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Children's books

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HELP ! 13 yr old girl just getting going with reading

19 replies

RufflingFeathers · 25/07/2017 11:15

DD1 is 13 and has always struggled with reading - just didn't have the 'bank' of vocab in the early years and so had to laboriously work every word out - tiring.

She tends to start books (in paper or on her kindle) but quite easily get tired if there are too many words.

Recently however, she's enjoyed two books 'One' by Sarah Crossan and 'Everything Everything' by Nicola Yoon. She's enjoyed the stories but also enjoyed the way the chapters are either really short, or have different things in them eg shopping list or a letter.

We're about to go on holiday and I'd love her to have a book to enjoy while she's up there. Anyone got any recommendations for books that would be interesting to a 13-yr old girl and set out in that short chapter way ????

Many thanks ! am so chuffed (and she is) that she's managed to get through these two, so would quite like the momentum not to fizzle out...

OP posts:
MumBod · 25/07/2017 11:22

Sarah Crossan's The Weight of Water is also set out in blank verse, like One.

MusicToMyEars800 · 25/07/2017 11:27

Have you tried any of the Jaqueline Wilson books, I loved them as a young teen, they are well illustrated too which makes them more fun to read.

PrincessOnTheInternet · 25/07/2017 11:47

Everything Everything was one of the books picked out by Zoella as part of her 'book club' deal with WH Smith's, could be worth looking at some of the other books she recommended in case there's anything she fancies/gets on well with? I think WHSmith offers free sneak peeks on their website!

If your DD struggles with a wordy novel do you think she'd prefer books that are written as a journal or diary? Books that I've read and loved, written in a journal/diary format are:

  • The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
  • the Do Not Read This Book series (LOVE this series and can re read over and over!)
  • the Totally Lucy series (also loved this series!! There's loads of doodles to break up the writing. If you look on the Totally Lucy webpage you can look for snippets of the books as well!)

Sorry for this message - it's so long it could be a novel in itself! Blush

Polly99 · 25/07/2017 11:54

Maybe not what you are looking for, but Barrington Stoke do age-appropriate books for dyslexic and reluctant readers.

They might be helpful in keeping things going.

Sadik · 25/07/2017 17:25

Addie On The Inside (and in the same series Totally Joe) by James Howe might appeal - again they're a series of short pieces and all the characters are around 13.

Crumbs1 · 25/07/2017 17:28

I was going to suggest Jacqueline Wilson too.

mischam · 25/07/2017 19:28

Only a very 'out of the box' suggestion but if your daughter likes cats there is a book called:
'Cats behaving badly- Mowgli and Mischa stories' as a one off short read but with simple vocab in chapters. It is fun and will make her laugh.
Funny cat videos but written down and well illustrated. You can buy on Amazon.

hookiewookie29 · 25/07/2017 20:50

Ruffling following with interest as my 14 year old daughter is exactly the same! She's actually been told at school that, although her english is ok, she needs to read more to broaden her vocabulary.
We've tried them all.......from Enid Blyton to Judy Blume. I have struggled to get her interested in anything! She has read a few diary type books but has recently discovered graphic novels which are set out like comics. She seems to get on ok with them. Finding one's suitable for girl's is a bit tricky but she's read Noughts and crosses by Malorie Blackman which is part of a series although,annoyingly,the only one done as a graphic novel. Have just discovered The Minx Girls series on Amazon so have ordered one of those.
I read a lot-always got a book and plenty of magazines on the go-so it frustrates me that she isn't bothered!

Sadik · 25/07/2017 21:29

hookiewookie if your dd likes graphic novels, Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate books are available in manga versions.

There's also graphic novel editions of Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices books.

hookiewookie29 · 25/07/2017 21:36

Sadik thank you!! Will have a look! Always good to get a recommendation!!

RufflingFeathers · 25/07/2017 23:23

Oh thanks all for all these suggestions ! a few ideas that I'd not heard of.

OP posts:
MusicToMyEars800 · 28/07/2017 18:05

If she likes animals or animal stories, the Animal Ark series Written by Lucy Daniels are very good.

LinJ56 · 06/08/2017 20:11

The Mixed Up Summer of Lily McLean and the sequel, The Awkward Autumn of Lily McLean. Books from Ireland described The Mixed Up Summer as 'ideal for fans of Jacqueline Wilson and Sarah Webb' and it is on Hampshire school libraries recommended reads list.

