To ask you for happy book suggestions

[twinsister]

I have a 12 year old DD who absolutely loves to read but this year has been tough and she’s getting easily upset and anxious. Dystopian, scary or sad books (even if they turn out ok) are too much for her right now and it’s all everyone seems to be writing. Final straw was the Divergent series.

Can you help me with happy, light, adventurous books for teenagers where no one dies (including animals!) and the world isn’t messed up and needing to be saved by brave youths???!! Do these books exist?

Sorry, whilst I love I capture the castle even many years later I still think of it as rather sad. What about Eva Ibbotson? Heroine might have a bit of a struggle but all comes good in the end, well written.

I heartily agree with the suggestions of Noel Streatfeild books! Dancing Shoes is my absolute favorite (the mum does die in the beginning, but it's not dwelt upon). Dulcie is one of my favorite girl names ever thanks to this book, even though she was a little monster!
I Capture the Castle is wonderful, too!

When I was 12 I was obsessed with the confessions of Georgia Nicholson series. I reread them over and over again and they had me belly laughing all the way through. Nothing serious in there, just usual teenage drama but all told in such a funny and relatable way. I’m so tempted to read them again now even though I’m now in my 30’s

There is a book called Millions which I remember thinking was quite uplifting (some kids find a big bag of cash the week before Ireland switched to using the euro so they are millionaires, but only have a week to spend it before it becomes worthless).

@MilduraS

When I was a teenager I like the Angus, thongs and full frontal snogging books. No idea how well they've aged but definitely a lighthearted read!

YES!! I’ve recommended these too before reading the full thread. Hilarious books to my 12 year old brain

Noel Streatfeild - avoid 'Ballet Shoes for Anna' if you don't want deaths!

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day? I was a little older than your DD when Persephone reprinted it, but remember loving it! DD is 11 and getting into the Wombles, which I remember as v cheering.

Such wonderful suggestions thank you everyone, keep them coming I’m starting a list!

But Bronte is so GLOOMY! Ok, I admittedly haven't read all of them but the ones I have read are grim - horrible relationships, people dying right left and centre, lunatics locked in attics, women and children treated badly. I can't think of anything happy in any of the Bronte books I've read.

Very good point. Accepted. At that age I loved the gothic style and our downtrodden, mistreated heroines succeeding in the end. But your right, there was a lot of misery and mistreatment before then

Louise Rennison's Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series
Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries series

Both light and laugh-out-loud funny. Jacqueline Wilson, too, but some of hers can be pretty dark as they deal with real life issues.

For fantasy, not overly dark or scary IIRC:

Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus series (also very funny)
Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series

I came on to also suggest Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. Oh, what a happy, happy book. I’ve read it so many times over the years when I just need a little pick me up.

Anne of Green Gables also an excellent suggestion.

And I loved Miss Read when I was that age. Not funny but gentle and absorbing and lovely.

If you want something where conflict is solved using words, has a great story and which at the same time teaches your DD about economics and technology, try Antwork by Anders Drachen. I can also recommend The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis. There is also The Dragon Slippers- where the dragons hoard puppies, shoes etc. instead of gold.

The Bagthorpe Saga. I loved those - extremely silly and lighthearted stuff. Absolutely no gloom.

If she likes TP and other comic fantasy, The Tamar Black books on Amazon are good too. More silly stuff.

Anything by Eva Ibbitson, some of them are aimed at young adults and are well written and interesting.

I am so out of touch if 12 year olds want to read Miss Read and Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day!

Jane of Lantern Hill (L.M. Montgomery) is a book I really enjoyed at about 10 or 11. Divorced parents and difficult grandmother but lovely setting and girl getting to know her father while visiting PEI.

Yes - go with classics.

Definitely Heidi, The Secret Garden and maybe Jane Austen if she's a strong reader. Personally I wouldn't say Little Women!

Also the Hobbit is good for that age!

Not sure if they are too young but my DD likes the books written by Elisha Dixon.

Eva Ibbotson’s books are lovely and all about resilience- warm-hearted, romantic but not sex-filled, humane, funny as well as sad in the right places. Diana Wynne Jones? And Terry Pritchett for his intense humanity and removal of fear as well as the most brilliant humour

@Butteredtoast55

I think it is sad that anyone assumes that all twelve year olds want the same things. I’m sure there are many who would not want to read these. It’s perfectly fine for those who do though.

@parrotonmyshoulder
Please don't get me wrong, I love Miss Read and MPLFAD is a brilliant book....I know not all 12 year olds would like the same thing and some may enjoy the more mature and reflective social observation of these books.
MPLFAD is funny, Miss Read more gentle humour I think, but I would need to persuade the 12 year olds I know to pick them up as they would probably consider them quite dated and old fashioned. Crikey, I was considered dated and old fashioned reading them and Georgette Heyer in the 70s never mind 40+ years later.
But of course, anyone can read anything they choose and, as long as a 12 year old is reading, it is pretty much up to them to decide what they like.

Famous 5 if she hasn't already done them.
I capture the castle would be good.
Jane Austen would be good if she is up to that level of reading.
I used to read Judy Blume at that age.

Mallory towers or Claire's by Enid Blyton. The babysitter club series. Ballet shoes series.

Don't do watership down, little women or Harry Potter if she can't cope with characters dying. Don't people read the brief?! 🤦

I second Noel streatfield they are lovely, with nothing stressful of scary in them. I didn't realise there were so many I only read the ballet/theatre/skating ones. Might be looking up the tennis and circus ones to read now myself though!