Summer reading recommendations for girl 13

[sillywoman]

Am trying to encourage reluctant 13yr old to read more. Have suggested to her that 4 books over the 6 week break should be do-able, though secretly I'm hoping for more. She can read perfectly well, she's just a lazy whatsit who's somehow lost the impetus. Would like recommendations for a mixture of fun trashy novels and some classics that wouldn't prove too arduous. I myself am feeling a bit brain dead on the subject, and having tried and failed to tempt her over the last year have lost confidence in what I think makes a good read. So I'm turning to my wider community for advice - any recommendations gratefully received.

[Polmoche]

What does she like in general (wider interests?)

[melbourne groover]

The Scarlet Pimpernel is a nice mix of classics (for parent pleasing kudos) and general easy reading (I think) or The Count of Monte Cristo - although that probably counts as more than one ....

The Phillip Pullman - His Dark Materials trilogy is v cool also. My nephew - who is super sporty and generally too busy for books really enjoyed these.

[Fuschia]

Jacqueline Wilson?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clean-Break-Jacqueline-Wilson/dp/0385608357/ref=cm_lmf_tit_3

THis:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-time/dp/0099450259/ref=cm_lmf_tit_6

Marjorie Blackman? http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Marjorie+Blackman&x=12&y=15

[sillywoman]

Polmoche Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What does she like in general (wider interests?)

Ummm, doesn't talk much to her 'old people' parents. Likes trampolining, plays the flute, likes acting I school plays (wants me to get her an 'agent' But that's a whole other thread!), main interest is her big group of friends - so other teenage girls really. Does that help?

Melbournegroover; Count of MC, hadn't thought of that, might have to dig it out of the attic . . .

[Jessie]

Have PMed you, but am currently publicising this title for Guardian writer Grace Dent:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diary-Snob-v-Grace-Dent/dp/0340989742/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248444298&sr=8-1

Not the height of intellectualism, but might be fun for the summer break

[nicolemodesti]

With regards to authors, Garth Nix, an Australian author is great especially his trilogy, starting with Sabriel. Similar to Phillip Pullman!!

Louis Sachar (author) is a light but good read for kids/teenagers.

How about some poetry by Edward Lear or Spike Milligan??

[buggie]

Might it be worth doing a trip to the library - esp if you're browsing and getting books out she might have a look round and find something she fancies/interests her.

I'd be wary of setting a number of books for her to read - know when I was that age (or even now) if told I should read 4 books it would really put me off - feels a bit more of an order and makes reading sound like a chore than fun.

Maybe even suggest she tries and researches something she likes - reading doesn't have to be from books to be informative - maybe if there are newspapers at home she'd read those (maybe I'm strange but I copied my parents in reading the paper from as soon as I could read!) or even surfing the web/reading blogs - my blog reading is skewed towards emergency services (www.neenaw.co.uk is a favourite) but these can be informative and start the fire of interest in a subject.

[dukesdenver]

How about books with a theatre theme if she likes acting? 'Cuckoo in the Nest' and 'A Spoonful of Jam' by Michelle Magorian spring to mind, also 'Theatre Shoes' by Noel Streatfeild.

[KateMontero]

philip pullman as above, although the first one takes a little while to get into so you have to encourage them to stick at it for a while.

[sillywoman]

Have tried with Philip Pullman, no joy. SHe does like the ubiquitous J Wilson, but I feel at 13 she should be moving on a little from her books. Might try the Noel Streatfield books actually, hadn't thought of those. Never heard of Michel Magorian - will investigate further.

Buggie: we will attempt a trip to the library, though we're really, really bad at getting books back & then I feel guilty & hassled for ages until I get around to getting them up there. I know what you mean about making it a chore by giving her a set amount, but she's the kind of kid who needs a bit of a deadline & some incentive (in the form of a dvd if she reads 4 by the end of the summer - I know, I know, Oh the irony!) to get stuff done.

