To try and find some good teens books that don't push the LGBTQ agenda?

Jane Austen
The Bronte Sisters
Georgette Heyer
Jean Plaidy
Katherine Paterson
Ann Pilling
Lois Lowry (Number the Stars is especially brilliant)
Gina Wilson
Joan Lingard (Kevin and Sadie series especially)
Jenny Asher
Jean Richardson
Adele Geras

Katya Balen - October, October or The Light In Everything
Hannah Gold - The Last Bear
Phil Earle - When the Sky Falls
Robin Stevens - Murder Most Unladylike series
Katherine Rundell - The Explorers
A.M Dassu - Fightback
Elle McNicol - A Kind of Spark (and lots of her other books)
Tom Palmer - D-Day Dog (and pretty much all of his)

basically, “middle grade” authors, writing for years 5-8. There’s lots. Some will have a gay character, because if they are reflecting life in 2024 some people will be out. But romance and sexuality are rarely key themes of books aimed at children under year 8.

Some authors I loved as a young teen/pre teen in the early 90s not sure what is popular me aside from Harry Potter:

Cynthia Voigt
Jean Ure
Robert Westall
Antonia Forest (the Marlowe family/Kingscote ones)
Monica Dickens
Anne Digby
Malorie Blackman
Noel Streatfield (there is a lesbian couple in Ballet Shoes but as a child it went right over my head, it's very subtle, barely even hinted at)
Rumer Godden
Judy Blume
William Mayne
Bernard Ashley
Catherine Robinson (her Lizzie Oliver books, there were two, are out of print now but sometimes eBay can come up with the goods). She has done some more recent ones too which are brilliant!
Penelope Lively
Geraldine Kaye

Regarding Jacqueline Wilson, before her Tracey
Beaker era, she wrote some v good young adult books in the 70s/80s. Gritty and real life but not at all preachy, no agendas .

My understanding is that your issue is that you are looking for books for a pre-teen with a high reading age. I read a lot of pre-20th century children's fiction at that sort of age. Lots of classics, great for vocabulary, and a more innocent childhood for longer.

There's also a lot of fantasy for that sort of age, and anything with an adventure focus.

I was merely reflecting back your own words that you think 11 is too young for books with much about any romantic relationships?

But clearly that isn't the issue at all, based on your reply to me. Heterosexual relationships are fine because you are presuming that your 11 year old is heterosexual?

And there I was thinking that reading was a way to broaden the mind and that books should reflect wider society...

I used to love Judy Blume too at that age.
I was very into the American authors - Judy Blume, Paula Danziger, Caroline B Cooney, Ann M Martin.
Some might seem a bit dated in places now but they are good stories.
The Face on the Milk Carton is a good one by Caroline B Cooney. A lot of these books are out of print now but Abe Books or World of Books is good for getting secondhand copies.
British equivalent authors would be Jacqueline Wilson, Cathy Cassidy, Jean Ure, Hillary McKay.

I loved noughts and crosses as a teen.

I used to love reading these:

Sweet Valley High
Point Crime
Point Horror

It's hard to find books for that age group that aren't about relationships of any kind. My boy was an avid advanced reader and outgrew many of the middle years books in terms of language but books for older children didn't interest him thematically because they often center around relationships or issues. He doesn't care if those relationships are heterosexual or gay, he just doesn't find it interesting. He started reading more science fiction and fact based books instead. Things like "What If" by Randall Munroe.

Francis Hardinge (sorry my spelling is wonky) is very good. They are fantasy but it isn’t the main focus of the books.

DD has always been a prolific reader and we always had trouble making sure what she was reading wasn't too old for her. Here's a few that I think she read at around that age:
Robin Stevens Lady Most Unladylike series
Girl of Ink and Stars
Shadow Jumper
Katherine Rundell: The Explorer
Karen McManus: One of is is Lying series
Little Women
Good Girl's Guide to Murder
School for Good and Evil
Eva Ibbotson
Wonder
Lord of the Rings

If your DD hasn't yet read them (DD read them earlier than 11-12) then some Michael Morpurgo also suitable (some are definitely for younger children). At that age DD also re-read some books she's read when younger such as Mallory Towers and Harry Potter.

I'm so glad the Cherub series is popular, I love those books, got a proof copy as a teen and have avidly read all of them since even as an adult.

My DD is a few years older but over the last few years she's enjoyed the good girls guide to murder series, which they have now made into a TV series. She likes the throne of glass series, the inheritance games series that I read as well and enjoyed. She often has a chat with the librarian or staff at Waterstones and they are always happy to talk books and recommend new titles.

My kids were learning about and reading Greek mythology at age 11. All that love drama between those gods and goddesses - maybe I should have complained to the school about that!

Yes to Judy Blume - Deenie and Tiger Eyes are both great.

Was also going to suggest Judy Blume

Are you okay if there is a heterosexual relationship or journey in the book? For example, Anne of Green Gables has a lot about relationships and is a classic. Harry Potter has characters who date, particularly in the latter books, e.g. Ron and Hermione's relationship.

Assuming you are NOT okay with any romantic relationships journeys in books you are going to be stuck. Relationships are a pretty key part of teen life and have been reflected in creative writing since, well, writing began.

If you're okay with heterosexual but not other sexualities featuring in books then you are being blatantly homophobic.

OP - I know what you mean and I don’t think you’re being homophobic at all.

The burst of new literature that celebrates “be different” is fab - we’re big fans of Heartstopper - but I agree there is a balance to be found and right now the amount of YA literature that explores sexuality and gender has become disproportionate.

The Laura Ingalls Wilder series is fab especially as you can discuss now how far away from our lives they were (the remoteness, the self sufficiency). Agatha’s Christie’s are pretty good for teens if you want to go classic.

What about Judy Blume? Even though they are 50+ years old they still seem very relevant. My boys loved them (and they are not readers).

BTW everyone who's been near a children's library or bookshop in the past 5 years knows what you mean by your request. You don't mean 'no gay characters' but no binders/rainbow unicorns/preaching disguised as fiction.