Great Reads for a 12 year old girl?

[Chicky2]

Looking for Christmas ideas for my dd.
X-posted in Learning at Home and Beyond....

I am getting her the new books in the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. She LOVES those. Any other good recommendations? She's also almost done w/these wonderful books that came w/her American Girl collectors dolls.

[Ann-Marita]

If she liked the American Girl books, she will probably really like the "Dear America" series. They are presented as diaries of girls and young women. They are more realistic and less formulaic than the American Girl books. More grit, less fluff. Caution, sometimes family members or friends die. They are a real step up from the American Girl books, in dd's opinion (and I agree).

There's always Island of the Blue Dolphins, a classic. Brings tears to my eyes every time I read it.

E. L. Konigsberg wrote a number of excellent books, including From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Silent to the Bone (for older readers, somewhat mature themes), and The View from Saturday.

[Chicky2]

Thanks for the recommendations! I'll definitely check all of the out, and esp. the "Dear America" series. That sounds like something I'd like to read, too!

[karne]

The Beacon Street girls series is one that my dd is enjoying right now. T.hey are prob. written around a 5-6th gr. reading level, if that matters, but he content is aimed at middle school girls.

[Chicky2]

I'll check that out, thanks!

I am currently fascinated by the Dear America series reviews and can't stop reading them. I want all the books, lol!

[philomom]

The Alanna series by Tamora Pierce

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alanna%...irst_Adventure

[TiredX2]

DD is in 7th grade and she *loved* this book:

When You Reach Me
http://www.amazon.com/When-You-Reach...8899761&sr=8-1

Has she already read the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series? Rick Riordan also started an Egyptian series and the 1st book of his Heroes of Olympus just came out.

How about Series of Unfortunate Events (or is that too young?--- DD read it a long time ago---- wow, I looked, 4 years ago)?

How about the Uglies/Pretties/Specials/ series?

Hunger Games series?

If she liked the American Girl books, she might enjoy some classics--- Louisa May Alcott (Little Women...) or Anne of Green Gables Series.

[neptunemama]

Sisters of the Sword series by Maya Snow

The Midnighters series by Scott Westerfeld (also wrote Uglies etc... mentioned by pp)

The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott. This is the first one in the series

Al Capone Does My Shirts, and Al Capone Shines my Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko

Anything by Wendy Mass. She is a wonderful writer.

The Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz (Stormbreaker is the first book). This series is violent at times, it's about a boy spy who works for the British Govt.

[ollyoxenfree]

If she likes Warriors, she may like the Redwall books by Brian Jacques. I think Redwall is less appealing to girls though.

DD liked the Skulduggery Pleasant series.

If she tries and likes the Dear America series, there are several similar series set in different countries. She may like reading about someplace else for a change.

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by TiredX2

DD is in 7th grade and she *loved* this book:

When You Reach Me
http://www.amazon.com/When-You-Reach...8899761&sr=8-1

Oh, good suggestion. It won the Newbery. Reminds me to suggest The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, which is also excellent and was a Newbery Honor book last year.

Originally Posted by TiredX2

If she liked the American Girl books, she might enjoy some classics--- Louisa May Alcott (Little Women...) or Anne of Green Gables Series.

Adding L.M. Montgomery's Emily books too.

[Okapi]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree

If she likes Warriors, she may like the Redwall books by Brian Jacques. I think Redwall is less appealing to girls though.

Wow, I would never have guessed that. I LOVED the Redwall books as a kid, and still read them today. I would think that the whole animal thing would make them *more* appealing to girls. Now you have me all discombobulated.

Anyway, I would say Redwall is an excellent suggestion for anyone. TBH, I have no idea what the Warriors books are, but if it's adventure type stuff, I also recommend the Susan Cooper series The Dark is Rising - another series I will still read today.

There are a couple of books by Robin McKinley, The Hero & the Crown and The Blue Sword that I really liked.