ProfAnnieT · 06/08/2017 20:16

DD loves the Warrior Cats books.

AngryPrincess · 06/08/2017 20:30

Audio books might ne a good way to expand her vocabulary without putting her off. Can get them from the library.

Chronicilly · 07/08/2017 01:40

Nicole Yoon has another book out called The Sun Is Also A Star which has very short chapters, so she may enjoy that.

One of the new Zoella book club books is called 'Moxie' about a girl who starts an anonymous feminist zine in her school in response to school's sexist behaviour. It's a quickish read (one evening for me) and is super empowering and inspiring for girls. Does have a bit of bad language so it depends how much that bothers you.

She may also like the Murder Most Unladylike books by Robin Stevens which are 1930s girl boarding school murder mysteries. They're super nostalgic but also have lots of fun and intrigue for young readers.

As a graphic novel she might like Nimona by Noelle Stevenson or maybe the Ms Marvel series?

Ally Carter's books are great for younger teens, very 'clean' and girl-centric; her Gallagher Girls series is about a school for female spies and is a lot of fun.

Broken11Girl · 07/08/2017 04:27

Hello, that's great she's getting into reading, you must be so proud! Some great suggestions already. My thoughts - I will say, they span a lot of styles, topics and levels of difficulty, but so they should, any learner needs variety. She mustn't pigeonhole herself as a lower ability reader. If something is challenging, great! The sky doesn't fall in if she doesn't know a word, it's a learning opportunity. Equally, there's nothing wrong with reading something she finds easy, ie can read fluently right away, but enjoys.
Firstly, does she / would she read comics or magazines? If your goal is to get her reading regularly, I would really recommend this. There are also online magazines and blogs of course, but there's something about physically holding a paper magazine.
From there, might non-fiction books work? This might get her to realise that reading is useful and interesting in the real world. Also, many are so well-structured with short sections within sections, text boxes, photos and diagrams - it's a great way to get reading. I don't know what her interests are but there will pretty much a 'For Dummies' book for her, whether it's fashion and beauty, health, cookbooks, how to care for your gerbil or play the ukulele, history, travel guides, travel memoirs of reporting from war zones or sailing around the world. Even celeb 'biographies' would work if she's interested. Then there are always teenage life guides, I loved this, and suspect that despite the Internet etc, the themes of teenage life haven't changed all that much: www.amazon.co.uk/Thirteensomething-Jane-Goldman/dp/185340246X?tag=mumsnetforum-21

Teen fiction is always a winner. Judy Blume's 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret' is perfect, aimed at girls her age - (almost) anything else by her is good, too. Lois Lowry and Paula Danziger are also good. Then continuing the nostalgia trip of what I read at that age there are the Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley Twins series. Short, easy to read, lots of them. For something more modern along these lines, the Pretty Little Liars series (the TV series is based on these).

The original Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 3/4 might work, more accessible than it may sound, very funny, and again, the themes of teenage life haven't really changed all that much.

If she's seen and liked a film that might be motivating - The Fault in Our Stars, My Sister's Keeper ('adult' book but in short chapters written from the point of view of each of the main characters in their own style, so quite engaging), The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Girl With all The Gifts, The Hunger Games, and of course Harry Potter (obviously earlier books for now).

Philip Pullman's Sally Lockhart series, if she's into history/ crime, grabbed me at a little younger than her.

A Series of Unfortunate Events series, I love it, quirky, short, hilarious. Or how about anything by Terry Pratchett, for fantasy/ supernatural, or Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak series www.darrenshan.com/books/listing/the-saga-of-darren-shan

Some good ideas here: www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/jan/22/top-10-books-for-reluctant-and-dyslexic-readers

www.understood.org/en/school-learning/learning-at-home/encouraging-reading-writing/ and here, although more aimed at older teens.

Finally, I recently enjoyed this www.goodreads.com/book/show/34382011-see-how-they-lie as an educated adult, it kept me turning the pages, but is also aimed at teens and very accessible, fast paced, with simple language. Really recommend. If this appeals, she's written other books.

Wishing you and your DD much enjoyment.

chaplin1409 · 07/08/2017 05:25

I think it's very hard to find the right book especially when they are a bit older. Do you have a library or bookshop near by that you and your daughter could go to and have a look at the books available.?

Catinthecorner · 07/08/2017 05:31

If she likes graphic novels v for vendetta is a classic

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