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

[Lifeofthepartay]

Trying to get some books for my daughter who is in S1, books are either too young or they all have a blurb that alludes to the main character's sexual preferences. Would love it if anyone could recommend something your pre-teens, or young teens are reading that don't include those topics? They already get enough information about it in school and the internet.

Exactly 😁
I'd probably have been mortified if my mum had been breathing down my neck trying to police what it was about from the blurb or trying to have a flick through it herself.
Who's Ralph?
Why are they laid down on the rug together?!
Mother! Go away😭🤣
If 12 year olds are reading about heterosexual relationships - why can't they about gay ones?
Doesn't mean you'll turn out gay yourself.

Have you read the books? I remember reading them when I was that age, and have read them since. I struggle to find anything like that whatsoever in them. I do think a lot of people disliked Pullman for his anti-church stance though.

The beauty of books is that children should be able to choose what they read. If that's Mallory Towers at tween age, fine. If it's HDM, that's also fine. But to prescribe it for them is wrong. I would never have necessarily told my parents what I liked about the books I read; I'd talk about the stories. I didn't want to tell them I liked romance at that age. It would have been embarrassing.

Being able to go to a library and being given free reign is a wonderful thing. It does incredible things for critical thinking, social understanding, and yes - even learning what they're comfortable with. They can always close the book or skip a chapter if a holding hands or kiss is too much. But these are developing brains.

I tutored Literature for years while I worked up in publishing. The first thing I would always do was ask for a family trip to the library. To let the child choose. That's what sparks joy, that's what gets them interested, not a rota of acceptable books ticked off a list by a homophobic mother with an agenda.

Most of this conversation seems to be based on the premise the OP is correct, the majority of books aimed at 11 year olds are relationship themed and LGBT+ themed. That’s just not true.

id actually like to know what were the books she’d looked at that led her to dismiss all new literature for kids as pushing the gay agenda. Because there are really very few books in the “middle grade” (year 5-8, so aged 9-13) that are romantic relationship focussed, or even have people dating in them. Give me these titles that are causing upset, are they actually popular books aimed at children?

you don’t need to chose between LGBT+ books or classics / 90s kids books. The vast majority of books published over the last 5 years aimed at y5-8 children would meet the OPs criteria, but many will be fantasy, which apparently her dd doesn’t like. just look at the Waterstones nominations list (not the “older children” section as that’s aimed at year 9+), or the Carnegie medal for writing nominations list, or the week junior’s book prize.

there are a lot of very interesting and complex books being published aimed at 11 year olds that aren’t just about dating and romance. Any good book shop will have a range.

Percy Jackson is good, mine enjoyed that. There are a couple of characters that are gay, but that's later in the series. It's not the be all and end of their personalities just something in the sideline, same as other characters that get together in a straight relationship.

My DC also enjoyed Skullduggery pleasant at that age, but I've not read that myself .

@FancyBiscuitsLevel bookshops/libraries though tend to divide books into 5 - 8, 8 - 12 and then Young Adult. Her daughter is in S1 which means she could actually be age 13 rather than 11.
Young Adult sections at the moment are full of books about relationships and sexuality because that's the current trend. As I said upthread 15 years ago or so it was all about vampires.
Books like Percy Jackson are in the 8 - 12 section. If she's 13 she might feel that she "shouldn't" be reading those because they are for younger children.

@Needmorelego - the OP said in her post yesterday at 16:58 her dd is “only 11”. So just right for middle grade books. She might feel they are too young for her, but she’s comfortably in the age that group of books are aimed at. If she wants to read books that are aimed at teens, then they will have older themes. This is a choice the OP is therefore making, buying books aimed at older children/young adults then being annoyed that the content is more appropriate for older children/young adults.

I do understand what you’re saying, but around her age is the sort of age that she will be becoming aware of her sexuality, if not a bit younger. Girls start puberty from 8 onwards! So, to me, there’s nothing wrong with her knowing that whatever sexuality she is, it’s fine, she’s not alone etc. She doesn’t have to shy away whatever she is.