And I also really liked Anne of Green Gables and others by LM Montgomery as a PP mentioned, as well as Little Women, Eight Cousins, and other LM Alcott books.

[Chicky2]

All wonderful suggestions!

We have Island of the Blue Dolphins, but I'm not sure she's read it yet.

I bought the first Redwall book for one of my neighbor's dds last year. I'll see if my dd can borrow it and then we'll go from there.

She's currently reading Anne of Green Gables.

So many great books out there it is sometimes daunting! I want ALL of them, but I have a major book problem too! I just got 3 new sets of bookshelves and have almost 2 whole empty shelves, lol. It makes me antsy for more books.

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by Okapi

Wow, I would never have guessed that. I LOVED the Redwall books as a kid, and still read them today. I would think that the whole animal thing would make them *more* appealing to girls. Now you have me all discombobulated.

Anyway, I would say Redwall is an excellent suggestion for anyone. TBH, I have no idea what the Warriors books are, but if it's adventure type stuff, I also recommend the Susan Cooper series The Dark is Rising - another series I will still read today.

There are a couple of books by Robin McKinley, The Hero & the Crown and The Blue Sword that I really liked.

And I also really liked Anne of Green Gables and others by LM Montgomery as a PP mentioned, as well as Little Women, Eight Cousins, and other LM Alcott books.

LOL, I didn't mean to disparage Redwall. My DS loved the series and I agree that they are a fun read. I confess I've only read a couple of them and it was quite a few years ago. My recollection is that the gender roles were pretty specific - the male animals had all the wonderful, exciting daring adventures and the females - well, they didn't. So a 12 y.o. girl may not find them as appealing. I know DD hasn't. She is 14 and reads a lot of the same books as her brother. I may be very wrong about female roles and if I am, I'm glad to hear it.

ETA - Redwall books always made me hungry because of the feasting.

Robin McKinley is a wonderful author - great suggestion. I also recommend her husband, Peter Dickinson, who has written some fantastic books with strong female characters (Eva and A Bone From a Dry Sea, among others).

[mom2ponygirl]

My daughter loved His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman (starts with The Golden Compass)

She's enjoyed the Maximum Ride series by Patterson and The Hunger Games trilogy by Collins.  

She's also enjoyed some classics like Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Prince and the Pauper, Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island, etc.  

[joensally]

A head's up that the third Hunger Games is a departure from the first two, and DD who has happily read almost every book mentioned in this thread stopped, cried and carried on with Mocking Jay. 

Patterson's got a new series on the go as well.

OP, the Ally Carter books seem fun - she's a teen spy.

DD also likes Scott Westerfield.

Apparently some of the Robin McKinleys are more adult in content, while some are YA.

There's a real move afoot in YA toward dystopian themes, which aren't everyone's cup of tea.  But I guess you have to go somewhere after monsters. 

Originally Posted by mom2ponygirl 

My daughter loved His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman (starts with The Golden Compass)

She's enjoyed the Maximum Ride series by Patterson and The Hunger Games trilogy by Collins.  

She's also enjoyed some classics like Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Prince and the Pauper, Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island, etc.  

[Chamomile Girl]

I first read the Lord of the Rings when I was twelve.  Started me down a lifetime path towards geekdom so move with caution .

I also recommend the Artemis Fowl series.  Awesomely awesome.

[katybear mama]

• The Search for WondLa  by Tony DiTerlizzi:  This is a combination of a juvenile fiction book and a graphic novel and also has an interactive website - http://wondla.com/  http://wondla.com/ 

• I'll put in another vote for His Dark Materials, that was a great series. 

[mamabeca]

My dd liked the Silver sequence, by Cliff McNish  http://www.cliffmcnish.com/silverchild.html  She actually wrote to his email address and he answered (several times!). 

She also liked the 11-12-13-13+1 series.

I love Terry Brooks' Shanara series, and the Begariad (which also has a prequel from the female perspective, Polgara) by David and Leah Eddings.  Excellent stories!