1984 but for teens

[Singleandproud]

13 year old DD is keen to read 1984 but I don't think it's appropriate largely because of the sexual content.

She has ASD and will only read books that make her think, she enjoys satire and likes to read Private Eye and watch Mock the week and Have I got News for You etc. She really enjoyed Animal Farm and didn't mind Lord of the Flies but found it male centric which ofcourse it is but didn't like Hunger Games and the Divergent series because they focused on the romantic relationships of the characters.

Does anyone know of any books that are like 1984 but are appropriate for younger teens? Or any other recommendations for books she might like.

There’s only one sex scene I think ? You could marker over it/ rip that page out. I think the torture scene is worse

I wouldn’t censor books if she is interested. its not graphic!

Has she read Lois Lowry's The Giver? My DS (and I) enjoyed it - though in a disturbing way at points as it's a dystopian novel

Farenheit 451, maybe.
Brave New world.
I read those in my teens.

I had read it by her age and certainly wasn't traumatised - or titillated. I daresay there is an illustrated kids' version somewhere but I think she is old enough to read it.

I read it around that age. I devoured it and it and Gulliver's Travels are still very much my favourite books.

The focus is very much not so much on the actual relationship but politics so she will be fine. They read animal farm in school in year 8 now, so another book recommendation for her.

Brave New World, Gulliver's Travels, Animal Farm, Fahrenheit 451 are all books which will be though provoking for her.

Leila -by Prayaag Akbar

The sex isn't extensive or explicit - I would let her read 1984. I was about that age when I first read it. She might also like Keep the Aspidistra Flying and Coming Up For Air - both about the same degree of sex/sexual references as 1984.

Make Room! Make Room! (Penguin Modern Classics) amzn.eu/d/hWOrAIn

1984 is fine for a 13 year old.

Agreed

I read 1984 at her age - can’t see why it would not be appropriate?

Otherwise, how about something like Children of the Dust?

It's on the high school curriculum so probably an appropriate time to read it.
I never censored books. Especially once a teenager. If you do have any concerns then that's a good opportunity to discuss difficult topics with them.

Jane Austin was allowed to read ANY book in the library, including ones with erotical scenes. 1984 isn't so graphic - I'd let her read it - I think you're being too over protective TBH

I’m pretty sure we read 1984 at school when I was 13!

The sex scene is really not an issue, it is not very explicit, and I would be more worried about the torture having an effect on her - although many young people her age would be fine with it. You know her best, of course.

We did 1984 and Brave New World in the first year of O-levels when 1984 was a distant future and we were 14.

We read 1984 in 1984 at school when we were 13. Can’t even remember the sex scene. It was a standard text for S2 in Scotland at that time, so presumably suitable.

Foundation series by Asimov
Farenheit 451
The Call of Cthulhu
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series
Earthsea series
Dune series
anything by H G Wells

my 12 year old has read 1984 and keeps telling me it has a lot of sex in it, I don't remember any?!

She wants to read the stand (dystopia fan) and I'm thinking "if you can acquire it yourself ok but I'm not getting it for you"

@LorraineInSpain have you read children in the dust recently? I just acquired a copy as I remembered it fondly from my teen years and it's really not very good imo!

She also likes a series called scythe which is dystopia - it's not like 1984 though.

I agree the giver is good suitable young teen dystopian fiction.

Why wouldn't I censor books when we censor TV shows and films? I did look at commonsense media but the posts were very varied but I appreciate the feedback here and will reread it, its been a decade or so. I thought it was more explicit than perhaps it is.

I appreciate the other recommendations too.

She wants to read the stand

That's a bit more raw I think. Some nasty abuse against women scenes.

I read jilly coopers riders before I was 13 😂

my son is 13 and autistic and read 1984
last year, reading animal farm in school made him keen to read it and he loved it.

i think books are very different for visual media when it comes to need to censor

I personally think that 13 is too old to be censoring books unless it's literally ridiculously explicit

The Giver by Lois Lowry is good and there are 3 other connected novels (not sequels as such but they all connect together in the end).
It’s
The Giver
Gathering Blue
Messenger
Son
Also recommend The Plague trilogy by Jean Ure.
The Plague
After the Plague (also published as Come Luck April)
Watchers at the Shrine