Best Dickens for almost 13 year old

[Onemorefortheroad]

My daughter is almost 13 and has to pick a Charles Dickens book to read in her own time as part of English. Not an author I've read - any recommendations for Dickens that isn't too long or complicated?

Christmas Carol is good, especially for this time of year, and as others say she can then watch the Muppets version.

I found Nicholas Nickleby less depressing than some of the others, with some of the more comical characters

My DD loved the Sally Lockhart books at that age. But also His Dark Materials Trilogy.
She read non-stop at that age, but wouldn't have taken to Dickens. She had to do Hard Times for GCSE - definitely not recommending that! Not only is it Victorian Dickensian English, but Victorian Dickensian Yorkshire dialogue written (sort of) phonetically! That was a real struggle.

I have failed to finish most Dickens novels I have to confess. I've tried repeatedly as I feel I ought to appreciate them but I dislike his writing style immensely. I even prefer Walter Scott and I find him hard going! I think Dickens is one of the few authors whose work I prefer to watch than to read - they're good stories, awfully written as far as I'm concerned. I think the school are barking mad in setting a challenge like this as it sounds like a sure fire way to turn kids off reading.
But given that you have to pick one, I'd opt for A Christmas Carol or, at a push, Oliver Twist as they're both well known stories with young person friendly film adaptations that you could watch alongside to make it a bit less of a chore.

I read a lot of Dickens as a teenager. Oliver Twist is great for that age, but please have a discussion about the antisemitism in it. It really hits you in the face. (Or maybe only because I am Jewish I noticed it - not a single other person on this thread has mentioned it)