What Deutsch or English books for dd aged 12? She is not yet ready for romance, and doesn't like fantasies.

[Nighbynight]

dd is representing our town in a reading competition, in German.

She has to choose a book, ideally by a German author, and as mentioned above, she thinks kissy books are Beaughh, and fantasies are stupid. She likes real books about real people. She has had enough difficulties in her life not to like books with sad endings.

She recently enjoyed Bruder zu Verschenken ("Brothers to Give Away Free"), by Sandra Saborowski, in fact she read it in the first round of the competition.
We are now looking for something similar - it's got to be suitable from 12 years old (we suggested The Railway Children, but apparently that was too young).

any ideas??

Congrats. Bumping for you.

Something by Cornelia Funke? DD1 (11) loves Inkheart but that is likely to be a v popular choice I suppose. What about Thief Lord or Igraine the Brave?
I don't know what English authors might be translated into English, but I imagine Tolkein is if LOTR or The Hobbit would be up her street?

The little white Horse might be too romantic?
Anne of Green Gables?
Heidi?
Something from the Chalet School?
Pollyanna?
One of the Narnia books?

Congratulations to your dd! Might be worth also posting this in the bilingual/language topic.

Surely she doesn't have to read an entire book, does she?

Congrats on her winning the accolade! Sorry, I don't know many Germany authors. Are you looking for something contemporary or something classic?

How about Heidi?

Or how about a little bit of Sherlock Holmes?

Charlotte's Web?
Black Beauty?
Five Chidren & It or another EE Nesbit?

Dustbin Baby by Jacqueline Wilson? There is a German translation. Not sure if it may still be classed as too young, but the main protagonist is 14. Good girl's book, according to my dd.

Into German, I meant!
But they might all be too fantastical for her! Aagh! What about Anne of Green Gables? Is Eva Ibbotson translated into German? A Company of Swans is lovely, or Journey to the River Sea.
Or if funny stuff is what she is after, there are Louise Nicholson's Georgia Groome books - Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging et al.
Ballet Shoes?

The Story of Mr Sommer?

That's a German book.

Krabat is a great book

Does she like historical books?

I loved Desiree at that age, by Annemarie Selinko

Does she know the Lola books?

no german link but has she tried any of the COrnwell Richard Sharoe books. I would think they would suit a non-girly 12 yearold quite well.

thank you all for suggestions, lots to consider...

emkana - I thought yours were brilliant, but dd says

Krabat - Vanessa did that
Desiree - Veronika did that
Lola - Larissa did that one, and somebody else did another Lola

Jessica did Die Wilden Huhne, apparently.

I hate Süsskind (tho he is bavarian). Sherlock Holmes too english. I think J Wilson would be good but dd is adamant that she should choose a German author (she is pulling out all the stops to try and win the Landkreis round lol)

Argghhhhhhhh...................

we will try the Flohmarkts on Sunday, and the bookshops in mch.

Kirsten Boie - Mit Jakob wurde alles anders

Peter Haertling - Das war der Hirbel

Willi Faehrmann - Der lange Weg des Lukas B.

Mirjam Pressler - Wenn das Glueck kommt, muss man ihm einen Stuhl hinstellen

Uwe Timm - Rennschwein Rudi Ruessel

Hans Peter Richter - Damals war es Friedrich (this is about the friendship between a Jewish boy and a non-Jewish boy during the 3rd Reich. It said recommended from age 14 but I'm sure I read it when I was younger than that)

Some of these books are more of a light nature (Rudi Ruessel), some are a bit more heavy. You know your daughter, you know what she can "digest"

max von der gruen - vorstadtkrokodile

Kurt Held von Sauerlaender - Die Rote Zora und ihre Bande

Judith Kerr - Als Hitler das Rosa Kaninchen Stahl

Emmy von Rhoden - Der Trotzkopf

Erich Kaestner - Das Doppelte Lottchen

I'll stop now, promise

oooh thank you v much Em! Lots of books that are new to me there.

I will see how quickly she can reject all of those tomorrow.

Hope it goes really well for nn. Can you just go to a biggish Jugendbibliothek and rifle through the shelves looking for something together?

The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig.

Congratulations to your DD (and to you, for being her Mummy).

don't know that book Anna