good books for middle school girls?

[doublesnap]

So I have my cousin's birthday coming up in a few weeks and I love giving books as presents (I was in English major in school).

She's at that age though, turning 13, where she rejects anything "kid" oriented but I dread giving her anything too adult. I remember when I was her age I was still happy reading children's/young adult books.

Any tips? I found a series through Amazon called the Alice books, any feedback?

I don't want to baby her, she's made it clear to me that unfortunately she knows a lot more than a girl her age should however I don't think she's ready for my kind of books.

[Thalia the Muse]

Hmmm ... there are plenty of "grown-up" books that are totally appropriate for that age. But depending on her interests, they might bore her. How about James Herriott? Others -- Watership Down, Jane Eyre, Girl of the Limberlost, the Wodehouse Jeeves books, I Capture the Castle, Eudora Welty's short stories or her novel Delta Wedding, A Town Called Alice. East of Eden? There's a great Australian novel called Eucalyptus that's sort of a grown-up fairytale, a girl on an outback farm whose father makes her suitors perform all these weird tasks involving learning about eucalyptus trees. OK, it doesn't sound appealing, but it's a lovely book!

Also, if she reads fantasy or sci-fi, there's lots of stuff without too much adult content.

[coolmom2]

Well my 12 year old daughter reads books that I read...only because she is very, very mature for her age. I allowed her to read "Sybil" for this reason- I know most mothers would probably see this and criticize me for it, but I know what my daughter can handle.

What exactly do you feel uncomfortable giving your daughter to read? What kinds of books do you read that you don't want her to read?

My daughter read the "Alice" series when she was 10, but if she hadn't found them then she would have still read them now. So that's a yes- I think your daughter (only based on what I know about my daughter) would probably like them. My daughter also enjoyed the "Clique" series- I don't approve of the morals, for it revolves around a popular middle school clique with no respect for others, but after each book I made sure to discuss with her what was wrong about the characters in the book, and thus made it a "bad" example of how to behave.

I hope I helped...do you need any other suggestions? I have plenty!

[Thalia the Muse]

Hey -- how about Salinger? Franny and Zooey, or the stories?

Also, Into the Forest would be great for that age -- two teenage sisters are left alone to survive in their 'off the grid" home after a disaster of some unspecified nature causes society to collapse. It's a terrific book.

[doublesnap]

Wow thanks for all the replies!

It's actually for my cousin, I'm expecting my first in March. She's definitely mature and I know she's a smart girl but at the same time I don't think she'd quite appreciate my copy of Jhumpa Lahiri's "The Namesake" and my cherished Faulkner books would be over her head.

I mentioned the Alice books because it's supposed to be "tweenish" and CoolMom2, I'm glad to hear your daughter liked them. There's actually a movie coming out for it, that's how I heard about it. I was at the mall and the Build a Bear store had a big sign about it. I remember asking my friend if it was about Alice in Wonderland and that's when I heard about "Oh it's a girls' series". Yup, here it is.http://www.buildabear.com/lp/alice/

As far as the other suggestions, I love Watership Down and Jane Eyre. I was thinking of giving her some of my beloved British lit but as much as I love Wuthering Heights, there are issues in that book that put me off from giving it to her.

Thalia, I'm going to look at that Eucalyptus book, sounds really good actually!

[mata]

She might like Stargirl, too.

[ZeldasMom]

Originally Posted by coolmom2

Well my 12 year old daughter reads books that I read...only because she is very, very mature for her age. I allowed her to read "Sybil" for this reason- I know most mothers would probably see this and criticize me for it, but I know what my daughter can handle.

I am not saying to this to criticize you coolmom2, but just want to share that I saw the movie version of Sybil as a child and wish I hadn't.

Some books I liked as a teen:

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
The Pearl, John Steinbeck
Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse
Black Like Me, John Howard Griffin
The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
Night, Elie Wiesel
Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke

I was also a big Ray Bradbury fan and loved reading his short stories.

Here are some more contemporary ideas.

[kathirynne]

Jane Austen

I read Pride & Predjudice at that age; maybe she would like that?

[zinemama]

A Girl of the Limberlost by Jean Stratton Porter. It's an old one and really good, about a 16yo living in the country with an unloving mother. She's desperate to get an education and finds and sells rare moths in the woods to pay her way through high school. Courage, determination, nature and (in the end) love! You can readily find it in paperback; it's never been out of print as far as I know.

