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Original poster

Romantic books for 11-year-old girl

56 replies

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 19/11/2008 11:42

DD told me she wants to read some romantic books! So I gave her the Flambards trilogy which she is enthralled with. Can anyone think of anything else along similar lines she could read. I thought of I Capture the Castle but she might be a bit young for that. Should I just let her loose on my Georgette Heyer collection or has anyone got any better ideas? I remember reading Gone with the Wind at a similar age, and my mother being horrified when she realised.

OP posts:
Simplysally · 19/11/2008 13:13

I loved Monica Dickens when I was a teenager but they might be hard to get hold of these days. They're set in the 50s (I think) but are similar to Malcolm Saville books - teenagars roaming around having adventures and looking out for each other.

There was also a series of books about a orphaned ballet student called Nina (I think) but the author escapes me. Has she read any Noel Streatfield?

horsemadgal · 19/11/2008 13:11

Aww Judy Blume is fab.

blueshoes · 19/11/2008 13:10

Ok, if it is Sweet Dreams, then I am allowed Judy Blume.

thumbwitch · 19/11/2008 13:10

nope, sorry, have found the ones you mean now by Lorna Hill

horsemadgal · 19/11/2008 13:10

Eek, what's wrong with Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley High???

thumbwitch · 19/11/2008 13:09

Do you mean the Drina books, SV? by Jean Estoril?

ShrinkingViolet · 19/11/2008 13:07

the Sadlers Wells books (Veronica of the Wells etc) sadly can't remember the author offhand.

blueshoes · 19/11/2008 13:06

I second elkiedee's choice of Daphne du Maurier. Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel are my all time faves.

thumbwitch · 19/11/2008 13:05

Little Women/ Good Wives etc.
Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea/The Island etc.
Goergette Heyer - yes! Why not? I was reading my mum's few at that age.
I don't know if they are still easily available but a writer called Malcolm Saville (Lone Pine Club adventures) introduced a modicum of romance into his "Secret Seven-alike" stories - far more fun than Enid Blyton.

I read Jane Eyre around that age but didn't get the romance side of it, ditto with Villette. But Pride and Prejudice was ok.

blueshoes · 19/11/2008 13:02

The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

blueshoes · 19/11/2008 12:56

I liked Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

Kathyis6incheshigh · 19/11/2008 12:14

If she likes historical, then Elizabeth Goodge, Margaret Irwin, Norah Lofts?
No idea if any of the above are in print though!

Libra · 19/11/2008 12:14

Jean Ure wrote quite a few teenage romances. There was one about a sixth former who fell in love with the blind piano teacher who was lodging at her house. He sounded sooo dreamy (70s emoticon).

womblingalong · 19/11/2008 12:12

Louisa May Alcott : Jo's Boys etc

Anne of Green Gables

An author called Eva Ibbottson: A company of Swans, A Countess Below Stairs etc

Othersideofthechannel · 19/11/2008 12:12

God, I would still loves Anne's red hair!

choosyfloosy · 19/11/2008 12:11

Ah, but something good from Antonia Fraser was her take on the Arthurian legend - how about Arthur, and some Greek/Roman myths?

arthur

robert graves' greek myths

Blinglovin · 19/11/2008 12:11

Othersideofthechannel. Yes, I agree, everyone should read it. I even wanted red hair for the longest time after Anne!

Little House on the prairie too!

choosyfloosy · 19/11/2008 12:09

Oh blimey no not Antonia Fraser, I meant Antonia Forrest! you prob know them already

Othersideofthechannel · 19/11/2008 12:08

OK, so the romance is fairly late on for Anne (in the 2nd or 3rd book if I remember rightly, she already has several kids in book 6), but doesn't Diana fall in love early on.

Anyway IMO every girl should read Anne of GG even if it's not strictly a romantic novel!

jeee · 19/11/2008 12:05

KM Peyton's best are the Pennington series. Gorgeous, moody, sexy, supertalented but very delinquent pianist. My very first crush.

MrsBadger · 19/11/2008 12:04

oh and the later ones in the Little Women series

I think there is often a yearning for the romance of another place/time at this age as well as actual swooning over men, iyswim.

elkiedee · 19/11/2008 12:03

S&S the book is one of the harder Jane Austens in my view though the film livened it up lots without changing its essence - Pride and Prejudice and Emma are the most obvious for younger readers, I think Northanger Abbey's really fun and Mansfield Park is accessible but a bit prissy compared to P&P and Emma.

Blinglovin · 19/11/2008 12:02

except Anne only turns into a romance about book 6? I thought I would die waiting for her to work out how great Gilbert was!

Original poster
LadyGlencoraPalliser · 19/11/2008 12:00

Oh Choosy, she loved Marianne Dreams. Do you mean Antonia Fraser's Jemima whatsit books. I think I have a couple of those lurking somewhere. I've never read any Peyton apart from Flambards, I must find more. It's a whole new stage we are getting into here!

OP posts:
MrsNormanMaine · 19/11/2008 12:00

I loved Flambards too - and think if she likes that then I Capture the Castle would be fine. I loved Wuthering Heights at that age too - completely into Heathcliff and thought Mr Darcy was a twat. These days I'd probably think the opposite. Jane Austen good though. Also The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy about American girl in Paris - she dyes her hair pink. I loved her. But can't remember if that is more a 14ish year old one...

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