Great sugestions guys, it's certainly got me thinking a bit more . . .

[Moos]

I'm freaked out that BookStart are giving away stickers to parents of (small) children who're prepared to read 6 books to them over the summer. Gee whizz - a whole 6 picture books? Is it horrifying that this might be an achievement?

[Moos]

..sillywoman, sorry for hi-jacking your thread which was not about toddlers at all.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

The Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer

Wizard of Earthsea Trilogy by Ursula Le Guin

Ubiquitous Harry Potter series

Young Bond series by Charlie Higson

Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz

Boy Soldier series by Andy McNab

(those last three particularly if she's a tomboyish sort of gel).

Anything by Darren Shand if she's not of a nervous disposition.

[buggie]

If she liked Jacqueline Wilson might be worth her hunting out Judy Blume - read her books back in the 80's before JW ruled!!

[sillywoman]

No probs Moos - highjack away . . .

[anapau]

My sister's 13, her favourites include:

Louis Sachar - Holes, There's a boy in the girls' bathroom

Darren Shan - The Saga of Darren Shan (If she's into gory things)

Stephenie Meyer - the Twilight series

The Boy in the striped pyjamas

Corilane

Any books by Malorie Blackman

Mark Haddon - The curious incident of the dog in the Night-time

David Almond - Skellig, Clay, the Fire eaters, Kit's Wilderness

Meg Rosoff - How I live Now, Just in Case

[Ko]

sillywoman Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> >

> Buggie: we will attempt a trip to the library,

> though we're really, really bad at getting books

> back & then I feel guilty & hassled for ages until

> I get around to getting them up there.

southwark libraries allow you to renew by phone and internet (internet is fab way to do it). can do renewals twice, each time for 3 more weeks.

can therefore keep books at home for 9 weeks before having to return them to the library (excpet if someone else requests the book but that rarely happens because they usually have lots of copies of the latest books out). so she can keep the books for the whole summer holidays without worrying about doing the return trip to the library.

[Jessie]

I love David Almond - I used to work with him. Lovely man, magical writer (and the builder in Skellig is based on my old neighbour and family friend in Newcastle - weird coincidence!)

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I'm sure Almond is lovely, but I'm sorry to say I thought Skellig was tripe. I couldn't believe it was in the secondary school curriculum.

[Jessie]

Ha ha i'm not sure i'd put it in the curriculim either, but it is a good fairy tale for older kids i think

[espelli]

All of the above are fantastic books, I especially like Louis Sachar and Malorie Blackman - Noughts and Crosses is amazing.

A couple of other ones to consider are The Bailey Game by Celia Rees, which is excellent and resonates for social early teenagers (it is also reassuringly lacking in pages if that would be intimidating) and Inkheart, Inkspell and Inkdeath which are a trilogy by Cornelia Funke and are also gripping. Inkheart was made into a film earlier this year which may or may not help her to get into the story.

Perhaps she might like biographies of some of her heroes in celebrity land, a break from novels might be what she is after?

[antijen]

One summer we were at camp and both adults and teens read Lovely Bones by Alice Hoffman, brilliant book.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I'd forgotten the Inkheart trilogy. They're brilliant.

[Ko]

oh yes judy blume! also paula danziger ('can you sue your parents for malpractice?' plus lots of other popular books by her).

not really that literary necessarily, but how about books that tie in with tv series she likes or books films are based on.

bookpeople has some ideas too...

http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&pageSize=10&beginIndex=0&searchScope=SimpleSearch&resultType=2&resultCatEntryType=1&catgrpSchemaType=2&vipStatus=&fromPage=basicSearch&layout=oneColumn&pageNumber=&pageSizeOption=10&format=&sortOption=DEFAULT&ageRange=&onlySets=&categoryName=Children%27s+Fiction&categoryPath=%2F48107%2F59615&categoryId=48107&luceneSearchType=CATEGORY&searchTerm=