A short but engrossing novel for a 14yr old girl who HATES reading?

[FormerXibishonist]

She's bright and wants to do well at school, but she hates reading anything at all. She is an amazing swimmer, however, and spends 15 hours a week at the pool.

Does anyone know of any unputdownable books for her? They must be short! Perhaps something to do with swimming?

Help please.

The Fortunate Few by Tim Kennemore. It's quite sardonic, and it's about gymnastics not swimming. But very memorable.

Or try Dick Francis? Start her off on Dead Cert.

The Book Thief, Twilight series, Darren Shan.

Lots of great suggestions here. I'd also recommend graphic novels - there are great retellings of classic novels as well as sci-fi types.

Oh and To Kill A Mockingbird is marvellous and brilliant, but short, it ain't. About 33 chapters of quite complex writing. Wonder if the poster means Of Mice and Men? That is short, but if you are thinking Steinbeck, I'd recommend The Red Pony or The Pearl as OMAM is on the gcse syllabus.

Persepolis is really thought-provoking and interesting - and is told from the perspective of a young girl growing up so is a narrator she can identify with.

Jenny Downham's Before I Die is sad but engrossing.

Some of my Year 11s (so slightly older) have read and really enjoyed Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper.

I too didn't like to read. I could read well so didn't see the point of reading when i disliked doing so, so I started reading graphic novels instead.

Room by Emma Donaughue
One Day by David Nicholls.
The Hanged Man by Francesca Lia Block.
A catcher in the rye by JD Salinger.

I guess they're not too short (well, Block's books are) but not daunting either. I used to love the Megan series about a young mum and those were short.

The chrysalids by john wyndom is not too long.

My DD loves the Angus, Thongs..... series of books.

Hunger Games, Time Riders and Percy Jackson are also faves.

The Woman in Black is fairly short, well I'm not a quick reader and managed it in a couple of days.

No 1 Ladies Detective Agency is a good, easy read too.

Does she like Twilight?

Yes to the Hunger Games - the first one especially is brilliant.

I recommend any teenager 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' - Stephen Chbosky - but you may want to have a look yourself as there are themes of drugs and sex.

There are teen recommends here too: thepraminthehall.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/childrens-books.html

Sorry, rubbish at links thepraminthehall.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/childrens-books.html

This might be of interest, graphic novel set in a swimming pool.

I was going to suggest The Woman in Black too.

At her age I loved The Slambash Wangs of a Compo Gormer (translation: The Fighting Fantasies of a Teenage Hero) - cos it was about adventure and great for a not keen reader as it creates its own language as it goes along so uses loads of words which aren't real or official!