Entropymama Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 My just-turned-13-year-old daughter is looking for some books to read and we can't agree on anything. She wants to read The Fault in Our Stars and the Divergent series, along with other similar teen-oriented books but I'm not comfortable with some of the content. According to Common Sense Media, the first Divergent book includes strong violence, a brief attempted rape and strong language. TFiOS also contains strong language and a sex scene. I'd like to stay away from strong language, cutting, self-destructive behavior (anorexia), sex as a theme, and graphic anything. She doesn't want to read anything historical or written by someone who's dead. :laugh: Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Can you name a few books that she's already read and enjoyed? Regards, Kareni 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Dd14 (and I!) have thoroughly enjoyed the Finishing School series by Gail Carriger. Etiquette and Espionage is the first book. They're in the 'steam punk' genre, so set in Victorian times but aren't historical in the usual sense. The book has vampires and werewolves as members of society, but not in the sense that would normally be associated with vampire books. Nothing scary, or inappropriate in the books. It's all very decorous and proper, and very funny. This is not the sort of book either dd or I would normally look at but we thoroughly enjoyed them (I came across them on a 'best books for teens' list when dd wanted an audiobook recommendation. The audiobook versions are exceptional.) Also an unusual book, which dd really enjoyed: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. The Giver series by Lois Lowry. City of the Beasts by Isabelle Allende (first in a series of three). The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley - this one, and the rest of the series, aren't written for children, but the protagonist is a crime-solving child and they're appropriate. Dd listened to this one on audiobook. I might be projecting my own issues here, but I'm guessing you're wanting literature of a reasonable quality that appeals to teenagers without being 'typically teeny'. It's not easy! Most of the teen drama stuff is not in dd's realm of experience, and I'm happy to keep it that way (and she doesn't find it particularly appealing). She chooses what to read and watch for herself but is selective and knows what she feels comfortable with, and what I would feel comfortable with. Several of the books I've recommended are found in the adult section of our library, but are much more appropriate than the stuff generally found in the YA section. Have fun reading reviews! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Books of Bayern Sisters Grimm Christy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Is it classics she objects to when she doesn't want "books by dead people" or is someone who died quite recently acceptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 Thanks for your suggestions and sorry for not responding! Life, ya know. She objects to classics and anything in the Anne of Green Gables/Heidi/Little House genre. Like, anything 'sweet'. Her favorite book ever was The Boxcar Children, but obviously that's way too young for her now. She wants teenager stuff, which is fine, but she's a young 13 and not ready for some of the content. I did read The Fault in our Stars last week, and the s*x scene was VERY mild, for anyone that's wondering. But there was a lot of language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 What is it about those books that you don't want her to read that is attracting her? Is it the blurb, or what her friends have told her about them, or is it more the fact that her friends are reading these books and she wants to have a common thing to talk about with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 What is it about those books that you don't want her to read that is attracting her? Is it the blurb, or what her friends have told her about them, or is it more the fact that her friends are reading these books and she wants to have a common thing to talk about with them? I think it's the fact that the characters are teens and there's a lot of action. The dystopic theme, fighting for a cause, dealing with life and death situations. And I fully support her interest in those topics, I just would prefer to skip the language, graphic violence and sex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottonwood Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Have her look into Cinder by Marissa Meyers. That one hooked dd hard and she has loved all of the rest of Marissa's books. I am very careful about her recreational reading material, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I think it's the fact that the characters are teens and there's a lot of action. The dystopic theme, fighting for a cause, dealing with life and death situations. And I fully support her interest in those topics, I just would prefer to skip the language, graphic violence and sex. No, I can see that. Every time I say this I forget, but I'll try to look at my books in the morning and come up with a few suggestions. I can't promise that my definition of "strong language" or "graphic violence" will necessarily line up with yours exactly, so if I remember, you should still pre-read or check a review from a source you trust. I can be pretty sure, however, of knocking out all books with sex scenes. I'm careful about those because I hate reading 'em on the bus and train and my own darling doesn't want to read anything like that yet. (My attitude is different from yours, I wouldn't care if she did unless it was really poorly written, but I can appreciate having a different point of view in this area. This is definitely an area where thinking people can disagree.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 My dd really enjoyed Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Try Agatha Christie. There's a bit of language, and some depictions of adultery at times. But overall pretty tame. My 13 yo likes Dragonspell I think. She's really into mythological creatures though and magic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 If she liked the Boxcar Children, she might like The Cat Who mysteries by Lilian Jackson Braun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 My dd really enjoyed Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. And, in the same vein, Wonder, by...RJ Palacios, I think? She might also enjoy the Life as We Knew It series of books, and the Bartimaeus trilogy (it might be a quartet now?) by Jonathan Stroud. ETA: How about the Percy Jackson novels? And the 39 Clues series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 By the way, do mention the WHYs of why you really don't want her to read certain books. My 13 yo is satisfied if I can show her a website that says, "Sex scenes in this book." because she doesn't want to read that stuff. Otherwise, she may just see you as raining on her parade. Lots of talks about how what we consume becomes a part of who we are and what we think about life are in your future. And that's a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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