Books for young adults

[Dancergirl]

Dd1 is just 12, Year 7. She's always been a voracious and able reader but sometimes gets stuck for ideas of what to read next. She's quite innocent for her age so anything with a romantic or sexual theme is out, she finds it a bit icky. She can cope with mature issues though.

She's read recently:

Some Malorie Blackman
Sophie McKenzie
Charlotte Sometimes
Eva Ibbotsen's The Secret Countess (and others)
James Patterson
Morris Gleitzman - Now, Once etc
Some Michael Morpurgo (not keen)
Little Women plus sequels
Anne of Green Gables plus sequels
Rooftoppers
Diary of Anne Frank
Cathy Cassidy
Fault in our Stars
Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
To kill a Mockingbird

There are probably more but I can't remember now.

Any good recommendations for her? She likes historical fiction but also contemporary issues. I'm not too fussed as long as she enjoys what she's reading and they are well written.

How about Code Name Verity or Rose Under Fire, both by Elizabeth Wein.

Forgot about Code Name Verity - she's read that! Also My Sister lives on the Mantlepiece.

Has she read all the other John Green books? Also
A Dog Called Homeless + others by the same author
Looking at the Stars (Jo Cotterel - sp?)
The Misfits + sequels by James Howe
Michelle Paver Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series

Looking at dd's shelves, other ones she likes (yr older, but most of these she's had for ages:

Uglies series (YA dystopia, but less full on than Hunger Games / Divergent etc)
Frances Hardinge - Fly by Night, Twilight Robbery plus lots of others - these are fab & I think might just hit the spot if she hasn't read them
Beswitched by Kate Saunders, very light read but fun
Gallagher Girls series (spy school, again amusing light reads, some romance but less than TFIOS I'd say)
If she likes Anne, has she read Emily of New Moon?
Historical fiction - has she read Rosemary Sutcliff?
Ingo chronicles are good - fantasy but a little gentler in tone than some of the YA stuff
Assume she's read Philip Pullman?

At dd's school both the school librarian and her English teacher are a good source of recommendations, she's found quite a few series she likes that way, ditto checking out what fellow pupils are reading.

Has she read any Gerald Durrell?

About her age I enjoyed the following:
Cider with Rosie
Sherlock Holmes
The Little White Horse (and other Elizabeth Goudge)
Jean Plaidy historical fiction (very tame these days I'm sure)

Terry Pratchett??

Chinese Cinderella

A Gathering Light

anything by Suzanne La Fleur

Spy for the Queen of Scots - Theresa Breslin

She is not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick

Close your Pretty Eyes by Sally Nicholls

Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace

The Diaries of Bluebell Gadsby by Natasha Farrant

The Weight of Water by S Crossan

Historical:
All Fall Down by Sally Nicholls (the plague)

Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver (Bronze Age Greece)

The Disgrace of Kitty Grey by Kitty Hooper (Regency period)

If she likes historical fiction then head for

Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett

Also have a look at these recent releases ...

Scarlet Ibis
Counting by 7s
Cowgirl
Whale Boy

oh, and you must try The Secret Hen House Theatre, the next one in the series is coming out this summer.

Looking for JJ. DD20 has said suggested DD12 read it as it is apparently the best book she has ever read.

EMMAMBC The sequel is already out. It's called 'The Farm Beneath the Water'.

The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Prisoner of Zenda
Three Musketeers

If she doesn't mind a bit of a short one then I definitely recommend 'SCABS' ow.ly/3xwo5b Its got a bit of an educational theme but its totally engrossing. I know kids that loved this book but usually hate reading. Thats a definite win in my book (no pun intended)

P.s you can read the first 2 chapters for free as well bestchildrensebook.blogspot.co.uk/p/read-first-2-chapters-her.html

My DD is reading this Five Wounds by Katharine Edgar at the moment. Historical fiction, set in Yorkshire. It is very good, I stole it from her and read it first!

I've just read 'Wonder' and it was fab!!!

I would recommend Diana Wynne Jones. She's written a lot - they're sophisticated enough for a 12 year old with fascinating concepts, but none of the sex and romance stuff she finds icky!
Dogsbody, The Ogre Downstairs, A Tale Of Time City, The Power of Three.
The Chrestomanci series, set in an alternate world: Charmed Life, Witch Week, The Magicians of Caprona, The Lives of Christopher Chant, the Pinhoe Egg, Conrad's Fate.
Would agree in recommending Terry Pratchett, the Tiffany Aching series, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, Johnny And The Dead, Johnny And The Bomb.
Happy reading!