12yo DSD* recommended read

[BrianCoxReborn]

• not actually stepdaughter but daughter of my DP of 5 months.
  
  She loves to read, particularly science fiction (Hunger Games and Twilight being favourites).
  
  Her friends have nicknamed her the Librarian!
  
  I want to get her a special.book for Christmas. I thought of a classic such as Pride and Prejudice (to open another avenue up to her) but DP thinks it's too old for her and she wouldn't read it.
  
  So, any suggestions? She's very sporty and not really into things aimed at the "girly" market (unlike my 12 yo DD who is a marketers dream but hates reading for pleasure).
  
  Thanks in advance.

[Booksteensmagazines]

A more modern book but an excellent one is Noughts and Crosses (it is a series) series by Malorie Blackman. Well written, thought provoking, exciting,

If you want a more classic book then Little Women might be good. Or Call of the Wild by Jack London. Maybe even The Outsiders by SE Hinton.

[BrianCoxReborn]

Thanks Books I'm a bit clueless due to my DD's reluctance to read at home.

I shall look into your recommendations and Little Women - of course!

[emmaMBC]

There may be a few on this list that would be appeal to her ....

[Sadik]

Would you consider asking her? My book loving 13 y/o often has something very specific that she wants - last Christmas it was a special hardback edition of one of her favourite novels with extras/intro by the author etc - these seem to be a 'thing' now (along with saying 'it's just a thing muuuum, you don't understand ).

[BrianCoxReborn]

She's a bit indecisive Sadik every time she's asked about something it's "I don't knoooow" but I can try.

Thanks for the link Emma I will have a look now.

[evenoldergregg]

The new illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone is half price on Amazon. A gorgeous book, very special with beautiful illustrations throughout. I've bought a copy for my daughters Christmas, but am tempted to have a sneaky read myself first!

[yeOldeTrout]

My immature 11yo just read The Hobbit.
Watership Down, too, is good.

[deepdarkwood]

If she likes Sci-Fi, how about some real classic stuff - I'm thinking Day of the Triffids (which iirc isn't too graphic) or Brave New World. 1984 might be too bleak! But actually what you are describing is more fantasy than sci-fi, I'd say....

Has she read the Goth Girl series? They are accessible from much younger, but there are sooooo many clever literacy/cultural references that you can enjoy them as an adult - and the are very beautiful books.

[Sadik]

YA sci-fi/dystopia - though I suspect she may have read a lot of these if she's into that genre
Uglies trilogy (maybe a bit less known that some others - would pair nicely with Brave New World)
Divergent series
Gone series
More than This by Patrick Ness (and others by same author)

General sci-fi that dd's read and enjoyed lately
Ancillary Justice + sequels
Dark Eden + sequel

Also there's a good 'Best of 2015 YA' list with reviews here - maybe best to go with something new as she's less likely to have read it?

[Sadik]

Also, going with P&P - did she watch the Lizzie Bennet Diaries vlog? If she hasn't seen them, would a copy of the DVD + a copy of Pride & Prejudice alongside it go down well?

[mrsmortis]

If she loves SciFi how about Ender's Game by Scott Orson Card? Or some John Christopher (The Prince in Waiting books are great and less scary than the Tripods). Chocky or The Chrysalids by John Wyndham are also up there in my list of favourites.

I think I was about that age when I first started reading Asimov, so maybe I, Robot.

If you want it to be special book, how about one of the illustrated hardback editions of the Hobbit? Or a copy of the Once and Future King.

[Linds53]

I'd definitely second the idea of getting her some John Wyndham classics. The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness is great too.

[Gruach]

Something from here!

All very lovely - though I'm disappointed (for you) that Farenheit 451 is out of print. Think that particular edition would have been perfect. Possibly available elsewhere.

[BlueChampagne]

YY to Goth Girl, and how about Jules Verne if she likes SciFi?

[tuilamum]

The maze runner? The mortal instruments series? The infernal devices?

[MrsUnderwood]

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is excellent. If she likes Twilight then she could try the Forbidden Game trilogy by LJ Smith. Also there's the Tiffany Aching books, I wish they'd been around when i was her age.