Challenging reads for Year 7s

[Dancergirl]

Dd is a keen and competent reader and her school is trying to encourage reading more challenging books.

She thought she might try the book of Les Miserables, The Book Thief and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

She read To Kill a Mockingbird a while ago, she finished it but found it quite heavy going and not enjoyable.

Any ideas of books which will challenge her but still enjoy reading? She hates any sort of romance btw.

Gosh, I wouldn't try Les Miserables if she found To Kill a Mockingbird hard work. It's tough going for the most literary of adults! And not very much like the musical/film if that's what's got your DD interested.

Has she tried Celia Rees? She writes historical fiction for teens - the plots and characters are gripping (mostly adventure rather than romance though the occasional love interest does make an appearance), and your DD might find the historical details interesting.

Really morning oh dear maybe not then. I bought her a book recently, can't remember the title but it was Eponine's story. Dd really enjoyed it so thought she might like the actual book.

Diary of Anne Frank
Frost in May
I capture the castle
Roll of thunder hear my cry
The greengage summer
Jane Eyre

Forgot about another favourite
A long way from verona by jane gardam
I would tend to go for books about children/teens at this age but agree that To Kill a Mockingbird can be quite heavy going.

Two I read recently and loved by Elizabeth Wein - Code Name Verity and the sequel, Rose under Fire. About women pilots in WW2, very moving and although there is some romance the main relationships lie in the comradeship between the women pilots.

Great suggestions from beatricequimby - and I've just remembered that my DDs at that age or a little bit older (but not voracious readers so the age gap is probably about right) loved all of Cynthia Harnett's historical novels. Also:

Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry
Little Women (and sequels if she likes the first one)
The Box of Delights
The Silver Sword
Midnight is a Place
Journey to the River Sea

Lovely suggestions morning but she's read most of those! And the diary of Anne Frank plus the book about the continuation of Anne's father's life which she loved.

Some of the other suggestions look good, thanks.

I definatly wouldn't reccomend Kes Miserables & having recently read the Book Thief myself I wouldn't have been happy with dd reading it in Year 7

Has she read any of the following:

Wonder
Divergence
Terror Kid
Oksa Pollock
Oliver Twist
The Letter for the Kinge
Geek Girl
School for Good & Evil
Threads
The Castle
Head Over Heart

Has she read Sophie's World, if not that's a good one.

Non-fiction, but I think would meet the definition of more challenging as they definitely require thought:

A Little History of Science, A Little History of Philosophy (I also really liked both of these )
The Philosophy Files
A short history of Nearly Everything,
How to Cut a Cake (plus other books by the same author)

Cider with Rosie?

Trash by Andy mulligan

Anne Frank is a bit near the knuckle. I was reading this aloud to dd (10) and was having to do some speedy editing in the bits about what Anne would like to do with Peter. Dd kept suspiciously asking, "Why are you stopping?" The bits about periods etc were rather helpful, however.

Pigheart boy by Mallory Blackman?