What do you recommend for an advanced 12 year old reader?

[Coaster1]

But avoiding mature themes
She’s a voracious reader. Likes crime mystery type books , but I want to make sure that advanced books don’t mean older teenager themes
Am I asking for the impossible?
thank you!

Would you consider some of the older mystery writers like Agatha Christie? They're decent mysteries and because of the time they were published and because there isn't huge character development especially in earlier ones like mysterious affair at styles there aren't really any particularly unsuitable themes but the plots are great

That’s a good shout - thanks. I remember devouring a few one summer holiday.

The His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman is brilliant. As is Little Women if youre looking for something more classic.

I do not recommend Flowers In The Attic. My grandmother gave it to me when I was 12/13. It was a riveting, eye opening read but a bit inappropriate.🙈

Murder Most Unladylike series maybe? There's quite a lot of books in that one.

My daughters loved the Scarlet and Ivy series in Year 6 as well which is mystery themed I think. They honestly might have just loved that because they are twins as well tbh!

lol at Flowers in the Attic. I remember it well - we all read it! But maybe not in Y7 😂

Maybe Dick Francis? Bill Bryson? I remember really enjoying Gerald Durrell as well.

She might be at the right stage for 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

My 12 year old has discovered the 'A Murder Most Unladylike' series and loved them. She is also a voracious reader but trying to find challenging books without Adu themes is proving tricky! Having said that I was reading Stephen King at her age and I turned out ok (I think 🤣)

George Orwell - Animal Farm, Down and out in Paris and London. How about Thomas Hardy books?

My DD recently enjoyed the School For Good and Evil series of books.

Animal farm? My son enjoyed this recently although I've said no to him trying 1984 until he's older

Clan of the Cave Bear?

Have you looked at Holly Jackson and Sophie McKenzie books? A Good Girl's Guide To Murder/Girl Missing etc?

The classic crime series from The British Library would probably be fine, there's loads of them, they are republished mostly from between 1920 and 1960. Rarely grim but good stories. Often find free on Kindle Unlimited.

I find Orwell, along with Oscar Wilde a bit depressing.

I loved this mystery story: There's a bit of romance, but nothing inappropriate for a 12yo.

The Finding Machine: Her Late Father's Invention...A 1920s Cold Case...Can Alex Follow the Dots to Solve it?: A 1990s British Cozy Mystery with a Sci-Fi Twist (An Alex Martin Cozy Mystery): Amazon.co.uk: Lyons, Lucy: 9781739307905: Books

There's a sequel too which is just as good.

I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith
I used to love Monica Dickens at that age.

Similar to Agatha Christie, but not in her class, Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver books.

if she likes a bit of romance, Georgette Heyer is quite ok for a 12yo. Not soppy and slushy, but witty and well written. Some of her romances also have a mystery element. Try her with The Talisman Ring.

Sherlock Holmes

At about that age i started on “grown up” books as well as young adult, which for me meant Agatha Christie, James Herriot and Terry Pratchett. Honestly still my favourites today, and i read a LOT.

What about the Taylor and Rose series by Kathrine Woodfine? I think it’s 6 or 7 books in total and nothing too grown up in it apart from the occasional murder. But they’re not gory. Or maybe Sherlock Holmes?

Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry

I was going to say James Herriot, and little Women/Men. And His dark materials. Michelle Paver?

I think I was that age when I started on the Miss Read books. But then I wasn’t a typical teenager. Would still read them in my 60’s

I second the Agatha Christie recommendation. Has she tried any classics? I'm pretty sure I first read Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice at that age. (I also adored Gone With the Wind but suspect that wouldn't go down well these days!).