I understand your thoughts that you don’t want it centred around sexuality, but to actively shield someone, what is YOUR agenda there? At 11/12, she’s not too young and it’s naive to think otherwise. I knew my sexuality at 10, and reading certain books would have made absolutely no difference to that 🤣

And yes, 15 years ago it was all vampires and then it was all dystopian (Hunger Games rip offs everywhere), and now it’s romance that’s the big theme, some straight but a lot of money flowing from the heartstoppers success, but even within YA there’s a lot of non- romance being published now. (Granted, lots of that seems to be variations of murder mysteries.)

an 11 year old doesn’t need to be looking in the YA section to get interesting books.

I think what you seem to actually want is books with limited romantic stuff in at all. Most of the teen fiction I read was about girls obsessing over boys, snogging etc.

If you'd be ok with that but not with the same about LGBTQ people then yes I think you're homophobic.

I don't understand how being bi can be an 'identity' surely you can only be with one person at a time? And that you are not defined by that person... I'm also sure there are many things that make up your character that don't revolve around your sexual practices.

Of course she cringes when shows have a romantic theme on the TV in front of her mum! I’m 34 and I cringe at that type of thing in front of my mum. That’s not proof of anything. And people who are are in heterosexual relationships and then end up in gay relationships later in life don’t suddenly ‘decide’ they are gay, they covered it up or subconsciously repressed it. You seem like the naive one, and a raging homophobe to boot!

Disagree - my son was taken regularly to the library where he would always take the same books out again and again, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, books about giant hamsters who only eat doughnuts and picture books about machinery. He would never ever in a million years have self selected the books he read with my encouragement that turned out to be his favourite and he encourages his reluctant reader little brother to try and read.

This is really disingenuous, you absolutely would be encouraging your kids to read books written with explicitly progressive narratives and trying to steer them away from Enid Blyton or Swiss Family Robinson, lest they imbibe too many traditional cisheteronormative ideas. There are many books you would rather your kids didn't read.

But she doesn't want to read romance books. Of any kind. I think if the op had phrased her op a bit differently she'd have got a very different thread. My understanding is she wants books that aren't about developing relationships or romantic feelings. I think she phrased it badly by saying she wants exclude LGBTQ but I know what she's getting it.

Mine is two years older and her favourite books are about bunches of cats ...OP it's called Warrior Cats if you're interested. There's dozens of them. By Erin Hunter. Quite complex stories about these clans. Lots about loyalty, betrayal, bravery, ambition, lots of them die fighting. Other than that, I really recommend the fantasy section...I mentioned Terry Pratchett earlier. Also try House with Chicken Legs, Castle of Tangled Magic and anything else by the same author. Beautifully written, based on Russian fables. It's someone Johnson I think but you'll find them on Amazon.

But the point I’m making is that she can choose whatever books she wants without her mother trying to have a say in what she reads. She says kids are ‘’impressionable’’ as if she thinks reading a book centred around gay characters will turn her daughter gay when we all know it won’t. All it will do is if she is gay is it will make her feel more at ease about it. I don’t even have a personal reason for saying this as I’m Heterosexual, but I commented because I think the OP is a closet homophobe and she’s very naive if she thinks her DD is too young to read anything about sexuality.

@FancyBiscuitsLevel oh I missed that she was 11. She could have 13 year old classmates though and if they're reading books from the YA section she might feel she should be too and doesn't want to look "babyish". It's an awkward age.

How do you know this about another person and was she would be doing.

I’m bi and I don’t care if my child reads fiction focused on straight-cis people. I’m sure they’ll pass through some Swiss family Robinson etc and all other more traditional literature

I’m a massive advocate of self guided reading - maybe with encouragement, eg taking the child to the library. The best thing my parents did for me as a pre-teen was introduce me to one of the librarians and after that the world was my oyster. Even though I’m queer I don’t see myself as pushing any type of books onto my daughter.

I also broadly agree with the kind of censorship we have in films - I’d err caution on extreme violence or horror etc.

in terms of whether being bi is an identity….. It’s certainly a description.

would you say to a vegetarian that they couldn’t say they were a vegetarian…, as you only eat one meal at a time (which could be veggie for many non-veggie folks)?

