on to loads of great books which were meant for teenagers but which I've ended up loving. The Otori trilogy (which is confusingly 4 volumes) is, for example, AMAZING!
She has put me on to loads of great books which were meant for teenagers but which I've ended up loving. The Otori trilogy (which is confusingly 4 volumes) is, for example, AMAZING!
Ms T
Honey-coloured ramparts
I liked Lynn Reid Banks too - The L-Shaped Room and My Darling Villain were my favourites, although the former is an adult book really, about single parenthood. One of the highlights of my career in publishing was meeting her in the flesh - she urged me to start a campaign to get My Darling Villain back into print. 
At 15, some adult books will definitely be suitable. I used to read a lot of Graham Greene too, and Jane Austen was another of my favourites. I bet she'd like Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and maybe The Secret History by Donna Tarrt.
At 15, some adult books will definitely be suitable. I used to read a lot of Graham Greene too, and Jane Austen was another of my favourites. I bet she'd like Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and maybe The Secret History by Donna Tarrt.
Paulie Tandoori
shut it you egg!
5t3IIa
Registered User
Ms T said:I liked Lynn Reid Banks too - The L-Shaped Room and My Darling Villain were my favourites, although the former is an adult book really, about single parenthood. One of the highlights of my career in publishing was meeting her in the flesh - she urged me to start a campaign to get My Darling Villain back into print.
At 15, some adult books will definitely be suitable. I used to read a lot of Graham Greene too, and Jane Austen was another of my favourites. I bet she'd like Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and maybe The Secret History by Donna Tarrt.
I respectfully disagree that The L SHaped room is an adult book. I found it taught me a lot of positively confusing stuff about how the world and relationships abd choices can work. One can't really consider single-motherhood and having to choose between men and getting sloshed on rum in jazz clubs to be adult material.
Dillinger4
Es gibt Zeit
mrs quoad said:
I also read War & Peace on holiday at the age of 15.
Two incredibly dull weeks in Corfu made far more exciting.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
What is your daughter actually likely to read?
Will she give anything a go?
Or does it have to her sort of thing?
Will she give anything a go?
Or does it have to her sort of thing?
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
15 year olds minds are good for being absorbed by big ideas.
Maurice Picarda
Actually, might as well flounce.
DrRingDing said:
That Jostein Gaardner book. Sophie's World. Idela for fifteen year olds.
Ms T said:I bet she'd really like Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. I used to work in children's books and it was one of the best books we published. I remember a friend of mine (male) picking it up, and getting so absorbed he asked if he could take it home. He rang me the next day to say he'd stayed up until 2am to finish it.
I loved To Kill A Mockingbird when I was her age.
She has read a lot of Sharon Creech, including that one and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Much of my problem is that she has read a lot of books!
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
DrRingDing said:
She will read most stuff (she really likes the Readers Digest
) but she prefers more 'real life' stuff and doesn't like fantasy stories at all, although she did read Harry Potter.When I was her age I think I was really into Jean Ure and the Clan of the Cavebear books and there was another set of books I loved but I can't for life of me remember what they were about.
She liked the Louise Rennison books because they made her laugh lots.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
To educate and politicise: Confessions of an Economic Hitman
A really easy read too.
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/745736/Confessions-of-an-Economic-Hit-Man/Product.html
A really easy read too.
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/745736/Confessions-of-an-Economic-Hit-Man/Product.html
Dillinger4
Es gibt Zeit
George Orwell.
miss direct
misfungled
What about some auto biographies, if she likes real life stories?
You'll probably all laugh, but If Only by Geri Halliwell is quite good, especially from a teenage perspective.
You'll probably all laugh, but If Only by Geri Halliwell is quite good, especially from a teenage perspective.
Well, I've ordered 'Playing with the Grown ups', 'The L Shaped Room', 'Sophies World' and 'Marley and Me'.
That should keep her quiet for a bit and thank you so much for all the recommendations! I'm sure I'll be back for more soon so if you think of any more, please add them!
That should keep her quiet for a bit and thank you so much for all the recommendations! I'm sure I'll be back for more soon so if you think of any more, please add them!
May Kasahara
take me to the feeling
I loved Robert Cormier's books when I was a teen - they're quite bleak and deal with the shifting power relationships between people very well. The Chocolate War (outsider resists authority) and After The First Death (bus full of kids taken hostage) are both excellent.
More recently, Malorie Blackman's Noughts And Crosses was gripping and thought-provoking, although if she reads a lot I guess she may well have done this one already.
I'd definitely go with not restricting your choices to teen lit; when I was a teen I just read whatever took my fancy, so things like 1984, The Handmaid's Tale, Catch 22 etc. all totally sucked me in. I'd also agree that teenagers appreciate a big idea or a strong argument - reading non-fiction war reportage/polemics (Primo Levi, John Pilger) left a big impression on me.
More recently, Malorie Blackman's Noughts And Crosses was gripping and thought-provoking, although if she reads a lot I guess she may well have done this one already.
I'd definitely go with not restricting your choices to teen lit; when I was a teen I just read whatever took my fancy, so things like 1984, The Handmaid's Tale, Catch 22 etc. all totally sucked me in. I'd also agree that teenagers appreciate a big idea or a strong argument - reading non-fiction war reportage/polemics (Primo Levi, John Pilger) left a big impression on me.
felixthecat
are we there yet?
May Kasahara said:
Agree with this. My daughter adored The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (saw bit of herself in it I think) and Lovely Bones (which of course is narrated from the pov of a dead 14 yr old).
I read all the way through this thread and that was exactly my thoughts! Book tokens - can't go wrong. She can browse for hours and pick exactly what she wants thenaqua said:for future, as I see you've already ordered them, my dad used to buy me a £5 book token for every month of the year, he used to stick it to one of those small paper calendar thingys
loved that
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