Suggestions of books for a 13/14 year old girl

[vilamoura2003]

I am struggling to get my daughter to read more. She currently tends to stick with Jacqueline Wilson and that is about it. They seem to be lots of books about girl friends, diaries and all things girlie. I would really like to expand her mind somewhat.

She doesn't want to read Harry Potter and my friend gave me some Michael Morpurgo books which she doesn't seem keen on either. I am going to buy her the first Percy Jackson books to see if she likes those.

Any other suggestions? I find books seem to be either too young or too old

Tamora Pierce for feminist fantasy of the knights and magic sort.

Philip Pullman’s Sally Lockhart Quartet, Victorian mystery melodrama, now in a 30th anniversary edition - Christ, I feel old...

These are what got me moving on to more grown up books - but depending on her interests, Pamela Brown (Swish of the Curtain), Noel Streatfeild (Ballet Shoes) and Dodie Smith (I Capture The Castle) could be worth a shot, as could Malorie Blackman, Eva Ibbotson, Melvin Burgess et al.

Ruby redfort series, dd loves them

Popular girl's vlogger Zoella has a 'book club' in partnership with WHSmith. Lots of worthwhile teen books in a similar vein to Jaqueline Wilson. Just google it and show your daughter.
Here are links to some of her previous recommendations
www.lovereading.co.uk/genre/zoe/The-Zoella-Book-Club.html
www.whsmith.co.uk/dept/zoella-book-club-2016

The Crooked Sixpence by Jennifer Bell

Brilliant suggestions everyone - thank you

These were my favourite books at that age:

www.amazon.co.uk/Gathering-Light-Jennifer-Donnelly/dp/0747570639/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

www.amazon.co.uk/Feeling-Sorry-Jaclyn-Moriarty-2001-02-23/dp/B019TLFOAQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&keywords=feeling+sorry+for+celia&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1522259005&sr=1-2

www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Countess-Eva-Ibbotson/dp/0230014860/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&keywords=the+secret+countess&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1522259063&sr=1-2

www.amazon.co.uk/Homecoming-Tillerman-Cycle-Paperback-Cynthia/dp/1442428783/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&keywords=homecoming&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1522259113&sr=1-3

www.amazon.co.uk/Goodnight-Mister-Tom-Puffin-Book/dp/0141354801/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&keywords=goodnight+mister+tom&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1522259148&sr=1-1

www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Men-Boat-Say-Nothing/dp/1542752981/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&keywords=three+men+in+a+boat&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1522259347&sr=1-4

www.amazon.co.uk/Twelfth-Day-July-Kevin-Originals/dp/0141368926/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&keywords=the+twelth+day+of+july&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1522259379&sr=1-1

I was always very much into Jacqueline Wilson too! If she likes animals (but is fairly strong emotionally!) James Herriott is great, and if she's interested in child psychology titles like www.amazon.co.uk/Theres-Girls-Bathroom-Louis-Sachar/dp/0747589526/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&keywords=theres+a+boy+in+the+girls+bathroom&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1522260053&sr=1-1 and www.amazon.co.uk/Joey-Pigza-Swallowed-Jack-Gantos/dp/1250061687?tag=mumsnetforum-21 , while aimed at younger children, are very readable for teenagers and adults too.

I have just remembered “Floodland” by Marcus Sedgwick. It’s quite short, and written in a very plain but powerful style. If she’s struggling to move on from ‘younger’ books it might bridge the gap well.

Like @littlemisscomper I enjoyed Joan Lingard’s ‘Kevin & Sadie’ books when I was a teen - I wonder how well they’ve aged (I read them in the 90s, so they were 20-odd years old then) - has anyone’s teen enjoyed these recently?

What about the Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicolson series?

Ask in your local library and bookshop. There's likely to be someone there who knows teen preferences and is up to date with what's available. Some schools have reading lists compiled for each year.

OP When you say Jacqueline Wilson I wonder whether you're aware of her grittier books that are intended for older readers. I think the Hetty Feather series is brilliant but books like Midnight, The Diamond Girls and several others are definitely not for pre-teens.

My dd1 (12, nearly 13) got Clare mackontoshs let me lie out of the library. I wondered if anyone knows whether it is suitable for her? I haven’t read it.....

Has she read any of Sophia Bennett's books - they're all pretty good!

sophiabennett.com/

Don’t think so phoebe. Thanks for the recommendation!

Hi,

The Old Kingdom series are pretty good! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Kingdom_(book_series)

Also liked Northern Lights a lot (adapted to the Golden Compass as a movie, the book is much better and it's a part of a trilogy): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Lights_(novel)

DD (similar age) has recently enjoyed The Giver series (Louis Lowry) and A Wrinkle in Time series (Madeleine l'Engle).

Judy Blume?

no.2 son's friend really enjoyed the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter when she was that age. Set in a school for girls learning to be spies. they are great fun.

Thanks for these great suggestions!

I've seen Goodnight Mr Tom has been recommended but I would put mother by the same author in there.
Back home (Michelle Magorian). Tells the story of a 12 year old girl returning to England at the end of the Second World War after 5 years living as an evacuee in the states. I loved it at that age. Lots on friendship, fitting in, relationships with family....

Nothing like that one would be Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence.
Starts off almost as an Enid Blyton style story but quickly gets into a magical quest. Which makes it sound childish but it really isn't.
Finally, what about the Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children series? I'm reading this as an adult and thought it was brilliantly done but it might be a bit old for her. My kids are younger so can't judge a swell for older kids yet.
Oh, and the Trebizon series? Boarding school but the girls go to parties and have boyfriends etc.

I liked Rosamunde Pilcher at a similar age

Also liked the outsiders and the classics like Bronte and Austin.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Book Thief
Life of Pi

have you thought about the diary of anne frank. she starts it on her 13th birthday and ends when shes 15. she talks about very girlie things at the beginning and her dreams and school and boys but as you go through her thoughts expand onto deep things like when she states i dont think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains. she also talks about feminism, her relationships with those around her, how she wants to change and she has such courage under hardship that it would be very inspirational for a girl of the same age. she also feels as if she is young now and its all about her growing up and her opinions. its one of those books everyone should read but its especially pivotal to a girl of her age. Going from that two other first person books are the catcher in the rye and the perks of being a wallflower. the latter chronicles a teenagers first year at high school. other favourites would be little women and good wives, the book thief, Harry potter is great if she could get into it, the fault in our stars, before i fall and all the light we cannot see.

Even more great ideas. Thank you. Some she has already read. But others she hasn’t. I have already got a lot from here from the library. Lots more to consider ordering! Thank you

No suggestions because mine are much younger still but when I was in Waterstones yesterday they had a huge teen fiction section, and it was separated from the children's books section next to the adults. Might be worth a look for some ideas.