Lol I'm not sure the vegetarian analogy is the best illustration - more analogous would perhaps be a vegetarian that sometimes eats meals containing meat, they can eat whatever they want but it seems a bit odd to insist you're veggie then

OMG
people who are bisexual (including myself) are not this way because we want lots more choice! We just are.
I though your post was a bit offensive tbh.

Books my 11 turning 12 year old has read/is reading:
Some already mentioned- Alex Rider, Young Bond, Artemis Fowl, Going Solo, Percy Jackson, Swallows and Amazon series
Others:
The Stormkeeper’s Island trilogy
Sabriel- I read this in my late teens/early 20s when it came out I think but def suitable for his age. It is fantasy though. I think there are now 5 books in the series.
Wizards of Once series
Jules Verne stories
Escape Room

He has also read the Underdog series. The author is autistic (as is my DS) and the characters are all ND or have some form of disability. They are trying to save the world from apocalypse. There is some violence and bad language in it though (as discovered when ds referred to someone as an “old tw@t” because he thought it meant the same as twit!)

I think you understand the analogy. We all use descriptions which pertain to actions we aren’t currently carrying out.

Do you solely exist in the now without any descriptions at all beyond the present moment? (sister, mother, career woman, tennis-player, gardener… whatever it is that you are or do).

For those saying OP should let her choose her own books, she has said in a PP that:

'Yes, my daughter seems very similar to your boy. Also the YA section in our local library is non existent. The librarian said kids that age weren't using the books so they just donated all the stuff to secondary schools.'

So what's the issue with her asking for recommendations for books based on the sorts of books she knows her daughter has read and enjoyed before? Nowhere has the OP said she has banned her DD from reading LBGTQ+ literature or that it's something she refuses to buy if her daughter asks for it.

I've recently had to suggest some guidelines at work for the young teens as there are a couple who are very open about being LBGTQ+ which is awesome. However, they can be quite probing about asking their peers about their sexual preferences and telling them they must be asexual if they don't fancy anyone at 14 years old. I know there's no malice intended and it's just curiosity and teens trying to make sense of life. Last week one lad ran off in tears as he clearly doesn't want to discuss his own feelings towards sexuality and relationships, but kept being pressed by the same person. I've suggested talking about their own experiences is fine, but if someone doesn't want to join in with the conversation, that's equally valid and their silence on the subject should be respected.

I'm bisexual. I didn't find it offensive. I have no interest in claiming it as an "identity". It's part of me yes, but it doesn't make me part of an LGBTQ+ "community" and it doesn't dictate what culture I or my children absorb.

We all censor our children's consumption of entertainment.... And if you don't then social services should be having a word. We all know our own children best and what is age-appropriate for them. I'd be wary of censoring based on ideology though. Whether that be religion, racism, LGBT issues, sexism etc. I have friends who pull their children out of any and all religious experiences at school and I have friends who pull their kids out of any gender lessons at school. But censoring makes children more curious, gives them the idea that the topic is taboo or wrong (which can actually make it more attractive). Let them read whatever they are attracted to and spend some talking about it with them. If you disagree with a books premise or ideology it's ok to be open about that as long as you can listen to their opinion without shooting it down.

What on earth are you talking about? I let my children read whatever they please. I have a library and they've access to everything - all I do is give a glance and if I know if the book has sex scenes, I prohibit those ones. The rest? Fine by me. I don't steer them towards anything. My son picked out Northanger Abbey last week. He asks for help on words, but that's it. I was the same at his age.

Your son choosing the same books is just that...your son. I don't know other kids who do that often.

‘Most of this conversation seems to be based on the premise the OP is correct, the majority of books aimed at 11 year olds are relationship themed and LGBT+ themed. That’s just not true.’

Of course it’s not true! Just because there are now some books with gay characters doesn’t mean to say an ‘agenda’ is there.
In my experience, as an actual homosexual, anyone using the phrase ‘gay agenda’ is ALWAYS homophobic.