Teen/YA books that aren’t about relationships

[VenusClapTrap]

Dd is turning 12 very soon. She wants a big pile of books for her birthday, as she is a bookworm. At Christmas I found the choice for someone her age a bit limited, as she doesn’t like anything about love - which teen/YA fiction seems to be pretty focussed on. This inevitably means she ends up reading a lot of sci fi/fantasy and ghost story type stuff, which she does enjoy, but it would be nice to broaden the subject matter a bit.

Any recommendations?

Anything by Berlie Doherty?

My eldest is 12 and I find it hard to find books she likes. She doesn't like fantasy or historical fiction. She likes Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby and is currently reading Girl (In Real Life) by Tamsin Winter. So angsty tween/teen books! 😂

My DD just recently inhaled Holes by Louis Sachar, loved it. I'm going to look into his other books now as suggested by pp, wasn't aware he had others

Front desk by Kelly yang with the warning that I haven’t read it but I work in a bookstore and people are going mad for it!! (Including me!)

Oh yes - my DDs favourites. Don't know how I forgot her!

Frances Harding's is amazing and none of her books have romance that I recall. I'd start with Fly By Night at that age.

Percy Jackson (Rick Riordan)? And, if she likes them there are several follow up series (Heroes of Olympus and Trials of Apollo).

Darren Shan writes lots of (addictive) horror novels for teens.

The Castle of Tangled Magic and others by Sophie Anderson and the Widdershins Sisters books "Pinch of Magic" is the first one by someone Harrison. It does feel like its either teeny, relationship stuff, fantasy or spooky . Going back a bit but I used to love books by Willard Price that were about two brothers who went on lots of animal based adventures, like down the Amazon. Can't remember what they were called but they were good.

The attached is in our local bookshop guide. They’re all new but a few there that aren’t about relationships.

Moonrise was by Sarah Crossan, she’s a great author, who writes in verse. Her book One is also excellent.

Clementine Beauvais, Piglettes, is really enjoyable.

I, Coriander by Sally Gardner - an historical fantasy/mystery
Another vote for Lauren St John although the One Dollar Horse series absolutely does have romance in it, alongside the horses
A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley (a classic children's book so she may not like it)
Katherine Rundell's books if she hasn't already read them?
The Train to Impossible Places by PG Bell - if she hasn't already read it (she may be towards the top of the suggested age range)

Thank you everyone, loads more on my list now!

Terry Pratchett - Tiffany Aching books or some of the other Discworld
Clockwork Sparrow series by Katherine Woodfine