Another really good one for that age is A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly, which came out a few years ago. Adirondack mountain girl at the turn of the century who wants to go to college and works at a resort to earn money. Strong heroine, suspense, totally enthralling.

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman. Two high school girls on a Jane Austen kick set out to find their own Mr Darcys. It is totally charming and the protagonists are smart and funny.

[doublesnap]

Originally Posted by ZeldasMom

I am not saying to this to criticize you coolmom2, but just want to share that I saw the movie version of Sybil as a child and wish I hadn't.

Some books I liked as a teen:

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
The Pearl, John Steinbeck
Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse
Black Like Me, John Howard Griffin
The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
Night, Elie Wiesel
Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke

I was also a big Ray Bradbury fan and loved reading his short stories.

Here are some more contemporary ideas.

Wow, thanks for the link. I love Catcher in the Rye and I'm a huge Steinbeck fan.

Zinemama, Enthusiasm sounds great! I love Austen so I might have to read that one myself

[Thalia the Muse]

Wow, Enthusiasm sounds charming. For a starter Austen, I like Emma more than Pride and Prejudice -- it's just so hilarious in a way that most other Austen isn't.

[maxmama]

SUe Townsend's Adrian Mole series made me laugh my ass off at that age.

[Thalia the Muse]

I thought of a few more, if anyone can stand it: Rebecca, West with the Night, and Out of Africa.

[coolmom2]

[QUOTE=ZeldasMom]I am not saying to this to criticize you coolmom2, but just want to share that I saw the movie version of Sybil as a child and wish I hadn't. QUOTE]

I understand that you're not criticizing me- but- let me just say that 1, the movie, in my opinion, is more disturbing than the book and I wouldn't let her see it, and 2, I warned her that it was graphic- and we discussed the book after she read it Sorry OT!

[Thalia the Muse]

Oh, and one more! Because I am, apparently, incapable of shutting up: Persepolis. It's perfect.

[doublesnap]

Originally Posted by Thalia the Muse

Oh, and one more! Because I am, apparently, incapable of shutting up: Persepolis. It's perfect.

I'll take all the one more's!! I plan on printing out the thread and taking it to the bookstore and giving the books at least a quick glance before I buy any. I'll probably buy her 3 or 5, make it a nice mix of books.

Thank you all so much! On a side note I think you've added to my own reading list

[soygurl]

I'd second the Alice books. I loved them at that age... and several years older too!
Also, I'd recomend almost any books by Lois Lowry. I've never read a book of her's that I didn't like, or that wasn't well written. The only thing to look out for is that quite a few of her books are geared towards a slightly younger audience. She has a series of the "Anasasia" books, which are similar to the "Alice" series but geared towards slightly younger girls (thought I still loved them at that age becaue they are funny), as well as a lot of more "interesting" (i.e. thought provoking, dealing with more serious subjects) books such as (the clasic book) The Giver and it's two companions Gathering Blue and The Messanger. My other favorite of hers is A Summer to Die (has a planed, successful, UC in the book!).
Another book I loved (and still love) was The Westing Game.
For a "fun" read, I loved Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn. It's not exactly quality, but it's verry funny and pretty well written. It may be a tad too old for a 13 year old though... depends on the girl.

~Kelsie

[ZeldasMom]

[QUOTE=coolmom2]

Originally Posted by ZeldasMom

I am not saying to this to criticize you coolmom2, but just want to share that I saw the movie version of Sybil as a child and wish I hadn't. QUOTE]

I understand that you're not criticizing me- but- let me just say that 1, the movie, in my opinion, is more disturbing than the book and I wouldn't let her see it, and 2, I warned her that it was graphic- and we discussed the book after she read it Sorry OT!

I am glad the book is less disturbing. Now that you say that I can see how that could be the case. I put that movie in the same category as Requieum for Dream. It put some images into my head that I would rather not have there, YKWIM?

[Susana]

When I was 13 my favorite book was The Outsiders by S.E.Hinton. I still love that book.
of course the movie was an explosion of 80s babes so that was nice too

[doublesnap]

Originally Posted by Susana

When I was 13 my favorite book was The Outsiders by S.E.Hinton. I still love that book.
of course the movie was an explosion of 80s babes so that was nice too

It's a great book and yes the movie was nice!


Again, thanks for all the suggestions. I'm going to go shopping this weekend so keep the ideas coming!