Mumsnet Talk

I am an avid teen fiction reader (English teacher, so can always pretend I’m buying books for professional purposes when DH complains ). However, am in mainland Europe and don’t often get the chance to browse in an English language bookshop. Amazon is fine for buying what you want, but no good for browsing. Used to rely on an amazing librarian when I was teaching in the UK for recommendations.

So am feeling out of touch and would like some suggestions for some great teen fiction. I love Meg Roscoff, Marcus Sedgewick, Patrick Ness…and have read things like Alex Rider, Twilight, Hunger Games.

Any suggestions gratefully received…

My Sister Lives On The Mantlepiece. Sorry, can't remember the author.

Fat Boy Swim.

The Bindi Babes series (Narinder Dhami?)

Tim Bowler is very good.

I recently read one called Tyme's End by B.R.Collins which I thought was going to be a trashy ghost story but it turned out much more interesting than that.

My biggest hero is Mal Peet. He cunningly disguises them (except for his latest which is also vg) as football stories so teen boys will want to read them but they're about ghosts and history and death and magic and stuff.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Have just started reading Mal Peet's latest tunip but haven't read all of his stuff so will have a look.

Just downloading My sister lives on the mantlepiece leeds.
Thank you!

Siobhan dowd. All of them though the London eye mystery is a bit young, not much. Bog child is brilliant.

Loved Bog Child spendthrift. Haven't read any of her other books though. Lots to look for!

Meg Rosoff's blog is very good for recommendations. She has good taste.

Lian Hearne (sp?) Across The Nightingale Floor and its follow-ups. They are magnificent.

The Windsinger trilogy.

Assume you've read most of Melvin Burgess? He's v hit and miss imho but Bloodtide (iirc) is pretty decent.

Not necessarily teen but Skellig, Heaven Eyes and The Fire Eaters by David Almond are superb (his others, less so).

Kevin Brooks worth a look - and Tim Bowler.

Thanks tunip - great tip!

Engelsmeisje I wish you were DD's English teacher - she had a fab one last year, but this year... ... couldn't give DH any suggestions for reading for DD other than the old classics

I will be getting DD to try some of these!

Oh and one called 'Gone' by (I think) Michael Grant - the only book my 14 year old has claimed to enjoy in the last 2 years! It's the first of a series but I haven't read the others yet.

The 'Stonewylde' series by Kit Berry. Addictive.

Starchild by Jerry Spinelli

John Christopher science fantasy books like The Tripods but not sure if they are still in print.

Great suggestions remus, I love David Almond. Don't think I've ever read anything by Melvin Burgess <hangs head in shame>. I remember hearing about "Junk" but not getting around to it. Will have a look at the rest of your suggestions too.

Stonewylde looks interesting madame.

Can't remember if I've read "Starchild". It rings a bell but for the life of me I can't remember what it's about - I hate it when that happens!

'Junk' is pretty crap tbh and has dated v badly.

'Starchild' is lovely. Also, 'the Silver Child' series by (I think) Cliff McNeish - chidren's rather than teen but really interesting and sensitively written.

I like 'Junk'.
I seem to be the only person in the world who doesn't like David Almond.

Sorry its called Stargirl not Starchild

'Starchild' - that's it!

I think David Almond get a bit worthy and samey but at his best, he's amazing. I recently read the 'prequel' to 'Skellig' and was seriously underwhelmed by it, but 'Skellig' is just beautiful.

I've tried hard with Skellig and I just don't get it!

Stargirl even - doh!

Have just had a YA splurge. Spooky stuff- Anne Fine, The Devil Walks and Lindsay Barraclough Long Lankin. Tim Bowler, agree he's fab. Joanne Horniman is a fabulous Australian YA writer-sort of literary realism.
Do read A Swift Pure Cry if you like Bog Child-it is wonderful and astonishing (sad though). Anne Cassidy good thriller-type teen books, (Looking for JJ). Sherman Alexie's autobiographical YA novel is one of my top YA reads ever. Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books are fab (and funny) if you like fantasy Kevin Brooks, Naked and others all good. Celia Rees's new one is very powerful, This is not Forgiveness. If you like historical Celia Rees and Jennifer Donnelly excellent. Franny Billingsley, Chime also wonderful-beautiful writing. Liked Blood Red Road and Julie Bertagna Exodus trilogy much more than The Hunger Games. I do try and post YA reviews on my blog sometimes-it is hard to keep up, there are just so many good books out there!

Tomorrow When The War Began is fantastic - there's about 5 books in the series.

About some Aussie teens in modern day Oz who go bush for a weeken's camping. While they're in the bush Australia gets invaded and taken over by a foreign country. So they go back and hide in the bush and then start up a resistance.

Ooh yes to the Exodus series. Not overfond of Celia Rees and though I like some of Terry Pratchet's I don't really like the Tiffany ones - prefer the Carpet People series.

Thanks for the suggestions. I remember Melvin Burgess stirring up lots of controversry when I was doing my PGCE, something about a girl who turned into a dog ( My life as Lady the Bitch or something). I didn't like the sound of it and it put me off...but I should give him a try!

Loads of great ideas for me to check out, thanks jongleuse

I find Celia Rees a bit hit and miss. I loved Witch Child, but one of her books (I can't remember the name...some kind of Aztec prophecy thing) was one of the worst teen fiction books I've ever read.

Tomorrow sounds great viva - I thinks omeone recommended it on another thread as well, so guess I should put it on my list. Will have a look at Exodus as well.

I find that the more I read Skellig the more I enjoy it tunip. The first time I read it I really didn't rate it.